Interview with Don Gaertner  -  May 3, 2007, 10:00 am LiSRadio Webcast: LiS Limited Edition Series
Notes: Recording session only. Remote guest and host. Karen will tell us what she wants to do with these, showcase or just upload to the archive and make the link available.

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Guest:

Mr. Gaertner served the St. Louis County Library for 50 years, with his last post being that of Director. He was hired as a page the same year that the library opened and worked at SLCL in various capacities during his library career. Mr. Gaertner instituted many new initiatives at SLCL and oversaw several library building projects. He was particularly progressive in the area of new technologies such as access to computerized cataloging, electronic databases, and cooperative networks, among other initiatives. He served on statewide library committees "before MLNC was a glint in anybody’s eye", and was instrumental in the early success of MLNC. He served on the first MLNC Board.

In his retirement, Mr. Gaertner continues to be active in many civic organizations.

Host:

Karen Robinson joined the School of Information Science & Learning Technologies in the winter of 2005 as Clinical Instructor. Her position is a blend of instructor for SISLT and practitioner in the Reference Department at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. She received her M.L.S. at Emporia State University and M.A. in Communication from Regent University.

Robinson has professional experience in academic libraries and special collections. Prior to joining the SISLT faculty she served as Head of Reference at Regent University in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and has served as head of special collections and archives in two academic libraries. She taught for The Catholic University of America's School of Library & Information Science. Her professional presentations have focused on marketing and public relations in academic libraries, and her current research is on library user instruction.

Summary:

Karen Robinson interviews Don Gaertner, retired Director of St. Louis County Library as part of MLNC’s 25th Anniversary oral history series.