LibraryLinks Fall 2006
Meet Jean R. Green, Head of Special Collections
By Caryl Ward
Librarian Jean Root Green joined the Libraries last summer as the Head of
Special Collections, Preservation and University Archives. She is a native
of Whitney Point and enjoys playing ice hockey. Caryl Ward recently spoke
with Jean about her impressions of the Libraries and plans for the future.
Q: Jean, you come to us from the College of St. Rose in Albany. What’s your background, and how did you get interested in Special Collections?
A: I have a B.A. in Anthropology and an M.A. in History. While studying for my M.A., I was working full-time in a large academic library. I ended up falling in love with the academic environment: the books, the scholars, the whole atmosphere. My graduate school advisor encouraged me to return to school for an M.L.S. (Masters of Library Science), which I did. After receiving my M.L.S., I moved west and began working at the Arizona Historical Foundation. That experience and my later work at the Albany Institute of History and Art fostered my appreciation for just how closely related Special Collections is to history and cemented my love for the work.
Q: What was your first impression of our Special Collections department?
A: BU’s Special Collections department is bigger in space and has a larger staff than in most places I have worked before. Its collections are also quite impressive. Here, we have a University Archivist, a rare books specialist, manuscripts specialists, and preservationists, a large storage area complete with a vault for our most valuable materials, as well as a large, comfortable reading room. After meeting the staff and seeing the facilities and holdings, I felt even more strongly about coming to work here.
Q: What does the University Archivist do?
A: Yvonne Deligato’s charge is to document the history of the University. We collect records from all over campus, from records of the President’s office to records of student organizations. We have a wide variety of materials related to our University’s history including publications, photographs, memorabilia, student newspapers, and faculty publications.
Q: Do patrons need to make an appointment to view this material?
A: No. We encourage drop-in visits. However, if someone wishes to call in advance about viewing specific material (like photos from a certain era), we can have the materials ready for them when they arrive. Our hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Q: There have been some changes to Special Collections, including the new Bernard F. Huppé Reading Room. It’s beautiful. What else would you like to tell us about?
A: Well, we’ve spiffed up the entrance, including the addition of the new Huppé Reading Room, and put a reference desk at the front. Now patrons can come into Special Collections during our open hours and have immediate contact with a librarian. We want people to know that they are welcome!
Q: What would you like to see or do in the future?
A: I would like to see some public programming; perhaps a Russian or German film festival, complete with speakers. I’m sure that we could draw on our own faculty as experts to give talks related to the films. I would also like to pursue some opportunities for grant funding, perhaps for audio preservation. In addition, I would like to update the Special Collections web page and make it more exciting by including online exhibits and other features; perhaps a Preservation department page with before and after photos of material our preservation staff has repaired or a blog that could announce events and provide information related to our departments and work.
Q: Are there any upcoming events in the works?
A: Yes, Ed Shephard (Head of Collection Development) and I are planning an exhibit featuring materials related to the Ottoman Empire. These materials will include a recently acquired map of Turkish possessions in Asia from 1844, which is housed in Special Collections.
Q: Is there any thing else you’d like to say?
A: Our collections support many areas of study—engineering, business, theatre, art, and German language, to name a few. We would like to encourage people to come in and use the materials in our collections. Professors should feel free to bring their classes over or to require students to use the collections for assignments.