Mary Elizabeth Downey ( – May 25, 1949)Stauffer, "She Speaks as One Having Authority," pg. 54. was a librarian and activist who created and promoted

library science Library and information science (LIS)Library and Information Sciences is the name used in the Dewey Decimal Classification for class 20 from the 18th edition (1971) to the 22nd edition (2003). are two interconnected disciplines that deal with info ...

education courses across the

Midwest The Midwestern United States (also referred to as the Midwest, the Heartland or the American Midwest) is one of the four census regions defined by the United States Census Bureau. It occupies the northern central part of the United States. It ...

ern and

Western United States The Western United States (also called the American West, the Western States, the Far West, the Western territories, and the West) is List of regions of the United States, census regions United States Census Bureau. As American settlement i ...

. She is regarded as a pioneer of the modern library movement.Mary Elizabeth Downey obituary, ''Library Journal'' 75 (1950).

Early life and education

Mary Elizabeth Downey was born in Sarahsville, Ohio, to Dr. Hiram James and Martha Ball Downey. She was raised in a middle-class,

Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

family, and taught in her local public schools. In 1899, she earned a B.A. in classics from

Denison University Denison University is a Private university, private liberal arts college in Granville, Ohio, United States. One of the earliest colleges established in the former Northwest Territory, Denison University was founded in 1831. It was first called ...

. She then studied

from 1899 to 1901 through the University of Chicago Extension Division and was one of only seventeen students to graduate.

Career

After graduating from the University of Chicago Extension Division, she took a position as first assistant librarian with the

Field Museum The Field Museum of Natural History (FMNH), also known as The Field Museum, is a natural history museum in Chicago, Illinois, and is one of the largest such museums in the world. The museum is popular for the size and quality of its educationa ...

in Chicago and worked there until 1902. Records show that she also worked as a faculty member of the University of Chicago Extension Division's library school around the same time and wrote a letter to the university's president in defense of the program after it was criticized by the ALA. In 1903, the decision was made to close the library school. Downey, acting as President of the University of Chicago Library Students Club, wrote another letter to the dean of the university, requesting that the school show loyalty to its students by keeping the program open and continuing its work.Stauffer, "Mr. Dewey Is Crazy and Katharine Sharp Hates the University of Chicago," pg. 107. Neither her letter nor the many other letters of protest the university received dissuaded President

William Rainey Harper William Rainey Harper (July 24, 1856 – January 10, 1906) was an American academic leader, an accomplished semiticist, and Baptist clergyman. Harper helped to establish both the University of Chicago and Bradley University and served as the i ...

from closing the school. Downey moved on to

Ottumwa, Iowa Ottumwa ( ) is a List of cities in Iowa, city in and the county seat of Wapello County, Iowa, United States. The population was 25,529 at the time of the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. Census. Located in the state's southeastern section, th ...

, where she became the town's first public librarian, receiving recommendations from her former instructor and

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, or UChi) is a Private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its main campus is in the Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood on Chicago's South Side, Chic ...

librarian

Zella Allen Dixson Zella Allen Dixson (August 10, 1858 – January 12, 1924) was an American writer, lecturer, librarian, and publisher.''Woman's Who's Who'' She was the longest-serving director and associate librarian of the University of Chicago Extension Di ...

, the dean of women of Shephardson College, the pastor of the local

Baptist Baptists are a Christian denomination, denomination within Protestant Christianity distinguished by baptizing only professing Christian believers (believer's baptism) and doing so by complete Immersion baptism, immersion. Baptist churches ge ...

church, a teacher at the local high school, the librarian of the

Art Institute of Chicago The Art Institute of Chicago, founded in 1879, is one of the oldest and largest art museums in the United States. The museum is based in the Art Institute of Chicago Building in Chicago's Grant Park (Chicago), Grant Park. Its collection, stewa ...

, and President Harper of the University of Chicago.Stauffer, "She Speaks as One Having Authority," pg. 40-41. Dr. Suzanne M. Stauffer writes in her article, "'She Speaks as One Having Authority': Mary E. Downey's Use of Libraries as a Means to Public Power":

During her time in Ottumwa Downey began a story hour in the library, invited Friends of the Library to give presentations on books, and gave talks on the history of the book and the library at the high school. She also established the Children's Library League, which met weekly to read and discuss books, with the motto 'Clean hearts, clean hands, and clean books.'Stauffer, "She Speaks as One Having Authority," pg. 42.

Downey was elected secretary of the Iowa Library Association for the 1904 to 1905 term. Around this time, she and several other female librarians accused

Melvil Dewey Melville Louis Kossuth "Melvil" Dewey (December 10, 1851 – December 26, 1931) was an American librarian and educator who invented the Dewey Decimal system of library classification. He was a founder of the Lake Placid Club, a chief librarian a ...

of sexual harassment, which ultimately led to him being expelled from both the ALA and the New York Library Association. In 1906, Downey became the director of the

Chautauqua Chautauqua ( ) is an adult education and social movement in the United States that peaked in popularity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Chautauqua assemblies expanded and spread throughout rural America until the mid-1920s. The Cha ...

