Ida Leeson

Ida Leeson worked with the Mitchell Library collection in its first ten years. She was appointed to the senior role of Mitchell librarian in December 1932 and administered it until 1944.[10][11][12] Ida's appointment to this role was noted by the National Council of Women in a letter to the editor of the Sydney Morning Herald as being accompanied by the creation of a new Deputy Principal Librarian role awarded to Metcalfe, a man. Previously the post of Mitchell Librarian had succeeded the Principal Librarian and acted as the deputy.[6][13] Senior roles for women in Australian libraries continued to be debated and Ida attended a conference of the Australian Institute of Librarians in 1939 where this was discussed.[14]

With the development of microfilming technology, Leeson was to oversee the copying of thousands of records relating to the history of Australia that were held in archives and libraries around the world.[15] However, this project was interrupted due to the outbreak of the Second World War.[16]

During the sesqui-centenary celebrations in 1938 (150 years since the foundation of British settlement in Australia), Leeson was published in the Sydney Morning Herald describing the resources available in the collections at the Mitchell Library.[17] Leeson's role as the Mitchell Librarian was referenced by poet James McAuley in his poem The true discovery of Australia.[18]

In 1944, Leeson joined the Australian Army.[19] She held several positions, first as a research officer, then as captain, and finally as major.[2] She was a key member of Lieutenant-Colonel A. A. Conlon's 'think-tank' which included such people as (Sir) John Kerr and J. K. Murray.[2] She became a member of the Directorate of Research and Civil Affairs.

After the war Leeson worked for two other important bodies: the Australian School of Pacific Administration and the South Pacific Commission.[20] In 1949 Ida Leeson went to Nouméa to establish the library for the South Pacific Commission, returning to Australia in 1950, where she continued to work for the commission in Sydney until 1956.[3]

Leeson had a long history for fighting for the rights of women and library employees.[6] Her first act as a library assistant was to sign a petition for equitable pay for working on Sundays.[6] She then became a member of the librarians' union. In the 1930s Leeson supported the anti-fascist movement.[9] During the same time, she joined the movement of Theosophy in Castlecrag, where women advocated for their rights through creative works such as plays and literature.[9]