ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries


252

Personnel
Ben C. Bowman, professor and chief li­

brarian of Hunter College of the City Universi­
ty of New York since 1966, will assume the

position of director of
libraries and professor
of bibliography at the
University of Roches­
ter on September 1,
He brings to his new
post a background of
over twenty years in
library administration, 
a wide-ranging biblio­
graphic knowledge, a 
superior grasp of the 
techniques of collec­

Mr. Bowman tion building, and an 
intense interest in the

advancement of inter-library cooperative sys­
tems. These qualities augur well for the future 
development of the University of Rochester li­
braries.

A native Westerner (born in California), 
Ben spent his early years in Arizona and Ore­
gon. He earned his BA and MA in English at 
the University of Oregon, following those de­
grees with two years of additional graduate 
study at the University of Chicago. He was se­
lected for training in the Army’s ASTP program 
in Far Eastern Areas and Languages during 
World War II and served overseas in the 
Asiatic-Pacific Theatre for fourteen months. Up­
on his return to civilian life, he became a grad­
uate assistant in English at the University of 
Illinois before deciding upon librarianship as a 
career.

While attending the graduate library school 
of the University of Chicago, Ben worked as a 
trainee at the Newberry Library. With the at­
tainment of the BLS in 1948, he joined the 
Newberry professional staff as head of public 
service. In 1952 he became assistant librarian 
of Newberry, a position he held until he ac­
cepted appointment as director of libraries at 
the University of Vermont in 1961. During his 
stay at Vermont, expenditures for books more 
than doubled, the State Colleges were brought 
into a centralized processing system based at 
the University, and Ben was active in prelim­
inary planning for the establishment of the re­
gional processing system (NELINET) now 
serving the six New England State Universities.

Confronted with the need to enlarge the ac­
quisition program, and with insufficient non­
professional support staff and limited, cramped 
space when he became chief librarian of Hun­
ter College in 1966, Ben instituted simplified 
methods of ordering, a shift from Dewey to LC, 
and expansion of the library staff and of funds

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

available for books. In addition to establishing 
two new branch libraries—one in nursing and 
one in social work—he completed the building 
program for the proposed new library at Hun­
ter. Perhaps the most unusual task he faced 
during his tenure was that of planning for the 
separation of Hunter’s Bronx Campus library 
from the main library in Manhattan and help­
ing me to establish an independent library op­
eration for Lehman College in 1968.

Ben has been active in professional associa­
tions during his entire career at the national, 
state, and local levels, has served on commit­
tees of ALA, and is a past president of the 
Vermont Library Association. He was materials 
consultant for ALA on the Japan Library 
School project in 1951-52 and again on the 
Ankara Library School project in 1955. Cur­
rently, he is library consultant for the National 
Endowment for the Humanities.

His new colleagues at Rochester will find 
that in Ben Bowman they have a practical, 
hard-working, progressive librarian, whose 
somewhat reserved manner masks a keen sense 
of humor and whose devotion to scholarly pur­
suits is nicely balanced by a love of the outdoor 
life. We will miss him at City University, and 
congratulate Rochester upon its good fortune in 
attracting him to its staff.—Carl R. Cox, Her­
bert H. Lehman College.

Native Ohioan George W. Cornell on July 
1 became director of library services at the 
SUNY College at Brockport, one of the fast­

growing institutions in 
New York State’s sys­
tem of higher educa­
tion. George received 
a BS in Education at 
Kent State University 
in 1947, his under­
graduate career hav­
ing been interrupted 
by four and a half 
years in the Army 
(which he left with 
the rank of Captain). 

Mr. Cornell His first full-time civil­
ian job was teaching

igh school English in the Warren Township 
chools at Leavittsburg. But after a year the 
nevitable happened and he entered Western 
eserve’s library school where he received the 
SLS in 1949.
George’s first library position was at Antioch. 

nd so was his third. He came to Yellow 
prings in 1949 as catalog librarian. The fol­

owing year the expansionist tendencies at his 
le ft fo r  K e n t

h
s
i
R
M

A
S
l
alma mater intrigued him and he 



253

State as head cataloged Three years later when 
he learned that Antioch was to have a new 
library building, he asked if he could return 
and was welcomed back gladly. Since then he 
has been Antioch’s librarian for technical proc­
esses. It is perhaps no coincidence that Brock­
port is in the midst of planning a new building 
to be located at the focal point of campus en­
trance.

In 1961-62 George took a sabbatical to begin 
work on a doctorate. His program, partly under 
the guidance of Lewis Branscomb, library di­
rector of Ohio State University, was designed 
to explore the context of library administration. 
His dissertation, “The College Archive: a 
Study in Administration,” is much less con­
cerned with library processes than with college 
administrative policies and procedures. He re­
ceived his PhD from OSU in 1968.

