This article features an interview between the author and North Carolina Libraries Editor Emerita Frances Bryant Bradburn

Jones, Plummer Alston

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North Carolina Libraries Spring / Summer 2002 — 11Passing the Torch:Reminiscences with Frances Bryant Bradburn,Editor Emerita, North Carolina Libraries,1985–2002by Plummer Alston “Al” Jones, Jr.PAJ: Frances, we have been colleagues and friends since 1989 when I began mytenure with the Editorial Board of North Carolina Libraries. You have been aninspiration to me and to all your many friends in North Carolina and across thecountry. Your tireless dedication to making North Carolina Libraries the best statelibrary association journal in the country has resulted in the journal winning thecoveted H. W. Wilson Award for Best State Library Journal, not once, but twice, in1992 and 1995.We as members of the North Carolina Library Association owe you a debt ofgratitude that we will never be able to repay fully. I hope that you will allow usone further favor—sharing with us your reminiscences of your seventeen-yeartenure as Editor of North Carolina Libraries.When you began your tenure as Editor of North Carolina Libraries in 1985, atwhat point were you in your professional career? What convinced you to take onthe challenge?  What were the concerns facing not only North Carolina Librariesbut also the North Carolina Library Association?FBB: Goodness, I was so new! I had just been hired as a regional media and technol-ogy consultant by the Department of Public Instruction, and was excited andenthusiastic about everything. Frankly, I didn’t need any convincing once myboss, Sam Shugart, said OK. That was the big hurdle — “getting permission.” Itruly wanted and needed to work on this journal. As my mother has said,“Frances has always edited something.” It’s a great love. As for concerns facingboth the journal and the Association, we were really in one of those goldeneras — at least I remember it as that — in which there were very few problems.There seemed to be enough money, everyone was getting along (at least Ithought they were!), and professional associations were considered vital to aperson’s professional career. It was a slower, quieter time — and I can’t believe I’mactually saying that. I sound like my grandmother!PAJ: What kept you going through seventeen years of editorship? Were theirmentors along the way who offered expertise and/or encouragement?FBB: Definitely the people, especially the NCL Editorial Board members. People soenjoyed doing a good job. We have just always had the best time together; it wasa social as well as a professional environment for all who participated. Anotherimportant thing that kept me going was that the membership continuously gaveme feedback that the journal was important to them. So many people told uswhat was important and we worked really hard to create a journal that met the12 — Spring / Summer 2002                                                                                                                                      North Carolina Librariesentire membership’s needs, not just one segment of the Association. As for mentors,frankly the gentleman who handled the printing of the journal when I took over,Bob Renkenbil, basically walked me through the process regardless of what it was.He taught me how to do a paste-up — that’s how NCL was laid out then — it waslike cutting out paper dolls — how to calculate pagination, everything. He was atrue friend and it was very difficult to tell him that we were moving on to thecomputer.PAJ: What were the highpoints of your tenure as Editor of North Carolina Libraries?Were their issues of the journal that you felt were especially noteworthy andtimely in their coverage of topics of interest to the library community at large?FBB: I have to confess that one of the greatest experiences was redesigning thejournal back in the early 1990s. We went from a small journal to a full-sizedmagazine with a photographed cover. These were HUGE steps for the journal. PatWeathersbee and I did this at her house after work several Fridays over the courseof those few months. Gary would cook dinner and Pat and I would pour over herlatest layout design. It was the most heady experience imaginable, almost likebirthing a baby!As for individual issues, I have always loved the local history issues — theyreally were the essence in great how-to-do-this-well manuals. And the issue inwhich we interviewed our older library leaders. They have so much to teach us. Ihope you will continue those interviews on an occasional basis. We did an“extra” issue back in 1992 “Crisis in Librarianship.” Howard McGinn was guesteditor, and I think it clinched the second H.W. Wilson Award for us. (Yes, therewere actually three H.W. Wilson Awards. The first was awarded in 1981, whenJonathan Lindsey was editor.) And, of course, I can’t forget the 50th anniversaryissue. My research for the history of the journal led to my entire future personallife — John Welch!PAJ: