| Creator | Kinney, Mary Ramon, 1906-1988 |
| Title | Mary Ramon Kinney papers |
| Dates | 1942-1972 |
| Identification | MS 42 |
| Quantity | 0.5 linear feet (1 manuscript container) |
| Collection Abstract | The Mary Ramon Kinney Papers cover the period 1942-1972 and consist of course materials, writings, and biographical information. The materials mostly concern the reference curriculum followed by library students in the mid 20th century. |
| Historical Abstract | Mary Ramon Kinney was an associate professor at the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at Simmons College from 1942 until her retirement in 1972. She specialized in teaching general reference and subject reference courses: "Reference Methods," "Literature of the Humanities," and "Bibliographic Methods & Government Publications." Prior to joining the Simmons College faculty in 1942, Kinney taught at the University of Illinois Library School and served as a lecturer at the School of Library Science at Syracuse University. She was also associated with the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, the Detroit Public Library, and the Cossitt Library in Memphis. |
| Language | Material in English. |
| Location | Collection may be stored offsite. Please contact Archives staff for more information. |
Collection is open.
Copyright for materials resides with the creators of the items in question, unless otherwise designated.
Please contact the College Archivist with requests to publish any material from the collection.
[Identification of item: description and date], Mary Ramon Kinney papers, MS 42, Simmons College Archives, Boston, MA, USA.
The Mary Ramon Kinney papers were donated to the Simmons College Archives in 1983 by Ruth Leonard, Class of 1928.
Accession number: 83.56
Processed by Claire Goodwin, November 1992
Supervised by Megan Sniffin-Marinoff and Peter Carini, November 1992
This collection guide was encoded as part of the LEADS project by Lorin Granger, July 2013
Mary Ramon Kinney was an associate professor in the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at Simmons College from 1942 until her retirement in 1972. She specialized in teaching general reference and subject reference courses: "Reference Methods," "Literature of the Humanities," and "Bibliographic Methods & Government Publications".
Kinney was born in Mt. Carroll, Illinois in 1906. Upon graduation with honors from Francis Shimer Junior College in 1926, Kinney earned a bachelor's degree in History from the University of Illinois in 1928. She continued studies at the University of Illinois, earning a bachelor's degree (1929) and master's degree (1937) in Library Science.
Prior to joining the Simmons College faculty in 1942, Kinney taught at the University of Illinois Library School and served as a lecturer at the School of Library Science at Syracuse University. She was also associated with the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, the Detroit Public Library, and the Cossitt Library in Memphis.
Kinney authored two ACRL (Association of College and Research Libraries) monographs: "Bibliographical Style Manuals; A Guide to Their Use in Documentation and Research" (1953) and "The Abbreviated Citation--A Bibliographical Problem" (1967). She also authored two articles: "Reference Inquiries Received by Mail" in College and Research Libraries, July 1963, Vol. 24, No. 4, and "Teaching the Use of Government Publications," in Journal of Education for Librarianship, Fall 1960, Vol. 1, No. 2.
Kinney was a member of Beth Phi Mu and was active in the American Library Association, the Special Libraries Association, the Association of American Library University Professors, and the Massachusetts Library Association. From 1949 to 1952, she served as director of the Association of College and Research Libraries.
Mary Ramon Kinney died in South Pasadena, Florida in 1988.
Colllection consists of biographical information, course materials created by Kinney, and copies of her writings. The bulk of these materials document the problems and assignments that mid-century college library students were expected to complete as part of their studies in general reference and subject reference courses.
These and related materials may be found under the following headings in online catalogs.
Collection is arranged into 3 series:
This series contains biographical information about Mary Ramon Kinney that was compiled by her on forms provided by the Office of Public Information for Simmons College. Additional information came from announcements issued by the Library Director's office and the Graduate School of Library and Information Science upon her retirement in 1972 and death in 1988.
Box 1
This series contains course materials (course outlines, problems [assignments], and related pamphlets, lists, and clippings) for three Library Science courses: 108 - "Bibliographic Methods & Government Publications;" 107 - "Reference Methods;" and 113 - "Literature of the Humanities."
Box 1
Box 1
Box 1
Arranged chronologically.
This series contains copies of Kinney's published writings: "Teaching the Use of Government Publications at Simmons College" (1960), "Reference Inquiries Received by Mail" (1963), and The Abbreviated Citation: A Bibliographical Problem (1967).
Box 1
