United States History Commons^™

Karen Zander, Karen Zander, Meg Miner

All oral histories

Zander recalls writing to Myers when he was rumored to be considering closing the School of Nursing. Her primary contact with him was when she was selected as a recipient of an honorary doctorate in 2001 and she recalls being a guest in his home and seeing some of his collections. Her interview also includes a number of stories about her time as a student with topics including being a member of Sigma Kappa, Sigma Theta Tau, attending rallies against the Vietnam War and "women's hours," and the 300 level Humanities class she was part of. She closes with a …

Richard Sommers, Richard Sommers, Meg Miner

All oral histories

[Note: This interview was conducted on two different days and the resulting recording was edited to bring together some of the subject's comments that were in audible due to technical problems.]

Sommers begins with the story of their first meeting and later becoming Myers' roommate. He asserts that Myers was more interested in history than his declared major of political science. Myers undertook an obscure research project during their Senior year that Sommers judges was graduate level work and uses as an example of the lengths Myers would go to, beyond the minimal requirements of the course. Sommers also reflects …

Sarah Florentine, Sarah Vales Florentine, Meg Miner

All oral histories

Florentine recalls Myers loaning her 18th Century cook books from his collection for a History 290 research project she worked on and continued as an intern at the David Davis Mansion. In recalling that incident, she reflects on how Myers' willingness to loan his books "allowed his collection to do something" other than sit on a shelf. It could teach something to people he shared it with. She recalls Myers using his famous "do good" comment at Freshman Convocation. The book title is "Managing Clover Lawn: From Ingredients to Enjoyment: A Guide to the Kitchen of Sarah Davis and the …

Keith Crotz, Keith Crotz, Meg Miner

All oral histories

Crotz recalls Myers visiting his shop once and also doing business by phone and catalog order. He was researching the Phoenix Nursery owners and family. Crotz came to the Myers auction and bought some of the same books back and more. He recalls that Myers was "fun, pleasant, jovial, not serious about books." He characterized Myers as being surgical in his interests, that he was specifically interested in gardening done in the Phoenix nursery. Myers' interests were in quantity and content above more disciplinary-type interests in bibliography.

Jane Baines, Jane Baines, Meg Miner

All oral histories

Baines describes the progression of her IWU career with details about changing technology and how it aided the work of Advancement. She also describes Myers' influences on the office's work which included bringing ideas for developing donors and directing specific activities she engaged in.

Marc Featherly, Marc Featherly, Meg Miner

All oral histories

Featherly describes Myers' input on a series of presidential portraits and other ways in which different backgrounds are used for portrait sittings. He took the Myers portrait that hangs in Bates & Merwin Reading Room, The Ames Library and says it was Myers' favorite. He recalls Myers being very hands on but that it was more about big ideas than about following up on details. Featherly also discusses the affects of technology on his field and comments on how presidents and others influence the atmosphere and student body of IWU. He speaks of working relationships with Myers and Wilson and …

Art Killian, Art Killian, Meg Miner

All oral histories

Killian started on Physical Plant's Grounds Crew five years before Myers and so offers recollections of changes in campus landscaping priorities and operations through four presidencies. He tells a story about Myers showing him a book of English garden plants and how he was unable to explain to Myers that they were not suited to Central Illinois environmental conditions. Killian viewed his work as a craftsman does--more satisfied with ensuring good structures in the landscape on the campus as a whole. He offers views on changes in campus culture, shifting from a community atmosphere before the Myers' era, to a …

T. John Metz, T. John Metz, Meg Miner

All oral histories

Metz was a building consultant and was invited to evaluate the IWU library at Myers' request based on Metz's work building Carleton's library. He recalls that Myers and Dean Hurwitz had come from institutions with significantly different libraries. He believes faculty were worried about Myers' presidency because he brought in the U-Haul collection. He recalls the visit being different from other experiences because the librarians were acting more as teaching faculty than as "career librarians." Metz speaks of the difficulties librarians in many institutions experience with faculty wanting grad school research-type collections and of the unsuitability of that material in …

Carol Churukian, Carol Churukian, Meg Miner

All oral histories

Churukian was a friend of a person Myers cultivated as a donor: Pearl Funk, who also possessed book collections. She shares a story of hosting them both for a dinner in her home and recalls that Myers excluded hosts Carol and her husband George from his focus that evening. Churukian recalls that Funk told her later that Myers called Funk from San Francisco to ask if she wanted him to purchase a specific title he spotted for her.

Roger Schnaitter, Roger Schnaitter, Meg Miner

All oral histories

Schnaitter is a collector of focused, discrete artifacts. He did not talk to Myers about his collecting habits but witnessed some of Myers' collecting activities and expresses opinions about them. Schnaitter describes some of Myers' personal and leadership characteristics and his influences on buying pianos and harpsichords for the School of Music. On reflection, Schnaitter believes Myers' interests in collecting influenced his own and he describes Myers' collecting methods compared to his own.

