by Mary Parham
"Many academic, as well as public libraries, now owe a great part of their success to friends organizations. The essential ingredient is laymen dedicated to the growth and improvement of a library as a repository of knowledge and literature."
... Dr. Paul M. Parham, Fort Worth Star Telegram, January 22, 1972
Members of the Friends
Friends help sustain us in time of need. Friends help us flourish in work and in health. Friends make us feel secure. Everyone needs good friends. Even inanimate objects such as buildings containing books want strong adoring friends. Libraries need friends.
The idea of friends of libraries began in France with Les Amis de la Bibliotheque National. Sir William Oslter instigated a similar association at Oxford and the Yale University Library Associates began in 1930. Libraries at Harvard, Yale, Columbia, and Princeton as well as other great institutions have achieved their distinguished collections because of the counsel and support of friends.
In 1970 Dr. Paul M. Parham, University Librarian, recognized the need for a friends group. He stated that interest in library matters at TCU had grown at such a pace that it seemed appropriate to create some regular means of communication between the university library community and the many persons in Fort Worth, Texas and the nation who were aware of the growing excitement for books and libraries.
On October 22, 1970 the TCU University Library Committee chaired by Dr. William H. Watson met in the Lewis Collection room of the library to consider the feasibility of creating a Friends of the Libraries organization. The committee consisted of Dr. O. Hoyt Gibson, Dr. Alvin F. Nelson, Dr. Keith C. Odom, Dr. Paul M. Parham, Dr. Bobby L. Sanders, Dr. George L. Smith, Dr. August O. Spain, Dr. Richard Steinmetz, Dr. Maybell Tinkle, Dr. John Woldt, and three students. The committee approved such an organization.
Subsequently an Ad Hoc Committee was formed to structure by-laws and select a slate of officers. Members of the committee, composed of faculty and local citizens, were Mrs. Moffitt Cecil, William Watson, Keith Odom, Malcolm McLean, Ernest Couch, Rawlins Cherryhomes, Mrs. John Naylor, Lloyd Scurlock, Miss Lorraine Sherley, Mrs. H.S. Renshaw, Mrs. Scott Mooring, Leonard Sanders, Paul Parham, Austin Porterfield, and Mrs. Austin Porterfield.
At seven-thirty Friday evening, January 28, 1972 the organizational meeting of the Friends of the TCU Libraries met in the foyer of the Mary Couts Burnett Library. The library staff made arrangements for food, dishes, service of tables, decorations, membership table, information, tours, and cloakroom.
Dr. Keith Odom of the English Department and a member of the library committee presided. One hundred and twenty persons were present. Dr. Dorman H. Winfrey, Director of the Texas State Library, was to be the speaker and read his paper, Toscanini in Texas. Due to his unavoidable absence Miss Millicent S. Huff, Editor of the Texas State Librarian, read the paper.
At the meeting by-laws were approved. The purpose of the organization was stated as being:
The by-laws stated the organization would be open to both individuals and groups. Membership in the organization would be on the level of student, regular, contributing, organizational, patron, and life member. Also noted in the by-Laws the Executive Committee would acknowledge a person or a group exhibiting "exceptional generosity or service" with the designation of benefactor. By paying dues to the Friends, members would have use of the library-which contained 740,000 volumes in 1972.
Mr. O.G. (Red) Carlson of Texas Electric Company and a member of the nominating committee submitted a slate of officers which was accepted by acclamation. The initial officers of the Friends of the TCU Libraries were:
| President: | Mrs. Horace S. (Carol Jim) Renshaw | ||
| Vice-President: | Mr. Lloyd Scurlock | ||
| Secretary: | Mrs. Moffitt Cecil | ||
| Treasurer: | Dr. Malcolm McLean | ||
| Executive Committee: | Mrs. Robert W. Spurck, Mr.
