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Collection Number: 04775

Collection Title: Lester Eugene Asheim Papers, 1940s-1990s

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This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held in the Wilson Library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in our reading room, and not digitally available through the World Wide Web. See the Duplication Policy section for more information.


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Size 22.5 feet of linear shelf space (approximately 10,000 items)
Abstract Lester Eugene Asheim (22 January 1914-1 July 1997), William Rand Kenan, Jr., Professor of Library Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1975-1984, previously served as assistant professor, 1948-1952; dean of students, 1951-1952; dean, 1952-1961; and professor, 1971-1974, at the Graduate Library School (GLS) of the University of Chicago. He was employed by the American Library Association (ALA) as director of its International Relations Office (IRO), 1961-1966, and director of its Office for Library Education (OLE), 1966-1971. Asheim published notable works on book selection, manpower for librarianship, communication, and international librarianship. Papers, 1940s-1990s, document Asheim's professional activities, including his participation in professional organizations, his work for the American Library Association, his research, and his teaching. Included are correspondence, mostly 1980s-1992, with colleagues and former students; reports on accreditation of library schools; diaries of trips, 1962-1965, to Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East, reporting on libraries and library education there; a diary of his summer 1979 in Brasilia as a Fulbright lecturer; daily record books, 1960-1992, containing brief comments on his appointments and activities; research papers, articles, talks, and reviews, 1950-1988; and teaching materials. The teaching materials include course outlines, notes, and other materials for courses on research methods for librarians, especially content analysis; the library in society, focusing on censorship and intellectual freedom; agencies and media of mass communication; library education; and communication.
Creator Asheim, Lester Eugene, 1914- .
Curatorial Unit Southern Historical Collection
Language English.
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Restrictions to Access
Use of audio or moving image materials may require production of listening or viewing copies.
Copyright Notice
Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], in the Lester Eugene Asheim Papers #4775, Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Provenance
Received via Edward G. Holley in 1995 (Acc. 95124), 1996 (Acc. 96045), and 1998 (Acc. 98191) and from Brian John McMullin of Mt. Waverley, Vic., Australia, in October 2002 (Acc. 99350).
Sensitive Materials Statement
Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, the North Carolina Public Records Act (N.C.G.S. § 132 1 et seq.), and Article 7 of the North Carolina State Personnel Act (Privacy of State Employee Personnel Records, N.C.G.S. § 126-22 et seq.). Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill assumes no responsibility.
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The following terms from Library of Congress Subject Headings suggest topics, persons, geography, etc. interspersed through the entire collection; the terms do not usually represent discrete and easily identifiable portions of the collection--such as folders or items.

Clicking on a subject heading below will take you into the University Library's online catalog.

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Lester Eugene Asheim (22 January 1914-1 July 1997) published notable works on book selection, manpower for librarianship, communication, and international librarianship.

1936 A.B., English, University of Washington
1937 B.A., Librarianship, University of Washington
1941 M.A., American Literature, University of Washington
ca. 1942-1945 United States Army Signal Intelligence Corps
1949 Ph.D., Graduate Library School, University of Chicago
1948-1952 Assistant professor, Graduate Library School, University of Chicago
1951-1952 Dean of students, Graduate Library School, University of Chicago
1952-1961 Dean, Graduate Library School, University of Chicago
1954 Not Censorship but Selection, Wilson Library Bulletin
1961-1966 Director, International Relations Office (IRO), American Library Association
1966-1971 Director, Office of Library Education (OLE), American Library Association
1966 Illinois Library Association Intellectual Freedom Award
1971-1974 Professor, Graduate Library School, University of Chicago
1973 Beta Phi Mu Award for Distinguished Service to Education for Librarianship
1975-1984 William Rand Kenan, Jr., Professor of Library Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
1976 Joseph W. Lippincott Award
1992 ALISE Award for Professional Contribution to Library and Information Science Education
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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Scope and Content

Professional papers of professor of library science Lester Asheim include office files, travel diaries, research material, teaching material, audiovisual recordings, and other material. The bulk of the office files date from the 1980s. The travel diaries contain reports on libraries and library education in the countries visited, and also personal observations and comments. There is a copy, but no original, of the diary of Asheim's Asian trip in 1963-1964. Research files mainly contain final drafts of papers and presentations. Also included are an audiotape of a lecture by Asheim on 8 October 1982, two undated audiotapes of Asheim speaking, and a videotape of "International Values in American Librarianism" [1984?] by Asheim. The contents of the teaching files are chiefly notes and collected material. These files are labeled with course numbers, some of which appear to be University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill numbers and some of which apparently are University of Chicago numbers. There is a very small amount of other material.

