Mabel Dunham

Bertha Mabel Dunham (1881–1957) was a Canadian librarian and author. She was the first trained librarian in the province of Ontario to hold the position of chief librarian and wrote several historical fiction books for both children and adults. Dunham worked at the Kitchener Public Library for 36 years, in addition to teaching library science courses and playing an active role within local history and professional communities.

Early life and education She was born near Harriston, Ontario, on May 29, 1881. Dunham's mother, Magdalena Eby, was a descendant of one of the earliest Mennonite families to settle in what is now the Region of Waterloo and her father, Martin Dunham, was a descent of Scottish Loyalists. She attended Central School (later named Suddaby) and Berlin High School before training as a teacher the Toronto Normal School and returning to Berlin to teach.

Career Dunham served as chief librarian of the Kitchener Public Library (KPL, initially the Berlin Public Library) from 1908 to 1944. While there she developed the KPL's reference holdings and established a children's story hour. She was the first person to provide instruction in the area and taught at the school from 1929 to 1946. She served as president of the society from 1947 to 1950.

Later life Dunham was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Western Ontario in 1947.

Dunham died on June 21, 1957, in Kitchener, Ontario.

Publications The Trail of the Conestoga (1924) Toward Sodom (1927) The Trail of the King’s Men (1931) So Great a Heritage (1941) Grand River (1945) Kristli's Trees (1948)