The flyleaf, 1996

24 Pages·1996·1.4 MB·English

by  Fondren Library. Friends

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 UniversityLibrarian
Charles Henry and Friends ofFondrenboard
DearFriendsofFondrenLibrary, 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 ofFondren Library. Our candidates, each ofwhom brought strong
Distinguished Guest Lecture presentedby professional skills and experience to the table.
JonathanMiller, M.D. was enthusiastically received I amvery pleased to announce toyou that
by the students, faculty, and friends ofRice Mary Bixbybeganher tenure as the Executive
University. We are pleased to work together for Director ofthe Friends ofFondren Library on
the continuing success ofthis very valuable October 1, 1996. Shebrings 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 anaccomplished communicator and
and generous inhosting a lovely dinner inhonor of leader, and has a true love ofbooks and libraries.
Dr. Miller and Patron friends ofthe library. Mary holds a bachelor ofscience degree inhistory
On April 19, 1997, we will honorAnne and from EastTennessee State University and a master
Charles W. Duncan at our annual Gala. We are oflibrary science from Sam Houston State
delighted and privileged to recognize the University. Pleasejoin us inwelcoming Mary to
significant efforts of this extraordinary couple to Rice at yourearliest opportunity!
Rice University and to our community. Please do On November 2, 1996, we honored former
markyour calendars, forthis willbe anevening to Friends ofFondrenBoard member Karen Hess
remember and a true gala ofcelebration. Rogers at the annual Homecoming Brunch
In the previous issue ofThe Flyleaf, I informed cosponsored with the Rice EngineeringAlumni.
you ofthe retirementofthe Executive Directorof Your committed and activeboard enjoyed greeting
the Friends, Betty Charles. During the summerwe many ofyou as we acknowledged the generosity
advertised the position locally and inkey national and dedicated efforts ofKaren Rogers to Rice.
publications, and the response was overwhelming. With ournew 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 ofhighenergy and
parts ofthe country. A sampling ofthe candidates good fun.
included: four lawyers, three librarians, two Cordially,
MBA
architects, eight degree holders, three Ph.D.'s,
a banker, and one author of abestseller.
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,
MS
established in 1913. Its supporters interested in - 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 Flyleafis 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.
M
The Flyleaf Page 2
8
Contents
Library of the 21st 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
Coverphotograph courtesy ofthe Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library.
Editorial Board: TexasAnderson, WalterS. Baker,Jr., and Mary Bixby
Photographs: ShirleyWetzel, JeffFillow,TexasAnderson
Layout: RobertGeorge
BOARD OF DIRECTORS 1996-97
OFFICERS
Sally K. Reynolds, President Peggy Barnett
Mrs. William H. Merriman, VicePresident, 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.
ElizabethW. Kidd Mary Catherine Miller
Mrs. Edgar W. Monteith Steve Shaper
VicePresidents, 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 Provostand David Minter, Ph.D.,
University Librarian Chairofthe University
David H. Auston, Ph.D., Provost Committee on the Library
G. Anthony Gorry, Ph.D., Vice Presidentfor Mary Bixby,
Information Technology Executive Director
^^
The Flyleaf Page 3
The Library of the 21st 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 ofthis century. Too easily, planners tend to
define the library of the future in terms ofa
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-Provostand UniversityLibrarian
perspective. IfFondren 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
essential to conserve, and how those attributes for the community it serves.
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,
through staff appointments, through new coming century is far less crystalline than our—
technologies, and through new and thoughtful metaphoric objects ofviewing it would imply two
related themes arise for consideration. The first is
spatial arrangements.
Put another way, one can ask, "Why have othregannaitzuarteioonfolfeakrnnoinwgl,edthgee.seHcoonwddisoetshelearning
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
...a library like Fondren has faculty member to perform research? How does the
organization ofbooks and journals, and more
enormous cultural significance
recently the structure of databases, influence what
and tremendous responsibilityfor and how we learn? Why do the schemes of
the community it serves... cataloging and subject designations change so
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 ofthese 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 ofthe
can profoundly alter an individual's sense ofself 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 ofhistorical 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 itis
embodies and advances our collective heritage. today, a pre-eminent institution ofhigher learning
^
The Flyleaf Page 4
The Library of the 21st 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 abias 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 in—structed mostly by rote i—n fairly small and strives forneutrality in its subject labeling. It,
increments one might say "doses" of texts and however, also changes over time, with the rise of
written exercises. A library such as today's Fondren, interdisciplinarity, new areas ofstudy, and new
with open stacks, expert librarians, and online discoveries of the physical universe.
