Susan Grey Akers (April 3, 1889 – January 30, 1984) was an American librarian and the first woman to hold an academic deanship at the University of North Carolina.
Akers was born on April 3, 1889, in Richmond, Kentucky, to Clara Elizabeth Harris and James Tazewell Akers, a language professor at the University of Kentucky.[1] She received a bachelor's degree with a major of Latin and minor in Greek from the University of Kentucky in 1909,[1] following which she taught Latin one year in a high school in Kentucky and fifth and sixth grades one year in Birmingham, Alabama.[2] In 1911, she began work at a public library in Louisville, Kentucky, going on to Library School at the University of Wisconsin in 1913,[3] where she befriended director Mary Imogene Hazeltine.[1]
After earning her certificate she became the librarian and assistant curator at Wellesley College in the Department of Hygiene and Physical Education where she restructured and updated the collection and catalog system. In the summers, she worked at the New York Public Library cataloging the reference section.[1] In 1927, she wrote Simple Library Cataloging which went through seven editions, with each edition reflecting updates in teaching methods, in her lifetime.[1][4]
She enrolled at the Graduate Library School at the University of Chicago in 1927 where she studied under Harriet E. Howe and Douglas Waples. Her dissertation reflected her interest in cataloging and her concern that many librarians thought it dull, becoming the first to advocate for unnecessary bibliographical detail, except where warranted.[1] She graduated with her Ph.D in 1932.[5]
In 1931, Akers was hired by the University of North Carolina as an associate professor for the newly founded department of Library Science.[3][5] As an associate professor, she secured $100,000 from the Carnegie Foundation in order to continue the program and a raise, becoming a full professor 1932. In 1941, she became dean and the first woman at the university to hold a dean position.[1][5] At the same time, she founded and lead as dean a library program at North Carolina College for African Americans in 1941.[1]
In 1950 and 1951, she was a library science consultant to the Department of the U.S. Army in Tokyo, Japan[3] where she helped worked to increase teacher training.[1] She left UNC in 1954, becoming a guest lecturer at the University of Tehran.[3] In 1956, the American Library Association honored her with the Margaret Mann Citation in Cataloging and Classification award.
The Susan Grey Akers Papers, 1899-1984, collection is housed in the Louis Round Wilson Special Collections Library at the University of North Carolina. Its approximately 1,200 items are part of the Southern Historical Collection.[3]
^ abcdefghijDavis, Donald G. (2003). Dictionary of American Library Biography: Second supplement. Libraries Unlimited. ISBN9781563088681.
^Kelling, Lucile (August 29, 1954). "Dean Akers Retiring From University Faculty". Rocky Mount Telegram. North Carolina, Rocky Mount. p. 3. Retrieved 20 April 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
^ abc"Deans and Directors | sils.unc.edu". sils.unc.edu. Retrieved 2019-01-07.
January 01, 1970
susan, grey, akers, april, 1889, january, 1984, american, librarian, first, woman, hold, academic, deanship, university, north, carolina, bornapril, 1889richmond, kentuckydiedjanuary, 1984chapel, hill, north, carolinaoccupationlibrarian, contents, biography, p. Susan Grey Akers April 3 1889 January 30 1984 was an American librarian and the first woman to hold an academic deanship at the University of North Carolina Susan Grey AkersBornApril 3 1889Richmond KentuckyDiedJanuary 30 1984Chapel Hill North CarolinaOccupationLibrarian Contents 1 Biography 2 Papers 3 Publications 4 ReferencesBiography editAkers was born on April 3 1889 in Richmond Kentucky to Clara Elizabeth Harris and James Tazewell Akers a language professor at the University of Kentucky 1 She received a bachelor s degree with a major of Latin and minor in Greek from the University of Kentucky in 1909 1 following which she taught Latin one year in a high school in Kentucky and fifth and sixth grades one year in Birmingham Alabama 2 In 1911 she began work at a public library in Louisville Kentucky going on to Library School at the University of Wisconsin in 1913 3 where she befriended director Mary Imogene Hazeltine 1 After earning her certificate she became the librarian and assistant curator at Wellesley College in the Department of Hygiene and Physical Education where she restructured and updated the collection and catalog system In the summers she worked at the New York Public Library cataloging the reference section 1 In 1927 she wrote Simple Library Cataloging which went through seven editions with each edition reflecting updates in teaching methods in her lifetime 1 4 She enrolled at the Graduate Library School at the University of Chicago in 1927 where she studied under Harriet E Howe and Douglas Waples Her dissertation reflected her interest in cataloging and her concern that many librarians thought it dull becoming the first to advocate for unnecessary bibliographical detail except where warranted 1 She graduated with her Ph D in 1932 5 In 1931 Akers was hired by the University of North Carolina as an associate professor for the newly founded department of Library Science 3 5 As an associate professor she secured 100 000 from the Carnegie Foundation in order to continue the program and a raise becoming a full professor 1932 In 1941 she became dean and the first woman at the university to hold a dean position 1 5 At the same time she founded and lead as dean a library program at North Carolina College for African Americans in 1941 1 In 1950 and 1951 she was a library science consultant to the Department of the U S Army in Tokyo Japan 3 where she helped worked to increase teacher training 1 She left UNC in 1954 becoming a guest lecturer at the University of Tehran 3 In 1956 the American Library Association honored her with the Margaret Mann Citation in Cataloging and Classification award Akers died on January 30 1984 in Chapel Hill North Carolina 3 Papers editThe Susan Grey Akers Papers 1899 1984 collection is housed in the Louis Round Wilson Special Collections Library at the University of North Carolina Its approximately 1 200 items are part of the Southern Historical Collection 3 Publications editSimple Library Cataloging 1927 1 References edit a b c d e f g h i j Davis Donald G 2003 Dictionary of American Library Biography Second supplement Libraries Unlimited ISBN 9781563088681 Kelling Lucile August 29 1954 Dean Akers Retiring From University Faculty Rocky Mount Telegram North Carolina Rocky Mount p 3 Retrieved 20 April 2019 via Newspapers com a b c d e f Susan Grey Akers Papers 1899 1984 finding aids lib unc edu Retrieved 2019 01 07 Charles Dorothy January 1945 Reviews Simple Library Cataloging Susan Grey Akers doi 10 1086 617079 a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help a b c Deans and Directors sils unc edu sils unc edu Retrieved 2019 01 07 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Susan Grey Akers amp oldid 1197005518, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
