Mary Cutler Fairchild

Mary Salome Cutler Fairchild (1855 – 1921) was a pioneering American librarian and library educator.
Life and work
Mary Cutler was born in Dalton, Massachusetts. She attended Mount Holyoke College (then Mount Holyoke Female Seminary) and graduated in 1875. She later taught at the college from 1876 to 1878. In 1884, she was hired by Melvil Dewey, the librarian of Columbia College, as a cataloguer. When Dewey opened the first library school, Fairchild taught cataloging. She moved with it when the school moved to Albany. The school was reorganized and named the New York State Library School. She served as vice-director in addition to teaching. Because of Dewey's frequent absences she conducted much of the administration of the school. She served the school for 16 years. The University of the State of New York awarded Cutler a bachelor's degree in library science in 1891. In 1897, Fairchild married Edwin M. Fairchild, a Unitarian Minister. She pioneered...