author
Ina Ten Eyck Firkins
1866–1937
A pioneering reference librarian and literary indexer, this early 20th-century scholar helped readers and researchers navigate plays, short stories, and criticism with remarkable clarity. Her work reflects a deep love of books and the practical craft of making literature easier to find and study.
1 Audiobook
Henrik Ibsen A Bibliography of Criticism and Biography with an Index to Characters
by Ina Ten Eyck Firkins
About the author
Born in Minneapolis in 1866, Ina Ten Eyck Firkins studied at the University of Minnesota, earning a Bachelor of Literature degree in 1888. After graduating, she joined the university library and went on to serve as a reference librarian there.
She is best remembered for major bibliographic works including Index to Short Stories, Index to Plays, and Henrik Ibsen: A Bibliography of Criticism and Biography. Rather than writing fiction herself, she built tools that helped generations of readers, students, and scholars discover it.
Firkins died in 1937. Although she is not a widely known popular author today, her careful reference work made her an important figure in American library and literary scholarship.