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Virginia Lacy Jones (June 25, 1912 - December 3, 1984) was a preeminent African-American librarian who throughout her 50-year career in the field pushed for the integration of public and academic libraries. A trailblazer of her time, she would go on to become one of the first African-Americans to earn their PhD in the Library Sciences field as well as becoming dean of Atlanta University's School of Library Sciences. And while her name might not be the first on people's minds when thinking of the landmark librarians of the past century, her history and work in the field of library science will prove that she deserves to be among the examples to follow for up and coming librarians.^[1]

Early Life

Virginia Lacy was born to Edward and Ellen Lacy in Cincinnati, Ohio on June 25, 1912. She spent much of her childhood in Clarksburg, West Virginia. She recalls that growing up her family was “poor, hardworking, proud, and ambitious.” ^[2] She says that books and reading were always a part of her home life. She and her mother would make frequent trips to the public library in Clarksburg, which was not segregated. In 1927, Jones left her family and moved to St. Louis, Missouri to live with an aunt and uncle .^[3] The move could have facilitated the path to a virtually expense-free college education through the Harris Teachers College, as she desperately wanted to further her education but her family was not able to afford it. She entered Sumner High School, where her uncle taught, and completed her final two years of school in 1929.

It was while in high school that Jones realized the possibility that librarianship would be a part of her future. It was an experience at the St. Louis Public Library that inspired her most. She was researching information for her church’s citywide essay contest on “The Values of Attending Sunday School” when she encountered a friendly reference librarian . She remembers that after telling this librarian what she was looking for, the librarian took her by the hand and showed her how to use the periodical indexes.^[4] Jones recalls, “This experience was a thrilling one for me, and my imagination ran wild at the magic of the St. Louis Public Library, a great storehouse of information, ideas, and inspiration. I thought that to be a librarian like that reference librarian who helped me in the St. Louis Public Library would be the greatest thing in the world.”^[5]

Education & Librarianship

After high school, Jones abandoned the idea of becoming a teacher and instead enrolled at the Hampton Institute in Hampton, Virginia; the only library school in the South where African-Americans could be trained. Here she met Florence Curtis. Curtis would play an integral role in Jones’ career. Curtis was the director of the library school and would become a mentor to Jones, who earned a B.S. in Library Science from Hampton in 1933.^[6] Later that same year, she found employment in Kentucky as the assistant librarian of Louisville Municipal College, which was the African-American branch of the segregated University of Louisville. She soon realized that a career in librarianship would require an advanced degree, but in order to do so she first had to complete a bachelor’s degree in education. Jones returned to the Hampton Institute and earned a B.S. in Social Studies Education in 1935.^[7]

At this time, a realization of the importance of training for African-American school librarians began. Florence Curtis proposed the establishment of regional centers to provide summer classes for these librarians and chose Jones to head the program at the Prairie View A&M College in Texas. Here courses were taught in reference, book selection, school library administration, and cataloging and classification.^[8]

In the fall of 1936, Jones returned to Louisville Municipal College as Head Librarian. . In addition to acting as Head Librarian, she also taught courses for African-American public and high school librarians who needed to earn college credit in order to be certified by the state.^[9] Now ready to begin her graduate education, Virginia Lacy Jones received a General Education Board fellowship upon recommendation from her mentor Florence Curtis, to attend the University of Illinois. Curtis strongly believed that Jones would be beneficial to library development for African-Americans in the South. In 1938, Jones completed a Master’s in Library Science. Upon completion of her Master’s degree, she returned once again to Louisville Municipal College as librarian and instructor.^[10] However, there had been a change in leadership while Jones was away, and when it became apparent that she could no longer tolerate the working environment Jones resigned .^[11]

The day following her resignation, Rufus Clement offered Jones a position as catalog librarian at Atlanta University. She had known Clement from Louisville Municipal College where he had been president.^[12] Clement had recently accepted the position of president at Atlanta University, where he had plans to create a library school to replace the school at the Hampton Institute, which had closed its doors.

