128 Years Ago

I know this seems like the Marcia blog, but it's at this time of the year that Marcia is prominent in our history. 

It was 128 years ago this week that Dr. William Osler hired the young librarian, Marcia Crocker Noyes. And it was 50 years later, to the week, that Marcia died.

Dr. Osler was President of the Faculty in 1896 and he wanted to revitalize the library. The Faculty had moved several times in the past 20 years, and after the Civil War, the library had gone into significant decline. 

Dr. Osler was also a noted bibliophile and a good friend of Bernard Steiner, the president of the Enoch Pratt Free Library. So, of course, Dr. Osler asked his friend for advice, and Mr. Steiner recommended Marcia Noyes, who was working in the circulation department of the Pratt. 

In an article, Marcia mentions that "within two weeks, I had a new job, and I was living in a new place." This was because the librarian was required to live on the premises, so as to be available to physicians who were looking for a specific book at any and all hours of the day.

If not for Marcia and all that she accomplished during her 50 year tenure at the Faculty, we would not be the organization that we are today.