Mary Eileen Ahern
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Mary Eileen Ahern (October 1, 1860 – May 22, 1938) 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 ...
, a leader of the modern library movement, and an early organizer of libraries in the United States. Throughout her career as a state librarian, journal editor, public speaker, and organizer, Ahern crusaded for the value of public libraries in educating the public. Ahern was inducted in the
Library Hall of Fame The Library Hall of Fame was a list created in 1951 that recognized leaders of the late 19th- and early 20th-century library movement, on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the American Library Association The American Library Associatio ...
in 1951, and named in ''American Libraries'' in 1999 as one of the "100 of the Most Important Leaders We Had in the 20th Century."


Early life

Mary Eileen Ahern was born October 1, 1860, in rural
Marion County, Indiana Marion County is located in the U.S. state of Indiana. The 2020 United States census reported a population of 977,203, making it the 54th-most populous county in the U.S., the most populous county in the state, and the main population center ...
, to Mary (O'Neal) and William Ahern. Both of her parents were Irish immigrants. Mary Eileen, the second of three children, moved with her family to
Spencer, Indiana Spencer is a town in Washington Township, Owen County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 2,217 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Owen County. Spencer is part of the Bloomington, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical A ...
, at the age of ten. She graduated from Spencer High School in 1878 and enrolled at Central Normal College in Danville, Indiana, where she graduated in 1881.


Career


State librarian

After graduating from college, Ahern worked as an Indiana public school teacher until 1889, when she was appointed as the Indiana assistant state librarian. Ahern's early work at the state library included cataloging its collections. In 1893 the
state legislature A state legislature is a Legislature, legislative branch or body of a State (country subdivision), political subdivision in a Federalism, federal system. Two federations literally use the term "state legislature": * The legislative branches of ...
appointed Ahern as the Indiana state librarian, a political position that she retained until 1895. Ahern was outspoken in her fight for change at the state library, which included convincing the state's politicians to depoliticize the library's leadership appointments and to place the library under the Indiana Department of Education. Ahern's efforts were successful, not for herself but for future librarians. As a condition of the political compromise that was reached, she agreed not to seek reappointment as state librarian. Ahern stepped down as Indiana's state librarian and left state government in 1895, but continued to remain active in state, national, and international efforts to improve public libraries. She also encouraged the development of the modern library movement. After Ahern's political appointment ended, she left Indiana to pursue a formal library education at the Library School of the Armour Institute of Technology in
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
,
Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...
, for a year.


Journal editor

After completing her library studies in Chicago, Ahern accepted a position as the founding editor of a new journal, ''Public Libraries'' (later shortened to ''Libraries''). She edited the journal from her base in Chicago for the next thirty-six years. Deteriorating eyesight forced her to give up her editorship in 1931. Following her retirement, the publishers decided the journal could not continue without her editorial leadership. Its final issue was a tribute to her many years of service. Ahern clearly stated her views on the value of public education, beginning in the first volume, second issue, of ''Public Libraries'': "There is only one solution of all social problems, an increase in intelligence, a gradual education of the people." She further argued that a public library could provide the best source of this education because it "is the broadest of teachers, one may almost say the only free teacher. It is the most liberal of schools; it is the only real people's college." The journal's tag lines also publicized and promoted the valued public libraries: "The Public Library is an Integral Part of Public Education" and "The best reading for the greatest number, at the least cost." Ahern became an influential authority on public policy issues related to libraries through her writing and public appearances across the county. She described her vision for public libraries, as well as providing practical professional development resources for libraries, and influenced librarians and library practice throughout the United States.


Other contributions

Ahern was an organizer and avid participant in several library organizations in addition to her journalistic work. While serving as the Indiana assistant state librarian Ahern established the Indiana Library Association, serving as its secretary from 1889 to 1896 and as its president in 1895. Ahern served three times as president of the Illinois Library Association. She was also a lifelong member of 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 ...
, active on numerous ALA committees, and a member of its board. At the thirteenth annual meeting of the Illinois Library Association, when Ahern was serving as the organization's president, she delivered the annual address with these words of encouragement: "We are librarians because we feel that in these lines there are greater opportunities for helpfulness, greater vistas of optimistic outlook, greater results in actual returns of the worthwhile, than in any other line of work which we might have chosen." Ahern also served in the federal government and as secretary of the Library Department of the
National Education Association The National Education Association (NEA) is the largest labor union in the United States. It represents public school teachers and other support personnel, faculty and staffers at colleges and universities, retired educators, and college st ...
. During
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 ...
she served as publicity agent and distributed books for the U.S. military in
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
from January to July 1919. Ahern continued to learn and advocate for changes in library policy. In 1927 she returned to Europe to study the library systems in France and
England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
.


Death and legacy

Ahern died on a train near
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
,
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...
, as she was traveling home to Chicago on May 22, 1938. Ahern is best known for her widespread influence in establishing and strengthening connections between libraries and schools in the United States. She was also an advocate for women in the profession and saw the potential of libraries to provide lifelong educational opportunities to the public. As the British librarian W. C. Berwick Sayers described her: "How intensely alive Miss Ahern seemed, how full of ideas, ideals, enthusiasms, how enquiringly humorous!""Abstract" for


Honors and tributes

* Inducted into the
Library Hall of Fame The Library Hall of Fame was a list created in 1951 that recognized leaders of the late 19th- and early 20th-century library movement, on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the American Library Association The American Library Associatio ...
in 1951. * Named in ''American Libraries'' in 1999 as one of the "100 of the Most Important Leaders We Had in the 20th Century."


Notes


External links

*
"Mary E. Ahern Papers, 1893, 1897, 1905-1921, 1924
" The American Library Association Archives,
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC, U of I, Illinois, or University of Illinois) is a public land-grant research university in the Champaign–Urbana metropolitan area, Illinois, United States. Established in 1867, it is the f ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ahern, Mary Eileen 1860 births 1938 deaths American women librarians Librarians from Indiana People from Marion County, Indiana