The Flyleaf Friends of Fondren Library Vol. 47, No. 1 Fall 1996 Early Days of the Rice Library A Letter to the Friends Vice Provost and University Librarian Charles Henry and Friends of Fondren board Dear Friends of Fondren Library, members Ed Koehler, Texas Anderson, Elizabeth A most active and interesting year is Kidd, and I interviewed a small number of underway for the Friends of Fondren Library. Our candidates, each of whom brought strong Distinguished Guest Lecture presented by professional skills and experience to the table. Jonathan Miller, M.D. was enthusiastically received I am very pleased to announce to you that by the students, faculty, and friends of Rice Mary Bixby began her tenure as the Executive University. We are pleased to work together for Director of the Friends of Fondren Library on the continuing success of this very valuable October 1, 1996. She brings to the position program and thank Elizabeth Kidd for chairing this competitive technical skills, strong fund-raising event. Diana and Bill Hobby were most gracious experience, is an accomplished communicator and and generous in hosting a lovely dinner in honor of leader, and has a true love of books and libraries. Dr. Miller and Patron friends of the library. Mary holds a bachelor of science degree in history On April 19, 1997, we will honor Anne and from East Tennessee State University and a master Charles W. Duncan at our annual Gala. We are of library science from Sam Houston State delighted and privileged to recognize the University. Please join us in welcoming Mary to significant efforts of this extraordinary couple to Rice at your earliest opportunity! Rice University and to our community. Please do On November 2, 1996, we honored former mark your calendars, for this will be an evening to Friends of Fondren Board member Karen Hess remember and a true gala of celebration. Rogers at the annual Homecoming Brunch In the previous issue of The Flyleaf, I informed cosponsored with the Rice Engineering Alumni. you of the retirement of the Executive Director of Your committed and active board enjoyed greeting the Friends, Betty Charles. During the summer we many of you as we acknowledged the generosity advertised the position locally and in key national and dedicated efforts of Karen Rogers to Rice. publications, and the response was overwhelming. With our new University Librarian, Charles We received 80 applications, the majority from the Henry, and our new Executive Director, Mary Houston area, but some came to us from other Bixby, we can anticipate a year of high energy and parts of the country. A sampling of the candidates good fun. included: four lawyers, three librarians, two Cordially, architects, eight MBA degree holders, three Ph.D.'s, a banker, and one author of a best seller. Sally K. Reynolds FONDREN LIBRARY THE FRIENDS THE FLYLEAF Founded under the charter The Friends of Fondren Founded October 1950 of the university dated May Library was founded in 1950 as and published by the 18, 1891, the library was an association of library Friends of Fondren Library, established in 1913. Its supporters interested in MS - 44-F, Rice University, present building was increasing and making better 6100 Main Street, dedicated November 4, 1949, known the resources of Fondren Houston, Texas 77005-1892, and rededicated in 1969 after Library at Rice University. The The Flyleaf is a record of a substantial addition, both Friends, through members' Fondren Library's and made possible by gifts of Ella contributions and sponsorship Friends activities, and of F. Fondren, her children, and of a program of memorials and the generosity of the the Fondren Foundation and honor gifts, secure gifts and library's supporters. The Trust as a tribute to Walter bequests, and provide funds for Flyleaf's publication William Fondren. The library the purchase of rare books, schedule corresponds to the celebrated its half-millionth manuscripts, and other academic calendar year. volume in 1965 and its one- materials that are needed to millionth volume on April 22, support teaching and research 1979. at the university. The Flyleaf M Page 2 8 Contents Library of the 21 st Century Page 4 Old Books, Old Friends Page 14 News and Notes Page 5 What Our Friends are Reading Page 16 A Visit with Jonathan Miller Page 6 Friends of Fondren Library Page 1 Early Days of the Rice Library Page 8 Gifts to Fondren Library Page 19 Annual Homecoming Brunch Page 10 News from Fondren Library Page 24 LU i Cover photograph courtesy of the Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library. Editorial Board: Texas Anderson, Walter S. Baker, Jr., and Mary Bixby Photographs: Shirley Wetzel, Jeff Fillow, Texas Anderson Layout: Robert George BOARD OF DIRECTORS 1996-97 OFFICERS Sally K. Reynolds, President Peggy Barnett Mrs. William H. Merriman, Vice President, Membership Mrs. William P. Conner Kathryn V. Smyser, Vice President, Programs David S. Elder Texas Anderson Lucas T. Elliot