Ellen Ruth Rockwood (1872 - April 13, 1952) was an American

librarian A librarian is a person who professionally works managing information. Librarians' common activities include providing access to information, conducting research, creating and managing information systems, creating, leading, and evaluating educat ...

and historian.

Career

Rockwood obtained a A.B. degree from

Bryn Mawr College Bryn Mawr College ( ; Welsh language, Welsh: ) is a Private college, private Women's colleges in the United States, women's Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as a ...

. In 1901, she joined the Library Association of Portland, and later became head of the reference department until retirement in 1938. She was a member of the

American Association of University Women The American Association of University Women (AAUW), officially founded in 1881, is a non-profit organization that advances Justice, equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, and research. The organization has a nationwide Social net ...

and of the Professional Women's League. She contributed to the ''Pacific Historical Review'' and to the ''

Oregon Historical Society The Oregon Historical Society (OHS) is an organization that encourages and promotes the study and understanding of the history of the State of Oregon, within the broader context of U.S. history. Incorporated in 1898, the Society collects, pres ...

Quarterly'' for which she edited ''Diary of the Rev. George H. Atkinson, 1847- 1858'' and ''Letters of Charles Stevens''. Rockwood completed an exhaustive compilation of Oregon State Documents for the Oregon Historical Society, published under the title of ''A Checklist of Oregon State Documents''. She was in charge of the Pacific Northwest Library Association Bibliography; the original collection was built by Rockwood at the Library Association in Portland, and served as assistance to collectors and librarians of the smaller libraries. In 1916 she was appointed chairman of the Pacific Northwest Library Association. In December 1928 Rockwood was a charter member of the Subscription Books Committee, a group to provide evaluations and advice on encyclopedias, and subscription sets, newly founded by 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 ...

(ALA).

Personal life

Rockwood was born in 1872 in Rensselaer Falls, New York. She moved to Oregon in 1886 and she lived at Alexandra Court Hotel,

Portland, Oregon Portland ( ) is the List of cities in Oregon, most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon, located in the Pacific Northwest region. Situated close to northwest Oregon at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, ...

. She died on April 13, 1952, and is buried at Mountain View Cemetery (Ashland, Oregon), in the Old Cemetery side, Lot 343.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rockwood, E. Ruth 1872 births 1952 deaths Bryn Mawr College alumni American librarians American women librarians People from St. Lawrence County, New York People from Portland, Oregon