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biographies:margaret-louise-riley

Margaret Louise Riley

b. Nov. 8, 1900, Calgary, AB; d. Aug. 8, 1957, Edmonton, AB

Louise Riley, c.1950. Credit Glenbow Archives.


Education:

St. Hilda's High School for Girls, Calgary
1918-1921 attended Royal Victoria College, McGill University
1928 Diploma in Library Science (University of Wisconsin Library School)
1942 MA in Library Science (Columbia University School of Library Science)

Positions:

1930-1948 Children's Librarian, Calgary Public Library
1948-1957 Assistant Librarian, Calgary Public Library

Publications:

Riley, Louise (1936). “Books open world of adventure for younger generation.” Calgary Herald, Sat. 28 March, p.29.

Riley, Louise (1936). “Library game.” Wilson Bulletin for Librarians 10 (10): 662–663.

Riley, Louise (1939). “Calgary’s experiment––a room for junior high school students.” Ontario Library Review 23 (4): 378–380.

Riley, Louise (1939). “Library quiz.” Wilson Library Bulletin 14 (3): 218–219.

Riley, Louise (1942). “Mutual relationships between public libraries and schools in providing library service to boys and girls in Canadian cities.” MA in Library Science. New York: Columbia University, Library School.

Riley, Louise (1942). “School and public library cooperation in Canada.” Ontario Library Review 26 (4): 385–389.

Riley, Louise (1943). “New books for boys and girls.” Ontario Library Review 27 (3): 350-352.

Riley, Louise (1944). “Across the Dominion with the boys and girls.” Wilson Library Bulletin 19 (3): 174–176.

Riley, Louise (1945). “Alexander Calhoun and the Calgary Public Library.” Canadian Library Council Bulletin 1 (5): 58.

Riley, Louise (1946). “Some books which present to boys and girls the background and many aspects of Canadian life.” Canadian Library Council Bulletin 2 (3): 44-46.

Riley, Louise (1948). “Calgary gets another new branch [Hillhurst].” Ontario Library Review 32 (1): 11-13.

Riley, Louise (1950). The mystery horse. Toronto: Copp Clark Co.

Riley, Louise (1951). One happy moment. Toronto: Copp Clark Co.

Riley, Louise (1954). Train for Tiger Lily. Toronto: Macmillan Company of Canada.

Riley, Louise (1960). Spell at Scoggin's Crossing. London: Abelard-Schuman [posthumous publication]

Associations/Committees:

Member of Canadian Association of Children's Librarians, chair 1943-46
President, Alberta Library Association, 1948-1949
Member of Canadian Library Association, councillor 1946-1950
Member of American Library Association
Member of the Alberta Library Board, chair 1952-1957

Honours:

She received a Carnegie Fellowship for post-graduate work at Columbia University, 1941-1942.
Train for Tiger Lily received the a bronze medal Canadian Library Association Children’s Book of the Year Award in 1956.
The Louise Riley branch in the North Hill Shopping Centre was named in her honour in 1959.
The Canadian Library Association established a $1,000 memorial scholarship in her name; it was first awarded in 1959.

Comments:

Calgary's Library director, William R. Castell, said that “‘Louie’ Riley was known as one of the finest librarians for children’s work in Canada.” Louise Riley was an ardent exponent of reading for children – the best books of course. She wrote many articles highlighting books for youngsters in the Calgary Herald and she broadcast weekly storyhours on radio CFAC-AM. Twice she travelled to Toronto to work with Lillian Smith at Boys and Girls House. In her position on the Alberta Library Board she worked to form regional library systems in her home province. In the later part of her career, she turned to writing books for children. The Riley name was well known in Calgary and the land where a branch in her name rests originally belonged to her family.

Sources:

Giles, Suzette (2016). “Libraries named after librarians.” ELAN no. 60 (Fall): 9.
ELA biography compiled by Lorne Bruce

biographies/margaret-louise-riley.txt · Last modified: 2024/07/22 16:59