Mabel R. Gillis
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 |
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.
Early life[edit]
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 in 1902.[2][3]
Career[edit]
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[edit]
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]
References[edit]
- ^ "Mrs. Spillman's School". Sacramento Daily Union. July 28, 1894. p. 4. Retrieved May 31, 2020 – via California Digital Newspaper Collection.
- ^ "Who's Who in the State's Service: Mabel R. Gillis". Sacramento Union. August 10, 1919. p. 26. Retrieved May 31, 2020 – via California Digital Newspaper Collection.
- ^ "Teachers' Certificates are Issued to a Large Number of Graduates". The Berkeley Gazette. 1902-06-12. p. 8. Retrieved 2020-05-31 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Senate Recalls Service of Gillis". The Sacramento Bee. 1957-05-22. p. 10. Retrieved 2020-05-31 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Mabel Gillis Made Assistant Librarian". Sacramento Union. August 28, 1917. p. 7. Retrieved May 31, 2020 – via California Digital Newspaper Collection.
- ^ "State Library Completes Its First 100 Years". The San Bernardino County Sun. 1950-01-25. p. 1. Retrieved 2020-05-31 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c "California Library Hall of Fame: Mabel R. Gillis". California Library Association. Retrieved 2020-05-30.
- ^ "State Librarian Resigns After 47 Years' Service". The Sacramento Bee. 1951-03-20. p. 1. Retrieved 2020-05-31 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "State Blind to Have New Books in Braille Type". Calexico Chronicle. July 28, 1931. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
- ^ "Blind Conclave Honors Retired State Librarian". The Sacramento Bee. 1961-04-07. p. 29. Retrieved 2020-05-31 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Gillis, Mabel R. (June 1918). "Library Work for the Blind in Relation to the Schools". Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness. 12 (2): 51–53. doi:10.1177/0145482x1801200206. ISSN 0145-482X. S2CID 220532841.
- ^ Gillis, Mabel R. (1940-12-01). "Kate M. Foley—An Appreciation". Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness. 34 (5): 137–139. doi:10.1177/0145482X4003400501. ISSN 0145-482X. S2CID 220532269.
- ^ "Talking Books to Serve State Blind". San Pedro News Pilot. September 21, 1934. p. 3. Retrieved May 31, 2020 – via California Digital Newspaper Collection.
- ^ "Victory Book Drive Reaches Conclusion". Mill Valley Record. February 13, 1942. p. 8. Retrieved May 31, 2020 – via California Digital Newspaper Collection.
- ^ "More Books Wanted for Service Men". Healdsburg Tribune. 2 July 1943. p. 1. Retrieved May 31, 2020 – via California Digital Newspaper Collection.
- ^ "Women Form New Bureau". Sacramento Union. December 18, 1920. p. 14. Retrieved May 31, 2020 – via California Digital Newspaper Collection.
- ^ "Sacramento Woman's Club Election Held". Sacramento Union. September 26, 1922. p. 6. Retrieved May 31, 2020 – via California Digital Newspaper Collection.
- ^ "State Librarian Resigns Post (continued)". The Sacramento Bee. 1951-03-20. p. 8. Retrieved 2020-05-31 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Mabel R. Gillis Will Leave on Trip Saturday". The Sacramento Bee. 1938-12-23. p. 17. Retrieved 2020-05-31 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Former State Librarian Dies". The Los Angeles Times. 1961-09-08. p. 5. Retrieved 2020-05-31 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "City Library, Mabel R. Gillis Branch". Calisphere. 31 December 1957. Retrieved 2020-05-30.
- ^ "Mabel Gillis correspondence, 1917-1948". Online Archive of California. Retrieved 2020-05-31.
External links[edit]
- A 1951 portrait of Gillis, in the collection of the California State Library.
