Inside the Literature and Libraries of L.M. Montgomery

Every book lover knows how much their library means to them. So, imagine having the opportunity to see what was on one of your favourite authors’ bookshelves. To get a glimpse inside the works that inspired them to create their own masterpieces. On Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, we gave people from around the world that experience.

Together, we delved into what was on the bookshelves of one of Canada’s most beloved and internationally recognized women authors—Lucy Maud Montgomery. The talk was led by Emily Woster, curator of the L.M. Montgomery Bookshelf and U of G’s Ashley Shifflett McBrayne, associate, Archival & Special Collections.  

Woster, an L.M. Montgomery scholar and life-long Montgomery fan, shared intricate details of Montgomery’s libraries that she’s gleaned throughout her years of study. She also provided an overview of the L.M. Montgomery Bookshelf, an open access collection of digital books to browse, based out of the Lucy Maud Montgomery Institute at the University of Prince Edward Island. “Each book can be explored via an online viewer that lets one turn pages and zoom in,” said Woster. “We feature as many high-resolution scans as possible. Each book also comes with a detailed explanatory note about how, when, or why the book was significant to Montgomery.” 

Montgomery published many short stories and 20 novels in her lifetime, most notably, the Anne of Green Gables series. 2024 marks the 150th anniversary of Montgomery’s birth. Shifflett McBrayne also spoke at the event, providing attendees with an insider look at the U of G Library’s L.M. Montgomery Collection. “As stewards of the L.M. Montgomery Collection, we wanted to mark the occasion in a special and meaningful way,” said Shifflett McBrayne. “Collaborating with the L.M. Montgomery Institute to digitally reunify the Montgomery library here at the U of G, with the books housed in the Ryrie-Campbell Collection at the University of Prince Edward Island, was a way to do that.” 

This event, sponsored in part by the Bibliographic Society of America, was held in a hybrid format and was attended by individuals from across Canada and internationally, with attendees from the United States including Alaska, and outside of North America, including Belgium, Poland, Finland, Norway, the UK, Sri Lanka, Australia, and Japan.

In Conversation with the Speakers

Q&A with Dr. Emily Woster

Tell us about yourself... 

Emily Woster (EW): I am an English professor at the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth Minnesota. I was also destined to be a Montgomery scholar, having been named after Emily Byrd Starr (and I have a sister named “Anne,” of course!). Since I was an undergraduate, my research has centered on women’s life writing, children’s literature, and most importantly, L.M. Montgomery and her life as a reader. 

Why did you give this talk? 

EW: Ashley and I wanted to really celebrate the Montgomery Collection in Archival & Special Collections and provide a space to highlight Montgomery’s personal library and the L.M. Montgomery Bookshelf Project. We always wanted to celebrate the new connections between the McLaughlin Library and the Roberston Library at the University of Prince Edward Island. 

In your time visiting U of G, what did you find exploring our L.M. Montgomery Collection? 

EW: I was thrilled to find that Montgomery had used a publisher’s book list at the back of one of the books in her personal library as a “read” list, checking off items she had read. I hadn’t seen that before, it was thrilling to find titles she doesn’t mention elsewhere. 

What would you recommend people explore if they were to visit the U of G Library to view the L.M. Montgomery Collection? 

EW: I would recommend they speak to a member of the stellar archives staff about what they are interested in. There is truly something in the archives for everyone. Books, papers, artifacts. No matter how you found, or why you are interested in Montgomery, you’ll find something that excites you. 

What is something you want people to know about L.M. Montgomery? 

EW: I want people to know that, while Anne is an enduring classic that remains an excellent read, “Anne” is not all there is to Montgomery. Her other heroines, her journals, her letters, and her life as an author are richly layered and endlessly fascinating. 

Q & A with Ashley Shifflett McBrayne 

What is so special about the L.M. Montgomery Collection at U of G? 

Ashley Shifflett McBrayne (ASM): The L.M. Collection contains many items that were privately owned by Montgomery and has high informational value. It has excellent provenance as these items were acquired directly from Montgomery’s youngest son, Dr. E. Stuart Macdonald, and later his widow, Ruth Macdonald. It is an essential repository for scholars interested in the author, her life, and her work. 

What is your personal favourite in the collection? Why? 

ASM: I personally love the books contained in the L.M. Montgomery Library. We have 182 books which is the largest concentration of the books that Montgomery read and loved. These books are all signed, often with her cat signature, dates, annotated, and grangerized, meaning that Montgomery added extra illustrations to the texts by pasting in ephemeral materials into the books. 

The talk was enthusiastically enjoyed by attendees in-person and online. Why do you think events like this are important? 

ASM: Events like these are wonderful opportunities to engage directly with the Montgomery community, to learn about active research and Montgomery-related projects, and to broaden interest in and access to the L.M. Montgomery Collection at U of G.

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