Interview with Emilie Smith, June 29, 1978

Interview Summary

Emilie Varden Smith was the head of the catalog department at the University of Kentucky Library. She came to UK in 1942 as a student and began working in the library as a student assistant. In 1946 she became a full-time staff member. In this interview Smith discusses her role at the library and how it changed over the years as she eventually became head of her department. She talks about several of the library directors that she worked for throughout her career, including Margaret I. King, Stuart Forth, and Lawrence Thompson, among others.

Smith discusses the role of women in academia and how this affected the status of librarians as compared to faculty members on the campus. She talks about how her responsibilities changed over the years, and how technology changed cataloging practices. She tells stories about librarians and staff she worked with, and discusses her accomplishments and disappointments throughout her career.

Interview LC Subject

Smith, Emilie Smith, Emilie--Interviews University of Kentucky University of Kentucky--History

Interview Rights

All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.

Interview Usage

Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries.