Plummer, Mary Wright, 1856-1916

Abstract Mary Wright Plummer (1856-1916) stands as an important figure in early American librarianship, both because of the way she helped shape the profession and because she held positions of leadership and authority at a time when it was unusual for women to do so. A graduate of Columbia’s library school, she headed Pratt Institute’s library and became director of the library school. She was also a writer and a poet, and was active in a number of professional organizations such as the American...