O.G. Carlson, Mrs. Hosmer B. Stuck, and Dr. Keith Odom |
A mixture of faculty, library staff, and local citizens were on this first Executive Committee, Such a balance of interested friends continues to compass the Executive Board as it is now called.
At the conclusion of this organizational meeting of Friends there was a viewing of two recent acquisitions of papers related to TCU History. The first papers were the personal papers of Joseph Lynn Clark, son of one of TCU's two co-founding brothers. The second acquisition were the Lewis Bennet Miller papers. The Miller papers were discovered by Dan Rightmer in his search for stamps and antiques in an old house in Millersville. Rightmer discovered that Miller was a graduate of Add-Ran College and later taught Greek and Latin there. Rightmer could not afford to attend TCU. He brought his collection in chicken boxes to show Dr. Parham. After Rightmer and TCU officials obtained letters from Miller heirs that Rightmer had obtained the papers legally, the papers were traded for tuition at TCU. Rightmer enrolled as a junior in the fall of l971.
It should be noted the Friends' first president, Mrs. Renshaw, had an inherent interest in TCU and the library. Her father, Professor C.H. Roberts, had chaired the Department of History and her mother had been an assistant librarian in the early l920s.
This first meeting of Friends typified the people and one of the purposes of founding the group-to establish a forum through which people with common literary interest could get together and share enthusiasm for books and other library concerns.
In a letter dated March 1, 1972 to members and prospective members, Dr. McLean, treasurer stated in the first month of existence there were forty-six paid members and a balance of $527.24 in the bank. The very first contribution to the fund was a check for $100.00 from Mr. Arthur Haddaway, a Fort Worth attorney, who asked that his name not be included among the list of members because he would not have time to take part in Friends' activities. "However," he said, "I shall always be a friend of the libraries in the general sense of the term. I am grateful for having been permitted to use books in the General Library and also to consult reference books in the Lewis Collection."
Mrs. Renshaw recalls the emphasis that first year was on increasing membership. The second year the emphasis was not only on increasing membership but keeping those who were already members. Each member joining during the charter year was given a charter member scroll.
During the charter year 1972, the first gift to the Library from Friends was $500 raised mainly from dues and used to purchase a reissued Caxton edition of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales and a Bronte item that filled a gap in the Lewis Collection. That same year the Executive Committee authorized the expenditure of up to $1000 of Friend's funds for library holdings.
The first in a series of autograph parties was held in 1972. Acting as co-sponsors with Cox's department store book department, Friends brought TCU alum Dan Jenkins to autograph his book, Semi-Tough. These benefit autograph parties have continued and to date have netted slightly over $18,000 for the Friends of TCU Libraries.
Dr. & Mrs. A. M. Pate's fall "Meet the Author" buffet parties were delightful affairs. They were generous in hosting seven of these parties in their home beginning in 1975 and continuing through 1981. Notable authors honored were Irving Stone, Elliston Trevor (Adam Hall), Mary Whatley Clark, Edith M. Deen, Joe Frantz, John Graves, A.C. Greene, Dan Jenkins, Malcolm McLean, Ken Ragsdale, Lon Tinkle, Liz Smith, Dr. Paul Boller, and Thomas Thompson.
In 1982 Friends co-sponsored with TCU Press an autograph party for Dr. W. C. Nunn, Professor of History at TCU, for his book, Marguerite Clark: America's Darling of Broadway and the Silent Screen.
Mr. & Mrs. Charles Horan hosted a party in l984. Local writer Leonard Sanders autographed his new book, Fort Worth. Two TCU professors, Dr. Donald Worcester, author of juvenile and western historical novels, and Dr. Paul Boller, author of Presidential Wives, were honored with a party at the home of Mr. & Mrs. Jack Wilson in 1988. In 1990 Elmer Kelton, cowboy writer, autographed his books at the "Evening at the Library" fall event.