School for Librarians, a short-course summer school which Downey would expand in 1918 into a professional certificate program.Stauffer, "She Speaks as One Having Authority," pg. 41-42. She acted as the school's director every summer for thirty years. In 1908, Downey became Ohio's state library organizer.Utley to Driggs, Correspondence. Stauffer writes that Downey's main duties were to "encourage tax support for libraries, assist with the organization and cataloging of collections and the standardization of library procedures, increase the use of libraries, develop library extension, and encourage formal library training. In 1910 alone she made 216 visits to 116 towns; gave twenty-six addresses in support of the library movement to mass meetings, women's clubs, teachers' institutes, and other groups; and presided over district library meetings in six cities."Stauffer, "She Speaks as One Having Authority," pg 42-43. In her addresses to the teachers' institutes, she called for teachers to utilize public libraries in education, promote the reading of "good books" (i.e. books that encouraged good morals), and provide education for librarians.Stauffer, "She Speaks as One Having Authority," pg. 43. She also represented the state of Ohio in the meetings of the Ohio Library Association, the

American Library Association The American Library Association (ALA) is a nonprofit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world. History 19th century ...

, the League of Library Commissions, the Ohio Federation of Women's Clubs, and the

General Federation of Women's Clubs The General Federation of Women's Clubs (GFWC), founded in 1890 during the Progressive Movement, is a federation of approximately 2,300 women's clubs in the United States which promote civic improvements through volunteer service. Community Serv ...

. In 1911, the governor of Ohio appointed a new state librarian who cleared out much of the staff, including Downey. Downey went on to serve two terms as the president of the Ohio Library Association before being offered the position of

Utah Utah is a landlocked state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is one of the Four Corners states, sharing a border with Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. It also borders Wyoming to the northea ...

state library organizer in 1914 with a recommendation from American Library Association secretary

George Utley George Utley (16 May 1887 – 8 January 1966) was an English footballer who played for Barnsley F.C., Barnsley, Sheffield United F.C., Sheffield United and England national football team, England. He was a strong and powerful half back who coul ...

. Her main duty as Utah library organizer was to spend ten to fourteen days at each library in the state training the staff and library boards in procedures and policies.Stauffer, "She Speaks as One Having Authority," pg. 44. In 1916, she took on the position of state library secretary while continuing to work as organizer. After two years, Downey had visited every library in Utah multiple times, calling for tax-funded libraries, assisting with Carnegie grant applications, evaluating the libraries, recommending materials, and speaking before community groups. Downey once gave a speech to the Utah Federation of Women's Clubs in Salt Lake City, stating: Downey pushed for the passage of the County Public Libraries Act which established a county library system in Utah that provided public libraries to rural areas. The Act was passed in 1919 not long after the end of

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, and Downey convinced the

Library War Service The Library War Service was established by the American Library Association in 1917 to provide library services to American soldiers training in camps and serving overseas in World War I. ALA President Walter Lewis Brown initiated a partnership be ...

to donate its unused books to Utah's new, rural county libraries. Throughout her career, Downey continued to promote education for librarians by offering Utah librarians scholarships to the Chautauqua School, starting a traveling school that would hold six-week sessions in various places in Utah, and calling for library boards to pay for their librarians to attend school.Stauffer, "She Speaks as One Having Authority," pg. 51. In 1921, Downey became the state library organizer for

North Dakota North Dakota ( ) is a U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the indigenous Dakota people, Dakota and Sioux peoples. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north and by the U.S. states of Minneso ...

and began reforming the state's libraries just as she had in Utah by calling for a county library system.Stauffer, "She Speaks as One Having Authority," pg. 53. Downey then returned to Denison University in 1923 as the school's librarian and received her M.A. there the following year. In 1929, Downey was reappointed Ohio state library organizer—a position which she would hold until 1931.

Later life

In 1941, Downey became a volunteer librarian at the

National Woman's Party The National Woman's Party (NWP) was an American women's political organization formed in 1916 to fight for women's suffrage. After achieving this goal with the 1920 adoption of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, the NWP ...

Alva Belmont Alva Erskine Belmont (née Smith; January 17, 1853 – January 26, 1933), known as Alva Vanderbilt from 1875 to 1896, was an American multi-millionaire socialite and women's suffrage activist. She was noted for her energy, intelligence, strong ...

Feminist Library, now known as the Florence Bayard Hilles Feminist Library, which continues to specialize in materials about the

women's movement The feminist movement, also known as the women's movement, refers to a series of social movements and political campaigns for radical and liberal reforms on women's issues created by inequality between men and women. Such issues are women's ...

