Charles Alexander Nelson

Charles Alexander Nelson (April 14, 1839 - January 13, 1933) was an American librarian and bibliographer.

Nelson worked as a civil engineer and businessman before he became interested in library science. From 1881 to1888, he worked on the publication of the catalog of the Astor Library in four volumes. He then became the first librarian of the Howard Memorial Library of New Orleans. From 1891 to 1893, he worked on a catalog for the Newberry Library in Chicago, and until 1909 he was deputy librarian of Columbia University. From 1913 to 1926, he was on the staff of the Merchants' Association of New York, where he worked on an index-digest of its activities. Nelson was one of the founders of the New York Library Club and was several times elected to civil offices.