To promote student interest in book collecting the Friends sponsored the first Student Book Collection contest in 1976. TCU students submit their collections to a jury. The student with the most significant collection received a cash award. These contests have been held annually and semi-annually. Recognition has been given at the annual dinner.
The highlight of the year is the annual membership dinner usually held in March and is open to all members of Friends and guests. In the early years of the organization these dinners were held in the library reference room. Buffets were catered by TCU food service with table decorations and floral appointments being created by library staff members. The tables and chairs in the reference room had to be rearranged resulting in the reference room being closed for a portion of the day of the dinner. Since the dinners were always on Friday evenings staff members would put the furniture back in its place early Saturday morning.
The first annual meeting, March 9, 1973, had eighty interested Friends in attendance. President Carol Jim Renshaw extended a welcome to those attending this historical dinner. John R. Payne of the Humanities Research Center of the University of Texas at Austin spoke on America's outstanding libraries: the Pierpont Morgan, the Lilly and the Henry E. Huntington.
At the second annual dinner in 1974 Mrs. Renshaw welcomed one hundred seventeen members. Preceding the dinner, a string quartet provided music from the balcony overlooking the reference room. The address, "Fort Worth in Wake of Progress", a summary of his history, How Fort Worth Became the Texas-most City, was delivered by Leonard Sanders. Mr. Sanders was Book and Fine Arts Editor of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
In 1975 the dinner was moved from the Library to the Student Ballroom because of crowded conditions in the reference room in 1974. O.G.(Red) Carlson was president. Mr. Everett De Golyer of Dallas gave an informative talk on "The De Golyer Collection", a part of the SMU Library.
The question of moving the annual dinner off campus was raised at the June 1975 Executive Committee meeting. The Committee favored the continuation of meeting on campus in the library if possible. There had been sentiment voiced that the members liked to dine with their "loved ones"-the books!
With O.G. Carlson presiding, the March 1976 dinner was back in the Library Reference Room. Mr. Jenkins Garrett, Fort Worth attorney and collector of Texana, spoke on Texas history. Mr. Carlson noted that in four years Friends had contributed more than $11,000 to acquisition of materials for the library.
Harry Middleton, Director of the LBJ Library, Austin, and staff assistant to President Johnson in the White House, was the speaker of the evening in 1977. President Lloyd Scurlock announced the O.G. Carlson Trust Fund had been created as a permanent fund and the income to be used for acquisitions and benefit of the library. The Friends organization contributed $5,000 to begin the fund with the goal to be $100,000 for the endowment. Each year a sum is moved from the Friends treasury to the Carlson Fund.
March 1978 found the Friends of the TCU Libraries and President Scurlock dining in the Faculty Center. Mr. John Mayfield, Curator Emeritus of the rare book collection at Syracuse University was the guest speaker.
The Executive Committee, feeling the organization had outgrown the Library, voted in November 1978 to move the annual meeting of March 1979 to Colonial Country Club where it has remained. Thomas Thompson, Fort Worth native, former newspaper and Life magazine reporter, and author of numerous books including Blood and Money, spoke on methods of writing and pulling factual studies into a book. Ben Gunn was in his first term as president of Friends.
At the March 1980 meeting the group was privileged to hear Dr. Everett Long, Civil War Historian and Professor of American Studies at the University of Wyoming. At the conclusion of the evening President Gunn announced that Thomas Thompson had made a gift of $l,000 to Friends.
The fifth president of Friends was Mrs. Joyce Pate (Mrs. Robert Capper). Dr. Frank Vandiver, President of North Texas State University (UNT) at Denton addressed the group on March 6, 1981. He related his experiences writing the biography of Field Marshall Douglas Haig.
At the tenth anniversary dinner on March 26, 1982, former Secretary of State and Attorney General of Texas, John Ben Shepperd, was the featured speaker. His topic was "Many Facets of Texans." Within the ten years of its existence the Friends membership had grown from 100 to nearly l,000. President Pate announced the Carlson Fund had grown from $5,000 since its inception in 1977 to more than $23,000. That same evening Dr. A.M. and Joyce Pate made a significant contribution to the TCU Libraries when they gave their Vice-Presidential Collection of books.