Walter S. Baker, Jr. Susanne M. Glasscock Vice Presidents, Publications Diana P. Hobby Oscar D. Graham III Mrs. Thomas W. Houghton Lew Eatherton Charles D. Maynard, Jr. Elizabeth W. Kidd Mary Catherine Miller Mrs. Edgar W. Monteith Steve Shaper Vice Presidents, Special Events Charles B. Wheeler Shirley L. Hamner, Secretary Wellington Yu Edward H. Koehler, Jr., Treasurer Roxanne K. Shaw, Immediate Past President EX-OFFICIO Charles Henry, Ph.D., Vice Provost and David Minter, Ph.D., University Librarian Chair of the University David H. Auston, Ph.D., Provost Committee on the Library G. Anthony Gorry, Ph.D., Vice President for Mary Bixby, Information Technology Executive Director ^ The Flyleaf ^ Page 3 The Library of the 21 st Century by Charles Henry When asked to describe the library of the 21st century, pundits, librarians, educators, and library patrons alike will often conjure two related images: one of an imagined interior space filled with technology, the other an exterior image of a future library that is sleek, rounded, or otherwise distinct from the rectilinear forms that have characterized libraries—including Fondren—for much of this century. Too easily, planners tend to define the library of the future in terms of a prevailing technology that will arise to reform the current ways faculty and students do research and course related assignments, or picture an odd if captivating design that will inevitably enclose it. To best appreciate the complexity and value of a library in an academic society, however, it is revealing to approach the question, "What should a 21st century library be?" from a more philosophical Charles Henry, Vice-Provost and University Librarian perspective. If Fondren Library is to succeed as the Thus a library like Fondren has enormous central academic support for Rice, it is important to cultural significance and tremendous responsibility declare which of its attributes are considered for the community it serves. essential to conserve, and how those attributes Contemplating the future library in a less might be enhanced in the coming decades: generalized way—always understanding that the enhanced through printed and electronic resources, coming century is far less crystalline than our through staff appointments, through new metaphoric objects of viewing it would imply—two technologies, and through new and thoughtful related themes arise for consideration. The first is spatial arrangements. the nature of learning, the second is the Put another way, one can ask, "Why have organization of knowledge. How does learning libraries remained a central cultural institution for happen? What are the optimal physical settings and over four thousand years?" Part of the answer lies in available resources for a student to learn, or a faculty member to perform research? How does the ...a library like Fondren has organization of books and journals, and more enormous cultural significance recently the structure of databases, influence what and tremendous responsibility for and how we learn? Why do the schemes of cataloging and subject designations change so the community it serves... frequently? Why, in other words, do our concepts of a fundamental generality: a library facilitates the the various properties of knowledge continually confrontation of living memory with the shift? A library is at the center of these issues. accumulated knowledge of the past; it allows for What is often missed when responding to personal transformation and new perspectives that these questions is the determining effect of the can profoundly alter an individual's sense of self prevailing culture. Two examples from the fairly and the world; it facilitates collaboration, for a recent past help to explain how the ideas we hold library is an institution founded upon the true about learning and knowledge organization are realization of the empowerment of historical nuanced by "local" histories and are not eternal continuity and the social nature of knowledge verities. acquisition. In this respect a good library is an Slightly more than one hundred years ago, organic, as opposed to a static, construct, that Princeton University was as distinguished as it is embodies and advances our collective heritage. today, a pre-eminent institution of higher learning The Flyleaf ^ Page 4 The Library of the 21 st Century cont'd. in the United States. Remarkably, its library was the section on religion was divided rather neatly open to students for only one hour per week. This into "Judeo-Christian" on the one hand, and "Other". was in response to the prevailing understanding of One can also discern a bias toward Western culture how students were supposed to learn: they were and certain ethnic prejudices. The newer Library of not to be given free reign to the library collections, Congress classification system is more inclusive, but were instructed mostly by rote in fairly small and strives for neutrality in its subject labeling.