Leaving Kentucky for Atlanta, Jones found herself taking part in something very exciting. Her new position allowed her to participated in the planning of what would become the Atlanta University School of Library Service.^[13] She was sent to library schools throughout the Eastern United States to observe the various programs.^[14] The school opened in the fall of 1941. The purpose and commitment of the school was to not only train librarians, but to create leaders for the betterment of library services in the South in general, and for African-Americans in particular. Again Jones held dual positions within the university. She was catalog librarian as well as an instructor. It was also in the fall of 1941 that she married Edward Allen Jones, Professor of French and Chairman of the Foreign Languages Department at Morehouse College.^[15]

After she had been teaching for two years at Atlanta University, Virginia Lacy Jones was awarded a second fellowship provided by the General Education Board. This allowed Jones to attend the University of Chicago where, in 1945, she became the second African-American to earn a doctorate in Library Science. Her dissertation was on “The Problems of Negro Public High School Libraries in Selected Southern Cities.” ^[16]

She served on the faculty at the Atlanta University School of Library Service until she was appointed Dean in 1945. She was the second person to hold this position, the first being Eliza Atkins Gleason who was the first African-American to receive a doctorate in Library Science. Her tenure as Dean of the School of Library Service ran until 1981.^[17] During the 36 years Jones spent as Dean, the school trained some 1800 black librarians, which was more than any school in the country.^[18]

After her retirement, Virginia Lacy Jones was appointed the first director of the Robert W. Woodruff Library at the Atlanta University Center ,^[19], a position she held from 1982-1983.^[20]. During her professional career, Jones wrote on issues that concerned libraries in the South and those dealing with Library Science education for African-Americans. ^[21] The Robert W. Woodruff Library now houses 18.5 linear feet of these papers, as well correspondences, personal letters, and photographs all pertaining to her life.^[22]

Honors & Awards

During her professional career, Virginia Lacy Jones received numerous awards and recognitions. In 1967, she was elected the first African-American president of the Association of American Library Schools.^[23] That same year President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed her to the President’s Advisory Committee on Library Research and Training Projects where she was responsible for the report on Childrens and Youth Services. ^[24] In 1973, Jones was awarded the Melville Dewey Award by the American Library Association. ^[25]. She was the first African-American to receive this award and the Joseph E. Lippincott Award, which she was given in 1977.^[26] In 1976 she was elected to honorary membership in ALA. This is the association’s highest honor. Other awards given to Jones include: an honorary Doctor of Letters from the University of Michigan (1979), Beta Phi Mu (Library Science Honorary Society) Award (1980), and the Mary Rothrock Award (1980).^[27]

References

^ Wedgeworth, Robert. "World Encyclopedia of Library and Information Services", pg 417
^ Jones, Virginia Lacy, “A Dean’s Career,” In The Black Librarian in America, edited by E.J, Josey, 19-42. Metuchen, N.J.: The Scarecrow Press, Inc. 1970, 19.
^ ibid.
^ Ibid., 23
^ ibid., 24
^ Wiegand 1978, 43.
^ Jones, Reinette F., Library Service to African Americans in Kentucky. North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc. 2002, 98.
^ V. Jones 1970, 28.
^ R. Jones, 98.
^ Jones 1970, 32.
^ ibid.
^ Wedgeworth, Robert, ed., World Encyclopedia of Library and Information Services, 3rd ed. USA: American Library Association. 1993, 417.
^ Ibid.
^ V. Jones, 33.
^ Ibiid., 34
^ Nyren, 94
^ Ibid.
^ Wiegand 1978.
^ Nyren , 94
^ Wedgeworth, 417
^ Wiegand , 45.
^ Virginia Lacy Jones Papers. Robert W. Woodruff Library. Atlanta University Center. http://www.auctr.edu/rwwl/VirginiaLacyJones/tabid/463/Default.aspx
^ V. Jones, 41
^ R. Jones, 100
^ Virginia Lacy Jones Papers
^ Nyren , 94
^ Virginia Lacy Papers

External links

"Reminiscences of Virginia Lacy Jones: Black Women History Project" [1]
"Black Public Libraries in the South in the Era of De Jure Segregation" [2]
"Notable Kentucky African Americans Database" [3]

[1] Wedgeworth, Robert. "World Encyclopedia of Library and Information Services", pg 417

[2] Jones, Virginia Lacy, “A Dean’s Career,” In The Black Librarian in America, edited by E.J, Josey, 19-42. Metuchen, N.J.: The Scarecrow Press, Inc. 1970, 19.

[3] .

[4] Ibid., 23

[5] ., 24

[6] Wiegand 1978, 43.

