Description
Mary Gormly was the former librarian and archivist at John F. Kennedy Memorial Library at California State University, Los
Angeles from 1962-1983. Gormly’s Northwest Coast artwork impacted the campus with her diverse collection and dedication to
educate on Native American culture. Her interest in Northwest Coast art likely started from living in Washington. She also
received her B.A. in Anthropology in 1947 from the University of Washington. Gormly also went on to Mexico and received a
M.A. from Mexico City College in 1948. She received a MLS degree from the University of Washington in 1959. Gormly was employed
at John F. Kennedy Memorial Library in 1962 as a social sciences librarian. Gormly’s interests at the campus centered on the
arts and ethnography of Native American populations. She retired from Cal State Los Angeles in 1983 but continued to teach
about Northwest Coast art and Native American history. Gormly passed away in 2004, but has left her legacy on campus with
her Northwest Coast Art collection, a fellowship for Native American studies students in her honor, and an exhibit of the
collection in 2007.
Restrictions
Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended
to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.