UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON ARCHIVES
ORAL HISTORY PROJECT

Interview #808
ARNOLD, BARBARA

ARNOLD, Barbara (1950- )
Senior Student Services Coordinator, School of Library and Information Studies
At UW: as graduate student, 1973; as professional staff, 1985-

Interviewed: 2006	
Interviewer: Sandy Pfahler
Length: 1 hour, 28 minutes

Abstract: Childhood and early years in the New York City area; public and private schools; early volunteer work in school libraries; undergraduate studies at Marquette University; graduate work at the School of Library and Information Services at UW-Madison; work history at area libraries; hiring by UW library system; duties and projects in SLIS; mentoring students; professional development and service; campus climate for women; personal life and hobbies.

Interview Session (September 25, 2006): Tapes 1-2

Tape 1/Side 1

00:00:50	Barbara Arnold was born Barbara Cornell in 1950 in New York City.  Her father was a doctor there and a WWII Army Air Corps veteran.  She talks about the apartments where they lived in the New York City area.

00:02:05	She talks about her story as one of “white privilege.”  She talks about her grandparents.

00:03:48	She talks about homes in which she lived when they lived in the community of Pellham.  She is the oldest of six children, though an older brother was killed in an automobile accident when she was 3 years old.

00:04:53	She talks about summer camps and babysitting.  She attended Prospect Hill Elementary School in Pellham.  She talks about a great school librarian who let her work in the library.  She then attended Urseline Academy for two years and then Maria Regina Regents High School near White Plains, NY.  She finished her high school at Pellham High School, where she again worked in the school library.

00:06:31	She talks about the school librarian and a Student Library Association, of which she was the president.
00:07:19	She talks about her mother’s education in archaeology.  Arnold was attracted to English literature from an early age.  She graduated in June of 1968.

00:10:10	BA started college at Marquette University in Milwaukee in the fall of 1968.  She knew she wanted to be a librarian.  She mentions that one of her grandmothers was a librarian for the United Nations.  She explains why she decided to attend Marquette.

00:11:25	She talks about life at Marquette.  Living in the dormitory.  Jim O’Reilly, Director of the Library at Marquette.

00:12:33	She talks about her student jobs at the Marquette University Memorial Library.  She took one library class at UW-Milwaukee.

00:14:14	She talks about living in an apartment with friends who were nursing students.  The Marquette sailing club.  She met her future husband Steve in the sailing club.  

00:17:18	She talks about her plans to attend library school and her mother’s influence in finding a career for herself before she married.

00:18:11	She discusses her decision to attend library school at UW-Madison.  Her future husband worked in Rockford, Illinois, and then found a job in Madison.

00:20:00	Arnold talks about computerization of libraries and the bad job market in the profession in the mid-1970s.

00:20:56	She completed the 30 credit program in 1973.  She and her husband were married in early 1974.   She talks about trying to specialize in both academic and public librarianship in order to make herself marketable.  

00:22:33	BA discusses some experiences from her time at UW.  She worked for the Humanities bibliographer at Memorial Library.  She lived at Fitch Court.  She talks about some of the professors in the department at the time.

00:25:48	She joined the Special Libraries Association because it was smaller than the American Library Association.  

00:26:54	She did volunteer work at the Middleton Public Library.  She also worked on a community  analysis project for Waukesha Public Library.  Her next project was starting a reference  library for the Department of Natural Resources.  
00:30:41	BA then started an information and referral center at Steenbock Library that was grant funded by the DNR.

00:31:20	End of Side.

Tape 1/Side 2

00:31:21	Arnold continues to talk about the Natural Resources and Environmental Reference Center at Steenbock.  Creating a database.  This was a university position and she worked 30 hours per week for 3 ½ years.  She lists some of the projects she worked on at the job.

00:34:20	She talks about filling in at the Middleton Health Science library while Daisy Woo took over as acting director at Steenbock.  She was also a conference coordinator with the Sea Grant College Program.  

00:35:39	She talks about her interest in the outdoors and environmentalism.  She enjoyed working in science libraries.  It took 6 months to start picking up the important vocabulary.

00:37:55	BA talks about working for the interlibrary loan office at Memorial.  

00:40:25	She talks about the closing of the Sea Grant program.  She worked as an administrative aide for Madison Public Library and did consultation work. Other part time work and projects.

00:41:28	She helped set up a public library certification program in the SLIS Extension office.  

00:45:30	Arnold talks about applying for her current position.  The interview process.  She started as admissions and placement counselor in June 1985. 

00:46:25	She outlines the job duties and responsibilities of the job.  Much of the job involves advising prospective and incoming students.  She is also the diversity enhancement person in the department.

00:50:20	BA discusses changes in the applicants to the SLIS program.  There are more male applicants now than in the 80s.  There are also more people with science and math backgrounds.  The average age of the students has gone down as more students enter the program directly from undergraduate study.

00:51:51	She talks about the job market in the library field and what kinds of jobs graduates of the program take.  The market for Ph.D. graduates is very good.

00:54:10	She discusses the significant effect of the Internet and computers on the library profession. Information literacy programs.

00:55:58	She lists the entrance requirements for the SLIS program and admissions process.

00:59:01	Arnold talks about her role as a mentor for students in the department.

01:01:20	She discusses the most interesting and challenging aspects of her job.  The application and admission process.  Students with mental health issues.
1:02:36	End of Side.  End of Tape.

Tape 2/Side 1

01:02:37	Barbara talks about the professional culture of the SLIS.  She sees it as a “wonderful example” of an effective academic department.  The mission and vision of the school.  Yearly faculty retreats.

01:04:09	BA discusses the department’s faculty meetings.  “Respectful and mutually supportive” atmosphere.

01:04:34	Working as a liaison with the SLIS alumni and the newsletter.  Endowment development. Summer information literacy training programs.  

01:08:10	She talks about creating the pamphlet “The Job of Finding a Job” that gives guidance for library students.  Helping the International Crane Foundation establish a research center.

01:10:48	Arnold discusses her work as a staff trainer in interpersonal communication.  She was a member of the academic staff professional development and recognition committee.

01:12:09	She talks about the climate for women on the UW campus.  She feels that it has improved a great deal since her initial time at UW in the 70s.  Women scientists face many challenges, but there is much greater opportunity now.  Women in leadership positions and campus politics.  

01:13:52	She talks about the value of serving in professional organizations.  The Wisconsin Library Association.  Friends of the Madison Public Library board.  The Special Libraries Association.  She talks about how her involvement with these groups has enhanced her career and professional development.

01:15:53	BA discusses her appointed and elected positions in professional organizations.  She is currently chair of the WLA Scholarship Committee.  Other committee service.

01:18:40	She talks about her home life.  She is married and has no children.  Pets.  She talks about ice boating.  Her husband has a pilot’s license and she is a co-pilot.

01:20:50	She talks about some trips they have taken.  Air shows.

01:21:50	She talks about the danger and excitement of ice boating.  Carbon fiber boats.

01:24:49	She talks about the necessity of relaxation and stress management.  She tries very hard to keep her weekends free for personal activities.  Exercise and diet.

01:26:52	BA talks about the upcoming celebration of the library school’s centennial.

01:28:07	End of Side.  End of Tape.  End of Interview.

END