By Sharon Carlson, President, Kalamazoo Ladies’ Library Association
Ladies’ Library Associations existed in more than 100 communities in Michigan between the 1850s and early twentieth century. Many provided the first subscription-based library services, and some helped shepherd public libraries. This program will provide the background that made Michigan so well suited to these institutions and tell the stories of some of the women who helped promote this movement. It will also talk about the evolution and decline of the movement, as well as the tangible legacy these organizations left behind.
Sharon Carlson retired as head of Western Michigan University’s Zhang Legacy Collections Center in 2020. She is an archival and historical consultant and has worked for the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame and the Meijer Corporation. Ms. Carlson has graduate degrees in history and library science with the main focus of her dissertation research having been on ladies’ library associations in Michigan. She is currently the president of the Kalamazoo Ladies’ Library Association and has served as president of the Historical Society of Michigan.
