Shaffer, Ellen, 1904-1994

Ellen Kate Shaffer was born on April 24, 1904 in the small mining town of Leadville, Colorado. Upon completing high school, she moved with her family to California. After attending library school and graduating from the University of California at Los Angeles, she worked as an antiquarian bookseller and buyer at Dawson's Book Shop for a period of twenty-five years, with two breaks. In 1944 to 1945, she joined the Women's Air Corps and served in Dutch New Guinea and the Philippines. Then in 1951, she spent eight months at the Mexico City College to study Spanish literature. From 1954 to 1970, Shaffer held the position of rare book librarian at the Free Library of Philadelphia, then moved to St. Helena, California to become the curator of the Silverado Museum.

From the description of Ellen K. Shaffer papers, 1905-1993. (University of California, Berkeley). WorldCat record id: 271846483