Fred Glazer
Encyclopedia
Frederic Jay Glazer was an American
librarian
and director of the West Virginia
Library Commission from 1972 to 1996. Nicknamed the "P.T. Barnum of libraries," he was an outspoken promoter of libraries who was instrumental in greatly expanding library service and funding throughout West Virginia.
, Virginia
, on February 20, 1937, to Esther Blachman and Moses Herman Glazer. He married Sylvia Katherine Lerner in 1963 and was the father of two children, Hoyt Eric and Hilary Alison.
Glazer earned his B.A. in Economics from Columbia University
in 1958. After that, he worked for the advertising company Dancer Fitzgerald Sample
as a media buyer. In 1960, he entered the U.S. Army
Infantry at Fort Dix, New Jersey
. From 1961 to 1962, he served as a private first class at Fort Lee in Virginia. In 1962 and 1963, he worked as a library assistant at the Special Services Library in Fort Lee. From 1963 to 1964, he returned to Columbia for his Master’s in Library Science.
Glazer worked as an adult services librarian at the Norfolk
Public Library in Virginia from 1964 to 1967, and he was director of the Chesapeake
Public Library System in Virginia from 1967 to 1972.
Glazer became Executive Secretary of the West Virginia Library Commission, based in Charleston
, in 1972. He served for 24 years until his controversial firing in 1996. He died of kidney failure at age 60 on December 8, 1997.
Library expansion in the state was partially enabled by Glazer's Instant Libraries program, a system of prefabricated library buildings designed by architect J. D. King to be built quickly and efficiently in communities previously lacking library service.
As head of the West Virginia Library Commission, Glazer helped develop and implement a statewide library automation network, which greatly improved inter-library communications and gave patrons greater access to library materials throughout the state. The system, designed by Vinod Chachra of the library automation software developer Virginia Tech Library Systems (now VTLS
), went active at its Charleston-based hub in November 1982. Other library networks have since been modeled after West Virginia's example.
Glazer was a strong advocate for increased library funding. He argued that libraries should promote themselves as businesses do in order to gain public support and, in turn, monetary support. In a speech to members of the Arkansas Library Association, he said, "Today's fund-seeking librarian would do well to be a cross between P. T. Barnum and Muhammad Ali... We can imitate the campaigns of General Motors, General Mills, Exxon, the neighborhood grocer, bank or any other institution."
As head of the West Virginia Library Commission, Glazer spearheaded several public relations campaigns to promote libraries. One particularly successful effort was the nationwide "Be with a Book for a Day" campaign, which urged people to carry a favorite book with them for the day while wearing the campaign's logo. It garnered several celebrity participants, including then-Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton
, Walter Cronkite
, and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
.
Glazer also lobbied directly for higher library funding. While library funding was below 10 cents per capita, he handed out rolls of Life Savers
candy to legislators and told them, "That's how much you're supporting libraries." By the end of his tenure, per capita library funding increased to about $3.75.
Glazer traveled extensively to work with other library professionals, including visits to China
and Sweden
. In 1994, he served 4 months as an American Library Association
Library Fellow at Moscow
's Library of Foreign Literature in Russia
.
Editor-In-Chief John N. Berry III called for donations from the library community.
On July 24 of the same year, Glazer filed suit against the commission, claiming his firing was unlawful and citing age discrimination and defamation of character. He died before litigation was completed, however, and his family dropped the suit in 1998.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
librarian
Librarian
A librarian is an information professional trained in library and information science, which is the organization and management of information services or materials for those with information needs...
and director of the West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
Library Commission from 1972 to 1996. Nicknamed the "P.T. Barnum of libraries," he was an outspoken promoter of libraries who was instrumental in greatly expanding library service and funding throughout West Virginia.
Biography
Glazer was born in PortsmouthPortsmouth, Virginia
Portsmouth is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2010, the city had a total population of 95,535.The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard, is a historic and active U.S...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, on February 20, 1937, to Esther Blachman and Moses Herman Glazer. He married Sylvia Katherine Lerner in 1963 and was the father of two children, Hoyt Eric and Hilary Alison.
Glazer earned his B.A. in Economics from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in 1958. After that, he worked for the advertising company Dancer Fitzgerald Sample
Dancer Fitzgerald Sample
Dancer Fitzgerald Sample was a top tier Madison Avenue advertising agency during the 20th century originally founded in Chicago in 1923. It was acquired and merged into the Saatchi & Saatchi network in the 1980s.-History:...
as a media buyer. In 1960, he entered the U.S. Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
Infantry at Fort Dix, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. From 1961 to 1962, he served as a private first class at Fort Lee in Virginia. In 1962 and 1963, he worked as a library assistant at the Special Services Library in Fort Lee. From 1963 to 1964, he returned to Columbia for his Master’s in Library Science.
