Library collection

Buena Vista College's list of librarians is long. The first recorded librarian was Miss Sutherland who is known to have served in her role from January to March 1893. Mr. Tyson succeeded her in April 1893, but it unknown how long he held that position. In the Fall of 1898 Rev. Daniel Williams served as librarian until at least 1906 or 1907. In 1911, The Tack ran an advertisement for a librarian, stating, "None but ladies need apply."

While there are references to "the librarian" following this notice, no name is given until 1916 when Edith Cooke, who had begun teaching at BV in 1912 and was then later named Registrar also assumed the title of Librarian. Miss Cooke left BV in 1922 and the next known librarian was Blanche Bailey, who assumed duties in the fall of 1926. A year later, Florence McFadden, a BV alumna, took over. She stayed until 1933, when Merriam Boozer served as Registrar and Librarian until January 1934.

Ruth White, Dean of Women, assumed the role of interim librarian for spring semester 1934. In the fall, Claire Bailey was hired as Dean of Women, Registrar, and Librarian. She left in 1936. A BV alum, Marion Sederburg, stepped into the librarian role for the fall months of 1937. From November 1937 until January 1938, Anna Crawford was librarian, after which Helen Milleson, a math professor at BV, fulfilled library duties in January and February 1938.

Mary E. Newkirk, who was hired to teach in the Education Department, also served as Dean of Women. She assumed Librarian duties from Feburary through July 1938. In the fall of 1938, Lois Bailey was hired as Dean of Women and Librarian and stayed until the summer of 1942. Helen "Jolly" Rogers was hired as Librarian and French instructor in the fall of 1942; she died unexpectedly in June 1943.

Bessie P. Sloan who had been hired in 1942 as Dean of Women and instructor of Spanish assumed the role of librarian from August 1945. Irene Yon took over as librarian from September 1945 until January 1946 when she resigned to move to the West Coast with her husband. Kathleen Dooley was next hired and served from September 1946 until summer 1947; students lodged many complaints about library policies under Dooley's leadership.

Samuel S. Isa was librarian from fall 1947 until summer 1948 and was succeeded by Alberta Dwelle in the fall of 1948. Dwelle served until the spring of 1960 when she was dismissed from her duties. A student, Koy Sheets, was hired to run the library for the remainder of the school year. Lucile Vickers assumed the role of head librarian in the fall of 1960 and remained until she retired in the spring of 1966.

A BV alum, Virgil Lichtenberg, was hired in the fall of 1966; he resigned in the fall of 1974 due to ill health. In the fall of 1975 Mary Anne Gray (later Mary Anne Culbertson) was named acting librarian and was named head librarian in 1976 and served in that role through spring 1979.

Dr. Barbara Palling served as librarian from fall 1979 to fall 1989, and Jodie Morin was named interim director and served in that role until July 1990. James R. Kennedy assumed library directorship later in July 1990. During Kennedy's tenure, the library underwent technological change as it moved to an online catalog and barcoded its books. The library also underwent a large expansion, doubly its square footage and adding staff. Buena Vista College became Buena Vista University in summer 1995.

In fall 2012, Jodie Morin was named interim library director to succeed Kennedy. In summer 2014 she was named full director and continues in that role at the time of this writing (January 2023).