The Courage to Connect: Mary Kinley Ingraham and the Development of Libraries in the Maritimes

Abstract

Mary Kinley Ingraham (1874–1949) was one of the pioneering forces behind the establishment of libraries in the Maritime Provinces of Canada. Although from a humble home, her upbringing instilled in her a thirst for knowledge. She left her original occupational choice of teaching in public schools to further her education, and, after completing a BA and MA at Acadia University and library training at Simmons College, accepted a unique job offer at her alma mater Acadia University which would seal her destiny. For the majority of her career, Ingraham served as Chief Librarian at Acadia’s Emmerson Memorial Library and instructor of library science at Acadia from 1917 to 1944. She was an important guide to many library workers and students throughout her long tenure. Her talents were many; through the years she used these abilities to begin numerous activities which would connect people of the region to books and the value of libraries. This article examines three of Ingraham’s important contributions: developing the foundation for the first library education courses in the Maritime Provinces, managing the first bookmobiles in Canada, and playing an integral role in the founding of the Maritime Library Association (MLA).