Library administration

Directors of the University of Idaho Library

John E. Bonebright was hired as a math and physics instructor by the university in 1893; added to these duties was the position of "librarian". When he went to full time teaching in the fall of 1896 he was replaced by Stella Maud Allen, an 1896 graduate of the University. She organized the collection and began classifying books according to the Dewey Decimal system. Allen resigned in 1899 and Margaret B. McCallie, an 1898 graduate of the University was appointed as her successor. McCallie resigned in October 1905. The library's first professionally trained head was M. Belle Sweet who assumed her position in November 1905, just months before the March 30, 1906 fire destroyed the administration building which housed the library. Sweet rebuilt the collection and remained as head librarian for 43 years, until her retirement in 1948. She was followed by Lee Zimmerman, 1948-1967, Warren Owens, 1968-1986, Eileen Hitchingham, 1987-1990, and Ron Force, 1990 to present. Associate Director Richard Beck served as interim head of the library between Zimmerman and Owens and again between Owens and Hitchingham. Beck's position was head of Public Services while Assistant Director Stanley Shepard was head of Technical Services.