. Downey organized the library's initial collection and promoted women's issues through a variety of mediums throughout her time there. Mary Elizabeth Downey died on May 25, 1949, in

Virginia Beach, Virginia Virginia Beach (colloquially VB) is the most populous city in the U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. The city is located on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay in southeastern Virginia. It is the sixth-most populous city in the ...

. Her obituary labeled her a pioneer of the library movement.

Personal views and activism

Religion and books

In 1902, Downey gave an address to the Iowa Library Association advocating that librarians "not force even a child into using the library, but if possible, lead he childvoluntarily into the reading habit..." Downey believed that librarians could instill cultural norms and mores in children by providing them with books that encouraged adherence to those values. She would reiterate this message in public lectures she delivered at the Chautauqua School for Librarians. As Stauffer writes:

Speaking in the Hall of Philosophy on 'The Evolution of the Library,' Downey concluded that 'it is the birthright of every child to have access to a good collection of books just as it is his birthright to have a free education' and declared that 'the development of a love for regular and for good reading is necessary to bring the child to the proper development.'

Downey also spoke before the American Library Association's Religious Books Round Table in 1932 and advocated the use of inspirational materials to help people who were struggling in the

Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...

Literacy and education

Downey advised schools to have at least one book per child in the classroom and called for rural schools to house branch libraries in order to encourage the creation of the first "generation of readers." Downey stated in speeches that public libraries could provide all the benefits of a university for the entire community. In 1923, Downey spoke to the

Daughters of the American Revolution The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (often abbreviated as DAR or NSDAR) is a lineage-based membership service organization for women who are directly descended from a patriot of the American Revolutionary War. A non-p ...

, stating:

Feminism

Downey was a member of the Columbus Equal Suffrage Association and advocated for women's right to vote. She would later work for the National Woman's Party and promote feminist literature in libraries. Downey spoke out for women's equal employment in libraries by joining several other female librarians in asking the War Service Committee to stop protecting women from hard work.Stauffer, "She Speaks as One Having Authority," pg. 52. She also wrote a letter to the executive secretary of the Library War Service asking that the military lift its ban on women in the Camp Library Service.

Professional associations

Downey served on the Publications Committee of the League of Library Commissions in 1911, as the League's second vice president in 1914, and then on the executive board from 1915 to 1918.Stauffer, "She Speaks as One Having Authority," pg. 50. Downey was a member of the American Library Association Council from 1914 to 1916 due to her position as president of the Ohio Library Association at the time. She would rejoin the Council in 1920 when she became president of the Utah Library Association and again in 1922 when she became president of the North Dakota Library Association. In 1923, she was appointed to a five-year term on the Council. Downey also served on the American Library Association's Committee on Legislation from 1920 to 1927.

References

Notes

Bibliography

* "D. A. R. Meeting." ''Chautauquan Daily'', 18 July 1923, 7. * "Entire City to Join in Celebration over Our Splendid Library." ''Price News-Advocate'', 3 March 1916, 1.
"Florence Bayard Hilles Feminist Library." Sewall-Belmont House & Museum.
Retrieved April 10, 2016. * Garrison, Dee. ''Apostles of Culture: The Public Librarian and American Society'', 1876-1920 (New York: Free Press, 1979), 206-217. * Mary Elizabeth Downey obituary, ''Library Journal'' 75 (1950). * "Miss Downey Talks," ''

Ottumwa Courier The ''Ottumwa Courier'' (formerly called ''Ottumwa Daily Courier'') is a two-day (Tuesday and Saturday) newspaper published in Ottumwa, Iowa, United States, and covering Wapello County, Iowa and surrounding counties. It is owned by CNHI. The news ...

'', 29 October 1902. * "Mr. Barnes and Miss Downey," ''Chautauquan Daily'', 12 July 1915, 3. * Stauffer, Suzanne M. "'Mr. Dewey Is Crazy and Katharine Sharp Hates the University of Chicago:' Gender, Power, and Personality and the Demise of the University of Chicago Course in Library Science 1897-1903." ''Journal of Education for Library and Information Science'' 56, no. 2 (Spring 2015): 101-113. * Stauffer, Suzanne M. "'She Speaks as One Having Authority': Mary E. Downey's Use of Libraries as a Means to Public Power." ''Libraries & Culture'' 40, no. 1 (Winter 2005): 38-62. * Utley, George B. to Howard R. Driggs, 9 February 1914, Utah State Library Commission, Correspondence, 1912–22
Utah State Archives
Salt Lake City. * Wiegand, W.A. ''Irrepressible reformer: A biography of Melvil Dewey.'' Chicago: American Library Association, 1996.

External links

American Library Association

General Federation of Women's Clubs

Sewall-Belmont House & Museum
{{DEFAULTSORT:Downey, Mary Elizabeth 1870s births 1949 deaths American feminists Librarians from Ohio Librarians from North Dakota 20th-century American women librarians 20th-century American librarians Suffragists from Ohio Denison University alumni University of Chicago alumni Suffragists from North Dakota