George plays a little poker (but not usually 
with the staif). Note that he has studied ad­
ministration as well as practiced it. In fact he 
is no frenetic practitioner, is low-keyed, a re­
specter of persons, but is persistent in his re­
quirements of performance.

Brockport will find that he likes a dynamic, 
innovative institution and that he can take some 
part in solving problems beyond his immediate 
sphere of library responsibility. In moving to 
New York State, George follows the lead of 
some good Antiochians before him—librarian 
Irwin Pizer of the Upstate Medical Center for 
one, and for another the head of the SUNY 
system itself.—Paul Bixler, Antioch College.

On January 1, 1969, Robert Wilkinson 
Evans became director of the library of the 
new SUNY institution, the College at Purchase, 

New York. Though 
marriage and hanging 
go by destiny, and 
matches are said to be 
made in heaven, Al­
bany must get the 
credit for this excel­
lent match. The Col­
lege at Purchase will 
emphasize the visual 
and performing arts; 
a librarian better suit­

Mr. Evans ed to create a library 
responsive to these in­

terests would be hard to come by.
Mr. Evans, who received his PhB from the 

University of Chicago in 1950 and his AM 
from the graduate library school of Chicago in 
1955, served as part-time librarian of the Uni­
versity College there in 1951-52 and was cir­
culation librarian of Augustana College in Rock 
Island, Illinois, in 1952. His military service 
took him to Japan in 1952-54.

From 1955 to 1961, Mr. Evans was librarian 
of Muskingum College, New Concord, Ohio. 
Collection development during his administra­
tion was vigorous and judicious; for every two 
books the library had in 1955 it had three by 
the end of his tenure. Also during his years at 
Muskingum, a new library building was 
achieved and library services to the College 
were greatly enriched.

In 1961, Mr. Evans joined the staff of the 
Oberlin College library as chief acquisitions li­
brarian. He became associate librarian, the first 
in Oberlin’s history, in 1963, and in 1966 as­
sumed the additional role of head of technical 
services.

He has taught at Muskingum College and at 
the school of library science at Case Western 
Reserve University. His publications include 
contributions to the Cooperative Price Index, 
1958-61 and to CHOICE. He was consultant 
to Bethany College in 1958 and to Morningside 
College in 1963. He was local majordomo for 
the ACRL Rare Books Conference held in 
Oberlin in 1961, and because of Oberlin’s par­
ticipation in Asian Studies programs, particu­
larly those of the Great Lakes Colleges Asso­
ciation, he has been active in many conferences 
related to Asian studies and materials.

Mr. Evans was a member and past chairman 
of the Ohio College Association Librarians’ Sec­
tion and of the Northern Ohio Technical Serv­
ices Librarians. He is a life member of ALA, 
with divisional memberships in ACRL and 
RTSD. He has been particularly active in the 
College Section of ACRL, serving on panels at 
section meetings and once as secretary of the 
section. He has been a member of the Science 
Acquisitions Study Advisory Committee of 
ALA’s Office for Research and Development. 
Outside of the library sphere, his particular in­
terests have included the AAUP and the 
ACLU. His travels have taken him to Europe 
and Mexico three times, and to Japan twice.

His achievements in his seven years at Ober­
lin have been of vital importance. He reorgan­
ized policies and procedures within all the 
technical services so both speed and accuracy 
have been gained; he inspired staff working 
under his direction so they can now produce 
twice as much finished work as before, and 
with fewer professional personnel involved; he 
enlarged the services contributed by the tech­
nical staff to include a machined periodicals 
holding list and other aids helpful to our users. 
Perhaps most significantly, he established a pat­
tern of materials selection so successful that li­
brarians have been able to take the lead in 
collection development, an accomplishment 
which reflects this strongly opinionated faculty’s 
appreciation of his judgment and ability. As 
associate librarian he was deeply embroiled in 
the planning of a new main library building



254

and in many matters of administration, always 
with insight, knowledge, vision, and modesty.

The College at Purchase will have in Mr. 
Evans a man of great gifts. A fine bookman, a 
librarian of great versatility, a wit and a wag, 
his early appointment to this faculty will permit 
him to be useful to the College on many fronts 
in addition to the library. Colleagues in New 
England and the Middle states, with whom he 
will increasingly be working, will find the ur­
bane Mr. Evans a delight to know. What may 
be a diminishing breed there as elsewhere—li­
brarians who read—will find in him a mirror 
(left-handed) image.

Oberlin, official and personal, will continue 
to miss him. We are all grateful for the en­
lightenment leadership he provided. His 
achievements here were significant and will en­
dure. He will always be counted as a fine 
friend and co-worker by all of us who have 
been privileged to know him. We can only 
envy Purchase.—Eileen Thornton, Oberlin Col­
lege.