access to the digital world beyond the hedges, All this is to say that Melville Dewey, 19th
would have been unthinkable. The general century students, and most ofthe libraries extant in
environment at that time canbe characterized as the United States today were and are very much
highly controlled, heavily reliant on memory, and shaped and influenced by their time. In order to
none too hospitable for creative reflection or best prepare forwhat may be a mostextraordinary
individual ascendancy. chapter in the evolution ofFondren, the Rice
—
The organization ofknowledge has similar community its faculty, students, librarians, and
—
tracings. Melville Dewey was a Victorian. His Friends needs to look intently at the past and the
concept of the modern library was heavily present to discover the cultural, social, and
influenced by the industrial revolution: a variety of historical influences that both enable and constrain
departments, with staff performing often small, Fondren and those who use it, decide what
highly specialized tasks. His organization of attributes to preserve into the next century and
knowledge, known as the Dewey Decimal System, which to discard, and thenbegin to design a library
was also influenced by prevailing cultural practice. that will embody and encourage these essential
In the earlier publication ofhis categorical scheme, characteristics for generations to come.
• FRIENDS ON THE WEB The Friends' century music performed by students ofthe
membership brochure can now be found on the Shepherd School ofMusic. The event is
World Wide Web. Look for it at http:// scheduled for 3:00 p.m. in the Lillian H. Duncan
Recital Hall, Alice Pratt Brown Hall.
www.rice.edulFondrenlAboutlFoflfof.html
Additional information will be added s.oon! BOOK SALE The Friends of Fondren Library
• RlCE AUTHORS On Wednesday, January 29, will host a book sale on Saturday, March 15,
1997, at 7:30 p.m. the Friends of Fondren and Sunday, March 16, 1997, in the Grand Hall,
Rice Memorial Center. Members' preview will
Library will sponsor a program honoring those
members of the Rice alumni, faculty, staff, and be Friday, March 14. Books maybe dropped off
members of the Friends who have authored at Detering Book Gallery, 2311 Bissonnet, at Star
Motor Cars, 7000 Katy Freeway, or at the
books published in 1996, edited journals
published in 1996, composed major musical Friends' office duringbusiness hours.
works, or mounted one person art shows in Friends of Fondren Gala Fondren
1996. Information canbe sent to the Friends of Saturday Night XVII on Saturday, April 19,
Fondren Library, Rice University, MS 44-F, 6100 1997will honor Anne and Charles W. Duncan.
Main Street, Houston, TX 77005-1892; or you Cocktails, dinner, silent and live auctions will
may fax the information to 713-285-5258. benefit the Friends ofFondren Endowment
• SCHUBERTIAD On Sunday, February 16, the Fund. The event will beheld in the new
computational engineering building named the
Friends of Fondren Library and the Shepherd
Anne and Charles Duncan Hall.
Society will present an afternoon ofnineteenth
^^
The Flyleaf Page 5
A
Visit with
Jonathan
Jjliller
by Elizabeth W. Kidd
As
the stream of passen-
gers from United 1073
continued past me,
I
registered that Jonathan
Miller must not have flown
first class. Growing
concerned, I floated a
tentative "Dr. Miller?"
towardagentlemanIthought
verylikeDr. Miller,butbald.
After all, in the twenty-eight
years since I'd attended his
lectures at Rice, Jonathan
Millermightwellhavegrown
bald.
But not to worry; a
tonsoriallywell-endowedDr.
Miller finally emerged,
smiling,energetic,and,asone
might expect, very much in
charge.BeforeIcouldregister
recognition, never mind
motion to him that I was his
official greeter, he was
approaching,handextended,
to greet me.
We carried on rapidly
down the corridor to collect
hisluggage,hisquestionsand
comments prodding me to
respond quickly orbe left as
hemovedtothenextthought.
He was concerned about the
current mood of the USA.
What did I think? From his
recent travels here,
observations at airports and
such, hejudged there tobe a
disturbing "aerosol of
Jonathan Miller testosterone" pervading the
M
The Flyleaf Page 6
A Visit with Jonathan Miller cont'd.
country,alltheseangrymen.Andwhat,hewentonas the reader not limited by having seen a film, great
weprogressedtothecar,weremythoughtsonviolence works offiction are always different from, and more
infilms?Wediscovered thatwehadincommonfilm- expanded, than the film. Thus, by encouraging such
enthusiastsonswhosefavoritefilmisReservoirDogs, filmswethreatenthetrue "afterlife" ofgreatworksof
whichneitherofushadseen,butintendedto,someday. fiction.
