Timeline of women in library science
Okay kiddo, let's talk about the timeline of women in library science! Libraries are places where people can go to read books, do research, and learn new things. But did you know that for a long time, women weren't allowed to work in libraries?
Way back in the old days, women were expected to stay at home and take care of their families. But that didn't stop some of them from wanting to learn and help others learn too. In the late 1800s, a woman named Melvil Dewey came up with a system of organizing books in libraries that made it easier for people to find what they were looking for. He also started a library school to teach people how to be librarians, but he only allowed men to attend.
It wasn't until the early 1900s that women started to break into the field of library science. One of the first women to graduate from a library school was Mary Wright Plummer in 1898. She went on to become the head of the Pratt Institute library in New York City and helped bring more women into the field.
Despite the progress made by women like Plummer, it was still tough going for female librarians. They were often paid less than men, and many people thought that librarianship was a job only suited for men. But women kept pushing for change, and in the 1960s and 70s, they started to see more success.
One important woman from this time period is Carla Hayden. She was the first African American woman to earn a Ph.D. in library science and go on to become the head of a public library system in Chicago. She also became the first woman and first African American to be appointed as the Librarian of Congress in 2016.
Today, there are many women working in library science and they are making important contributions to the field every day. Women have come a long way since the days when they weren't allowed to work in libraries at all, but there is always more work to be done to make sure everyone has a chance to pursue their dreams.
Way back in the old days, women were expected to stay at home and take care of their families. But that didn't stop some of them from wanting to learn and help others learn too. In the late 1800s, a woman named Melvil Dewey came up with a system of organizing books in libraries that made it easier for people to find what they were looking for. He also started a library school to teach people how to be librarians, but he only allowed men to attend.
It wasn't until the early 1900s that women started to break into the field of library science. One of the first women to graduate from a library school was Mary Wright Plummer in 1898. She went on to become the head of the Pratt Institute library in New York City and helped bring more women into the field.
Despite the progress made by women like Plummer, it was still tough going for female librarians. They were often paid less than men, and many people thought that librarianship was a job only suited for men. But women kept pushing for change, and in the 1960s and 70s, they started to see more success.
One important woman from this time period is Carla Hayden. She was the first African American woman to earn a Ph.D. in library science and go on to become the head of a public library system in Chicago. She also became the first woman and first African American to be appointed as the Librarian of Congress in 2016.
Today, there are many women working in library science and they are making important contributions to the field every day. Women have come a long way since the days when they weren't allowed to work in libraries at all, but there is always more work to be done to make sure everyone has a chance to pursue their dreams.