When Library Director Andrew Farkas began to build the staff for the new university library twenty-seven years ago, he had no idea he would have to live with his choices for a quarter of a century and counting. The current library staff includes six founding faculty/staff and several who missed out by only a year or two. These dedicated people found an opportunity to use their talents to build a collection and a library from scratch and help it grow year to year. The journey has obviously been a pleasurable one because they have all chosen to remain and continue nurturing this institution.

(Back row, left to right) Sheila Mangum ( 74), Erma Daise ( 72- 77), Bruce Latimer ( 75), John Hein ( 71), Mary Davis ( 71), Vicki Stanton ( 76), Eileen Brady ( 74) and Bob Jones ( 72) (Front row, left to right) Linda Smith ( 72), Angela Randke ( 77), Verna Urbanski ( 77), Andrew Farkas ( 70), Cay Gasque (now at FCCJ), Kathleen Cohen ( 73)

The top picture was taken in 1977 before moving from the first Library building (Bldg. 2) into the Thomas G. Carpenter Library (Bldg. 12). Of the fourteen Library faculty in the picture, twelve are still here today! As you can see in the second picture, after twenty years in the Library they are still smiling. This nucleus of the library faculty and staff have witnessed and participated in the evolution of the library and the revolution in library services over the past twenty years. They have had to continuously update their skills and knowledge to move from card catalogs and print indexes to electronic catalogs, electronic research databases and the Internet. Their commitment made more than twenty years ago and sustained through the present, is evidence that Mr. Farkas had a good eye for talent all those years ago, and the good sense (or luck) to have been right about so many of his choices.

The endurance record of Library faculty is matched by two staff and one former staffer turned faculty member. Martha Solomon, Dave Green and Jim Alderman have also served UNF with dedication and pride for nearly twenty-five years.

Martha Solomon (above, left) joined the UNF Library staff when there was no library, in fact there was no campus. Martha was one of the first support staff to be hired and worked in the Chamber of Commerce Building. Twenty-five years later, the library is in its second campus home, and Martha is a Senior Library Technical Assistant Supervisor in the Cataloging Dept.

Jim Alderman and Dave Green (above, left) came to UNF as student staff and matured into two of the library's most valued staff members. Dave Green, Senior Library Technical Assistant, has been a fixture behind the Circulation Desk for almost as long as there has been a Circulation Desk. He worked as a student assistant before permanently joining the library staff in 1974. One of his favorite memories is the sweaty, exhausting, yet exciting move from the first library building to its new home in Building 12 with the help of a prison work force!

Jim Alderman also began his library career in the Circulation Department. Along the way he earned an M.A. in English, moved to the Reference Department, became a computer wizard, and is now taking graduate courses in Information Studies from Florida State University. Two years ago he was promoted to faculty status and is teaching a section of the LIS 1000 class. Jim teaches library patrons how to use the Internet and uses the Internet to make class notes and tutorials available for his classes.

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