UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON ARCHIVES
ORAL HISTORY PROJECT

Interview #388
CRAWFORD, HELEN

CRAWFORD, Helen (1906-1994)
Librarian, Middleton Health Sciences Library
At UW: 1945-1972

Interviewed: 1978		
Interviewer: Judith Overmier
Length: 3 hours, 11 minutes

Background and education; Employment at Iowa State; Graduate work at University of Chicago; University of Wisconsin Medical Library; Role of mentor; Health matters; Marital status; Medical Library service; Regional libraries; New building; Medical Library Association (MLA) activities and articles; Certification; MLA issues and committees; MLA Board; Presidency of MLA; History of Medicine; Preservation; Experiences as consultant.

First Interview Session (1978): 
Tape 1/Side 1
Time	Keywords

00:00:00	Interviewer’s introduction. 

00:00:08	HC's influences in her decision to go to college: parents both college graduates; was expected of her.  As a child, she thought she would be a teacher because both parents were.  Father had large book collection, this stimulated her interest in books.

00:01:20	Started in college as German major, no interest in science, liked languages.

00:02:14	Worked a year before college; parents thought she was too young to go.  Late 1920s, had to earn money.  She went to Simmons because her brother was teaching at Harvard; "needed Eastern polish on her Midwest experiences."

00:02:50	Intended to be librarian for years; she chose Simmons Library School because it had a good reputation.  

00:04:26	Practice work in Worcester Massachusetts Public Library.  Few courses in problems associated with the basics of administration.  Came out of school naive about procedures of administration.

00:05:42	Graduate work at University of Chicago.  Professors who influenced her there.

00:07:17	Iowa State University [College], after Simmons.

00:07:59	1931 job market.  At Ames, she started at $1,600/year and then got a raise to $1,700+/year as library assistant (from 1931-45).  It was during the depression, so she kept the job because she had one.

00:10:07	First interest in history of science.

00:11:36	Eileen Cunningham (German Periodicals Committee) was her first contact with medical librarianship.  Charles Harvey Brown, Iowa State University librarian HC worked with.  He was active in ALA.  HC assisted him in his ALA activities.

00:12:56	Why HC decided to go to graduate school in Chicago.  Wilma Troxel took her in at Chicago.  Illinois served a mentor role for HC.

00:15:05	Got tuition fellowship at Chicago.

00:15:38	Recruited to UW; first academic appointment.  

00:16:24	Minnie Loevenhart had been circulation librarian for many years at the Medical Library.

00:18:25	Dr. Middleton, Dean at that time, on leave when HC came.  Chief medical consultant was Walter Meek.

00:18:56	HC remained here for her whole career; she liked the climate, size, cooperative atmosphere, and the cross cultural interchange. 

00:19:41	Ag., medical microbiology, bacteriology, and medical schools worked well together.

00:21:14	Needed growth of medical school because UW is a major research institution.  When she came it was very small.  

00:22:06	Collection size of AMA directory: 40-50,000; large collection of unbound journals.

00:24:46	Her duties: book selection, prepare binding, some desk work.  Only 3-4 full time staff members.	

00:25:39	After war business grew, budget increased to twice as much--thanks to HC's suggestion.  

00:26:23	Library remodeling.  Middleton wanted new library, so Alumni collected $250,000 and the legislature contributed $100,000.  Talk of new library since 1945.

00:27:12	HC talks about development of new library.

00:29:39	1943 new MLA handbook; HC didn't use it much.  She gave lectures to freshmen on library research.

00:31:11	HC had no problems as a woman because she was capable in her field; given much freedom to do what she wanted.  

00:32:31	1961 HC had surgery for advanced cancer of the colon.  Went to 5FU--5 fluorourethane, an experimental cancer treatment--invented by Dr. Heidelberger of McArdle Cancer Research Laboratory.

00:36:55	Marriage?  No, didn't set out to be solely a career woman; she's a perfectionist.  Many professional responsibilities, no time to devote to marriage.

00:39:30	Women's liberation.

00:40:43	Years as administrator noticed unmarried women more dedicated; psychic energy goes into work.  

00:41:20	Program in Chicago directs her to WI.  

00:43:28	Virginia Holtz, take over at Medical Library Service.

00:45:48	End of side.

Tape 1/Side 2

00:45:51	Talks about medical library service.

00:47:59	Milwaukee and Illinois Medical libraries slow extension development because they relied on AMA.

00:48:31	Bloomquist Report studied medical libraries, interest in increase in research support.  Included in Journal of Medical Education.  