Joyce Pate's presidency, 1980-1982, was during a historic time for Mary Couts Burnett Library. In the spring of l981 the library acquired its one millionth item and ground was broken for a major addition to the library. The one millionth item was a 455 year old first English edition of John Froissart's famous Chronicles of European History. The Friends contributed a sum toward the purchase of the Froissart Chronicles. Froissart wrote it in four volumes between 1360 and 1400, the approximate year of his death. Shakespeare used it as one of his primary sources for his historical plays.
Harold V. Johnson III was president in 1983. The eleventh annual dinner meeting was moved back to the library to the spacious foyer of the newly expanded Mary Couts Burnett Library. The dinner meeting, April 1, 1983, was the conclusion of week long activities beginning with the rededication of the library beginning on March 25, 1983. Pulitzer prize winner and noted author, N. Scott Momaday from the University of Arizona spoke abouth the Seven Sisters. This evening Texas weather performed with a cold, blustery, spring norther. Dr. Karl Snyder, Professor of English, enduring the cold spring wind, stood in the parking lot directing arriving guests toward the rear entry to the library. It is a known fact that several ladies had purchased new spring apparel for the event and due to weather conditions did not wear it. Each of the dinner guests was given a bookmark citing the date of the library re- dedication and the quotation from Shakespeare, "I count myself in nothing else so happy as in a soul remembering my good friends."
The first of special awards created by the Executive Committee were presented at this dinner. The awards recognized individuals or groups who had rendered distinguished service to the Friends of the TCU Libraries or made contributions of gifts of other benefactions to the Friends of the TCU Libraries. The awards were to be in the form of framed citations and not necessarily presented each year.
The Carol Jim Renshaw Award for 1983 was named after and presented to the first president, Mrs. Carol Jim (Horace) Renshaw, for her loyal support and encouragement. Betsy F. Colquitt, Professor of English, received the 1983 Friend of the Year Award for her creation for the library dedication her chronicle of the history of the library in her Prologue: The Library in 1983.
In 1984 the dinner moved back to Colonial Country Club. A member of the TCU class of 1954, Ellis Amburn, Editorial Director for G.P. Putnam and Sons, was the March 1984 speaker. The highlight of the evening was the presentation of the portrait of Mary Couts Burnett by Fort Worth artist, Emily Gutherie Smith. The portrait of Mrs. Burnett, who endowed the library, hangs in the Reference Room. Joyce & A.M. Pate, life and charter members, received the second Carol Jim Renshaw Award for their concern for and the advancement of the Library and for the author/autograph fund raisers. In l971 the Pates gave to the library more than 1500 volumes on the American presidency and in 1982 their Vice-Presidential Collection. They provided a sustaining endowment to support the Collection. Also, they worked successfully for the funding of the expansion of the library.
The Friend of the Year Award was awarded to Mrs. Edith Deen who was recognized for her exemplary service and contributions during the past year. Harold V. Johnson was in his last year as president of Friends. The first public announcement of the purchase of the Anthony Trollope Collection was made that evening.
Ann Pierson was president in 1985. The dinner meeting speaker, Dr. Daniel Aaron, distinguished scholar in American literature and history from Harvard and the editor of the Library of America Series, was the guest speaker. Charter and life member, Dorothy Barnhart Erisman, received the Carol Jim Renshaw Award. She was cited for the creation and continuing enhancement of the Erisman Endowment Fund begun in 1969. The fund has been used for purchase of library items not ordinarily in university departmental allocations. The Friend of the Year Award was given to Jack and Robbie Wilson, charter and life members, for their steady support and in 1984-85 their sustenance of the Life Membership Campaign through a matching gift.
