NC/SLA's 30th ANNIVERSARY

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Remarks by Barbara P. Semonche, Library Director UNC-CH School of Journalism and Mass Communication delivered upon presentation of the Meritorious Achievement Award on April 18, 1996 at North Carolina chapter of the Special Libraries Association Awards Banquet, Reichhold Chemical Company, Research Triangle Park, NC

My enthusiastic congratulations to Ginny Hauswald for her well deserved honor as the Chapter's Horizon Award winner this evening. And warm welcome to Fred Roper, who among his high distinctions in this profession has the somewhat dubious honor of being my first library science professor at UNC-Chapel Hill . . . more than two decades ago.

Special acknowledgement to my former staff members at the Herald-Sun newspaper library. They include Martha Haswell, Ted Waller, Barbara Best-Nichols, and yes, even Teresa Leonard. Will they please stand and be recognized for making me look good as a library manager. I'm in their debt.

Thank you Larry for your kind and generous introduction. Not many of you know that Larry and I go "way back." In fact there is a story behind our first meeting. And here it is:

DATELINE: Durham
LEAD: An editor gallops into the news library. "Barbara, I need help in finding a quote!"

"Yes, we do do that sort of thing. What is it?"

"Well, I was at a cocktail party and heard this professor talking about `tobacco being a form of dry drunkenness.' He said he read about it when he was at the University of Chicago some years ago. In something called a `Papal Bull.' At least he thinks it was a Papal Bull. Anyway, I'd like to use it in an editorial, but I can't until the quote can be verified. Can you help?"

Without admitting I hadn't the foggiest idea about what a Papal Bull was, I said we'd get right on it.

As she turned to ride on out, I called to her, "What's your deadline?"

"Oh, anytime you find it."

So I started searching.

After some puzzled but polite negatives from nearly every library in North Carolina, I decided to broaden my search. It was turning into a quest. But, by then, I had at least discovered the meaning of "Papal Bull."

I toyed with the thought of contacting the Vatican Library, but while I could probably resurrect my Latin, my Italian was non-existent.

Instead, I called the University of Chicago library and told whoever answered about my quest of the quote "tobacco is a form of dry drunkenness" in a Papal Bull. After a thoughtful pause, she said that she was fairly certain the library had no Papal Bulls, but she could put me in touch with someone at the Chicago Stockyards who might be able to help me.

I thanked her and rang off.

Six months later I was still searching. This was the period before databases and the Internet. Where to turn? The NC/SLA Chapter was meeting, so I simply stood up and asked the members present where to find the source of the quote. As an inducement I offered a dinner as a well-deserved reward.

A few days later I received a call. The voice on the line said, "Barbara, I'm not certain if I found what you're looking for, but . . . " It was Larry Skladanowski. He had found the answer when no other librarian could. He located the quote in a 1604 source referencing the English king James' diatribe against tobacco. Larry delivered the answer, but, sorry to report, I've yet to deliver on my promise of dinner. I estimate that inflation in the 20 years since I made the offer has probably increased the l evel of dining to something at the Four Seasons in New York City! Larry, I promise to make it up to you this year.

There are number of people here tonight who have been important in my life and career. First and foremost is my husband, John Semonche. He is, among his many virtues and achievements, a talented teacher, a gifted scholar, an inspired constitutional historian, a lawyer, an author, and a creative innovator in multimedia. In June, Jack and I will celebrate our 34th wedding anniversary. Jack, please stand.

Two journalism giants are the inspiration for my remarks tonight. Edward R. Murrow (a North Carolina native, by the way) and Walter Cronkite. Decades ago they were the principals in the much honored series:

I Can Hear It Now
and
I Can See It Now

So sit back, relax and list to Semonche's version of "I Remember 1976."

It was in 1976 that I joined the community of special librarians in North Carolina. It was a remarkable year for other reasons as well.

REFLECTIONS ON NC/SLA IN 1976

Americans united on its 200th anniversary amidst tall ships, fireworks and the biggest birthday bash ever. (NC/SLA's 10th anniversary was just a bit more subdued.) During that remarkable bicentennial year:

• the Viking spacecraft landed on Mars,
• gymnast Nadia Comaneci made the first perfect score in Olympic history,
• Mao Tse-Tung died,
• Jimmy Carter was elected president,
• Time Magazine's cover went to "Women of the Year."
• The 1976 Academy Award for honored the film "Network" for the best actor, actress and supporting actress categories. Another film about the media, "All the President's Men" collected much hype, but only one Oscar, to Jason Robards as best supporting actor.