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Contents list

expand/collapse Expand/collapse Papers, 1940s-1990s.

About 10,000 items (22.5 linear ft.).

Professional papers of Lester Asheim include office files, travel diaries, research material, teaching material, audiovisual recordings, and other material. The bulk of the office files date from the 1980s. The travel diaries contain reports on libraries and library education in the countries visited, and also personal observations and comments. There is a copy, but no original, of the diary of Asheim's Asian trip in 1963-1964. The research files mainly contain final drafts of papers and presentations. Also included are an audiotape of a lecture by Asheim on 8 October 1982, two undated audiotapes of Asheim speaking, and a videotape of International Values in American Librarianism [1984?] by Asheim. The contents of the teaching files are chiefly notes and collected material. These files are labeled with course numbers, some of which appear to be University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill numbers and some of which apparently are University of Chicago numbers. There is a very small amount of other material.

Note that original file folder titles have, for the most part, been retained.

Box 1

Office files: American Association of Library Schools; Association of College and Research Libraries; American Library Association Committee on Accreditation Completed Visits, International Relations Committee, Office for Library Education, Office for Library Personnel, Response to OPM Proposed Standards for Federal Librarians; Asheim Biographical, Honors, N.C. appointment, pictures; Censorship and the Freedom to Read; Center for the Book; Correspondence.

Box 2

Office files: Correspondence; Graduate Library School (Chicago); Kenan Professorship; Library Quarterly Board; UNC-CH Library School; Diaries: Trips to Africa, 1961-1962; Latin America, 1962; and Asia and the Pacific, 1963.

Box 3

Diaries: Trips to Asia, 1963-1964; Middle East, 1965; Brasilia, 1979. Personal record books, 1960-1992.

Box 4

Papers, articles, talks, and presentations, 1950-1979, 1980-1984 (folders 1-2 of 4)

Box 5

Papers, articles, talks, and presentations, 1980-1984 (folders 3-4 of 4), 1985-1988 and undated; dissertation notes; other research notes.

Box 6

Teaching material: the block, UNC-CH.

Box 7

Teaching material: LS 204, International Librarianship; LS 300, Professionalism...; LS 302, Research Methods, Content Analysis.

Box 8

Teaching material: Notes on content analysis; LS 305, Library in Society, censorship, intellectual freedom; LS 307, Agencies and Media of Mass Communication.

Box 9

Teaching material: LS 307, files and notes.

Box 10

Teaching material: LS 309, Library Education.

Box 11

Teaching material: 390, Communication, Graduate Library School, Who, What, To Whom, How, Effects.

Box 12

Teaching material: 390, notes; 488, Library Education and Manpower.

Box 13

Teaching material: 488, files and notes; GLS notes; Manpower.

Box 14

Teaching material: Superseded notes. Other material: American Libraries commemorative stamp; Asheim personal reading list; condominium; Weissberg correspondence and manuscripts about Al Woods.

Box 15

Celebration of the Life of Lester Eugene Asheim, 20 September 1997. Files from Edward G. Holley include correspondence, lists of speakers and guests, drafts of Holley's remarks, photographs, and other items relating to Asheim's death and the celebration of his life in 1997. Also included are two folders of correspondence among Asheim's friends and family about his health and care from 1993 until his death in 1997. (Addition of August 1998, Acc. 98191)

Correspondence, 1965-1994, between Lester Asheim and Jean P. Whyte, Fisher Library, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; an obituary of Asheim from American Libraries, August 1997; and a photograph of Asheim, 1953(?). (Addition of October 2002, Acc. 99350).

Audiotape T-4775/1

Asheim on Seattle radio program

1/4" Open Reel Audio

Audiotape T-4775/2

Asheim speech to university film producers group

1/4" Open Reel Audio

Audiocassette C-4775/1

Marinelli lecture series, Dr. Lester Asheim, 8 October 1982

Audiocassette

Previously listed as T-4775/3

Audiocassette C-4775/2

LED Program, "Testing vs. Training" dub

Audiocassette

Previously listed as T-4775/4

Audiocassette C-4775/3

"Technology and the Foxfire Syndrome"

Audiocassette

Previously listed as T-4775/5

Videotape VT-4775/1

"International Values in American Librarianism" by Lester Asheim

VHS

Image Folder PF-4775/1

Photographs

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expand/collapse Expand/collapse Items Separated

Pictures (P-4775)

Audiotapes (T-4775/1-2)

Audiocassette (C-4775/1-3)

Videotape (VT-4775/1)

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