[7] Jones, Reinette F., Library Service to African Americans in Kentucky. North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc. 2002, 98.

[8] V. Jones 1970, 28.

[9] R. Jones, 98.

[10] Jones 1970, 32.

[11] .

[12] Wedgeworth, Robert, ed., World Encyclopedia of Library and Information Services, 3rd ed. USA: American Library Association. 1993, 417.

[13] Ibid.

[14] V. Jones, 33.

[15] Ibiid., 34

[16] Nyren, 94

[17] Ibid.

[18] Wiegand 1978.

[19] Nyren , 94

[20] Wedgeworth, 417

[21] Wiegand , 45.

[22] Virginia Lacy Jones Papers. Robert W. Woodruff Library. Atlanta University Center. http://www.auctr.edu/rwwl/VirginiaLacyJones/tabid/463/Default.aspx

[23] V. Jones, 41

[24] R. Jones, 100

[25] Virginia Lacy Jones Papers

[26] Nyren , 94

[27] Virginia Lacy Papers

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 '''Virginia Lacy Jones''' (June 25, 1912 - December 3, 1984) was a preeminent [[African American|African-American]] librarian who throughout her 50-year career in the field pushed for the integration of public and academic libraries. A trailblazer of her time, she would go on to become one of the first African-Americans to earn their PhD in the Library Sciences field as well as becoming dean of [[Clark Atlanta University|Atlanta University]]'s School of Library Sciences. And while her name might not be the first on people's minds when thinking of the landmark librarians of the past century, her history and work in the field of [[library science]] will prove that she deserves to be among the examples to follow for up and coming librarians.<ref>Wedgeworth, Robert. "World Encyclopedia of Library and Information Services", pg 417</ref>
 ==Early Life==
+Virginia Lacy was born to Edward and Ellen Lacy in Cincinnati, Ohio on June 25, 1912.  She spent much of her childhood in Clarksburg, West Virginia. She recalls that growing up her family was “poor, hardworking, proud, and ambitious.” <ref> Jones, Virginia Lacy, “A Dean’s Career,” In The Black Librarian in America, edited by E.J, Josey, 19-42.  Metuchen, N.J.: The Scarecrow Press, Inc. 1970, 19.</ref> She says that books and reading were always a part of her home life.  She and her mother would make frequent trips to the public library in Clarksburg, which was not segregated.  In 1927, Jones left her family and moved to St. Louis, Missouri to live with an aunt and uncle .<ref> ibid.</ref>  The move could have facilitated the path to a virtually expense-free college education through the Harris Teachers College, as she desperately wanted to further her education but her family was not able to afford it.   She entered Sumner High School, where her uncle taught, and completed her final two years of school in 1929.
-Ms. Lacy was born in 1912 in [[Cincinnati, Ohio]] to Edward and Ellen Louise Parker Lacy but would be raised in [[Clarksburg, West Virginia]]. This time spent in [[West Virginia]] and other states in the [[Southern United States]] would stick with her late on in life when she dedicates herself to the furthering of library education in the region. She attended the [[Hampton University|Hampton Institute]] in Virginia where she would receive her B.A in Library Science (1933) and her B.A. in Education (1936).
+It was while in high school that Jones realized the possibility that librarianship would be a part of her future.  It was an experience at the St. Louis Public Library that inspired her most.  She was researching information for her church’s citywide essay contest on “The Values of Attending Sunday School” when she encountered a friendly reference librarian . She remembers that after telling this librarian what she was looking for, the librarian took her by the hand and showed her how to use the periodical indexes.<ref>Ibid., 23 </ref>    Jones recalls, “This experience was a thrilling one for me, and my imagination ran wild at the magic of the St. Louis Public Library, a great storehouse of information, ideas, and inspiration.  I thought that to be a librarian like that reference librarian who helped me in the St. Louis Public Library would be the greatest thing in the world.”<ref>ibid., 24</ref>
+==Education & Librarianship==
+After high school, Jones abandoned the idea of becoming a teacher and instead enrolled at the Hampton Institute in Hampton, Virginia; the only library school in the South where African-Americans could be trained.  Here she met Florence Curtis. Curtis would play an integral role in Jones’ career.   Curtis was the director of the library school and would become a mentor to Jones, who earned a B.S. in Library Science from Hampton in 1933.<ref> Wiegand 1978, 43.</ref> Later that same year, she found employment in Kentucky as the assistant librarian of Louisville Municipal College, which was the African-American branch of the segregated University of Louisville.  She soon realized that a career in librarianship would require an advanced degree, but in order to do so she first had to complete a bachelor’s degree in education.  Jones returned to the Hampton Institute and earned a B.S. in Social Studies Education in 1935.<ref> Jones, Reinette F., Library Service to African Americans in Kentucky. North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc. 2002, 98.</ref>