00:49:24	In 1963, Scott Adams, also had influential reports in the Journal.  

00:50:17	Funding, grant money.

00:52:47	HC's reports of 1964 on Extension Service.

00:54:29	How Extension service relates to Regional Medical Library: academic institutions felt inadequately treated.  Meeting in Indianapolis to see what could be done.  Sent questionnaires to 13-14 libraries.  Now more integrated system.

00:57:27	Personal consultation increased.  

00:59:20	Move to new building.  No federal funds.  

01:00:12	Administrative change, more demands on main librarian. 

01:01:20	Budget.

01:02:22	Louise Darling.

01:03:39	How library different--efficient, useful, structure of successful library, flexible, windows.  Central core library new idea.  

01:09:04	Moved into new building 1966.  Historical books moved into this library.  Changed from LC (Library of Congress) to NLM system.

01:09:39	Virginia, associate librarian in charge of reference.

01:09:53	HC's interaction with architects.  

01:12:54	Equipment in library.

01:14:21	HC on panel planning better Medical School Library, organized by Ralph Esterquest.

01:14:55	Chapter on pursued flexibility.

01:15:30	Articles HC has written: on centralization versus de-centralization; on becoming independent from main library. 

01:18:31	OCLC use.

01:20:06	Articles on the building, extension and decentralization, based on her administrative experience.  

01:21:49	Activities in MLA.  First meeting in 1946 in New Haven.  (HC`s impression of East--"Air in the East is breathed by too many people.")

01:28:02	Had to be invited to the meetings, HC joined as a librarian.

01:31:26	End of side.

Tape 2/Side 1

00:00:00	Mary Louise Marshall on certification, opposition by Sanford Larkey; Grandfather clause in Galveston.  

00:02:13	Charter certification.

00:03:50	Period of dissociation with committees.

00:05:25	Organization of central office in early years.  Budget in early years simple.

00:06:18	Subject interest groups; regional meetings--sociable affairs.  

00:06:58	Midwest Regional Group. Membership increased with divisional regions. Relationship between regional groups and MLA--range of interests.

00:11:28	HC as chairperson of Midwest Regional Committee 1958-59, good preparation for being President of MLA. 

00:12:19	Subject groups she belong to: medical school, medical history groups.

00:15:13	First international meeting--1953 World National Congress in London.

00:17:16	More on interest in history of medicine. Late '50s.  

00:20:50	By-laws committee created category for retired librarians.  

00:22:25	Late ‘50s teaching refresher seminar on library equipment.  CE program early years.  

00:25:24	HC says teaching doesn't go very well with administration. 

00:29:12	On Board of Directors for three years.  

00:32:34	Major issues discussed by board: Central Office, Educational, Internship Programs, Publication. 

00:33:51	Young Turks Revolt.

00:35:50	Appointments she had made as Vice President. 

00:36:58	Procedure manual compiler--updates on committees.  

00:38:35	Minutes of board by Donald Washburn. 

00:39:40	Exchange Committee.

00:44:33	What she did during her five year period prior to presidency.  Mentor of Certification Committee.

00:46:05	1972 became President of MLA.  Main issues while President: Problems with certification and accreditation of programs. 

00:48:23	End of side.

Tape 2/Side 2

00:48:24	Tenure as MLA president. 

00:50:06	Powers of President limited, Board actually makes all decisions.

00:52:12	How things went during her time as President, calm?  No.  Executive Director position created.  

00:56:12	Role of Central Office; expenses big.  Took over convention management. Talk on committees and membership. 

00:59:30	First to chair Nominations Committee as vice president. 

01:00:41	Large size of committees.

01:01:24	Public meetings and writing part she liked best.  Enjoyed practical things.  Appointments made during tenure.

01:03:40	Traveling with job.

01:07:01	Interest in medical history as librarian.  

01:11:03	William Snow Miller started medical history seminar in '10s.  HC first woman to join seminar. 

01:13:28	Professors in medical history field.

01:17:55	On book selection.

01:25:19	On preservation.

01:29:50	Other library associations she was in: WI Library Association, ALA.

01:30:15	Activities in retirement: Lubbock, Texas, 1971--opened medical school library, established collection, set up accounting system, planned building, chose staff; appraisal of collections of various libraries.

01:34:55	Philosophical ideas about her profession.

01:35:41  End of side.

Tape 3/Side 1

00:00:03	Principles on administration. 

00:02:11	Loyal colleagues.  Not ambitious to get ahead, just did job because it was fun. 

00:04:08	End of interview.

END