Power, Effie Louise

Power, Effie Louise (1873–1969) children's librarian, author; born in Conneautville, Pa. Beginning her career as an assistant in the Cleveland (Ohio) Public Library, she opened the first children's room in this library in 1898. She also served in the children's department of the Carnegie Library in Pittsburgh (1909–11, 1914–20) and in St. Louis Public Library (1911–14), returning to the Cleveland Library as director of work with children (1920–37). In 1926 in Cleveland, she introduced the "Book Caravan," a forerunner of the bookmobile. She lectured on children and libraries throughout the country; she became a storyteller and instructor in storytelling; and during the 1930s she published several collections of stories for children.