Ruffin to Retire as Curator of de Grummond Children鈥檚 Literature Collection
Tue, 05/23/2023 - 10:28am | By: Dawn Smith, David Tisdale
In keeping with the tradition of founder, Ellen Ruffin built relationships that continued growing Lena Y. de Grummond鈥檚
vision for a world-class repository of some of the genre鈥檚 best at the school鈥檚 Hattiesburg
campus.
Ruffin, curator of the de Grummond Children鈥檚 Literature Collection since 2006, will step down from the position when she retires at the end of May from the university. An associate professor in 草榴社区 University Libraries, she has served as the principal investigator for grants from the Sunshine Arts Foundation and the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation and is also one of the editors for A de Grummond Primer: Highlights of the Children鈥檚 Literature Collection, the first book-length project about the Collection. She began her work in libraries in the Mississippi Delta as a literacy coordinator with the Sunflower County Library System.
An active member of the American Library Association, Ruffin has served on numerous committees, including the Newbery Medal Committee, the Children's Literature Legacy Award Committee, and the Schneider Family Book Award Committee, among others. She also serves on the board of advisors for the Mississippi Book Festival.
Providing leadership for all aspects of the continued development and management of the de Grummond Children鈥檚 Literature Collection, in 2012 Ruffin played an instrumental role in the Ezra Jack Keats Award moving from the New York Public Library to the de Grummond Collection, which is the repository for all of Keats鈥� works. The Award is presented each year during 草榴社区鈥檚 Fay B. Kaigler Children鈥檚 Book Festival. Ruffin established the de Grummond 草榴社区, also presented each year during the Children鈥檚 Book Festival; past lecturers have included many notable authors and illustrators in children鈥檚 literature, including Lois Lowry, Sophie Blackall, and Richard Peck.
Ruffin praised Lena de Grummond, noting the story of her arrival in Hattiesburg after securing her doctorate at the same time as her son. Both came to 草榴社区 to take faculty positions, with Lena teaching graduate students in the university鈥檚 School of Library Science.
But she wanted to do more, leading to the beginning stages of what would become the de Grummond Children鈥檚 Literature Collection and an impact reaching far beyond the Hattiesburg campus.
鈥淪he was quite impressed with the commitment and determination of her students; many were teachers by day and would drive to campus at night for their classes,鈥� Ruffin said of her predecessor. 鈥淎nd she wanted to make this experience (their graduate education) more than a textbook.
鈥淪o, she began writing authors and illustrators and asking them to send pieces of
their work. And of course, she would always say, 鈥業f it's something you're going to
throw away, send it to us. If it's sketches, if storyboards whatever shows the production
of a book, a children's book, please send it and then she would always end with and
if you've already thrown it away, send the trash can.鈥� She had humor.
鈥淏ut the amazing thing was she wrote 300-400 letters a week 鈥� unbelievable - and she
wrote longhand because she wanted to get things back in longhand, and she did.鈥�
One of the first letters Lena de Grummond received in response to one of her many solicitations was from H.A Ray, the creator of Curious George, telling her of his intention to send the collection some of his original work. At the very bottom of that letter, also part of the Collection, is a drawing of Curious George with a portfolio under his arm, and a little signpost pointing to Hattiesburg, with George trudging off in that direction.
When the de Grummond Collection was founded in 1966, the Reys were among its earliest contributors. Featured on the cover illustration of the collection's catalog is that same drawing of Curious George bringing his books and pictures to Hattiesburg, with the title 鈥淐urious George Comes to Hattiesburg: The Life and Work of H.A. and Margret Rey.鈥� More Curious George materials were added over the years, and in 1996, upon the death of Margret, the remaining literary estate was given to the Collection.
鈥淪o, most of the letters would come back illustrated and very personal,鈥� Ruffin further noted. 鈥淪he developed quite a correspondence with her authors and illustrators with their contacts.鈥�
Over the years, Ruffin made that same kind of connections with contemporary authors and illustrators resulting in gifts of original materials, as well as books given by generous donors, adding to the Collection, and contributing to its positioning as one of North America鈥檚 leading research centers in the field of children鈥檚 literature.
Ruffin facilitated financial gifts of approximately $1 million to support collection purchases and programming. She established a relationship with The Jewish Museum in New York City, which made it possible for pieces from the Ezra Jack Keats and Curious George collections to be on loan for exhibits in New York as well as around the world. In 2017, Ruffin traveled to Japan for the opening of a Curious George exhibit that toured six different cities, covering every geographic area of Japan, and welcoming more than 149,000 visitors over a two-year period.
Not surprisingly, Ruffin argues for the legitimacy of children鈥檚 literature, not just from the perspective of those authors and illustrators whose work makes up the collection, the popularity of the Kaigler Children鈥檚 Book Festival, and the premier standing of the Eza Jack Keats Award - but from her own experiences.
鈥淚 read fairly voraciously as a child, and had friends in those books,鈥� Ruffin said, her voice tinged with emotion. 鈥淚 saw how things in my world were relevant. If I read something in a book, I wanted to see it in the world. If I saw something in the world, I wanted to find it in a book.
鈥淐hildren can connect, learn, and gain compassion and understanding and imagination through books. And I don't discount the significance of adults in that dynamic too, because Captain Kangaroo read 鈥楳ake Way for Ducklings鈥� to me.鈥�
University Libraries Dean Dr. John Eye described Ruffin as 鈥渁 constant source of energy, passion, and leadership during her time with the de Grummond Collection.鈥�
鈥淗er efforts to develop relationships and grow the Collection have contributed to the Collection being one of the top research centers in the country,鈥� Dr. Eye continued. 鈥淪he is leaving de Grummond with the promise of a bright future, and while she will be missed, we wish her the best in her well-deserved retirement.鈥�
And like Lena de Grummond before her, Ruffin leaves a remarkable legacy punctuated with the personal touch that the Collection鈥檚 founder would surely applaud.
鈥淭he best part for me has been the relationships, all kinds of relationships, not just with famous people, but people who have their own stories, who are connected to their own books that they treasure and give to us with such earnestness,鈥� Ruffin said. 鈥淭hat's hard to overlook. So, I wake up every morning feeling grateful for this wonderful career.鈥�
Part of the 草榴社区 Foundation鈥檚 Give Wing: The Campaign for 草榴社区 Miss is to permanently endow the Curator of the de Grummond Children鈥檚 Literature Collection. A $2 million curatorship endowment would provide $80,000 annually in discretionary funds to support the Collection for things like development of exhibits and collection acquisition. To donate in honor of Ruffin, please visit the donation for more information.