Askew, Sarah B. (c. 1863–1942)
Askew, Sarah B. (c. 1863–1942)
American librarian. Name variations: Sarah Byrd Askew. Born Sarah Byrd Askew on Feb 15, c. 1863, in Dayton, Alabama; died Oct 20, 1942, in Trenton, New Jersey; dau. of Samuel Horton Askew and Thyrza (Pickering) Askew; stepdau. of Kittie Reeves.
Worked with Cleveland Public Library (1904–05); worked for New Jersey Public Library Commission as "organizer and missionary," visiting towns without libraries, and gaining support from State Teachers' Association and Federation of Women's Clubs (1905–09); established summer school to train librarians (1906); was reference librarian for State Library at Trenton, NJ (1909–15); served as president of NJ Library Association (1913–14 and 1939–40); worked with Commission, founding county library program and establishing 12 new libraries in NJ (1915–42); created system to provide books to military camps, troopships, and patients in military hospitals (WWI); designed Model-T book truck to supply books to people without library services (1920); was a member of Trenton Board of Education (1923–33); was chair of children's reading for National Congress of Parents and Teachers (1924–29); served as vice president of American Library Association (1938–39); helped organize Victory Book Campaign (WWII). Granted 1st honorary degree awarded by New Jersey College for Women (later Douglass College) of Rutgers University (1930).