Reply To: R Soloveichik on girls education

Not sure whether this is that important how often R Kotler used YU library, but here is a post that has pictures of the library cards:

Friday, February 1, 2019
Rav Aharon Kotler and the Yeshiva University Library Guest Post by Zalman Alpert
Guest Post by Zalman Alpert, Judaica Reference Librarian at the Gottesman Library of Yeshiva University from 1982–2014

In my many years 1982-2014 as a librarian at the Mendel Gottesman Library of Yeshiva University, I was honored to meet many important rabbonim, who would visit YU and the MGL. Many Chassidic Rebbes visited YU among them the late Sadigurer rebbe, the Burstiner rebbe, the Koudenover Rebbe, the Kaluver Rebbe and Helmitzer Rav Ztl. Even more Chassidic Dayanim, Rabbonim or Magide Shiur used the library, and I was honored to establish relationships with several of them.

Additionally, Chasidic Dayanim from all Hasidic groups, used the library via phone requests, including dayanim from Satmar, Lubavitch, Pupa, Belz and other groups. The phone was also the vehicle used to access the library by which the Biyaner Rebbe shlita, whose father Dr Menachem Breuer was on the faculty of YU, the Krasner Rav and Bialer rebbe of B’nai Brak contacted the library as well.

The same can not be said in regards the Eylam Hateyre ie the Yeshiva world, I can hardly recall any American Rosh Yeshiva using the library in person or via the phone, with one notable exception about which I hope to write at another time.

I suspect YU was too close to home so to speak for these Rabbonim to accord it any respect. In pre-war days most visiting Roshe Yeshiva from Polish Lita honored YU by giving a guest shiur there, with one Rav Shimen [Schwab – AAQ] staying at YU for a year as a Rosh Yeshiva min haminyan, on leave from his hometown of Grodna. Yeshiva world mythology presents 2 exceptions to this, being Rav Elchonon Wasserman HYD and Rav Aron Kotler who refused to give shiurim at YU. I have not researched this but indeed it is probably fact that they boycotted YU.

Years ago as the Gottesman Library was discarding old circulation files I fished out a number of circulation cards indicating that Rav Aaron Kotler borrowed books at the Gottesman Library during the years 1942-45.
It remains unknown whether he was actually there personally, but clearly these books were designated for his use, perhaps via a messenger. That they were intended for Rav Aron was not hidden and on one card he is identified as Rosh Yeshiva of Klezk!

The books he borrowed were all lomdische seforim with the exception of Chut haMeshulosh חוט המשולש, by the Bergszazer Rav, R Shlomo Sofer about the Eiger-Sofer family which is in the bechinah of sichos chulin shel talmide chachomim in general.

My Rebbe, Rav Shimen Romm ZTL of YU was also a Kletzker talmid but never reconnected with his old rebbe in the US. When several of the current Lakewood Roshe Yeshiva were in our shul, Rav Romm repeated a chiddush by Reb Aron to them from the early 1930s.