Mabel R. Gillis
American librarian (1882–1961)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mabel Ray Gillis (September 24, 1882 – September 6, 1961) was an American librarian. From 1930 to 1952, she served as the seventeenth State Librarian of California, the first woman to hold that office.
Mabel R. Gillis | |
|---|---|
Mabel R. Gillis, from a 1919 newspaper. | |
| Born | September 24, 1882 Sacramento, California, US |
| Died | September 6, 1961 (aged 78) Sacramento, California, US |
| Occupation | Librarian |
| Known for | State Librarian of California (1930–1952) |
| Parent | James Louis Gillis |
Early life
Mabel Ray Gillis was born in Sacramento, California, the daughter of James Louis Gillis and Kate Petree Gillis. She attended Mrs. Spillman's school in Sacramento,[1] and earned a teaching certificate from the University of California, Berkeley in 1902.[2][3]
Career
Gillis began working at the California State Library in 1904, while her father was the State Librarian.[4] In 1917, she was appointed assistant to his successor, Milton J. Ferguson.[5] She became State Librarian when Ferguson resigned in 1930; she was the first woman to be State Librarian of California. She served under five governors, presided over the library's centennial celebration in 1950,[6] and retired from the office in 1952.[7] "Under her leadership, the state library has grown from a humble beginning to one of the great libraries of the West," commented governor Earl Warren. "I regret to see Miss Gillis retire, but she has earned it."[8]
Gillis's professional interests included library services for blind readers.[9][10] She was head of the state library's Books for the Blind section from its beginning in 1904, and began statewide programs for teaching reading skills to blind readers.[11][12][13] As State Librarian, she worked on improving the status and skills of county librarians, with an annual conference and a certification program. She also expanded California's union catalog, allowing local libraries to offer patrons a wider range of titles through interlibrary loans.[7] During World War II, she headed the library's drive to collect books for American servicemen.[14][15]
Gillis was president of the Sacramento Business and Professional Women's Club (1920–1922),[16][17] and of the California Library Association (1929–1930), and of the National Association of State Libraries (1935).[18] She served on the executive board of the American Library Association.[19]
Personal life
Gillis died in 1961, aged 78 years, in Sacramento.[20] In 2018, she was inducted into the California Library Hall of Fame.[7] A branch of the Sacramento City Library system was named for Gillis.[21] Her papers are archived in the California State Library.[22]
