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Idaho Librarian |
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Library Legend Attains Cyber Presence
Sandra
Shropshire Eli M. Oboler, one of the founders of the Idaho Library Association and champion of intellectual freedom, is featured in a series of web pages on the Eli M. Oboler Library web page at Idaho State University. The pages were designed by staff member and M.L.S. student, Kristi Austin, and provide an expansive view of the man and his work. Kristi describes her project: "I've been interested in Eli M. Oboler as long as I've worked in the library named for him. While looking for material to use in an exhibit for Banned Books Week, I found so much by and about Mr. Oboler and the work he had done on intellectual freedom with the ILA, PNLA, and ALA in the 1950's through the early 1980's, that I did an entire exhibit on Oboler and his work. I guess it was because of that exhibit that I was asked to create a web page about him for the library, which I did as a project for a library school course on reference (Basic Print and Electronic Resources). Oboler's writings and their pertinence to today led me to decide to write a thesis about him. I've been in the Utah cohort of Emporia State University's SLIM (School of Library & Information Management) program since February of 2000, and hope to graduate in August of 2002. This excellent program, which I recommend to any Idaho library worker who does not yet have a Masters degree, recognizes the importance of intellectual freedom, which is to me one of the most basic aspects of librarianship. I hope we can always remember heroes of librarianship like Eli M. Oboler as we continue to defend ourselves and our patrons against censorship." Kristi wishes to thank the ISU Library Special Collections staff and Susan Duncan at ISU Photographic Services for their assistance with the page. She welcomes comments and suggestions on the page and can be reached at austkris@isu.edu. You can see the page at http://www.isu.edu/library/about/oboler.htm
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