Affiliation: Libraries and Press
Karyle Butcher Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Janice Dilg.
May 8, 2014
Karyle Butcher (b. 1942) was a member of the OSU Libraries faculty from 1981 to her
retirement in 2010, serving as University Librarian for the final fourteen years of
her career. As director of the OSU Libraries, Butcher oversaw a massive physical
expansion of the campus' main branch library, promoted a culture of scholarship and
innovation within the organization, and guided OSU Libraries to a position of leadership
within an information landscape rapidly transitioning from paper to electronic. During
Butcher's tenure as University Librarian, the University Archives and the OSU Press
- with Butcher serving as director - also came under the umbrella of the OSU Libraries.
Her interview traces her personal evolution as a librarian and as a leader, and also
documents the massive changes that came about during her years of association with
the OSU Libraries.
Memories of Hatfield Marine Science Center
A series of interview vignettes conducted by Mike Dicianna.
April 12, 2015
Established by Oregon State University in 1965 on Yaquina Bay in Newport, Oregon,
the Marine Science Center - re-named for Oregon Governor and Senator Mark Hatfield
in 1983 - is both a leading marine research laboratory and a center for instruction
of university students and the interested public alike. In April 2015, HMSC hosted
a reunion of past students, faculty and staff, four of whom contributed their memories
of the center on the occasion of its fiftieth anniversary. These interviews, conducted
with Range Bayer, Warren Hanson, John Markham and Anja Robinson, touch on the evolution
and impact of the Hatfield Center as observed over multiple decades.
An Oral History of the OSU Press
An interview with Jo Alexander and Jeff Grass conducted by Chris Petersen.
March 26, 2014
Founded in 1961, the Oregon State University Press was, for much of its existence,
a component of the university's Office of Publications. Burdened by chronic funding
challenges, the Press experienced a roller coaster existence for many years and was
nearly shuttered in 1990 following the passage in Oregon of the property tax limitation
Ballot Measure 5. Now administratively organized alongside the OSU Libraries, the
Press has evolved into a flourishing scholarly publisher responsible for nearly 400
titles focusing principally on the history and character of the Pacific Northwest.
In this interview, Jo Alexander (b. 1944) and Jeff Grass (b. 1948) discuss their long
association with the Press, which together spanned parts of five decades.
Al Parr Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
June 18, 2014
Al Parr (b. 1942) graduated from Oregon State in 1964 with bachelors degrees in Physics
and Mathematics, as well as decorations from the university's Honors Program. Parr
spent close to forty years working as a physicist, primarily for the National Institute
of Standards and Technology, where he specialized in radiometrics and optics. Parr
is also a rare book collector of consequence and a member of the OSU Libraries Advisory
Council. His interview focuses on his memories of Oregon State, his career in science,
and his passion for books.
Janet Webster Oral History Interview
Life history interview conducted by Chris Petersen.
November 14, 2014
Janet Webster (b. 1953) served as the head of the Guin Library at Hatfield Marine
Science Center from 1989 to her retirement in 2015. Active in regional and international
professional organizations alike, Webster received numerous awards over the course
of her career including, in 2003, Librarian of the Year from the Oregon Library Association.
While at Guin, Webster oversaw library activities during a period of major technological
change, and was instrumental in building an infrastructure suitable for serving Guin's
very diverse user base on the Oregon coast. For several years, Webster also administered
the work of OSU's other branch libraries, including the OSU-Cascades library in Bend.
Her interview focuses on her upbringing, educational experiences and ultimate decision
to pursue a career in libraries; her work and contacts at HMSC; and the changes that
she has witnessed in coastal community life and within the library profession.