Firkins, Ina Ten Eyck, 1866-1937

Ina Ten Eyck Firkins, A.B. University of Minnesota (1888). Assistant Librarian, Reference Librarian (1889-1932), Acting University Librarian (1920-1921) at the University of Minnesota.

Ina Ten Eyck Firkins was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1866. She received a Bachelor of Literature degree from the University of Minnesota in 1888. Following her graduation, she accepted the position of Assistant Librarian at the University of Minnesota Library. Miss Firkins remained with the University Library for her entire professional career, retiring in 1932 as Reference Librarian.

With the departure of University Librarian James Gerould in 1920, Miss Firkins was named Acting University Librarian, with the rank of Associate Professor, for the 1920-1921 academic year. During that year, Miss Firkins worked to manage rapidly increasing circulation of material, several open positions, and, what she described as, a library building “cramped for space and under-staffed.” She returned to her position as reference librarian when Frank K. Walter was named University Librarian in 1921.

During her career, she compiled well regarded indexes and index supplements to short stories and plays and a bibliography of Henrik Ibsen. Miss Firkins was the first president of the Minneapolis College Women’s Club and served as president of the University’s Faculty Women’s Club from 1930 to 1932.

Ina Ten Eyck Firkins died July 16, 1937 while on aboard the steamer “Paris” near Norway.

From the guide to the Ina Ten Eyck Firkins papers, 1917, 1920-1924, 1933, (University of Minnesota Libraries. University of Minnesota Archives [uarc])