Rae Kains Ellis was born in 1933 in Burlington, Vermont. From an early age, she developed a love of reading and libraries. Torn between becoming a teacher or a librarian, she chose the teaching profession with the option to become a school librarian in the future. In 1966, her family moved out to Arizona from Connecticut for a better climate for her asthmatic son. Moving out north of Shea Boulevard in 1966, she would drop her children off at Cocopah Elementary School and then take a ride on her horse north of Cactus Road which was all just desert. A teachers' strike in the early 1970's brought Rae in as a teacher to Cocopah where she spent the next 20 years. She team-taught with Jackie Drinkwater, Herb Drinkwater's wife. She and her family were life-long friends of the Drinkwater's. Jackie Drinkwater suggested to her husband, the mayor, to put Rae on the Library Board as "Rae will get another library." Mustang Library was the result of her and the board's efforts. Rae also shares her insight on the down-to-earth people the Drinkwater's were, and Mayor Drinkwater's amazing vision for Scottsdale. Rae also shares her favorite place in Scottsdale, her thoughts on how Scottsdale has changed over the last 55 years, and her life lessons. This interview is 40 minutes long.
Images SCOT-SPEAK-2021-0002 and 0003 show images of dedication plaques outside of Civic Center Library and Mustang Library with Rae Ellis' name on them.
Image SCOT-SPEAK-2021-0004, CCL-LIB-2022-6044 and -6045 shows Rae Ellis from the 1980's as Library Board Chair. Image -6044 also has board member Linda Sweinhagen.
Image SCOT-SPEAK-2021-0005 is Rae Ellis as of April 2021.
Interviewed by Scottsdale Librarian Sara Housley on April 30, 2021. This interview was conducted virtually over Microsoft Teams due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. This interview is provided as a video and separate audio of the interview.
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