This paper chronicles the beginning of the friends of the Syracuse Library group, founded in 1953, that went on to become the Syracuse Library Associates. The Associates gave a great deal of support to Syracuse over the years, and founded The Courier, among other accomplishments

Mozley, Elizabeth

English

Syracuse University Research Facility and Collaborative Environment

Syracuse University SURFACE The Courier Libraries Spring 1978 Syracuse University Library Associates: The Early Years Elizabeth Mozley Follow this and additional works at: https://surface.syr.edu/libassoc  Part of the American Studies Commons Recommended Citation Mozley, Elizabeth. "Syracuse University Library Associates: The Early Years." The Courier 15.1 (1978): 15-23. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Libraries at SURFACE. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Courier by an authorized administrator of SURFACE. For more information, please contact surface@syr.edu. ISSN 0011-0418SYRACUSE UNIVERSITYLIBRARY ASSOCIATES1953-1978THE COURIERSYRACUSE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY ASSOCIATES VOLUME xv, NUMBER tTable ofContentsWilliam Caxton - The Beginning of Printing in Englandby Antje B. LemkeSyracuse University Library Associates: the Early Yearsby Elizabeth MozleyThe George Arents Library Award: A Recollectionby Thomas E. BirdNews of the Library and Library AssociatesSyracuse University Library Associates MembersSpring 1978Page315242729This photograph was taken at the second annual meeting of the Board of Trustees of Library Associateson September 21, 1954. Those present were (I-r): Hugh Gregg, John W. Brooks, Phillips Bradley,Carl R. Bye, Roscoe Drummond, Mary Marshall, Mrs. William Blanding, Harry Davies, Alonzo Flack,Adrian Van Sinderen, Wharton Miller, and William P. Tolley.Syracuse University Library Associates:The Early Yearsby Elizabeth MozleyThe first announcement that a friends of the library group hadbeen formed at Syracuse University appeared in the May 1953 AlumniNews. In an interview, Chancellor William P. Tolley mentioned thatSyracuse University Library Associates had been organized by ProfessorPhillips Bradley and Dean Robert F. Oxnam. Preliminary work, inwhich Chancellor Tolley and Dr. Adrian Van Sinderen also participated,brought together a select group of alumni and friends of SyracuseUniversity.The first Board members, appointed by Chancellor Tolley, were:Mr. Richard H. Amberg, Mr. George Arents, Mr. William C. Blanding,Mr. John W. Brooks, Mr. Harry Davies, Mr. B. Churchill Loveland,Professor Mary H. Marshall, Mr. Richard Pass, Mr. Murray Salzberg,with Mr. Van Sinderen as chairman. Ex officio members were: Dr.Tolley, Mr. Hugh Gregg, Treasurer of the university, and Dr. WhartonMiller, director of the university library and dean of the school ofLibrary Science. Professor Bradley became executive secretary. Fiveadditional trustees on the first Board were appointed later: Dr. Harry J.Carman, Mrs. J. Roscoe Drummond, Mr. Alonzo Flack, the HonorableMurray Hearn, and Mr. Samuel A. Mehlman.The first official Board of Trustees meeting was held October 1,1953. Of the original appointees, only Professor Marshall and Mr.Salzberg remain on the Board. Mr. Salzberg has expressed his interestin Syracuse University and Library Associates with gifts and awardsfor many years. Professor Marshall has served actively on the Boardin several positions, including the Editorial Committee, LibraryCommittee, and recently, as vice-chairman and head of the FacultyAdvisory Council. Mr. B. Churchill Loveland is still a contributingmember, though he is no longer on the Board. And ChancellorEmeritus Tolley continues his keen interest in the activities of LibraryAssociates, of course.The information for this article was taken from the records of Library Associatesin the Syracuse University Archives.Elizabeth Mozley is executive secretary of Library Associates and editor of The Courier.15Within the first year the trustees drafted a constitution and expressedas their purpose the promotion of ways to increase library resources.The major concerns of the first Board of Trustees were the same asthose today: to acquire gifts for the library (in cash or in kind) andto enlarge the membership, thereby increasing income from donations.Many individuals assisted Library Associates in its first year.The staff and faculty of the university gave generously of their time.Gifts of books and money encouraged the new associates. The universitycovered all of the group's operating expenses during the first year.By June 1954, Library Associates had 143 dues paying members.The Syracuse Post-Standard's pages carried news about LibraryAssociates, thanks to Mr. George Amberg's interest. The Post-Standardestablished, in 1955, the annual Award for Distinguished Service tothe Syracuse University Libraries. Dean Wharton Miller received thefirst award in 1955. The names of all awardees are now on a bronzeplaque near the Waverly Street entrance of the Ernest Stevenson BirdLibrary. A list of the award winners is at the end of this article.The trustees of Library Associates at that time were especiallygenerous with gifts, too numerous