John "Jack" Muirhead, John Muirhead, Meg Miner

All oral histories

Muirhead begins by telling the story of the home he lived in, which was removed when the Ames Library was built, and how Myers remembered his connection to the site while giving a library tour. He also recalls Myers cooking a special dinner for him and Pam Muirhead after Ellen Myers made a connection with their interests. Muirhead contrasts differences in the physical campus and atmosphere before Myers' era. He also recalls the emphasis Myers brought to the presence of John Wesley Powell at IWU and Myers' support for the Black History Project through the McLean County Museum of History. …

Stacey Shimizu, Stacey Shimizu, Meg Miner

All oral histories

Shimizu shares her thoughts on the purpose of Myers' collecting through a story about a book's inscription he shared. She recalls dinners at the president's home, his philosophy about libraries, what she felt his vision for IWU was, and the effect his personal characteristics, combined with U.S. economy, had on the University.

Anke Voss, Anke Voss, Meg Miner

All oral histories

Voss discusses the origin/creation of the archives in the new library, her early teaching experiences in Illinois and being identified as person to take over at a time when plans to host the Remington Trust exhibit of rare books were under way. Myers gave presentations on those books, encouraging their use by students and faculty. She recalls Myers saying there would be an "archives pedestal" on top of the new library and that he was a "love everything, celebrate everything" kind of person who was rarely idle. Voss recounts Myers' visits to her office and that he did not interfere …

Jo Porter, Jo Porter, Meg Miner

All oral histories

Porter tells the story of how her position in Corporate and Foundation Relations got started. She recalls Myers as a strategic fundraiser who had good ideas for her to try out and that he follow up on. She shared an interest in cookbooks with him and says he made gifts of books and other things to her. She recalls his lack of interest in condition and remarks on the poor quality of the musical instruments he had. Porter describes going on trips with Myers and how he managed to find book stores, even if it meant staying at a location …

Jim Routi, Jim Routi, Meg Miner

All oral histories

Routi was a member of the Cabinet for 30 years. His comments center mainly on Myers' leadership styles, comparing them with the four other presidents he served under. Routi shares observations on the role of a president and Myers' abilities in fulfilling those functions. He believes Myers' collecting was a life long passion and hobby that got out of hand and may have served as an escape from other aspects of his life. However, he does not feel that collecting had an influence on how Myers conducted his presidency. Routi makes brief mention of the collections he knew about: postcards, …

Ellen Myers, Ellen Myers, Meg Miner

All oral histories

Ellen Myers shares stories about how she and Minor met, their time together before their two sons were born, their relationship with Minor's colleagues, and how her interest in collecting developed due to him. She describes herself as a "savvy collector" of things that have "panache" and discusses the kinds of objects she and Minor collected. She had a family upbringing that emphasized saving and that made it hard to reconcile with Minor's interest in spending. Ellen believes her husband had a life-long ambition to become a college president and, in response to a later question, states that this was …

Brian Rogers, Brian Rogers, Meg Miner

All oral histories

An abstract of this interview is available below. A time-annotated index is linked above and to the right. A transcription will be posted as soon as it becomes available.

Rogers states that Myers was the chair of the search committee when Rogers was selected as Connecticut College Librarian in 1975. Myers was a member of the Friends of the Library and frequently wrote for their Bulletin. Myers also edited the publication for a few years and helped with a book sale that the Friends held to benefit the library. Myers was active in evaluating and organizing materials that were donated …

Minor Myers Iii, Minor Myers Iii, Meg Miner

All oral histories

Minor Myers III recalls several experiences with his father's collecting interests and how his father used Minor III's desire to acquire baseball cards to teach him about collecting. His childhood interest in treasures led his father to bury a box of Roman coins in the backyard for him to discover. He makes several observations about his father's intellectual curiosity and the ways his collections both informed and fueled what Minor III describes as a "consumptive joy." He reflects on his father's love of music and the structure and purpose of his father's organization of knowledge.

Suan Guess-Hanson, Suan Guess-Hanson, Meg Miner

All oral histories

Guess-Hanson recalls Myers attending campus and community events and comments on the effects such visibility had with him, and other presidents, on the community. She taught in the same school that Ellen Myers did and mentions seeing her in the years since the time of Myers' presidency. Guess-Hanson shares recollections of changes in campus over the years and notes the positive impact that being able to attend events in different campus venues had on the community. She composed a choral piece in memoriam to Myers and donated a copy it to the archives which is also linked below.

Greg Koos, Greg Koos, Meg Miner

All oral histories

Koos is a fellow collector who shared an interest in "old things" with Myers. While Myers came to the Museum, Koos knew him more from seeing him at flea markets, antique stores and Babbit's Books. He also states that he shared a friendly competition in acquiring items for a low price. Koos characterized this as bottom-feeding but also knew Myers would pay more if he wanted something enough. Koos believes some of Myers' collecting could have had investment value in mind but that is was not likely a motivation; he later observes that there is little value in bookcollecting since …

Bob Delvin, Robert Delvin, Meg Miner

All oral histories

Delvin relates the story of Clayton Highum's dismissal and Myers' subsequent offer to have Delvin serve as interim University Librarian. He uses other incidents of Myers' interactions with him and a School of Music faculty member to illustrate Myers' knowledge of music and use of others' knowledge as a means to achieve goals. Delvin speaks of Myers' collecting as artifactual rather than intellectual and recounts how Myers acquired a collection of sheet music.

