university of missouri winter 2012 volume 8, number 2 Leading authority on books Table of to speak at Library Society dinner uthor Nicholas Basbanes will Contents speak at the Library Society A dinner April 13, 2012. He is the author of several books including A Gentle Madness: Bibliophiles, Bibliomanes and the Eternal Passion for Books, and About the Author: Inside the Creative Process. In addition to his books, Basbanes has written for numerous newspapers, magazines and journals. With his wife, Constance, he MEET JUNE DEWEESE writes a monthly review of children’s 3 books for Literary Features Syndicate, which they established in 1993 and UNDER FIRE which appears in several newspapers. 4 They are the parents of two daughters and live in North Grafton, Mass. EARTHQUAKE CONFERENCE David McCullough has called you 9 “the leading authority of books about books.” What led you to this LIBRARY SUPPORTERS career? 10 I have been writing professionally Photo provided by Nicholas Basbanes pretty much my entire adult life, FALL EVENT PHOTOS Nicholas Basbanes is the author of eight books having worked for two newspapers 11 about books and those who collect them, write before I had graduated from college in them, sell them and care for them. He will speak at the Library Society dinner April 13. (continued on Page 2) Celebrated pianist to Senate in 1973. The Gary Ellison USO Show toured South Vietnam perform at Friends of in 1967 and Korea in 1968. He has the Libraries luncheon played Missouri music in concerts all over the United States including at Gary Ellison, a ragtime piano player, Disneyland in California and Lincoln will give a musical and historical Center in New York City. In 2007, presentation at the Friends of the he was presented the Ozzie Award Libraries Luncheon at noon April from the Springfield (Mo.) Area Arts 14 in the Grand Reading Room of Council in recognition of his work Ellis Library. As a performer, Ellison in promotion, personification and was named Missouri’s Official support of artistic achievement in the Ragtime Piano Player by the State Springfield area. Library Connections • 1 MU Libraries are integral to the undergraduate experience Meet the librarian: s the vice provost for Information Commons is almost June DeWeese, head of Access Services A undergraduate studies at the always filled with students, whether University of Missouri, I serve as at computers, in small discussion Can you tell us a little about your research farm there. an advocate for all undergraduate groups or working on projects. background and what led you to I was the project education programs across the On the upper levels of the library, MU Libraries? director for two campus regardless of college, especially in the Grand Reading editions of the Best major or department. My role Room, you will see still more Back in the early 1970s, the job is to promote both success and students engaged in quiet reading search process was a little different of Missouri Farms excellence in those programs by and contemplation. than it is today. I was called by Catalog working working with administrators, In Ellis Library — and at the the associate director for Public with the College of faculty and students. I want our several smaller branch libraries — Services and told that he was Agriculture while also undergrads to take full advantage you will see what the undergraduate creating two new positions: one working here. of the unique opportunities experience here is all about. The would be mine if I was interested in I also had the available to them at MU. library represents the academic heart it and the other would be offered to privilege of serving MU students have access to of MU. It is an evolving learning someone nationally. We would work as head of technical extensive resources. These include environment incorporating state- together as information librarians services for one year state-of-the-art computing of-the-art information technologies. to provide card catalog assistance and eleven months. Private support is critical to the and basic reference and referral resources, excellent instructional It includes flexible spaces for What are some of success of the undergraduates who to other librarians. In less than facilities and modern athletic, individual or group study as well the unique aspects attend MU. Thank you sincerely for a year, I was approached by him recreational and fitness facilities. as traditional reading rooms that of your job? But one of the most important inspire scholarship. The library is an your continued support of the again to go to the Geology Library resources available to our students important part of the undergraduate MU Libraries and the university. to determine if a librarian was There is a lot of is the MU Libraries. I encourage experience because it enhances the — Jim Spain, Vice Provost for needed for that position or if we variety and a lot June DeWeese is head of Access Services at Ellis Library. of interaction with She also serves as an adjunct professor of women’s and everyone to stop by Ellis Library academic experience and fosters Undergraduate Studies could provide the needed services gender studies. on their next campus visit. The MU’s unique sense of community. University of Missouri with support staff, so I went there. patrons. I think the I was happily working there when most unique part, What is the role of the Access my student assistant found me in and a special highlight of what I Services Department within the the department chair’s office in the do, is that I have been responsible MU Libraries? Nicholas Basbanes (continued from Page 1) early summer of 1975 and told me for a high density, Harvard-style We are a very busy public service that an “important-looking man” remote storage facility for the four area. We help thousands of people 1965. I earned a master’s degree in to work on writing my own books. Which book was your favorite to was in the library asking for me. campuses of the UM System for the every year. Our role is to provide journalism from Pennsylvania State So, it’s really been a progression of write? The director of the libraries was past several years. I watched it be access to resources that our patrons University, did a tour as a Navy things. I have always loved books, That’s easy, they’re all my favorites. there and informed me that Alma built originally. Then, around a year public affairs officer during Vietnam and I have always wanted to be a need from our collections and I feel if you can’t enjoy the book Bennett would be retiring in August later, I watched it be rebuilt after a literally from all over the world. And, and went to work as a full-time writer. One thing leads to another. you’re working on right now, and asked if I would be prepared to tornado. Then, more recently, I have we provide access to our collections reporter in 1971 when I got out of My first book,A Gentle Madness, then you shouldn’t be doing it. offer a recommendation on staffing gotten to participate in planning for scholars and researchers all over the service. So, I’ve been writing which was about bibliomania — The compensation, if you break it for the Geology Library soon. for and supervising a second the United States and the world. We for newspapers forever, it seems. In the madness for books — did very down by an hourly wage, is absurd, And, would I want to come back underground storage facility in the 1978, I was appointed literary editor well (finalist for the National Book because you’re going to make a ‘come through’ for those in need to the main library to become one north part of Columbia. Not many of the Worcester Telegram & Evening Critics Circle Award, New York Times living wage out of writing books, so every day with little fanfare and little of the Social Science librarians? people around the nation were in the Gazette in Worcester, Mass., and I notable book), and I continued you might as well, at the very least, expectation of appreciation. But, remote storage field when I started, immediately began to write a weekly writing books about books. The enjoy what you’re doing. Having And, so began my fifteen years as a the depth of appreciation comes in literary feature in addition to my book I have just now completed said that, there is a special place reference librarian. I came to Access and I was privileged to be among unexpected ways and we know that editing work, which brought me in for Alfred A. Knopf, Common Bond: in my heart for my first book,A Services after a national search in the first group to write a book that what we do is very important. I don’t contact with a remarkable variety of Stories of a World Awash in Paper, Gentle Madness, since that’s the one 1990. I have had the opportunity has been used as a handbook for think people think of Access Services authors. I did about a thousand of should be published in 2012. I don’t where you actually prove to yourself to do many exciting things during others who follow. Even today, the and aspire to careers as Access these pieces over a 22-year period, have a publication schedule yet, but that you can do something decent the time I have been here. I spent a world of remote storage is not well Services Librarians upon graduating having syndicated the column when it does depart somewhat from my at book length, that you can get it few weeks one summer in Liberia understood but it is one of the most with a diploma in hand.