Zona Gale, a Portage (WI) native and Pulitzer Prize winning author, was a lifelong friend and champion of Wisconsin’s libraries. She used her celebrity to promote libraries wherever possible. She was a member of the Wisconsin Free Library Commission (1921-1932) and served as its Chair in 1921-1924 and 1926-1929. She also served as a member of the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents. She won the Pulitzer Prize for drama in 1921 for her play “Miss LuLu Bett”. Her home was donated to the City of Portage in 1946 to house the Portage Public Library. She is a member of the Wisconsin Writers Hall of Fame. She received both a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Gale was inducted into the Wisconsin Library Hall of Fame on October 25, 2012.
Photo: Wisconsin Historical Society Digital Collection.