President Ann Pierson welcomed guests to the April 1986 dinner. Friends brought a North Carolina Dickens expert to speak. Dr. Elliot Engel of North Carolina State University enlightened the group about "The Dickens Nobody Knows."
The first of a newly created award was presented. Mary Charlotte Faris was the first recipient of the Professional Excellence Award for her devotion to the TCU Library in 40 years of service and for her outstanding professional excellence. A special award was given to Dr. Paul M. Parham for his outstanding leadership of the Friends and for being the founder of the group in 1972. George and Sue Sumner received the Friend of the Year Award for their generosity and purchase of the prestigious W.C. Nunn Silent Movie Collection. The Carol Jim Renshaw Award was presented to Mrs. Edith S. Mayfield in recognition of her gift to the library of fifteen hundred volumes relating to western outlaws and badmen.
The Honorable Robert Brand, former Undersecretary of State and of Penn State, spoke on "International Affairs" at the March 1987 dinner. Jack Wilson was president. Several presentations were made that evening. The portrait of the late Dr. Paul M. Parham, University Librarian from 1965 to 1986, was unveiled. Friends and the TCU Board of Trustees commissioned Fort Worth artist, Jill Bush, to paint the portrait. It was hung in the TCU Library. Joe L. Cook, Assistant University Librarian, was presented the Professional Excellence Award for his excellent service in assuming the duties of Acting University Librarian during Dr. Parham's illness. Mr. & Mrs. Milton M. Mosley received the Carol Jim Renshaw Award. Their rare and illuminated copy of the Koran was presented in the summer of 1986 to the library and Friends in honor of Dr. Paul M. Parham. The Friend of the Year Award was multiple presentation to Dr. & Mrs. A.M. Pate, Jr., and Mr. & Mrs. Sebert Pate, and Dr. & Mrs. James Newcomer. A gift from the Pates had made possible the Pate-Luxembourg Collection on the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg housed in the Pate Room of the Library. Included is Dr. Newcomer's personal collection of Luxembourg and his history, The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg: the Evolution of Nationhood. The newly appointed University Librarian, Dr. Fred Heath, was introduced.
Dr. Elliot Engel, Professor of English at North Carolina State University, returned as the speaker for the sixteenth annual dinner on March 17, 1988. His topic, "How William Became Shakespeare" was well received. Jack Wilson, President, announced the awards. The 1988 Friend of the Year Award was shared by seven organizations for their support and their funding of the Funding Information Center and for pledging $20,000 collectively to help convert the catalog to computer. The organizations receiving the award were the Amon G. Carter Foundation; the Ann Burnett and Charles Tandy Foundation; Texas American Bank Trust; Sid W. Richardson Foundation; and the William E. Scott Foundation.
Vice-President George Sumner and his wife Sue presented to Jack Wilson The Trail Drivers of Texas, volumes 1 and 2, J. Marvin Hunter, 1963 in honor of his presidency of Friends during 1987-1988.In 1989 George Sumner was in the first year of his two year term as president of the organization. The annual dinner was April 6 and Mr. Lawrence Budner of Dallas presented an informative and humorous talk, "Teddy Roosevelt; Our Incredible 26th President." Joann Karges, retired Collection Development Librarian, was the recipient of the Professional Excellence Award which cites the quality, breadth, depth, and scope of the Library's collection she developed from 1957 to 1988.
On March 29, 1990 Friends heard Dr. Paul Boller, TCU history professor emeritus. His topic, "On the Road Again" recounted his experiences in getting a book published and the various means of promoting his works. At this dinner meeting a reproduction of the Book of Kells was presented to the Library by Mrs. Deborah Moncrief. In her absence her son, Harold V. Johnson made the presentation. Sixty-four attended this annual dinner meeting.
