Background
West, Elizabeth Howard was born on March 27, 1873 in Pontotoc County, Mississippi, United States. Daughter of James Durham (Doctor of Divinity) and Mary Robertson (Waddel) W.
West, Elizabeth Howard was born on March 27, 1873 in Pontotoc County, Mississippi, United States. Daughter of James Durham (Doctor of Divinity) and Mary Robertson (Waddel) W.
Bachelor of Arts, Industrial Institute and College of Mississippi (now Mississippi State College for Women), 1892. Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts, University of Texas, 1901. Library training University of Texas, 1905-1906.
Teacher until 1906; assistant, Library of Congress, Washington, District of Columbia, 1906-1911. Archivist, Texas State Library, 1911-1915. Librarian, Carnegie Library, San Antonio, 1915-1918.
State librarian, Texas, August 31, 1918-August 31, 1925 (1st woman ever commissioned as head of a department in Texas State Government). Librarian Texas Technology College, Lubbock, Texas, 1925-1942, librarian emerita and history research specialist, September 1942-1946. On leave 1930-1932, to act as research assistant to Library of Congress European Historical Mission, in charge of its work in the Archivo General de Indias, Sevilla, Spain.
Member American library association, Texas library association (president 1914-1916), Southwestern library association (president 1922-1924), Tex Congress of Parents and Teachers (life), D.A.R., Philosophical Society of Texas, Texas State History Association (fellow, life.