to list here, for the SyracuseUniversity Rare Book Department. For example, Dr. Van Sinderengave fifty-six first editions of Samuel Clemens, a collection sooncompleted, with help from Library Associates, with the purchase offirst editions of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.Among Dr. Van Sinderen's many other important gifts to the librarya few years later was the Kelmscott Chaucer.Mr. George Arents, whose name the present research library forSpecial Collections now bears, was a generous bookman and greatbenefactor of the libraries and of Special Collections for many years.He also established the Lena R. Arents Rare Book Room in theCarnegie Library, now the Lena R. Arents Reading Room in The GeorgeArents Research Library for Special Collections in the Bird Library.Believing that the student years are the time to start a finepersonal library, Mr. Arents established, in 1955, an annual cash prizeof $100 and a medal (designed by Ivan Mestrovic) for the graduatingsenior judged to have the best personal book collection.More prizes were established by other Board members. Beginningin 1958, freshmen could compete for the David A. Fraser Book Awardof $25.00. In 1962, sophomores' could win $50.00 for the Earle B.Mayfield Book Award, and juniors try for the $75.00 Edith S. MayfieldBook Award. The four awards were last given in 1966.Winifred Hughes, then Executive Director of the Alumni Office,cooperated in efforts to enlarge the membership by appealing to awider group. Thirty Alumni Clubs appointed Library Associatesrepresentatives. By 1955 one-hundred-eighty members contributed16$4,285.00 and many library items. Library Associates made a $2500.00contribution toward the purchase of the William Hobart RoyceCollection of Balzac, among other purchases.In 1956, Dr. Wayne S. Yenawine succeeded Wharton Miller asdirector of libraries and dean of the library school. He also assumedthe duties of executive secretary of Library Associates, followingProfessor Phillips Bradley. In his annual report in 1957, Dr. Yenawinenoted that gifts of books and manuscripts from Library Associatesmembers that year were valued conservatively at $30,000.00.By 1957, John DePol had designed Library Associates' symbol,the three bookmen in a library, used on a brochure to solicit newmembers. It is still used on the letterheads and The Courier.It was about this time that the Board of Trustees directed DeanYenawine to arrange for the publication of a bulletin about LibraryAssociates and the library. He would be assisted by the universityOffice of Information Services and the Syracuse University Press. InApril, 1958, the bulletin appeared as The Courier.In the first issue, Dr. Van Sinderen, who was still chairman ofLibrary Associates summarized the first five years:Our program has been fourfold:a. To acquire for the University by gift and purchase importantbooks and special collectionsb. To stimulate student interest in books and in readingc. To improve the physical facilities of the Libraryd. To dramatize the importance of the Library in University lifeHe added, "A little has been accomplished; a very great deal remains tobe done." (The Courier, 1, p. 5)At that trustees' meeting on April 17, 1958, Mr. Lester Wellspresented his fir'st annual report as rare book librarian, noting thatspace in the Lena R. Arents Rare Book Room was already exhausted.Plans were underway at the university for the new library building.The five-year-old friends group was kept well-informed on the concernsof the Syracuse University Libraries, thanks to the effort and attentionof the director and the rare book librarian.(To be continued)17Recipients of the Post-Standard Award for Distinguished Serviceto the Syracuse University LibrariesWharton MillerMary Hatch MarshallGeorge ArentsPhoebe Selleck FerrisDonald P. BeanDouglas Gilbert HaringAdrian Van SinderenLester G. WellsSol FeinstoneMartin KaminJohn S. MayfieldElizabeth S. NewloveO. Theodore BarckNancy Woodson SpireJ. Terrx BenderDavid A. FraserJesse B. WatkinsWarren BoesErik HemmingsenWalter L. WelchWilliam Pearson TolleyWayne S. YenawineFrank P. Piskor1819551956195719581959196019611962196319641965196619671968196919701971197219731974197519761977-\0The first Lena R. Arents Reading Room at Carnegie Library, Syracuse University.Professor Mary Marshall is working at the table.GEORGE ARENTSFrom the portrait by Frank o. Salisbury(George Arents Research Library for Special Collections, Syracuse University)20LENA RICHARDSON ARENTSFrom the portrait by Frank o. Salisbury(George Arents Research Library for Special Collections, Syracuse University)21Photographs by A/an ZenreichTHE GEORGE ARENTS LIBRARY MEDALOBVERSEThe motto, "Books the Soil of the Spirit,"was suggested by A.E. Johnson.22THE GEORGE ARENTS LIBRARY MEDALREVERSEThe medal was designed by Ivan Mestrovic.(Photographs courtesy of Thomas E. Bird, who wonthe medal in 1956.)23

Syracuse University Library Associates: The Early Years

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Syracuse University Library Associates: The Early Years

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Syracuse University Research Facility and Collaborative Environment