Dr. Robert Kemper
-Photo courtesy of NLC Archives
Dr. Robert Kemper
b. Vona, Colorado, April 8, 1936
Dr. Kemper brought to the Nebraska Library Commission a "background in areas of library administration, personnel, planning, automation, cooperation, and inter-governmental relationships, as well as his interest in library materials and library users."
He had previously been Assistant Professor and Director of Library Research and Information Center at the University of Oregon for five years. (NLAQ, v.2, #2, Summer 1971, p. 7).
Kemper's motto was "Your Library is Know Place". He felt that libraries needed to reach out with new and useful services that would involve them in the everyday life of individuals. He planned to produce a series of pamphlets addressing a variety of issues important to libraries and the public. During his tenure he published five in the "Library Know Series."
The publications focused on the development of libraries through a variety of topics, namely selected list of materials on drug abuse, "how tos" on planning, library cooperation, obtaining grants and a long range user program.
At his instigation, Senator Fern Orme of Lincoln introduced LB1284 creating the Nebraska Publications Clearinghouse. The bill provided that the Commission would become a repository for selected state and federal documents. Documents would be made available for use by both the government and the general public. (Lincoln Star, Nov 29, 1971)
Under Kemper's hand fifteen new full-time employees were added to the Commission staff in the first year. The Nebraska Publications Clearinghouse became a reality. People Serving People; A 1977 Long-Range User Program for Nebraska Libraries was written. It was developed to meet Library Services and Construction Act (LSCA) requirements.
Kemper reported in his paper "The First 365 Days" on the details of his new agenda. He proposed four aspects: self-help, user orientation, decentralization and expansion. He expanded the number of regional-network coordinators from one and three-fifths full-time equivalents (FTE) to seven FTE. The Emergency Employment Act resulted in hiring four new full-time network coordinators.
Self-help workshops were designed to upgrade librarian's skills. Reference and administration were the topics for these workshops. Emphasis on serving people was another facet in the self-help category. Specialized groups were the focus of another program.
The S.U.N. project was begun during this time. This was a cooperative program between the University of Nebraska and the Library Commission to allow extension students to take monitored tests at selected libraries across the state.
Dr. Kemper left the Commission-"checked out!" as the Overtones from the Underground of 1973, v.1, #1 put it. He accepted a position as Director of Library Services at Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff.
Files of the Nebraska Library Commission Archives
NLAQ from the Nebraska Library Association Archives