Mary Stephens DeWall, a former Yolo County Librarian, initiated a fund to benefit Yolo County Library staff.  It's called the Mary Stephens DeWall Yolo Library Staff Enrichment Fund. 

     DeWall said, “I have long wanted to have a source of money that can be used to enrich the development of library staff at all levels, at all libraries.  Whenever state funding gets tight, staff development is one of the first budget items to go.  This is the kind of fund that can enable us to, for example, have a well-known author talk to our staff.   It would enable staff to attend specialized state and national conferences and training not possible with county funds.  Or we might send a person to the Spanish language book fair in Guadalajara, so we know what is available for our Hispanic patrons. I want to see it used for things that are beyond the normal, everyday training that everyone has to have.  This is one way to recruit and retain outstanding employees and continue to improve library services for all Yolo County Library users.”  DeWall also has plans to leave additional money to the fund as a bequest.

     Better known as simply Mary Stephens, DeWall retired in 2006 after 37 years as Yolo County Librarian.  DeWall began her professional library career in Yolo County in 1969 as Yolo County Librarian and has served in that capacity continuously until her retirement. As a result, she is the longest tenured county librarian in the history of Yolo County and in the state, as well as the longest tenured department head in Yolo County.

     Stephens’ service to Yolo County libraries actually began in 1956 when she was employed as a library page which continued during each consecutive summer until 1962. Consequently, her actual library service in Yolo County spans six decades, two centuries and two millennia. Throughout this period, her dedication, commitment and energy have been unparalleled.

      Born to a pioneer family and raised in Esparto, Stephens received a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Occidental College in 1962 and a Masters of Library Science from UC Berkeley in 1963. She initially worked as a series cataloger and bibliographer at the UC Davis Shields Library and as a reference librarian for statewide research at the UC Berkeley Water Resources Center Archives.

     Stephens returned to Yolo County as County Librarian upon her appointment by Norma E. Hallam as Acting County Librarian on Jan. 3, 1969. Her official appointment, following the formal recruitment procedure, was April 16, 1969.

      Maggie Burns, then President of the Board of the Yolo Community Foundation said, “This is a highly significant donation to the people of Yolo County.  It can benefit anyone who lives in the county, anywhere.  It is a need that is not met by any other charitable endeavor.  It is an extremely generous gift, and acts as a seed, to allow other people to give to the county as a whole and honor Mary Stephens’ incredible service to the area where she was born.  We at Yolo Community Foundation are honored to have her trust our stewardship of her gift.  Mrs. DeWall can advise us how she would like to see the money used during her lifetime and has made provision for successor advisors.  This is a gift that will still be giving to Yolo County in another hundred years.  This gift is a perfect example of how community foundations work – it is local and it is permanent.”