+At this time, a realization of the importance of training for African-American school librarians began. Florence Curtis proposed the establishment of regional centers to provide summer classes for these librarians and chose Jones to head the program at the Prairie View A&M College in Texas.  Here courses were taught in reference, book selection, school library administration, and cataloging and classification.<ref>V. Jones 1970, 28.</ref>
-==Education==
+In the fall of 1936, Jones returned to Louisville Municipal College as Head Librarian. .  In addition to acting as Head Librarian, she also taught courses for African-American public and high school librarians who needed to earn college credit in order to be certified by the state.<ref>R. Jones, 98.</ref>  Now ready to begin her graduate education, Virginia Lacy Jones received a General Education Board fellowship upon recommendation from her mentor Florence Curtis, to attend the University of Illinois.  Curtis strongly believed that Jones would be beneficial to library development for African-Americans in the South.  In 1938, Jones completed a Master’s in Library Science.  Upon completion of her Master’s degree, she returned once again to Louisville Municipal College as librarian and instructor.<ref>Jones 1970, 32.</ref>  However, there had been a change in leadership while Jones was away, and when it became apparent that she could no longer tolerate the working environment Jones resigned .<ref>ibid.</ref>
-She would later go on to [[University of Chicago|the University of Chicago]] where she would earn both her M.A. and PhD. Ms. Jones was only the second African-American to earn her doctorate in librarianship, following Eliza Atkins Gleason.<ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eliza_Atkins_Gleason_Book_Award "Eliza Atkins Gleason Book Award"]</ref> In 1945, her dissertation for her PhD was T''he Problems of Negro High School Libraries in Selected Southern Cities'' (University of Chicago).<ref>[http://www.nathanielturner.com/blacklibrarians.htm "A Chronology of Events in Black Librarianship"]</ref>
+The day following her resignation, Rufus Clement offered Jones a position as catalog librarian at Atlanta University.  She had known Clement from Louisville Municipal College where he had been president.<ref> Wedgeworth, Robert, ed., World Encyclopedia of Library and Information Services, 3rd ed. USA: American Library Association. 1993, 417.</ref> Clement had recently accepted the position of president at Atlanta University, where he had plans to create a library school to replace the school at the Hampton Institute, which had closed its doors.
-==Librarianship==
+Leaving Kentucky for Atlanta, Jones found herself taking part in something very exciting.  Her new position allowed her to participated in the planning of what would become the Atlanta University School of Library Service.<ref>Ibid.</ref>  She was sent to library schools throughout the Eastern United States to observe the various programs.<ref> V. Jones, 33.</ref>  The school opened in the fall of 1941.  The purpose and commitment of the school was to not only train librarians, but to create leaders for the betterment of library services in the South in general, and for African-Americans in particular.  Again Jones held dual positions within the university. She was catalog librarian as well as an instructor. It was also in the fall of 1941 that she married Edward Allen Jones, Professor of French and Chairman of the Foreign Languages Department at Morehouse College.<ref> Ibiid., 34</ref>
-In 1933, Ms. Lacy went to work as the assistant librarian in Kentucky at the [[Louisville Municipal College]] for Negroes, working under Eliza Gleason. After becoming the Head Librarian in 1936, she left the college in 1938 after being offered a position at Atlanta University Library (now [[Clark University]]). While she was at Atlanta University, she would become the second dean of the library school and would see more African-American graduates come through her door than any other program in the country. Known as the 'Dean of Deans', Ms. Lacy would spend the majority of her career running the Robert W. Woodruff Library. Mrs. Jones was an advocate for equality among the races, especially when it came to the use of the library and the education that could stem from it: “One phase of American library history that has been neglected is the struggle of the Southern Negro to secure public library service”.<ref>"Segregation and [[Civil rights|Civil Rights]] in Alabama's [[Public library|Public Libraries]], 1918–1965". "[[Library & Information Science Research]]", August 2000; Vol. 22, No. 3, pp. 350-352</ref> As the [[civil rights movement]] progressed, so did Mrs. Jones' push for a larger African-American presence at the University she worked for.
