Mary Ellinor Archer’s 129th Birthday

Today’s Doodle celebrates the 129th birthday of Australian botanist and librarian Mary Ellinor Archer. She was the first female scientist at the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). She also revolutionised library management and made it easier for people to access books on specialised topics such as botany and agriculture. 

Born in 1893, Archer grew up in Melbourne, Victoria. She received a Master’s of Science at the University of Melbourne. After graduating, she became a government research scholar and lectured on the biology of plants at Trinity College. 

As a secretary to a committee on improving crops, Archer wrote informative bulletins on barley, oats and wheat. She also gathered agricultural research for a citrus preservation committee—as represented on her blouse in today’s Doodle artwork! She compiled her scientific findings and visited Great Britain, where she began to study a library organisation system called the universal decimal classification. 

She encouraged the introduction of the universal decimal classification to the CSIRO. This move made a lasting contribution to the library profession. Archer became a foundation member of the Australian Institute of Librarians in 1937 and its first female president 11 years later. 

Archer pioneered the concept of “inter-library exchanges,” which made it possible for libraries to circulate their collections to more readers. She achieved this by building a smooth-running system that cataloged literature across more than 40 libraries—resulting in a national library system. 

Later in her career, Archer advocated for librarians to access education and a membership to the Library Association. The Ellinor Archer Pioneer Award was named in her honour and was previously one of the Australian Library and Information Association's highest awards. 

Happy birthday, Mary Ellinor Archer! Your organisation and administrative skills created a national system that is still in use today.