From Plant Press, Vol. 13, No. 3 from July 2010.
Born in Whitehall, Wisconsin to Roy A. and Leila Fortun, Ruth Schallert developed her interest in the sciences at an early age helping her father around the family pharmacy after school and during holidays. A favorite recollection of those times was scooping orange-pineapple ice cream for customers, oranges and pineapples being a rare treat in those Northern climes.
She received her bachelor's degree at Luther College, Decorah, Iowa. After obtaining her library degree at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, she took a position at the Art Library, University of Iowa, Iowa City. Her next two library positions were with the Pacific Salmon Investigations Library of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services in Seattle, Washington and with the Naval Oceanographic Office Library in Washington, D.C. While in Seattle, she and husband, William Schallert had two daughters, Karla and Lisa.
After a brief period at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History Entomology Branch Library, in 1966 she became the Smithsonian Botany Branch Librarian and in March 2003 the Smithsonian's Botany/Horticulture Branch Librarian. In June of 2003, the Council of Botanical and Horticultural Libraries (CBHL) awarded her the Charles Robert Long Award of Extraordinary Merit.
Schallert received the CBHL Award in honor of her professional library service since 1966 in the Natural History Museum as well as in recognition of her many collaborative activities with members of the American Library Association, the Special Libraries Association, the Society for the History of Natural History, the European Botanical and Horticultural Libraries group, and CBHL. She was a past-president of CBHL and was instrumental in designing the original bylaws for this Council. Some of Schallert's other honors include an alumni award in 2002 by Luther College and the naming of a new plant species in 1982 by Christine Burton, Hoya schallertiae, in recognition that the library research assistance Schallert gave her was "far beyond the call of duty."
Schallert's publications included two articles in professional journals:
- Churgin, S. and R.F. Schallert. 1980. History of the Smithsonian Libraries, with special emphasis on natural history. Journal of the Society of the Bibliography of Natural History 9(4): 593-606.
- White, J.J. and R.F. Schallert. 1986. Illustrations in the Contributions from the U.S. National Herbarium, 1890-1974. Huntia 6(2): 147-163.
After living in the woods of Accokeek, Maryland for many years and upon the passing of her husband Bill, Schallert moved to Arlington, Virginia to be closer to work and family. With great reluctance, Schallert retired from the Botany/Horticulture Branch Library after 41 years of service in 2007. Later in 2007 she moved to Philadelphia to The Watermark at Logan Square retirement community in Center City to be near her younger daughter. Once settled, she volunteered two days a week at the Free Library of Philadelphia almost next door. A born librarian, she also took over voluntary management of the Watermark Library.
While on vacation in Cape May with her daughter, Lisa, she took a fall, fracturing her hip. She subsequently had several strokes and lapsed into a coma, dying in her sleep on June 2, 2010. Schallert is survived by her daughter Lisa, and sons-in-law Alan MacBride and Robert Farrall.
A memorial fund is being set up to in Ruth’s name to honor her many years of service as the Botany Branch Librarian. A check can be made out to “Smithsonian Institution Libraries” and mailed to Rachelle Hardy, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution Libraries, NHB Room 26mz, MRC 154, PO Box 37012, Washington DC 20013-7012, or donated online through the SIL website at http://donate.sil.si.edu/v/Donate.asp. Please indicate in your correspondence you are remembering Ruth Schallert.