President Mary Mooring extended a welcome to members and guests at the nineteenth annual dinner, March 14, 1991 at Colonial Country Club. Mr. Robert Flynn, noted Texas regional writer, kept the audience's attention with his witty and humorous speech on the subject of turning autobiography into fiction. Mrs. Deborah Moncrief was the recipient of the Carol Jim Renshaw Award for contributions and benefactions over a period of years. Receiving the Professional Excellence Award was librarian, Lottie Meador, for her strong leadership in implementing the rapid computerization of the TCU Library.
Gifts to the Friends
One of the purposes of the establishment of a Friends of the TCU Libraries was to attract gifts in the forms of bequests, endowments, books, manuscripts, and other appropriate materials beyond the resources of the library budget. Since the founding of Friends in 1972, the Library has been the recipient of several literary and monetary gifts made through the Friends organization. These gifts have come from members and non-members of Friends. Many have been the result of memorials for persons.
All gifts to Friends have been received with deep appreciation. To give a complete account of all cash memorials and other gifts would be an epistle unto itself. The list is very impressive and lengthy. Some of the larger gifts not mentioned in the annual dinners and more detail of those noted in that section of this writing are as follows.
In 1975 a sum of $1100 was presented to Friends from the Tandy Challenge Grant to use with $833.51 of Friends funds for purchase of the microfilm edition of London Times, to complete the library's holdings of the Times. Several significant gifts came to Friends in 1976. A memorial was established for Kent Trinkle, winner of the first TCU Student Book Collecting Contest. The House of Student Representatives designated their gift of $2000 for the purchase of periodical subscriptions. Dr. Rebecca Smith (Mrs. Lee Owen) gave 600 books in the field of Southwestern literature with more than 100 first editions and autographed copies that were placed in Special Collections. Mrs. W.A. (Deborah) Moncrief presented the first in a series of the sale catalogs of the auction houses, Park-Bernet Galleries and Sotheby Park-Bernet, Inc. In 1977 The Stilwell Papers came from summit National Bank by an anonymous friend. The five volume set chronicles Frank Stilwell's Personal Files China, Burma, India 1942- 1944. O.G. Carlson presented a gift of modern plays and Ann D. McDermott, librarian, gave over 200 books of contemporary fiction and biography. In 1979 Thomas Thompson gave $1,000 to the organization.
The 1980s saw several important contributions. In 1981 Mr. & Mrs. John Mayfield gave TCU's 999,999th item, a numbered and signed copy of Just Me and Other Poems by Owen P. White. The book was printed in 1924 by El Paso typographer Carl Hertzog. She also donated a check from American novelist, James Fenimore Cooper for a $12.50 pew rental fee to his church in Cooperstown, New York. Reminiscences: Biographical and Historical of Randolph Clark, published in Wichita Falls in 1919, was the gift of Dr. R. Lee Clark of Houston, grandson of Randolph Clark. This was the 1,000,001 accession . Mr. & Mrs. Carl T. Anderson of Wichita Falls donated, Taos Pueblo by photographer Ansel Adams and printed in 1930 with descriptions by Mary Austin. This copy was one of 108 limited copies signed by the authors. Taos Pueblo was the 1,000,002 volume added to the library. A gift of Mrs. W.A. (Deborah) Moncrief, Jr. presented the library a rare Kepler book, An Incunabulum of the Exploration of Space published in Prague. Kepler was a German who lived from 1571 to 1630. The Kepler became the 1,000,003 volume. The gifts by the Mayfields, Dr. Clark, the Andersons, and Mrs. Moncrief exemplify the mixture of Friends members and non-members who are interested in the library. All had been members of the committee for selecting the millionth item and Dr. Mayfield, a native Texan, was the 1978 dinner speaker.
