' s ▁first ▁professional ▁black ▁li br arian . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁Ly ells ▁became ▁the ▁head ▁li br arian ▁at ▁Jackson ▁State ▁University , ▁working ▁to ▁modern ize ▁the ▁school ' s ▁library . ▁Two ▁years ▁later , ▁she ▁became ▁head ▁of ▁the ▁Jackson ▁Public ▁Library ' s ▁College ▁Park ▁and ▁Car ver ▁branches ; ▁Ly ells ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁African ▁American ▁to ▁manage ▁libraries ▁within ▁the ▁seg reg ated ▁system . ▁ ▁Ly ells ▁also ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁li br arian ▁at ▁the ▁Atlanta ▁Public ▁Library ▁System ▁and ▁at ▁Iowa ▁State ▁University . ▁ ▁Activ ism ▁and ▁community ▁service ▁ ▁Histor ian ▁John ▁D itt mer ▁described ▁Ly ells ▁as ▁" a ▁force ful ▁or ator " ▁and ▁" an ▁independent ▁force ▁for ▁social ▁change ▁for ▁more ▁than ▁four ▁dec ades ." ▁▁ ▁Ly ells ▁served ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁leadership ▁roles ▁in ▁the ▁state , ▁including ▁serving ▁as ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁Mississippi ▁State ▁Federation ▁of ▁Col ored ▁Women ’ s ▁Club s ▁and ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁African ▁American ▁executive ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁Mississippi ▁State ▁Council ▁of ▁Human ▁Rights . ▁Ly ells ▁was ▁an ▁active ▁pro ponent ▁of ▁strong ▁school ▁education , ▁and ▁in ▁addition ▁to ▁writing ▁on ▁that ▁subject ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 0 s ▁and ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s ▁in ▁the ▁Journal ▁of ▁Neg ro ▁Education , ▁her ▁work ▁in ▁education ▁included ▁chair ing ▁the ▁B ira cial ▁Committee ▁for ▁the ▁Jackson ▁Municipal ▁Se par ate ▁School ▁District ▁and ▁being ▁appointed