+After she had been teaching for two years at Atlanta University, Virginia Lacy Jones was awarded a second fellowship provided by the General Education Board.  This allowed Jones to attend the University of Chicago where, in 1945, she became the second African-American to earn a doctorate in Library Science.  Her dissertation was on “The Problems of Negro Public High School Libraries in Selected Southern Cities.”  <ref>Nyren, 94</ref>
-==Personal Life==
+She served on the faculty at the Atlanta University School of Library Service until she was appointed Dean in 1945.  She was the second person to hold this position, the first being Eliza Atkins Gleason who was the first African-American to receive a doctorate in Library Science.  Her tenure as Dean of the School of Library Service ran until 1981.<ref>Ibid.</ref> During the 36 years Jones spent as Dean, the school trained some 1800 black librarians, which was more than any school in the country.<ref>Wiegand 1978.</ref>
-In 1941, Ms. Lacy married Edward (E.A.) Jones, a French professor at [[Morehouse College]]. The two would remain married until his death in 1981. Mrs. Jones would also become stepmother to Mr. Jones' two sons, Edward Jones, Jr. and Carl Jones.
+After her retirement, Virginia Lacy Jones was appointed the first director of the Robert W. Woodruff Library at the Atlanta University Center ,<ref>Nyren , 94</ref>, a position she held from 1982-1983.<ref>Wedgeworth, 417</ref>.  During her professional career, Jones wrote on issues that concerned libraries in the South and those dealing with Library Science education for African-Americans. <ref>Wiegand , 45.</ref>   The Robert W. Woodruff Library now houses 18.5 linear feet of these papers, as well correspondences, personal letters, and photographs all pertaining to her life.<ref> Virginia Lacy Jones Papers. Robert W. Woodruff Library. Atlanta University Center. http://www.auctr.edu/rwwl/VirginiaLacyJones/tabid/463/Default.aspx </ref>
-The number and substance of the awards that Dr. Jones received throughout her life is a testament to the value and importance of her work.
-==Awards & Honors==
+==Honors & Awards==
+During her professional career, Virginia Lacy Jones received numerous awards and recognitions.  In 1967, she was elected the first African-American president of the Association of American Library Schools.<ref> V. Jones, 41</ref>  That same year President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed her to the President’s Advisory Committee on Library Research and Training Projects where she was responsible for the report on Childrens and Youth Services. <ref> R. Jones, 100</ref>   In 1973, Jones was awarded the Melville Dewey Award by the American Library Association. <ref>Virginia Lacy Jones Papers</ref>.  She was the first African-American to receive this award and the Joseph E. Lippincott Award, which she was given in 1977.<ref> Nyren , 94</ref>  In 1976 she was elected to honorary membership in ALA.  This is the association’s highest honor.  Other awards given to Jones include: an honorary Doctor of Letters from the University of Michigan (1979), Beta Phi Mu (Library Science Honorary Society) Award (1980), and the Mary Rothrock Award (1980).<ref>Virginia Lacy Papers</ref>
-: Melville Dewey Award from the [[American Library Association]] for creative professional achievement<br />
-: Joseph W. Lippincott Award for distinguished service to the profession of librarianship<br />
-: Received an honorary Doctor of Letters from the University of Michigan<br />
-: Beta Phi Mu Award and the Mary Rothrock Award<br />
-: Citation by the Southeastern Library Association for her work with their organization and the region that they serve<br />
-<br />
-<br />
-.5 linear feet of her papers are now housed at the Robert. W. Woodruff Library in Atlanta; a library where Ms. Jones spent the majority of her professional career including articles and work from her tenure at Atlanta University along with personal letters, correspondence and photos of Dr. Jones' life.<ref>[http://www.auctr.edu/rwwl/VirginiaLacyJones/tabid/463/Default.aspx "Robert W. Woodruff Library"]</ref> It is fitting that they would be housed in the library where she spent so much of her career and where she worked to further the plight of the students under served by other universities.
 == References ==