Realizing that every endeavor has its disappointments as well as its elations,what were some of the problems you encountered as Editor? Were there situa-tions you would have handled differently, if you were given the opportunity toaddress them afresh?FBB: I guess my greatest disappointments came with some regularity. Having toreject an article has always been hard for me. People have so much of themselvesinvested when they write an article and send it off for publication — I know thatfrom first-hand experience! Telling them that it needed work or was just notacceptable was horrible, and frankly, I often procrastinated. Another huge disap-pointment for me was when the school librarians decided to leave NCLA. I willalways believe that we are more effective as one rather than separate organiza-tions, but I just couldn’t fight the overwhelming sentiment on that.What would I handle differently? I don’t spend a whole lot of time askingmyself that question, but I guess I would have spent more time doing the job — Inever felt I gave it enough time, especially the last couple of years. There wasalways something that could have been done better if I could have devoted moretime to it.PAJ: What have been the most difficult problems facing the North Carolina LibraryAssociation throughout the years of your tenure as Editor of North CarolinaLibraries? How was the publication of the journal affected by those problems?FBB: Money, and NCL was at the heart of issue. North Carolina Libraries has alwaysbeen the major Association expense, and constantly justifying its existence wasstressful and oh, so frustrating. We really were a very inexpensive publicationwhen you looked at the cost of printing newsletters and bulletins, BUT we were aNorth Carolina Libraries Spring / Summer 2002 — 13huge expense regardless of the rationale. It was the most inexpensive professionaldevelopment anyone ever invested in, but it still was tough to finance. Andbasically the journal stopped growing because ofit. We all know that nothing stays stagnate; iteither goes forward or backward. I believe thatinertia was hard for all of us to be a part of. Foryears we tried to make it appear that it wasgrowing by changing features, etc., but I’m notsure we fooled anyone. Definitely not me!PAJ: How do you view the transition from the printto the electronic publication of North CarolinaLibraries? Are there special pitfalls that I as thenew Editor and the new Editorial Board shouldavoid?FBB: It was inevitable and it is certainly morefinancially viable. In truth, I worry about thewonderful professional growth and social experi-ences that will be lost without the editorial board meetings. I know I would havehad a hard time building up a sense of community and loyalty without theregular face-to-face contact that our meetings and the yearly retreat fostered. Ialso confess to wondering who really reads online journals. I use them for re-search, but I don’t just browse them at the doctor’s office, during lunch — youknow what I’m saying. I’m delighted that you plan to do at least one printissue — of the entire year’s articles. I think that’s a great compromise, and I’ll lookforward to getting my first issue!PAJ: Where are you now in terms of your professional career and what do you thinkwill be filling your time now that you have decided to step down as Editor ofNorth Carolina Libraries? What are the special challenges and exciting opportuni-ties ahead for you?FBB: Let’s not even go there! I’m writing this after having riffed 3 people in mydivision during this horrible state budget crisis and as we are waiting to find outthe fate of our programs for the coming year. My greatest challenge is trying tokeep school library media and instructional technology programs funded — andpeople in those positions — during this devastating time in our state’s history.That’s only considered exciting if you have a perverse sense of adventure!PAJ: What special advice do you have for me as the new Editor and for the newEditorial Board of the electronic North Carolina Libraries?FBB: Have fun and learn everything you can. I have said many times that workingon the North Carolina Libraries Editorial Board was the very best professionaldevelopment experience anyone can have. You are exposed to so many ideas aswell as all the different areas of librarianship, and you are challenged to make ourprofession understandable and important to others. It’s a wonderful opportu-nity — celebrate it!PAJ: Thank you for sharing your reminiscences from your special vantage point asNorth Carolina Libraries Editor Emerita. I know that the members of the EditorialBoard and I will be calling on you frequently for advice based on your seventeenyears of experience at the helm of the best state library journal in the nation.Enjoy life to the fullest, Frances, and remember that your opinions matter nowmore than ever!

Passing the Torch: Reminiscences with Frances Bryant Bradburn, Editor Emerita, North Carolina Libraries, 1985â€“2002

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