Creator: Richard Chapin

Subjects: Anniversaries, Sesquicentennial

Description:

Richard Chapin came to Michigan State University in 1955 as associate director of libraries where his major task was to move the MSU library from the museum to its present location.

In 1959 he was appointed as Director of Libraries and in the early 1960s, he took a leave to work at the National Agricultural Library on their automation effort using IBM cards to keep their circulation system going. Upon his return to MSU, Chapin used this knowledge to automate the MSU library system which eventually led to MAGIC and online access to collections and hard copies. He was also responsible for the accession of the Vincent Voice Library.

Chapin served as Director of Libraries from 1959-1990 and Director of the MSU Press from 1987-1990.

Topics/People Covered in Interview include: Walter Adams; automation; Paul Bagwell; Ronald Baker; MSU Board of Trustees; Lawrence Boger; Dick Burnitt; campus atmosphere in the 1960s; central library verses distributed library system; William Combs; Maury Crane; Downer's College; Max Dupree; Florida State University; Friends of the Library; Bob Green; Gordon Guyer; John Hannah; Edgar Harden; Human Relations Commission; IBM Management School; international programs; Mladen Kabalin; Malcolm Katz; Kellogg Foundation; Henry Koch; Julie Loehr; Cecil Mackey; Carol McMillan; M Peter McPherson; Michigan Library Association; microfilm; Paul Miller; National Agricultural Library; National Gallery of the Spoken Word; Jake Neville; Ohio College Library Center; online access; Esther Pearl; racial discrimination; Wally Robinson; Gordon Sabine; David Scott; Sesquicentennial Committee; Lou Anna Simon; Ralph Smuckler; Jackson Towne; undergraduate collection; U of M; University Services; Vietnam Project; Vincent Voice Library; Wabash College; Clifton Wharton; Clarence Winder

Date: November 9, 1999

Collection Number: UA 3

Language: English

Rights Management: Educational use only, no other permissions given. Copyright to this resource is held by Michigan State University and is provided here for educational purposes only. It may not be reproduced or distributed in any format without written permission of the University Archives & Historical Collections, Michigan State University.

Contributing Institution: University Archives & Historical Collections, Office of the Provost

Relation: Sesquicentennial Oral History Project

Contributor: MSU Archives and Historical Collections