Euphemia K. Corwin Papers

Euphemia Corwin was born on June 26, 1863, the only daughter of Dutch Reformed Minister E.T. Corwin.  She grew up with her younger brother Charles in Paramus, New Jersey.  "Effie", Charles' nickname for her, came from a religiously centered and close knit family.  She was educated at Mt. Holyoke College (1881-1882) and became a teacher in North Plainfield, New Jersey (1882-1886).  After teaching, she became cataloger at the Utica, New York Public Library (1886-1887).  In 1887, Miss Corwin became the first assistant librarian at Union Theological Seminary until 1901 when she entered the college while also attending Columbia University (1901-1902). In 1903, Euphemia Corwin became the librarian at Berea College and remained there for the next thirty years, retiring on May 8, 1933.  Miss Corwin was known to her colleagues and students as an independent and generous person.  In April 1938, Miss Corwin was honored at a reception with her portrait being hung in the lobby of the Berea College Library.     Euphemia Corwin was one of the organizers and editor of the Kentucky Library Association.  In 1915, she organized Kentucky's first college book wagon service in order to supply books to people in the mountains and, in 1937, she organized the Hazard Junior College Library.