In 1982 Dr. Paul Boller gave a $10,000 gift to endow library acquisitions in the humanities and Mrs. Carol Jim Renshaw made a contribution to the Carlson Endowment Fund. That same year two large book collections came to the library from Friends members, Dr. & Mrs. A.M. Pate, Jr. presented their Vice-Presidential Collection and a sustaining endowment to support the collection. Mrs. Edith Deen gave the Edith and Edgar Deen Collection of more than 3500 volumes reflecting roles of women in history from biblical times to 1982 and items on American and Texas history. Original editions of three seventeenth century English plays were given as memorial gifts by Dr. and Mrs. Karl Snyder. They were The Mulberry Garden, by Sir Charles Sedley, 1675; Sir Courtney Nice by John Crown, 1693; and The London Cuckolds, by Edward Ravenscroft, 1697.
Another former dinner speaker Ellis Amburn, donated in 1984 a collection of first editions of books in honor of his mother. This gift had a special piece in the collection, the original cover drawing for Lord of the Flies by Willard Golding. Mr. Amburn edited the 1962 edition. Four thousand dollars was donated to Friends by Norma Evans. Also in 1984 Emily Gutherie Smith, artist, gave the frame to the portrait of Mary Couts Burnett. The Mary Potishman Lard Trust then donated the full $2000 for the portrait; thus their full support of the commission charges left the Friends the opportunity to address its full resources to the development of the library's collection.In 1985-86 George and Sue Sumner purchased the silent film collection of Dr. W.C. Nunn and presented it to the Library. The Milton M. Mosley's had presented the rare and illuminated copy of the Koran during that time. A collection of 1500 volumes known as the Earl Mayfield, Jr. Collection of Southwestern Lawmen, Outlaws, and Badmen, was presented to the Library by Mrs. Edith Mayfield, widow of John Mayfield. Earl Mayfield, Jr. was John Mayfield's brother.
Dr. and Mrs. A.M. Pate, Jr. presented in 1987 their Lincoln Collection in memory of Dr. Paul M. Parham. Another of the many memorial gifts for Dr. Parham was the magnificent portfolio of photographs, Big Bend Portfolio with poetry by Sandra Lynn. It was presented by Dr. & Mrs. Richard Fenker.
In 1987 Mr. and Mrs. Karl Snyder gave to the Friends of the TCU Libraries two books honoring Jack Wilson for his two year term as president of Friends. The books were The Cambridge Apostles and After Long Silence.
In 1990 Dr. Paul Boller returned his $100 honorarium to the TCU Library to use for acquisitions. In the same year the Library was fortunate to have a reproduction of the Book of Kells presented by a friend and supporter, Mrs. Deborah Moncrief.
Friends Gifts to the Library
As previously stated in the charter years of Friends, the first gift and initial purchase for the library by the organization was Chaucer's Canterbury Tales and a Bronte item. In the years that have followed funds have been allocated for books and library equipment. Only a small portion of Friends' gifts to the library are listed.
In 1973 the group spent $1500 for books. That same year a gift honoring Mrs. Renshaw, the first president, was made. A large free standing globe with an inscribed brass plate was placed in the Reference Room. Unfortunately it was stolen from the Reference Room after the library expansion. A microfilm reader was purchased with $1500 that Friends gave toward the total cost. In 1975 the organization donated $1,000 toward the total $2900 for the purchase of 370 titles on seven major British writers. A sum of $5,000 was given to the establishment of the O.G. (Red) Carlson Permanent Endowment Fund, a memorial to the second president of Friends, O.G. Carlson in 1976. Three thousand dollars was used for book purchases in 1978.