An article in The New York Times Dec. 5, 1976 revealed that "today's students are more serious than in the 1960s; they are spending more time in libraries." I wonder if his evidence is empirical or anecdotal.

Other signs. An earlier article in The New York Times (Nov. 3, 1976) reported that a librarian in Beverly Hills, CA said that John W. Dean, 3rd (one of the president's men associated with Watergate) applied for a library card but claimed he did not have a friend to give him a reference. Hmmmm.

Searching for the term "special libraries" that year in newspaper databases resulted in negligible results. (Admittedly, those databases were not the powerhouses they are today.) While there was coverage of Daniel J. Boorstin's appointment to the Library of Congress, little press attention was given to Mark H. Baer's installation as SLA president at the annual conference in Denver in 1976. Also little known was a dinner scheduled by Fred Roper for 15 NC Chapter members attending the Denver conference.

As for the North Carolina focus in '76, it must be noted that James Holshouser was the governor and David McKay was appointed State Librarian. Edward G. Holley was dean of UNC-CH School of Library Science; Annette Phinazee was dean at NC Central University's Library Science School; Gene Lanier was chairman of the Department of Library Science at East Carolina University.

Added to the membership roles that year was an over-enthusiastic news junkie, sorely inexperienced as a newspaper librarian, a neophyte really, just learning the difference between a deadline and a dateline, employed to launch what was to become the Durham Herald-Sun newspaper library. Truth to tell, if it were not for the generous support from Chapter members who were veteran librarians with The News & Observer, The Greensboro News & Record, The Winston-Salem Journal Sentinel and The Charlotte Observer, the Herald-Sun news staffs would be seriously wondering "who is this imposter who claims to be a news librarian?"

Next, some statistics for your bedazzled amusement.

SLA dues was just raised from $30 to $40 that year for its 9,187 members. North Carolina's membership reached 107 with graduate students a substantial reason for the increase. The SLA Salary survey revealed that the median salary for special librarians w as $15,000. Salaries ranged from a low of $9,300 to a high of $28,500. Prices for NC Chapter program dinners (then typically featuring roast beef and cash bars) were in the neighborhood of $7.50 to $8.50 depending upon which neighborhood the restaurants were located.

The major NC Chapter players in 1976-77 were President Jean Hopson and President-elects Fred Roper and Ildiko Trombitas who planned programs in Boone, Charlotte, Greensboro, Winston-Salem and Durham's Duke Medical Center. Still actively involved in Chapter projects was Darlene Ball, the library leader responsible for launching this Chapter in 1966.

Librarian Sara Aull was the Bulletin editor. Referring to Sara Aull as a librarian is akin to saying Janet Reno is a law enforcement officer. A prime example of supreme understatement.

M. Sangster Parrott (isn't that one of the most musical and intriguing names you have ever heard!) with the assistance of one of her UNC-Greensboro graduate students published in 1977 the Chapter's directory. One hundred seventeen members were listed.

Crusading librarian Herman Henkle and his hand-picked associate, Davenport Robertson, reflected on their success in shepherding the new Environmental Protection Agency's Internship Program. Special Libraries, published Dav's detailed report about this most unique and admired of special library education's learning experiences. I count myself as one of the fortunate few who was enlisted.

1976 was a remarkable year for yet another impressive reason. NC Central University sponsored a colloquium on the Southeastern Black Librarian. Over 200 library professionals attended. Former SLA President, Vivian Hewitt, an invited speaker, offered brief bio sketches of four outstanding Black Special Librarians. One of those remarkable few was Dr. Robert Ballard who had recently joined NC Central University's faculty.

For other Chapter members it was a memorable year. Diane Strauss was promoted to head of Davis Library's BASS section. Mary Elizabeth Poole, the doyenne of government documents at D. H. Hill Library, was honored upon the completion of the "Monthly Catalog with Classification Numbers." Graciously and generously, Miss Poole donated royalties from this publication to D. H. Hill Library.

And on December 2, 1976, librarian leaders from all over the country came to Wilson Library on the Chapel Hill campus to celebrate the Louis Round Wilson Centennial. It was a very good year, a truly memorable one, for America, for North Carolina, for special librarians, and for this Chapter.

Thanks to the Chapter for my 20 years of marvelous memories. I'm deeply grateful for this Meritorious Achievement Award. It is a high honor and a genuine treasure.