Mr. W illiam B. Ernst, Jr., will become di­
rector of libraries and professor of library ad­
ministration of the Chicago Circle of the Uni­
versity of Illinois in the fall of 1969. Mr. Ernst 
leaves the libraries of the State University of 
New York at Buffalo where he has been as­
sistant and associate director since 1960.

Mr. Ernst was the first major appointment of 
the new director of libraries in Buffalo in 
1960, and, in effect, from then on he acted 
as chief of staff and senior executive officer. 
During the director’s sabbatical leave, he was 
acting director from March to October 1966.

To Mr. Ernst should go most of the credit 
for the recent development of the libraries at 
the State University of New York at Buffalo; 
he labored successfully to bring to Buffalo a 
number of highly qualified professionals; he 
worked with the director and the faculties in 
the formation of policy for the development of 
the collections; he actively adapted himself to 
new ideas in library management. During his 
tenure the library was elected to membership 
in the Association of Research Libraries.

Mr. Ernst was a member of the Senate of 
the University from 1960-67, and he served on 
the Executive Committee from 1961-63. He 
was on the Board of Directors of the Faculty 
Club from 1962-66, and he served as President 
from 1962-65.

He was a member of the Board of Directors 
of the College and University section of the 
New York Library Association from 1964-66, 
serving as president of the section in 1965.

He came to Buffalo from Harvard where he 
had spent most of his mature life: AB cum 
laude (History of Art) 1939, AM (History of

Art) 1946. He received his degree in Library 
Science from Simmons College in 1948.

His career was interrupted by his service in 
the Army of the United States which he en­
tered as a private in 1941 and from which he 
was discharged as a First Lieutenant in 1945. 
He served in the Reserves until his retirement 
in 1966 as a Major.

Professionally he worked at Harvard as a cat- 
aloger, in general reference, and as a book se­
lector. When Lamont Library opened, Mr. 
Ernst served first as chief administrative as­
sistant to the librarian, moving in 1956 to the 
post of assistant librarian for undergraduate 
services in charge of the Lamont Library and 
the house libraries. He left Cambridge to 
come to Buffalo.

He is married to Jeannette Blackstone Reed; 
they have three children. The eldest has re­
cently graduated from Radcliffe; the son is 
presently a student at Boston University; and 
the second daughter is in high school.

Mr. Ernst served in Buffalo during a period 
of unprecedented growth brought about by the 
merger of the formerly private University of 
Buffalo into the State University of New York. 
His impress on the libraries will long be felt. 
His colleagues and many friends in the library, 
the Faculties, and the community view his and 
Mrs. Ernst’s departure with real regret. With 
them go the best wishes of all with whom he 
has been associated.—Oscar A. Silverman, The 
State University of New York at Buffalo.

The news that Dick Logsdon has accepted 
the new position of dean of libraries for the 
City University of New York came as a surprise 

to many because Dick 
and Columbia have 
become almost synon­
ymous terms. And 
well they might be, 
since the Logsdon era 
spans 22 years of Co­
lumbia’s history.

Those years have 
been good ones for 
both parties. As assist­
ant director for tech­
nical services, as as­

Mr. Logsdon sociate director, and 
since 1953 as director,

Dick has guided Columbia’s Libraries through 
great growth in every aspect of library opera­
tions. In terms of strengthening collections, pro­
viding effective services to readers, physical 
plant development, and, most important, in as­
sembling a staff of high quality, Dick has 
served Columbia well. In retrospect, it also 
seems fair to say that it is evident that the 
libraries have done well because Columbia is



255

proud of its libraries and is certain of their cen­
tral importance. This long demonstrated Uni­
versity confidence has been nourished by Dick’s 
convictions about the nature of librarianship 
and his understanding of the elements that are 
the essence of his ( and our) profession.

While Dick’s activities and interests have al­
ways ranged widely, certain special concerns 
have persisted and I suspect they will continue 
to be evident as he assumes his new duties. 
Early training and continuing interests in the 
processes of management have always been 
much in evidence, and these skills will be 
much in demand in the major planning assign­
ment he has assumed. His interest in educa­
tion for librarianship, also of importance in his 
new post, has been demonstrated in periodic 
teaching assignments in Columbia’s school of 
library service where he has held a professor­
ship, as chairman of ALA’s Commission on Ed­
ucation for Librarianship, and as author of sev­
eral articles and, with his wife, Irene, a book, 
Library Careers.

A trip to Afghanistan some years ago gen­
erated a continuing interest both in the Middle 
East and in international librarianship, while 
over the years his efforts on behalf of regional 
cooperative activities have been demonstrated 
time and again as he has assumed leadership 
of a number of projects designed to promote 
rational cooperation among research libraries in 
New York.

