Meet Some Board of Governors Members, Friends of the Alexander M. Bracken Library

Board of Governors of the Friends of the Alexander M. Bracken Library plays an important role in helping the University Libraries achieve their objective for providing the best resources for research, teaching, and learning. Meet some of our board members:

Marilyn Carey’s experience of serving on community boards includes 12 years with Muncie Community Schools and two terms as a trustee member of the Muncie Public Library. She was a media specialist at Muncie Central High School and had the distinction as “First Lady” of Muncie for eight years while the late Mr. James P. Carey served as mayor. Her hobbies include looking for treasures at antique sales and auctions. Mrs. Carey’s term is 2007-2010.

Dr. Nicole Etcheson, Alexander M. Bracken Professor of History in Ball State’s Department of History, considers Bracken Library to be the most essential building on campus. “The staff in Interlibrary Loan Services have been exceptionally helpful and efficient. I couldn’t do my work without them. All of the staff at Bracken that I’ve worked with from circulation, projection services, maps, and archives have been very professional and gone out of their way to be helpful.” Dr. Etcheson teaches Civil War and Reconstruction, Indiana History, the U.S. history survey courses, and graduate courses with expertise in 19th century U.S. She is working on a book about the Civil War home front in Putnam County, Indiana. Dr. Etcheson’s previous book, Bleeding Kansas: Contested Liberty in the Civil War Era was a History Book Club selection in 2004. Dr. Etcheson’s term is 2006-2009.

Dr. Carol A. Flores, Department of Architecture at Ball State University, brings students to Bracken Library during her Symbolism and Meaning in Architecture class (ARCH 495). There are early publications and some primary architectural texts in the Archives and Special Collections unit which Dr. Flores shares with the class. She also visited the area frequently while writing Owen Jones: Design, Ornament, Architecture, and Theory in an Age in Transition.

“I enjoy being on the board because it is a great opportunity to meet other people who are interested in improving education and some of the services we deliver,” she said. “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with the members and I like the vision that the board is taking.” Dr. Flores’ term is 2007-2010.

Hank Milius, President and Chief Executive Officer of Meridian Services Corporation, worked with personnel in the Archives and Special Collections to prepare for an exhibit focusing on the 30th anniversary of the company. He was pleased that he found everything he needed for the exhibit. Meridian Services is a private, not-for-profit behavioral healthcare system. After the exhibit, he was asked to join the FAMBL board by John B. Straw. Hank and his wife, Terri, have four grown sons, two of whom are married and twins who recently graduated from Purdue University. He enjoys fly fishing in his spare time. Mr. Milius’ term is 2007-2010.

The Honorable Marianne L. Vorhees, a circuit court judge, joined the board in 2007. Her friend, Nancy Turner, former head of Archives and Special Collections at the Ball State University Libraries, encouraged her to get involved because of Marianne’s passion for libraries. “I really enjoyed the recent annual dinner and Andrew Dale’s program about his father’s fight against the Klan,” she said. Marianne and her husband, Skip, have three children: a daughter who will be a sophomore at Ball State, and sons in middle school and high school. Her term is 2007-2010.

Dr. Thomas H. Spotts, Associate Professor in Ball State’s Department of Technology, joined the board in 2007. He is the coordinator of the graphic arts management program at Ball State and currently teaches introduction classes and a printing management course. He often brings his Introduction to Graphic Arts class to the Archives and Special Collections for a presentation on early books. Dr. Spotts’ term is 2007-2010.

Additional members of the Board of Governors will be profiled in future issues of The Library Insider during 2008.

Friends of the Alexander M. Bracken Library Annual Dinner Features Program on Digital Oral Histories

Seventy-five Friends of the Alexander M. Bracken Library attended the annual dinner at the Alumni Center on the evening of March 28 where they heard about the Middletown Digital Oral History Collection being made available in the Ball State University Digital Media Repository, a project of the University Libraries.

Following dinner and a brief business meeting, Dr. Warren Vander Hill, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Emeritus, Mr. Hurley Goodall, former Indiana state legislator, and Dr. John Weakland, Professor Emeritus of History, presented the Kirkham Lecture. They shared their experiences in conducting oral history interviews that are now being made available in digital format for global access through the Internet.

Dr. Vander Hill moderated the program. In his remarks, he compared the two Middletown Jewish Oral History projects that he conducted under the sponsorship of Mr. Martin Schwartz in 1978-79 and 2002-03. The two projects generated a total of 45 interviews.

Mr. Goodall spoke passionately about an early experience of not being able to tell young people about the history of his own race and how that motivated him to get involved with documenting the African American experience through oral history interviews and other projects. He related how much he appreciated the work that Ball State University and the University Libraries have undertaken to collect and preserve local African American history.

Dr. Weakland described the process that he and other volunteers followed in conducting recent oral history interviews with the members of the St. Francis of Assisi, St. Mary, and St. Lawrence parishes as part of the local Catholic Churches Oral History Project. The project has resulted in 30 interviews from the three parishes so far and more are planned.