Our reluctance related to the reputed violence of the ThesethingsandmuchmorepreoccupyJonathan
film.Hissonhadarguedthatplayswithmuchviolence, Miller. He isdeeply concernedaboutthemilitance of
such as The Duchess of Malfi, were not judged organizedreligion:attheHoustonMuseumofNatural
unworthybecauseoftheirviolence, and filmsshould Science a docent told him that she limited her
notbe. From this Dr. Millerdetermined thatour sons explanation ofevolution to avoid offending anyone.
must like the film for its visual elegance and style. He sees philistinism everywhere from the primitive
And so itwas with Jonathan Miller for the next Santa Fe opera-goers to the New York Times critics.
twodays.Hewasalwaysprovocative,butthoughtful, He dislikes pretention of all sorts: Twombly's
always irreverent, but respectful, always witty, but "writings" on his paintings, again the New York
serious. Times critics, the New YorkTimes itself.
If you missed his lectures, I'm sorry, for they Dr. Miller also cares about what he sees as a
—
werefartoosubstantiveand fullofreferences collective loss of innocence and about the
todescribeadequatelyhere.Inthelecture poor and the young who are powerless
Sunday night on "The Afterlife of andignored.Heisnotsanguineabout
Plays" he argued that irreverence the future. Listening to him one
towards our greatest playwrights hears an echo ofYeat's lines from
isnecessarytoensuretheirworks ...[Dr. Miller] is all the "The Second Coming":
have an afterlife. The director titles by which we The best lack all conviction, while
has as a guide the words ofthe know him: the worst
characters only, and must Arefull ofpassionate intensity.
"write" the nuances of gesture neuropsychologist, But listeningtoDr. Miller,
and inflection that create a actor, director, author, one also feels hopeful. He often
performance and provide the speaks of what he enjoys as
artist, and also, —
play a new "life." well Houston Grand Opera,
Therewasmuch,muchmore grandfather... films like "The Thin Blue Line"
about music and painting, about and "Hoop Dreams," the paintings
listeners and observers as part of the of Cy Twombly (the writings
processthatcreatesanafterlifeforawork notwithstanding), the lighting in the
of art. But in the main the lecture was an building that holds the Twombly, the Soames
argument by Jonathan Miller, the director, that the museum in London, cottagesinScotland, his coming
director becomes "co-creator" of the play, and he production of "a Midsummer Night's Dream", his
made a very good case. sculpture. He is all the titlesby which we know him:
His second lecture was somewhat in neuropsychologist, actor, director, author, artist, and
contradiction to his first. While Dr. Miller suggests also, grandfather, who, on a demanding lecture tour,
that we must show irreverence toward great plays to feltcompelledtostopbytheGaptoshopforhisyoung
help keep them alive, he also insists we must show granddaughter.
great reverence for works of fiction. That is to say, we Jonathan Miller encourages irreverence, so a
shouldnotmakegreatnovelsintomovies.Suchmovies touchirreverently,IdisagreewithhimabouttheNew
are dangerous to fiction because they "habituate YorkTimes,mymorningsustenance,andaboutSanta
audiences to theidea thatthe film isa full accounting Fe, wheretheweek—endfollowinghisvisitAlbertand
of the author's thoughts." I purchased a lot near a golf course, no less. And,
Thoseofyouwho,asI,lovefilmsofJaneAusten's while I agree with his concerns, I'm more sanguine
novels must trust me on this: He made a strong than he about the world's prospects. Possibly that's
argument, using scientific studies (remember he's becauseI'mstillexperiencingthegeneralexhilaration
also aneuropsychologist) thatthe "mind'seye" used ofhaving heard two really fine lectures by Jonathan
inreadingseesthingsdifferently.Inthemind'seyeof Miller.
^^
The Flyleaf Page 7
ofthe Rice Library Another "temporary" arrangement was the
by Karen Hess Rogers location of the first library o—n the second floor of
the administration building for thirty-five years.
Jn a letter to the Library ofCongress in 1917, the There were different opinions about this library.
acting librarian ofthe new Rice Institute writes, Sarah Lane, Circulation Librarian for many years,
"If convenient will you please
lend us the following
volumes...They are needed by
one ofour professors who is
doing research along the lines
indicated." Borrowing books
from the Library of Congress
was necessary because there
were not many on the shelves
of the young Rice library in
1917. In 1913, the Preliminary
Announcements set forth the
policy of "providing only such
books as are necessary to
supplement the courses of
instruction and to support the
independent investigations of
the staff and advanced
students." It went on to suggest
that, for works of general
interest, members ofthe
institute had access to the
public library.