To aid in the creation of a Computer Output Microfiche Catalog, Friends contributed $6,700 in 1980. That same year $5,457 was used for the purchase of new books. In 1980 a Life membership drive made possible the installation of a third terminal in the Technical Services Department of the Library. The millionth item, Froissart's Chronicles was purchased in 1981 and Friends donated $7,800 toward its purchase. In 1982, $750 was given toward furnishings for the new staff lounge. Printer's Choice, a memorial to Thomas Thompson, was added to the library. Two significant rare books were purchased for Special Collections from Mr. and Mrs. Milton M. Mosley in 1983 for the sum of $2,800. The first volume was Jean Astriec: Conjunetures sur les Memoires Originaux, 1753. Austruc was a French biblical scholar and a medical professor. the second volume, Commentarii in Octo Aristotelis Physical Auscultionis Libros cum ippso Textii, was printed in Venice by Aldine Press, 1526. The latter volume is known for its text and beautiful printing. In 1984 Friends contributed $4,000 toward the purchase of the Trollope Collection, for an addition to Special Collections. To honor Harry Johnson on his presidency, Friends gave a three volume set entitled American Writers Before 1800: A Biographical and Critical Dictionary. In 1986 software for a word processor was purchased. A gift to honor retiring administrative secretary, Helen Wilkinson, was made to the library. It was a reprint of an original Grabhorn Press edition of the Santa Fe Trail to California, 1849-1852, encompassing the journals and drawings of H.M.T. Powell. Under the Sangre de Cristo was purchased honoring Ann Pierson's presidency.
By 1987 Friends had contributed more than $140,000 toward the purchase of books and equipment including two computers, a printer, and software for the administrative office. That same year a gift from the family of Charlotte Olin, retired TCU librarian enabled the Mary Couts Burnett Library to honor her memory through the acquisitions of the "Diplomat" world globe placed in the Reference Room. It was in 1988 that Friends purchased a R.C. Gorman print, "The Bead Maker" to memorialize Dr. Aggie Pate. Also $2,000 was contributed from Friends toward purchase of needed furniture for computer terminals. A reader/printer was also purchased.
In the early 1990s emphasis has been on acquiring materials for the Lewis Collection. In 1990 a three volume set Adventures for a Younger Son by Trelawny was added to the Lewis Collection. In 1991 Friends purchased for $985 John Fletcher's The Elder Brother: A Comedie, a play published in 1637 to add to Fletcher's works in the William Luther Lewis Collection. The Administrative Office was the recipient of a new and more efficient computer for a sum of $3,500.
The third purpose of the organization has been realized over the years 1972 to 1991, approximately $145,000 has been used for acquisitions, materials, and equipment that were beyond the resources of the library budget. Membership dues, endowments, and monetary memorials have been the source of funds spent. The O.G. Carlson Fund has grown to $79,587.79.
Evenings at the TCU Library
Seeking opportunities for the Friends to learn more about the collections and topics related to the Mary Couts Burnett Library, the Executive Committee arranged for a series of meetings, "An Evening at the TCU Library".
October 27, 1989 was the first meeting. Guests were informed about the Library Automation Project. The highlight of the evening was a silent auction of important duplicates of Texana Materials donated to the TCU Library. The second meeting, February 11, 1990 featured the William Luther Lewis Collection. Friends and guests learned valuable information about this vast collection of English and American literature.
An autograph party for Elmer Kelton, Texas cowboy fiction writer, was held on December 1, 1990. Mr. Kelton spoke to nearly one hundred persons and autographed his books. As a result of that evening Friends realized a forty percent profit from the sale of his books.
A noted librarian was the guest of the fourth in a series of "Evenings at the TCU Library". Mr. D. G. Vaisey, Bodley's Librarian, University of Oxford (England) presented a public illustrated lecture, "From Columbus to Computers: 500 Years of the Library and the University". The lecture hall in the Moudy Building was the site of Mr. Vaisey's presentation on the evening of April 16, 1991.
In November 1991 "Evening" had a theme of "An Evening of Texas Poetry Reading" featuring Dave Oliphant of the Prickly Pear Press in Austin. An invitation was extended to the community to join Friends at this event.
In the nineteen years since the founding of the Friends of the TCU Libraries, friends from the TCU campus, the Fort Worth community, and the nation have admired the building and its holdings and have made contributions to the health, security, and growth of the Mary Couts Burnett Library. May the friendship continue.
Mary Parham
Secretary, Friends
1991