Remembering Clara Stanton Jones; Library Journal, 12/27/12

Maurice Wheeler, Library Journal; Remembering Clara Stanton Jones: "Clara Stanton Jones was a giant in this profession and urban libraries, in particular, owe her a special debt of gratitude. Jones’s professional accomplishments during a career that spanned 40 years included many, many “firsts.” From the time I joined the American Library Association (ALA) as a student I heard of Clara Stanton Jones, the first African American president of ALA. It was not until much later in my career that I became aware of the significance of the other monumental ‘first’ in her career. In 1970, Jones became the first African American and the first female director of the Detroit Public Library (DPL). However, of perhaps even greater historic significance is that her elevation to that position in Detroit also made her the first African American in the nation to lead a major public library... Much of what I know of Jones on a personal basis has come from people at DPL who knew her well. Many shared stories that are a reminder that Jones was not only a trailblazing professional, but also a warm and caring person. Carolyn Moseley, her secretary (who has also served five subsequent DPL directors) stressed that Jones genuinely cared about people and felt a responsibility to use her position and resources to provide opportunities for others to be successful... She was graceful and gracious, and her personal style enhanced the already abundant qualities that led to her tremendous success. Jones was elegant and fashionable, and keenly aware of how physical presentation, even the timbre of her voice, could be used to garner support for causes in which she believed... Jones was keenly aware that we all stand metaphorically on the shoulders of those who came before us, and she embraced the fact she was heir to a long line of trailblazers."