Glazer worked as an adult services librarian at the Norfolk
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
Public Library in Virginia from 1964 to 1967, and he was director of the Chesapeake
Chesapeake, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 199,184 people, 69,900 households, and 54,172 families residing in the city. The population density was 584.6 people per square mile . There were 72,672 housing units at an average density of 213.3 per square mile...
Public Library System in Virginia from 1967 to 1972.
Glazer became Executive Secretary of the West Virginia Library Commission, based in Charleston
Charleston, West Virginia
Charleston is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is located at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha Rivers in Kanawha County. As of the 2010 census, it has a population of 51,400, and its metropolitan area 304,214. It is the county seat of Kanawha County.Early...
, in 1972. He served for 24 years until his controversial firing in 1996. He died of kidney failure at age 60 on December 8, 1997.
Accomplishments
Glazer is credited for being largely instrumental in the expansion of library services in West Virginia during his time at the Library Commission. During his tenure, the number of public libraries in the state increased from 89 to over 175, and bookmobiles were deployed to serve West Virginia’s geographically isolated communities.Library expansion in the state was partially enabled by Glazer's Instant Libraries program, a system of prefabricated library buildings designed by architect J. D. King to be built quickly and efficiently in communities previously lacking library service.
As head of the West Virginia Library Commission, Glazer helped develop and implement a statewide library automation network, which greatly improved inter-library communications and gave patrons greater access to library materials throughout the state. The system, designed by Vinod Chachra of the library automation software developer Virginia Tech Library Systems (now VTLS
VTLS
VTLS Inc. is a company providing library automation software and services mostly to government and university customers. VTLS counts over 900 libraries in 32 countries. VTLS is also one of the few ISO 9001:2000 quality-certified companies within the library industry. VTLS Inc...
), went active at its Charleston-based hub in November 1982. Other library networks have since been modeled after West Virginia's example.
Glazer was a strong advocate for increased library funding. He argued that libraries should promote themselves as businesses do in order to gain public support and, in turn, monetary support. In a speech to members of the Arkansas Library Association, he said, "Today's fund-seeking librarian would do well to be a cross between P. T. Barnum and Muhammad Ali... We can imitate the campaigns of General Motors, General Mills, Exxon, the neighborhood grocer, bank or any other institution."
As head of the West Virginia Library Commission, Glazer spearheaded several public relations campaigns to promote libraries. One particularly successful effort was the nationwide "Be with a Book for a Day" campaign, which urged people to carry a favorite book with them for the day while wearing the campaign's logo. It garnered several celebrity participants, including then-Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
, Walter Cronkite
Walter Cronkite
Walter Leland Cronkite, Jr. was an American broadcast journalist, best known as anchorman for the CBS Evening News for 19 years . During the heyday of CBS News in the 1960s and 1970s, he was often cited as "the most trusted man in America" after being so named in an opinion poll...
, and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
Jacqueline Lee Bouvier "Jackie" Kennedy Onassis was the wife of the 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy, and served as First Lady of the United States during his presidency from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. Five years later she married Greek shipping magnate Aristotle...
.
Glazer also lobbied directly for higher library funding. While library funding was below 10 cents per capita, he handed out rolls of Life Savers
Life Savers
Life Savers is an American brand of ring-shaped mints and artificially fruit-flavored hard candy. The candy is known for its distinctive packaging, coming in aluminum foil rolls....
candy to legislators and told them, "That's how much you're supporting libraries." By the end of his tenure, per capita library funding increased to about $3.75.
Glazer traveled extensively to work with other library professionals, including visits to China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
and Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. In 1994, he served 4 months as an American Library Association
American Library Association
The American Library Association is a non-profit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 62,000 members....
Library Fellow at Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
's Library of Foreign Literature in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
.
Controversy over dismissal
On March 29, 1996, Fred Glazer was told by commissioners that he must resign his post as director of the West Virginia Library Commission or be fired at the commissioners' next meeting, and on March 29 the ultimatum was reiterated in writing. Glazer ignored both requests, and on April 22, 1996, the West Virginia Library Commission voted 4-3 to fire Fred Glazer as its director. The commission provided no reason for the firing, and Glazer claimed the motivations for his dismissal were “personal and political.” The firing aroused protest and suspicions of foul play in the library community and the community of West Virginia. A former Commission chair coordinated a fundraising group, the Friends of Fred Glazer, to assist Glazer in litigation, and then-Library JournalLibrary Journal
Library Journal is a trade publication for librarians. It was founded in 1876 by Melvil Dewey . It reports news about the library world, emphasizing public libraries, and offers feature articles about aspects of professional practice...
Editor-In-Chief John N. Berry III called for donations from the library community.
On July 24 of the same year, Glazer filed suit against the commission, claiming his firing was unlawful and citing age discrimination and defamation of character. He died before litigation was completed, however, and his family dropped the suit in 1998.