Dick’s professional career started in 1934 in 
Alamosa, Colorado, and developed successively 
in Virginia at Madison College, at the Universi­
ty of Kentucky, and in the Libraries of the 
Office of Education and the Veteran’s Admin­
istration. He has served on many ALA com­
mittees, has been President of the Association 
of Research Libraries, was one of the ARL 
promoters of the Shared Cataloging Program of 
the Library of Congress, and has served as 
President of the New York Library Association. 
He has assisted many universities as a con­
sultant on matters relating to library organiza­
tion and development.

This remarkable mixture of enthusiasm, en­
ergy, and great professional competence will 
be called into play many times in the future 
as Dick works to formulate and promote library 
development plans for the City University. 
Even his time and motion study skills will be 
useful as he becomes a cross-town commuter 
in Manhattan. His Columbia colleagues, past 
and present, wish him well as he takes on still 
another major assignment.—Warren J. Haas, 
University o† Pennsylvania.

A P P O IN T M E N T S
Russell E. Bidlack, who has taught library 

science at The University of Michigan for 21

years, has been named as the first dean of the 
university’s new school of library science.

Mrs. Marvine Brand has joined the Uni­
versity of Houston libraries as administrative 
assistant to the assistant director of public 
services.

Alfred N. Brandon, currently director/li- 
brarian of the Welch Medical Library, Johns 
Hopkins University, has been selected to serve 
as chairman of the department of medical li­
brary science at Mount Sinai School of Medi­
cine in New York City. He will hold the aca­
demic rank of professor of library science.

Jennifer Cargill has been named optome­
try librarian and instructor at the University of 
Houston.

Bobby Carter has joined the staff of the 
University of Texas medical school in Galves­
ton as catalog librarian.

Judy Entrikin has joined the staff of the 
University of Houston as assistant serials li­
brarian and instructor.

Mrs. Lois C. Farrell has been appointed 
head of the agricultural sciences library at the 
University of California, Berkeley.

Berry Gargal has been named associate li­
brarian in charge of the Mart science and en­
gineering library at Lehigh University.

O TTO H A R R A S S O W IT Z
Library Agency

WIESBADEN • GERMANY

Direct service 
on all German language 

books and periodicals

*
Orders and inquiries are invited on 
both new and out-of-print material

*

Please request information about our 
blanket order service and dealer’s 

selection program

*

Farmington Plan agent 
for West and East Germany

OTTO HARRASSOWITZ



256

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Collin B. Hobert has been appointed in­
structor and order librarian at Iowa State Uni­
versity.

Mrs. Zoia Horn has been appointed chief 
of public services in the Ellen Clarke Bertrand 
Library at Bucknell University.

Major Claude J. Johns, Jr., has been 
named director of the library, United States 
Air Force Academy, Colorado.

Frederick E. Kidder, visiting associate pro­
fessor at the graduate school of library science 
of the University of Illinois, has been ap­
pointed director of the new graduate school of 
librarianship of the University of Puerto Rico, 
San Juan.

Sandra J. Nagorski has been appointed in­
structor and veterinary medical librarian at 
Iowa State University effective August 1.

Donald A. Osborne has joined the staff of 
the library at SUNY Stony Brook as head of 
the bibliography and order section in the ac­
quisitions department.

John F. Riddick has been appointed instruc­
tor and serials librarian at Iowa State Universi­
ty-

Robert Rodriguez has joined the staff of 
the University of Houston as assistant catalog 
librarian and instructor.

Patricia Rom has been appointed assistant 
reference librarian in the Bertrand Library at 
Bucknell University.

Bella Shachtman has been named associ­
ate university librarian at the University of 
California, Berkeley. Her primary area of re­
sponsibility will be the technical services.

Raymond N. Tang has been appointed head 
of the East Asiatic library at the University of 
California, Berkeley.

Jane Titus has been named personnel li­
brarian at Paley Library, Temple University.

Martin Paul Wilson has joined the Uni­
versity of South Florida library staff as assist­
ant librarian in cataloging.

N E C R O L O G Y
Alex Moffit, associate librarian, 1936-1945, 

university librarian, 1945-1967, and consultant 
for libraries, 1967-1969, at the University of 
Texas at Austin, died on May 21, 1969.

R E T IR E M E N T S
Mrs. Mildred Hirsch will retire as of July 

31, 1969 as cataloger at the Swarthmore Col­
lege library.

Pearl Mooney has retired from the humani­
ties reference staff of the University of Wash­
ington libraries after over 37 years of service 
with the university libraries.

John Lester Nolan, director of the refer­
ence department, Library of Congress, has re­
tired after more than 26 years of service. a a