John Lubrano, John Lubrano, Meg Miner

All oral histories

Starting in 1979, Lubrano worked with Myers primarily on his collection of scores of instrumental and choral parts of music. Myers had interest in some specific British composers but also enjoyed discovering others. Lubrano tells the story of a 1744 manuscript book by an American composer Peter Pelham and that Myers may have donated it to Colonial Williamsburg. Lubrano does not characterized Myers as a collector-seller; he was an academic collector, preferring content over "individual prizes." He believes Myers wanted a mass of a material that could tell a story in aggregate and may have represented him at auctions. Lubrano …

John Platt, John Platt, Meg Miner

All oral histories

Platt recalls working with Myers to send students to Pembroke and also to get the Pembroke dining hall windows transferred to IWU for installation in The Ames Library. Platt encouraged Minor to apply for Head Master at Pembroke in 2001 and he did, although he withdrew from the pool prior to a final decision. Platt also tells a story of Myers as a recipe collector who wanted a particular recipe sent from their chef to ours. When Platt visited IWU in 1998, Myers arranged a concert in his honor with music by a composer from Pembroke.

Pamela Buchanan Muirhead, Pamela Buchanan Muirhead '68, Meg Miner

All oral histories

Muirhead discusses Myers' interactions with students and his appreciation of her fascination with historical collections. In one story, she mentions name tags a student made for a class visit to Myers' home; she donated one to the archives' collections and a copy of it is linked below. Muirhead also covers her role in campus administration and how Provost and Dean Ellen Hurwitz influenced her; she then shares her views on Myers' management of the University and different aspects of his leadership style including perspectives on the dual needs of faculty scholarship and teaching. She offers insights into Myers' attitudes on …

Lynda Duke, Lynda Duke, Meg Miner

All oral histories

Duke recalls work involved in hosting the annual book sales that Myers instituted and thinks the sales were well attended but doesn't think they brought much value for campus as a whole. She describes the labor involved by staff time in the Physical Plant and the heavy use of her time in planning, organizing and conducting the sales. She didn't speak with Myers about his interest in libraries but understood he valued all books and recalls there was no collection weeding until well after the move to The Ames Library. Duke also describes instances at events in Myers' home when …

Thomas Griffiths, Thomas Griffiths, Meg Miner

All oral histories

Griffiths recalls that Myers had the "urge to collect" and built collections purposefully, even to the point of paying a higher price to fill a gap. Recalls Myers discarding books, one of which he has, but suspects it was only if Minor had duplicates. Reflects on the influence Myers had on faculty, through emphasis on and support for scholarship, and on students and facilities. Also discusses being present during meetings about the book auction, the last conversation he had with Myers and the one book he received as a gift after Myers' illness. The idea of wearing chrysanthemums at the …

Sue Anderson, Sue Anderson, Meg Miner

All oral histories

Anderson describes her hiring process and Myers' actions in trying to influence it. Anderson details the changes she intended to make in library services and collections and the difficulties she encountered in achieving these goals. She also recounts instances in planning The Ames Library and her relationships with Provost McNew, Associate Provost Schnaitter and faculty.

Michael Young, Michael Young, Meg Miner

All oral histories

Young was on Myers' search committee and the two following. Young began collecting after Myers' death and may have been influenced by Myers' example. Young recalls the so-called U-Haul collection from the Corn Belt library system and a discussion with Myers about their potential value for IWU. He speculates how Myers would have felt about IWU's library changes. Young shares his opinions about libraries and disagrees with how Myers' collection was dispersed. Young recalls asking Myers to keep an eye out for a specific set Young was interested in; Myers called him about a year later when he spotted it …

Barbara Ford, Barbara Ford, Meg Miner

All oral histories

Ford remembers Myers as being the key person to getting The Ames Library built and that in and of itself has had a major impact on IWU. She remarks on Myers' commitment to books as physical objects and reflects on research that supports "book as artifact" as still being popular among today's students; however, her own teaching experience shows otherwise. Ford affirms that there is a place for both, and that an emphasis on the quality and relevance of the source is more important than the format.

Jim Matthews, Jim Matthews, Meg Miner

All oral histories

Matthews views Myers as a "well-educated liberal arts specialist...who can talk with anybody intelligently about anything that person is interested in." Myers recommended book purchases to Matthews and he summarizes the effect that and conversations about French history had on him. He recounts why and how Myers recruited him to be Dean of Students and describes changes to Student Affairs that followed, what he saw in Cabinet and Board of Trustee meetings about budget decisions, an incidence of racism involving Sodexho (ca 2000), and remarks Myers made on the first anniversary of September 11, 2001 [n.b., there are no recordings …