Downey, Miss Mary Elizabeth – Carnegie Libraries in Iowa Project

Downey, Mary Elizabeth (10 January, 1872-May 25, 1950)

Mary Elizabeth Downey was born near Sarahsville, Ohio on January 10, 1872 to Dr. Hiram James and Martha Ball Downey.[1] She taught in the local public schools before attending Denison University in Granville, Ohio, where she graduated in 1899 with a B.A. in classics.[2] She went on to study library science through the University of Chicago Extension Division between 1899-1901 and then worked as first assistant librarian in the Field Museum of Chicago.[3] In February of 1902, her application was selected by the Ottumwa Public Library Board and she was appointed the first librarian of the Ottumwa Public Library.[4] While in Iowa, Downey was actively involved with the Iowa Library Association (ILA) and was elected secretary of the association for 1904-1905.[5]

In 1906, Downey was chosen as director of the Chautauqua Summer Library School, a summer certificate program in the Chautauqua Institute’s Summer School system in New York for those already working in libraries to expand their knowledge. She would continue in this position every summer for the next thirty years.[6]

Eventually resigning from the Ottumwa Public Library in 1908, Downey moved to Ohio to become the State Library Organizer.[7] As State Library Organizer, her main responsibilities were to promote support for and use of the libraries in the state, help with organizing and cataloguing the collections of existing libraries, develop new library extensions, and represent the state of Ohio at meetings of associations such as the Ohio Library Association, American Library Association, and Ohio Federation of Women’s Clubs. Much of her time in this position was spent traveling to libraries across the state.[8]

In 1911, newly appointed state librarian John H. Newman discharged Downey from her position and after two years as President of the Ohio Library Association, she took on the position of State Library Organizer of Utah in early 1914.[9] In Utah her responsibilities were very similar, though Downey also took on the role of liaison between many city councils and the Carnegie Corporation to assist with the preparation of Carnegie grant application materials.[10]

In 1921, Downey moved yet again to become State Library Organizer in North Dakota.[11] Continuing to be actively involved in professional organizations, Downey would serve on the American Library Association (ALA) Committee on Legislation and in addition to having been President of the Ohio Library Association, she would be appointed President of the Utah Library Association and North Dakota Library Association at various points in her career.[12]

She returned to Denison University to become librarian in 1923 and the following year completed an M.A. with a thesis titled “Influence of the Reading Habit and Knowledge of How to Use Books on Education.”[13] In 1929, she left her position at Denison to become State Library Organizer for Ohio once again and remained in that position until 1931.[14] Her final position was a volunteer position with the National Women’s Party’s Alva Belmont Feminist Library, now the Florence Bayard Hilles Library, where she assisted with organizing the first collection of the library and expanding the library’s collections.[15]

Downey died on May 25, 1950 in Virginia Beach, Virginia where she had been working with the Association for Research and Enlightenment. She was buried in National Memorial Park Cemetery in Falls Church, Virginia.[16]

– Emily Schartz

[1] Stauffer, Suzanne M. “‘She Speaks as One Having Authority’: Mary E. Downey’s Use of Libraries as a Means to Public Power.” Libraries & Culture, vol. 40, no. 1, 2005, pp. 38–62. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/25541882 .

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.

[4] “A Librarian Selected.” The Saturday Herald, 1 Feb. 1902, pg. 8. https://ottumwapl.advantage-preservation.com/viewer/?k=downey&i=f&by=1902&bdd=1900&d=01011849-12312008&m=between&ord=k1&fn=the_saturday_herald_usa_iowa_ottumwa_19020201_english_8&df=1&dt=10&cid=3066

[5] Stauffer, Suzanne M. “‘She Speaks as One Having Authority’: Mary E. Downey’s Use of Libraries as a Means to Public Power.”

[6] Information about Downey’s tenure at the Chautauqua School can be found in Stauffer’s earlier cited article and further information about the program in general can be found in “The Chautauqua Library School.” New York Times (1857-1922), Sep 14, 1901, pp. 1. ProQuest, http://login.proxy.lib.uiowa.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/chautauqua-library-school/docview/96067601/se-2. It appears that this position mainly occurred during the program over six or so weeks every summer, which is likely how Downey was able to maintain this position in addition to her other responsibilities.

[7] Stauffer, Suzanne M. “‘She Speaks as One Having Authority’: Mary E. Downey’s Use of Libraries as a Means to Public Power.”

[8] Ibid.

[9] Stauffer discusses the circumstances of Downey’s discharge, but does not name the newly appointed state librarian. John H. Newman is listed as being appointed State Librarian in 1911 on the State Library of Ohio’s history page at https://library.ohio.gov/about/history/.

[10] Stauffer, Suzanne M. “‘She Speaks as One Having Authority’: Mary E. Downey’s Use of Libraries as a Means to Public Power.”

[11] Ibid. Mary Downey’s salary as State Library Organizer of Ohio was around $1,500 a year plus expenses. Her predecessor in Utah was paid $1,500 a year as well, and it is likely Downey’s salary was similar when she took over. State Library Organizers existed in other states across the country and their main responsibilities were very similar to Downey’s. As Stauffer explains in her article, they visited communities, evaluated and offered suggestions for collections, facilities, and practices, garnered support, and assisted with Carnegie grant applications. Women in these positions held more autonomy and professional power than their contemporaries in male-dominated professions. Downey used the visibility of her State Library Organizer positions to push for stronger standards and certification in library science education and equality for women working in libraries. Stauffer alludes to these efforts in the title of “‘She Speaks as One Having Authority’: Mary E. Downey’s Use of Libraries as a Means to Public Power.”

[12] Ibid.

[13] Information on Downey’s return to Denison from Suzanne Stauffer’s article and information about Downey’s degree and thesis from Denison University Archives and Special Collections, Student Scholarship, 1916-1996, Box 1, Folder 6.

[14] Stauffer, Suzanne M. “‘She Speaks as One Having Authority’: Mary E. Downey’s Use of Libraries as a Means to Public Power.”

[15] Ibid.

[16] “Miss Mary E. Downey Funeral Services Held.” Evening star (Washington, D.C.), 30 May 1950, Page A-8, Image 8. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Library of Congress. https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1950-05-30/ed-1/seq-8/ and Mary Elizabeth Downey. Ancestry.com. U.S., Find a Grave Index, 1600s-Current. Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/152841172/mary-elizabeth-downey

Photo of Mary Downey from Page 10 of the Ottumwa Semi-Weekly Courier, published in Ottumwa, Iowa on Thursday, September 25th, 1902. https://ottumwapl.advantage-preservation.com/viewer/?k=downey&i=f&by=1902&bdd=1900&d=09211902-09271902&m=between&ord=k1&fn=ottumwa_semi-weekly_courier_usa_iowa_ottumwa_19020925_english_10&df=1&dt=3&cid=3066.