Wikipedia

George and Mary Foster Anthropology Library

The George and Mary Foster Anthropology Library is one of the subject specialty libraries at University of California, Berkeley, and is one of only three anthropology libraries at American research universities.[1] The library supports the University of California, Berkeley anthropology department.[2]

The George and Mary Foster Anthropology Library
Map
37°52′11″N 122°15′19″W / 37.869843°N 122.255285°W / 37.869843; -122.255285
Established1956
Collection
Size80,000 (volumes)
Access and use
Population served43,000 Cal faculty, staff and students in addition to the Bay Area
Other information
DirectorCelia Emmelhainz (librarian)
Employees3 (1 librarians; 2 staff; 10+ student employees)
Websitewww.lib.berkeley.edu/libraries/anthropology-library

History

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The Anthropology Museum and anthropology department at UC Berkeley were founded in 1901, followed by a small departmental library established before 1909.[3]

Yet "when I came to Berkeley in 1948, there was no Anthropology Library,” professor John Rowe wrote.[4] Rowe found it difficult to access anthropology books scattered throughout the Main library, and so established a one-room anthropology library in the department's new temporary quarters. The two-floor anthropology library was eventually established in Kroeber Hall in 1959.[3]

According to LibraryThing, the library was established in 1956 as a separate branch.[5]

Renaming

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The UC Berkeley anthropology library was renamed after Berkeley anthropologists George and Mary Foster in 1997.

Occupy Cal in the Anthropology Library, 2012

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Occupy Cal writing their resolution to send to the administration to reinstate anthropology library hours and services.

On January 17, 2012, a proposal was brought to the Occupy Cal General Assembly to occupy the library[6] due to a decision by administration to reduce the library's hours and services.[7] Part of the overall trend of privatization and divestment in public resources,[8] the university has reduced spending on its libraries by 12 percent since 2012.[9][10] With mass approval by the General Assembly, members of Occupy Cal decided to lead a study-in of the anthropology library on January 19 to demand the reinstatement of the library's hours and resources.[11]

 
Occupy Cal occupied UC Berkeley's anthropology library for 3 days following cuts to library hours and resources.

On January 19, 2012, following a noon-time rally by the larger Occupy Cal community, a group of roughly 100 students, faculty, and staff occupied the anthropology library and sent their demands[11] to the administration.[12] The non-violent study-in lasted 3 days and 2 nights, and involved several email exchanges between administration, and students and faculty.[13]

On January 21, 2012, the occupiers were notified by the administration that their demands would be met: library hours would be reinstated, and a replacement job would be created to achieve regular access to the library.[14]

Protests at the Anthropology Library, 2022

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On February 28, 2022, the UC Berkeley Library announced that it was closing the Foster Anthropology Library indefinitely, due to "severe and sustained staffing shortages."[15] This decision was reversed after 40 students and faculty organized to protest the closure, although "a librarian will no longer be available. Students will not be able to check out materials or receive research assistance."[16]

Collections

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As of 2009, the Anthropology Library has over 80,000 volumes of books and bound journals.,[5] comparable to Harvard's Tozzer Anthropology Library, which now holds 80,000 volumes, and more off-site.[17][18]

The Foster Library collects books in the four fields of anthropology, including cultural anthropology, biological anthropology, linguistic anthropology, and archaeology, especially on California and Latin American populations.

Librarians

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An anonymous donor endowed the John H. Rowe Librarian position in the anthropology library in 1998. [2]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Nameless No More: The Anthropology Department Names Its Library in Honor of the Fosters". Berkeleyan. Retrieved March 11, 2016.
  2. ^ a b "Anthropology Librarian Endowed in Honor of Rowe". Berkeleyan. Retrieved March 2, 2016.
  3. ^ a b Steins, Janet (2004). "Anthropology Libraries". In Drake, Miriam (ed.). Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science. Marcel Dekker. pp. 53–63. ISBN 978-1-4200-6803-0.
  4. ^ "ACHIEVING AN ANTHROPOLOGY LIBRARY". Emeritus Lecture Series. Retrieved March 11, 2016.
  5. ^ a b "The George and Mary Foster Anthropology Library, University of California, Berkeley". librarything. Retrieved March 11, 2016.
  6. ^ "Anthropology Library". UC Berkeley Library. Archived from the original on August 29, 2014. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
  7. ^ Afzal, Afsana (January 18, 2012). "Occupy Cal to hold demonstration in Anthropology Library". The Daily Californian. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
  8. ^ Freeman, Melissa (February 9, 2012). "California's UC System Shows Why Privatizing Public Higher Education Is Not The Solution". Mic. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
  9. ^ Asimov, Nanette (October 16, 2012). "UC Berkeley's libraries next chapter may be cuts". SFGate. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
  10. ^ Anson, Matthew Grant (June 21, 2012). "UC Berkeley's world-renown library system on the chopping block". CA FWD. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
  11. ^ a b "Cal Anthro Library Study-in". occupy california. January 20, 2012. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
  12. ^ "Occupy Cal stages 'study-in' at Kroeber Hall". Berkeley News. January 20, 2012. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
  13. ^ Bady, Aaron (January 21, 2012). "Occupy The Library". The New Inquiry. Archived from the original on March 23, 2017.
  14. ^ "Occupy Cal library protest ends". Berkeley News. January 22, 2012. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
  15. ^ "Anthropology Library to close doors indefinitely". UC Berkeley Library News. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
  16. ^ "Anthropology Library to remain open after students, faculty plan sit-in". Daily Cal. February 27, 2022. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
  17. ^ "Revitalizing Tozzer". Harvard Magazine. October 15, 2012. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
  18. ^ "Anthropology Library Reopens". The Crimson. Retrieved April 12, 2016.
  19. ^ Steins, Janet (2004). "6". In Drake, Miriam (ed.). Anthropology Libraries. Marcel Dekker. pp. 53–63. ISBN 978-1-4200-6803-0.
  20. ^ "Dorothy Koenig's Obituary on San Francisco Chronicle". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
  21. ^ "In Memoriam Dorothy A Koenig". UC Berkeley Library Staff News. Archived from the original on February 25, 2020. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  22. ^ "Anthropology Librarian Endowed in Honor of John Rowe". Berkeleyan. Archived from the original on July 21, 2016. Retrieved July 21, 2016.
  23. ^ "Interim Head Appointment, Anthropology Library". UC Berkeley Library Staff News. Archived from the original on September 18, 2020. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  24. ^ "New Anthropology & Qualitative Research Librarian". Berkeley Library Update. December 8, 2015. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
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