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Robert Raz and Alberta Massingill oral history collection

 Collection
Identifier: Collection 339

Scope and Contents

All interviewees were asked for some basic biographical background. Special attention was given to any kind of educational or career background in libraries. The interviews focused primarily, however, on the narrator's career at Grand Rapids Public Library. Each was asked to discuss such things as the departments they worked in, the projects they worked on, the people they worked with and physical and organizational changes they had observed.

A special effort was also made to document developments over time in the philosophy and technology of library science which the interviewees observed during their careers. So each was asked about such things as their views on changes in patronage and patron requests as well as how and when the first computers and other library and/or office technology were used.

This oral history collection currently has three data elements. These are the interview master cassette tape used only for making usage tapes, at least one usage cassette tape and a typed written transcription of the interview. A fourth element, the release form, is not present in this collection, but is on file.

Dates

  • 2004-2006

Biographical / Historical

The Robert Raz and Alberta Massingill Oral History Collection had its inception in the one hundredth anniversary (100th Anniversary) of the Ryerson Library Building. There were several projects related to the celebration of this anniversary, including the opening of the Ryerson Building cornerstone, a week of public presentations and an exhibit on the history of the Ryerson Building. Those organizing the celebration also decided that it would be important at that time to begin to preserve the memories of the former library staff. Jennifer Morrison, a library assistant in the local history department, had the appropriate experience with oral history and was chosen to gather histories from retired library staff members. Three oral history interviews with current or former staff members had also been done by former City Historian Gordon Olson, who authored the book “Free Library for Everyone : the History of the Grand Rapids Public Library." The project started with a grant from the Friends of the Library and later received support from the Ryerson Foundation.

Extent

1.4 Linear Feet (Five boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The Raz/Massingill Oral History Collection is the result of a Friends of the Grand Rapids Public Library 100th Anniversary Project. It contains interviews with retired staff of the Grand Rapids Public Library conducted in 2004-2006. Those interviewed were librarians, library assistants and administrative, support and specialized staff who worked at the Grand Rapids Public Library. The information from the interviews pertains to the personal history of the interviewee, history of the Grand Rapids Public Library and the changing field of library science in general.

Arrangement

An interview number was assigned to each interviewee as their interviews were taken. The collection is arranged in numerical order by the interview number.

Some interviews included more than one session. But, the interview number is used for all parts of the interview, including the master and usage tapes, the transcription and any ancillary materials which exist or may be added to the collection associated with that interview.

Each interview results in at least three items that are added to the collection 1. a user audio cassette tape UT (or copy) 2. a master audio cassette tape MT, used only to make user tapes 3. a typed transcript of the interview

Some interviews have several tapes, with tapes for different dates, if multiple sessions were required, and with more than one tape for longer sessions.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Friends of the Grand Rapids Public Library, Ryerson Library Foundation; accession number 2009.026.

Related Materials

Coll. 109, GRPL Administrative Archives, may contain additional information which documents the work of an individual interviewed for Coll. 339 or may contain a photograph of them and their work environment.

Index

Field, Harriet (Tat)

Gibout, Betty

Idema, Celine

Patterson, Roger

Raz, Bob

Samuelson, Linda

Stocks, Bernice

Turner, Don

Vanden Englel, Helen

VanKampen, Mary Jean

Walsh, Don

Ward, Bessie

Title
Finding aid for the Robert Raz and Alberta Massingill oral history collection
Status
Completed
Author
Jennifer Morrison
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script

Repository Details

Part of the Grand Rapids History Center Repository

Contact:
Grand Rapids Public Library
111 Library Street NE
Grand Rapids Michigan 49503 USA
616-988-5497