Long-time English
professor George Williams EarlyRice Libraiy in LovettHall
notes in a 1966 article in The Flyleafthat, "as with loved the long gallery with its beautiful marble
almost anything else at Rice in the early years, the fireplace, magnificent light and cross-ventilation,
first library's books were ordered personally by French doors to the balconies and exquisite seven-
President Lovett," although later an informal three- foot bookcases. George Williams, on the other
member faculty committee took over thatjob. This hand, describes it as "dark, medieval, accidental"
committee also had the task ofsupervising the and "dim, shadowy, heavy and overpowering." He
"librarian" at the early Rice library. Alice Dean remembers everything as darkbrown and insists
began as a student assistant in 1914 after entering that even the chandeliers gave off "a strange
Rice in the fall of 1913. She continued as librarian yellowish brown religious light." Miss Lane's
while she earned her master's degree in math and lovely bookcases which divided her room into ten
then taught Math 100. Ann TuckWilliams '43 charming alcoves, Mr. Williams describes asjutting
remembers that Rice had to let Dean be librarian so "out from the walls like precipes into a dark sea."
she would teach math. Over the summer of 1916, The library was run with great economy; in
she studied library science at Columbia and at that the year 1916-17 the operatingbudget was $1,200
time decided to use the Library of Congress with student assistants earning $.20 perhour. Book
classification system. This seemed cumbersome at dealers were instructed to shipbooks in the "most
the time for so fewbooks, but she felt that one day economical way." A package once arrived
Rice would have many more volumes and would addressed to:
nothave to change the system again. Eventually The Rice Institute
Miss Dean was appointed Acting Librarian, a Sentby Cheapest Method
position she held for thirty years. Houston, Texas
^
The Flyleaf k^i Page 8
—
Early Days of the Rice Library cont'd.
The 1920s saw Rice's early librarians encountered
such an increase in challenges not commonly seen today. One
the number of summer Alice Dean, upon returning from
books that the vacation, discovered that all ofthe periodicals
shelves had tobe stacked on a tableby the window had been
extended to the blown outby the 1915 hurricane. During the
ceiling, and then the Depression students were employed by the
number of National Youth Administration to work in the
bookcases library. Emily Ladner '37 remembers pulling
themselves were bookworms from books shipped from India
doubled. They were using a long scalpel and tweezers. She also
so close together recalls that the government would pay for
that portly Dr. salaries ($.25 an hour) and tools, but not
Axson could not supplies; so electric erasers were purchased to
Sarah Lane, HeadofCirculation ^end over to see the erase old catalogue cards which were then
bottom shelf. George Williams remembers the retyped with the current information. Miss Dean
room as having a "sad, cluttered look." had a strict rule against student workers talking
—
Itbecame necessary to find other spaces for to each other even in the middle of the
library use. Engineering periodicals were relegated summer in thebasement of the Administration
to the engineering labs. The chemistry and Building.
architecture libraries were in the Chemistry By the beginning ofWorld War II the
Building; biology and physics, in the Physics library had nowhere to expand. The war years
Building. The boys' study on the first floor of the slowed growth and by 1949, with a generous gift
Administration Building and the girls' club room of one million dollars from the Fondren Family,
eventually became part of the library, too. George the Rice Institute was able to build a brand-new
Williams regarded the next step as downward library with a first floor larger than a football
—
literally to thebasement. Ifhe did not care for the field. But that is another story...
first location, he really disliked
this annex:It was a dismal sight
with scarred furniture, flaky
plaster and "flooding, not
uncommon." Sarah Lane once
encountered a water moccasin
swimming at the foot of the
steps.
The library opened at 8:00
in the morning and students
were promptly chased out at
5:00 in the afternoon. In an
experiment in the 1920s a
graduate student (male, of
course, since women had to be
offcampus by dark) petitioned
to open the library from 7:00 to
10:00 p.m. Few students took
advantage of the opportunity,
some books disappeared, and
someboys evenwandered into
places they should not have
—
been like the president's
office. The experiment was
deemed unsuccessful. Boys'Studyin LovettHall
^
^^
The Flyleaf Page 9
ArthurandKaren H. Rogers. Bettv Charles Tom andPain Smith BillandCindvDavis, AlJensen
'IT'
1996
Friends of
Homecoming
K. TerryKoonce, William White, DavidArcher, SallyK. Reynolds, andKaren H. Rogers
^£
The Flyleaf^ Page 10