A Library in the Basement

Firsts Founders

Dorie Sternberg recalls the trials of hosting an open library.

In the basement where we had our store office, we also made a library. It was an open library, so we lost a lot of books. It was hard to lock it up. Eventually we did, but we did—because what I would do when a new book came out, a new catalogue or something, I would get one for the library. So we had fantastic things. Some of them are still there. Some of them are in somebody's closet, or somebody's bookshelf.

Helen Ratzer acted as the MCA's first librarian when she helmed the museum's education department in the 1970s. Here she is in the stacks of the Ontario building's library space in 1974. Photo: © MCA Chicago

Helen Ratzer acted as the MCA’s first librarian when she helmed the museum’s education department in the 1970s. Here she is in the stacks of the Ontario building’s library space in 1974.
Photo: © MCA Chicago
Helen Ratzer acted as the MCA's first librarian when she helmed the museum's education department in the 1970s. Here she is in the stacks of the Ontario building's library space in 1974. Photo: © MCA Chicago

Helen Ratzer acted as the MCA’s first librarian when she helmed the museum’s education department in the 1970s. Here she is in the stacks of the Ontario building’s library space in 1974.
Photo: © MCA Chicago
Helen Ratzer acted as the MCA's first librarian when she helmed the museum's education department in the 1970s. Here she is in the stacks of the Ontario building's library space in 1974. Photo: © MCA Chicago

Helen Ratzer acted as the MCA’s first librarian when she helmed the museum’s education department in the 1970s. Here she is in the stacks of the Ontario building’s library space in 1974.
Photo: © MCA Chicago

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