Prior to the speakers’ presentations, John Straw, Director of Archives and Special Collections, presented a PowerPoint presentation on the Middletown Digital Oral History Collection project that is being funded by a $25,125 Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) digitization grant. This is the second consecutive LSTA grant that the University Libraries have received.

Following each speaker’s remarks, a sample audio clip was played of an interview from the collection discussed by the presenter. The audience was able to follow along with the verbal remarks by seeing the accompanying transcription displayed from the Digital Media Repository collection.

During the business meeting prior to the Kirkham Lecture, Friends’ executive secretary John Straw reported that the Friends enjoyed another productive year with a growing membership of over 2,600 persons who reside in most of the 50 states and over 40 countries.

Donations by Friends through the Ball State University Foundation totaled over $34,000, which is a 36% increase compared to the previous fiscal year. These moneys are used to support the University Libraries.

Straw reported on four entertaining and informative programs sponsored this year:
· “Celebrating 30 Years of Renewing Lives: A History of Community Mental Health through CMHS and Meridian Services” presented by Ms. Suzanne Gresham, Mr. Al Rent, and Mr. Hank Milius in October
· “Founding Fathers and Signers of the Declaration of Independence” by Mr. Tom Schnuck in November
· “Organized Labor in Muncie: An Oral History,” co-sponsored by the Center for Middletown Studies, presented by Dr. James Connolly, Dr. Warren Vander Hill, and Mr. Hurley Goodall in December
· “Before Middletown: Using Historical Archaeology to View Victorian Muncie” by Dr. Christina Blanch in February


Outgoing members of the Friends’ Board of Governors in attendance were recognized with certificates of appreciation for their three years of service: Mr. Larry Campbell, Mrs. Nancy Carlson, and Ms. Gretchen Cheesman.

Three new members in attendance were welcomed to the Board with the presentation of lapel pins: Mrs. Marilyn Carey. Dr. Carol Flores, and Dr. Thomas Spotts.

Mr. Hank Milius and Mrs. Marianne Vorhees will be joining the Board as new member also but were not able to attend the dinner.

Three library student assistants received certificates and checks for $100 from the Friends as recipients of this year’s Student Recognition Awards:
· Amanda B. Ashton, Science-Health Science Library
· Holli R. Botset, Educational Resources
· Stacy L. Sowder, Main Circulation


During the dinner, Mr. Martin Schwartz was recognized in honor of his 90th birthday with a spontaneous rendition of “Happy Birthday” from the audience, led by Dr. Vander Hill. It was later learned that Dr. Phil Ball was celebrating his birthday that evening. So the event was a true celebration of Friends in more ways than one.

For more information or to join the Friends, contact John B. Straw, Executive Secretary for the Friends and the Alexander M. Bracken Library and Ball State University Libraries’ Director for Archives and Special Collections, JStraw@bsu.edu, (765) 285-5078.

This newsletter article first appeared in The Library Insider 5(4): 7; April 2007.

Ball State University Libraries' Student Assistants Recognized for Academic Achievements and Service to the Libraries

In 1995, the Friends of the Alexander M. Bracken Library established awards to recognize student assistants who have made significant achievements both in academics and in their work at the University Libraries.

Applicants are required to have at least a 3.0 grade point average, to have worked in the University Libraries for at least three semesters, and to be currently employed by the University Libraries.

This year, three outstanding students have been selected to receive Student Recognition Awards from the Friends of the Alexander M. Bracken Library.

Amanda B. Ashton has worked in the Science-Health Science Library since February, 2005. Her supervisor says that Amanda demonstrates “… adaptability, willingness to work, and the initiative to learn the policies and procedures needed to do her job as well as communicating ideas to improve services.” Amanda is a senior majoring in Chemistry with a 3.061 grade point average.

Holli R. Botset has been a student assistant in the Educational Resources Center since January, 2005. Her supervisor says that Holli exhibits a professional work ethic and sets a good example for her co-workers. Holli is a senior majoring in Special Education and maintains a 3.222 grade point average.

Stacy L. Sowder began working at Bracken’s Main Circulation desk in June, 2005. Her supervisor describes Stacy as “… friendly and approachable … extremely reliable, works well with library patrons and with co-workers.” Stacy is a senior majoring in Telecommunications with a 3.105 grade point average.

The Friends’ Board of Governors will honor these students at the upcoming Friends’ annual dinner on March 28, 2007, held at the Ball State Alumni Center. Each will receive a certificate and check for $100.

For more information or to join the Friends, contact John B. Straw, Executive Secretary for the Friends of the Alexander M. Bracken Library and Ball State University Libraries’ Director for Archives and Special Collections Research Center, JStraw@bsu.edu, (765) 285-5078.

This newsletter article first appeared in The Library Insider 5(3): 12; March 2007.