Miss Ruth Gibbons, later Mrs. Ben Thomson, began working in 1913 as a board member for the Sigourney Public Library, at the dedication of that Carnegie library. She worked there until 1916, where she began working at the Oelwein Public Library. In 1918 she began working at the Cherokee Public Library until 1924, where she resigned and married Mr. Ben Thompson. The couple then moved to Palisades, California.

F. Hunter, Sourced from Keokuk County News May 18, 1913, Oelwein Daily Register Jun 2, 1916 p.4, Cherokee Chief Newspaper Aug 19, 1918 p1.