He was founder of the Agassiz Association and served as librarian of the Berkshire Athenaeum for 46 years.

[1] Ballard attended public school in Athens and Detroit, Michigan and graduated from Williams College in 1874.

[4][5] He remained as curator until early 1931,[6][7][8] giving up the position when the museum and library became separate institutions.

[9] In 1875, he founded the Agassiz Association, an organization dedicated to the promotion of natural science, especially among young people.

He edited The Swiss Cross, the Agassiz Association monthly magazine, and the newspaper the New York Observer.