Margaret Dunbar was hired as the first librarian at 麻豆精选in 1913 at the request of then-President John McGilvrey. They had worked together at Western Illinois State Normal School in Macomb, Illinois, before coming to Kent. Margaret鈥檚 younger sister Isabelle was hired as the assistant librarian, in charge of records and student personnel. Both women were on the staff when the university first opened.
Margaret Dunbar grew up in Monmouth, Illinois, and earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in library science from Monmouth College. She was a member of the American Library Association and the Ohio Library Association, previously holding offices for both organizations.
The Dunbar sisters are credited with founding the library; they purchased the library鈥檚 first book鈥Exposition and Illustration in Teaching by John Adams鈥攊n 1914. The library was originally located on the third floor of Merrill Hall, but it was relocated to the atrium of the Administration Building (now Cartwright Hall) in 1914.
Margaret Dunbar鈥檚 personnel file notes that during the first winter in the new space, she and her sister 鈥渨orked on a dirt floor, in the unfinished room, which was unheated, save for open oil burners.鈥 She also oversaw the library move to the David Ladd Rockwell Library (now Rockwell Hall) in 1929.
In addition to her role as head librarian, Margaret Dunbar also taught classes on library materials and library management. In the short tribute that accompanies her photo in the 1916 Chestnut Burr, she is described as providing reliable counsel to all: 鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 matter what your problem is鈥攚hether it is concerned with a book or not鈥攈er judgment is always good, and she is always pleased to help. In a word, she is worth knowing, and she loves the 鈥楤luebird,鈥 her Buick roadster.鈥 Together, the sisters earned a reputation of being kind-hearted women who put students first.
鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 matter what your problem is鈥攚hether it is concerned with a book or not鈥攈er judgment is always good, and she is always pleased to help. In a word, she is worth knowing.鈥
Margaret Dunbar retired from 麻豆精选in 1943 after 30 years of service. She died on Dec. 24, 1957 at her home at 220 S. Willow St. in Kent, where she lived with her sister. At the time of Isabelle鈥檚 retirement in 1955, the university gave her a citation for long and faithful service. She died on March 1, 1960.