Tracy W. McGregor

Tracy W. McGregor
Author: Philip Parker Mason
Publisher: Wayne State University Press
Total Pages: 304
Release: 2008
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 9780814333761

Biography of Detroit philanthropist Tracy McGregor and his wife, Katherine Whitney McGregor, that details their support of charities and social movements in the first decades of the twentieth century. In the turbulent era from 1890 to the late 1930s, Detroit emerged as a leading industrial and urban center and endured the crushing social and economic challenges of the Great Depression. It was during these years that Tracy W. McGregor, with the assistance of his wife, Katherine Whitney McGregor, established himself as a philanthropist and community leader. Though public buildings and a charitable foundation bear their names, relatively little is known about the private-minded McGregors, who avoided newspaper interviews or public exposure whenever possible. In Tracy W. McGregor, Philip P. Mason scours the archival collections of the University of Michigan, Wayne State University, the State of Michigan, the Burton Historical Collection of the Detroit Public Library and the Library of Congress to provide a comprehensive look at the remarkable work of the McGregors. Mason examines McGregor's successful campaigns to reform the political, judicial, and educational institutions in Detroit, as well as his establishment of mental health, correctional, and health care facilities in Michigan. In addition, Mason surveys McGregor's work as president of the prestigious Merrill-Palmer Institute and his major collection of Americana books, which now serves as the core of the University of Virginia Research Library. In all, Mason shows how Tracy McGregor was able to establish a mission for homeless men, permanently endow a major foundation, and lead in the creation and support of a variety of charitable agencies without governmental assistance and with only the support of nascent philanthropic and business networks. For Detroit historians and those interested in philanthropy and social activism, Tracy W. McGregor will be enlightening reading.

Access to Special Collections and Archives

Access to Special Collections and Archives
Author: Jae Jennifer Rossman
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Total Pages: 281
Release: 2024-09-16
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 1538187795

Since the early 20th century, American academic libraries have collected and championed rare and unique non-circulating materials now referred to as special collections. Because of the rarity and value of these materials, they are handled differently than materials in other parts of academic library collections. Thus, a different set of access policies and procedures, as well as specialized staff, have been employed. This book provides a thorough exploration of access, which is a cornerstone of the library profession. It looks at how practitioners’ perceptions of access to special collections have changed from the formative period of the 1930s to today. Using a grounded theory approach on datasets comprised of LIS literature and interviews of special collections professionals with between 5 and 50 years of experience, two conceptual models developed. The two conceptual models are: Aspects of Access, which defines ten components that contribute to access goals: Diversity, Documentation, Engagement, Preservation, Protection, Provision, Readers, Spaces, Stewardship, and Technology. A historical overview sets the stage for in-depth discussion of each aspect. Gatekeeping Model of Access, which applies gatekeeping theory to chart how the Aspects of Access support or hinder the connection of readers to collection materials. An exploration of access through the lens of special collections is especially meaningful because of the tension between the principles of preservation and access within the special collections community. This project is also significant as the library profession explores how representation of diversity within collections and the profession impacts readers. Exploring how we think about access should be part of these ongoing conversations.

News Sheet

News Sheet
Author: Bibliographical Society of America
Publisher:
Total Pages: 382
Release: 1926
Genre: Bibliography
ISBN: