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Publications

MLA Oral Histories

The MLA Oral History Project conducts and preserves interviews that help illuminate the history of health sciences librarianship and of MLA. 

The original recorded interviews and transcripts are kept in the MLA archives. Edited transcripts are available on MLANET or through interlibrary loan from the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NNLM). These volumes also include biographies, and in many cases photographs and CVs, of the interviewees. 

To access an oral history published since 2016, click on the Published Oral History link at the top of the interview summary. To borrow print copies of earlier histories, contact your regional medical library through the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NNLM), or contact Mary Langman, director, information issues and policy, at MLA headquarters.

To participate as an interviewer or as a member of the Oral History Committee, or to suggest a person to be interviewed, contact Mary Langman, director of information issues and policy. 

For more information, see the history of the project.

The Medical Library Association Oral History Project Manual, 7th Revised Edition 

Section and Chapter Oral Histories

List of Interviewees

Interview Date: March 20, 1980
Interviewer: Carol Fenichel
Number of pages: 115 leaves
Beverly Elizabeth Allen's oral history has been published.
Editor: Alison Bunting, AHIP, FMLA
Interview Date: March 21, 2009
Interviewer: Diane McKenzie, FMLA
Number of pages: 54 pages
Editor:
Joan S. Zenan, AHIP, FMLA
Interview Date:
April 3, 2003
Interviewer:
Diane McKenzie, FMLA
Number of pages:
76 pages
Editor: Joan S. Zenan, AHIP, FMLA
Interview Date: April 4, 2003
Interviewer: Diane McKenzie, FMLA
Number of pages: 46 pages
Interview Date:
November 12, 1977 and August 7, 1978
Interviewer:
Vicki Glasgow and Myrl Ebert, AHIP, FMLA (1977 interview);
Estelle Brodman, AHIP, FMLA (1978 interview)
Number of pages:
66 leaves
Interview Date:
October 9-10, 1980
Interviewer:
Estelle Brodman, AHIP, FMLA
Number of pages:
90 leaves
Interviewer: Rick B. Forsman, FMLA
Date of Interview: July 6, 2016
Editor and Project Director: Carolyn E. Lipscomb, AHIP, FMLA
48 pages
Editor:
Cynthia Burke, AHIP
Interview Date:
December 28, 2005
Interviewer:
Diane McKenzie, FMLA
Number of pages:
29 pages
Editor:
Joan S. Zenan, AHIP, FMLA
Interview Date:
March 25, 2006
Interviewer:
Diane McKenzie, FMLA
Number of pages:
38 pages
Editors:
Jo Anne Boorkman, AHIP, FMLA and
Carolyn Lipscomb, AHIP, FMLA
Interview Date:
April 18-19, 1978
Interviewer:
Estelle Brodman, AHIP, FMLA
Number of pages:
67 leaves
Editor:
Jill Mayer, AHIP
Interview Date:
March 22, 2009
Interviewer:
Diane McKenzie, FMLA
Number of pages:
79 pages
Veterinary Medical Libraries Section Oral History
Interviewers:
Vicki Croft, AHIP and Ana Ugaz
Date of Interview:
March 3, 2011
Editors:
Vicki Croft, AHIP and Diane McKenzie, FMLA
50 pages
Interview Date:
May 26, 1985
Interviewer:
Ruth W. Wender, AHIP, FMLA
Number of pages:
29 leaves
Interview Date:
August 22-23, 2002
Interviewer:
Diane McKenzie, FMLA
Interview Date:
November 22, 1978 and May 10, 1981
Interviewer:
Mrs. Bertell and others, and Nancy Whitten Zinn, FMLA
Interview Date:
September 23, 2000
Interviewer:
Diane McKenzie, FMLA
Interview Date:
March 23, 1985
Interviewer:
Ruth W. Wender, AHIP, FMLA
Number of pages:
24 leaves
Interview Date:
May 9, 1990
Interviewer:
Leonard Eddy
Number of pages:
40 leaves
Editor:
Joan S. Zenan, AHIP, FMLA
Interview Date:
April 2, 2003
Interviewer:
Diane McKenzie, FMLA
Number of pages:
49 pages
Editor:
Carolyn E. Lipscomb, AHIP
Interview Date:
05/01/2002
Interviewer:
Richard Nollan
Number of pages:
22 pages
Interview Date:
May 7, 1985
Interviewer:
Carol Fenichel
Number of pages:
42 leaves
Interview Date:
August 18-19, 1998
Interviewer:
Elizabeth G. Figa
Interview Date:
November 16, 1983
Interviewer:
Estelle Brodman, AHIP, FMLA
Number of pages:
33 leaves
Editor:
Carolyn E. Lipscomb, AHIP, FMLA, Project Director
Interview Date:
October 24, 2012
Interviewer:
Alison Bunting, AHIP, FMLA
Number of pages:
44 pages
Interview Date:
November 21, 1978
Interviewer:
Judith Overmier
Number of pages:
63 leaves
Interview Date:
September 12, 2001
Interviewer:
Susan Bolda Marshall
Number of pages:
12 leaves
Editor:
Carol A. Burns, FMLA; James Shedlock, AHIP, FMLA
Interview Date:
April 1, 2011
Interviewer:
James Shedlock, AHIP, FMLA
Number of pages:
31 pages
Interview Date:
June 23, 1987
Interviewer:
Gerald Oppenheimer, AHIP, FMLA
Number of pages:
33 leaves
Interview Date:
April 7-8, 1981
Interviewer:
David Bishop, AHIP, FMLA
Number of pages:
leaves
Interview Date:
July 20, 1977
Interviewer:
Estelle Brodman, AHIP, FMLA
Number of pages:
9 leaves
Intergerview conducted by Mary L. Ryan, FMLA and Julia F. Sollenberger, AHIP, FMLA
January 15-16, 2019
Edited by Carolyn E. Lipscomb, AHIP, FMLA, Project Director
October 2019
Interview Date:
March 25, 1980
Interviewer:
Estelle Brodman, AHIP, FMLA
Number of pages:
18 leaves
Interviewer: Margaret M. Bandy, AHIP, FMLA
Date of Interview: July 6, 2018
Editor and Project Director: Carolyn E. Lipscomb, AHIP, FMLA
77 pages
Shirley Echelman
Interview Date:
October 7, 1981
Interviewer:
Estelle Brodman, AHIP, FMLA
Number of pages:
29 leaves
Interview Date:
December 16, 1978 and November 5, 1990
Interviewer:
Vicki Glasgow and Erich Meyerhoff, AHIP, FMLA
Number of pages:
63 leaves
Lynn M. Fortney and T. Scott Plutchak's joint oral history has been published
Interview Date:
June 19, 1999 and October 17, 1997
Interviewer:
Diane McKenzie, FMLA and Kathleen Murray, AHIP
Number of pages:
63 leaves plus appendix
Interviewer: Ruth Holst, AHIP, FMLA
Dates of Interview: September 23-24, 2015
Editor: Rick B. Forsman, FMLA
Project Director: Carolyn E. Lipscomb, AHIP, FMLA
60 pages
Mark E. Funk and Carolyn Anne Reid's oral history has been published
Interview Date:
August 27, 1999
Interviewer:
Jill Byerly Mayer, AHIP
Interview Date:
September 25, 2000
Interviewer:
Diane McKenzie, FMLA
Interview Date:
April 12, 1999
Interviewer:
Diane McKenzie, FMLA
Number of pages:
52 pages
Interview Date:
1978-05-12 00:00:00
Interviewer:
Nancy Whitten Zinn, FMLA
Number of pages:
32 leaves
Interview Date:
April 22, 1983
Interviewer:
M.A. Flower
Number of pages:
31 leaves
Interview Date:
April 12, 1984
Interviewer:
Ruth W. Wender, AHIP, FMLA
Number of pages:
47 leaves
Editor:
Alison Bunting, AHIP, FMLA
Interview Date:
April 19 and May 9, 2011
Interviewer:
Jeanette L. Ryan and Jacqueline Donaldson Doyle, AHIP, FMLA
Number of pages:
49 pages
Editor:
Jo Anne Boorkman, AHIP, FMLA
Interview Date:
May 21, 2002
Interviewer:
Diane McKenzie, FMLA
Number of pages:
11 pages
On Wednesday, November 4, 2015, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, MLA, and the Philadelphia Regional Chapter of MLA unveiled a historical marker commemorating MLA’s founding in 1898. The marker project was initiated to honor Carla J. Funk, CAE, for her almost twenty-three years of
Interview Date:
October 10, 1998
Interviewer:
Richard Nollan
Number of pages:
46 leaves
Ruth Holst's oral history has been published
Editor:
Editor: Jana C. Liebermann
Interview Date:
November 29, 2001
Interviewer:
Diane McKenzie, FMLA and Ruth Holst, AHIP, FMLA
Number of pages:
55 pages
Interviewer: Rick B. Forsman, FMLA
Date of Interview: December 18, 2015
Editor and Project Director: Carolyn E. Lipscomb, AHIP, FMLA
79 pages
Interviewer: Joyce E.B. Backus
Date of Interview: October 23, 2017
Editor and Project Director: Carolyn E. Lipscomb, AHIP, FMLA
61 pages
Interviewer: Joan S. Zenan, AHIP, FMLA
Date of Interview: April 13, 2015
Editor and Project Director: Carolyn E. Lipscomb, AHIP, FMLA
57 pages
Interview Date:
October 9, 1978
Interviewer:
Estelle Brodman, AHIP, FMLA
Number of pages:
89 leaves
Interview Date:
May 10, 1983
Interviewer:
Nancy W. Zinn
Number of pages:
64 leaves
Interview Date:
April 20, 1978
Interviewer:
Estelle Brodman
Number of pages:
49 leaves
Interview Date:
May 11, 1985
Interviewer:
Ronald M. Watterson, AHIP, FMLA
Number of pages:
36 leaves
Interview Date:
November 4, 2000
Interviewer:
Diane McKenzie, FMLA
Interview Date:
April 5, 1985
Interviewer:
Estelle Brodman, AHIP, FMLA
Number of pages:
32 leaves
Interview Date:
July 26, 2001
Interviewer:
Jill Byerly Mayer, AHIP
Number of pages:
106 leaves
Bethesda 11
Interview Date:
December 5, 1985
Interviewer:
Nancy Bruce
Number of pages:
56 leaves
Interview Date:
November 14, 2000
Interviewer:
Betsy L. Humphreys, FMLA
Number of pages:
18 leaves
Interview Date:
April 12 and 19, 1984
Interviewer:
Caroline Morris
Number of pages:
22 leaves
DONALD A.B. LINDBERG, MD

Interviewer: Linda A. Watson, AHIP, FMLA
Date of Interview: October 31, 2014
Editor and Project Director: Carolyn E. Lipscomb, AHIP, FMLA
48 pages
Interview Date:
April 26, 1982
Interviewer:
Nancy Whitten Zinn, FMLA
Number of pages:
23 leaves
Interview Date:
July 9-10, 1986 and November 6, 1987
Interviewer:
Suzanne Porter, AHIP
Number of pages:
72 leaves
Interviewer:
Rick B. Forsman, FMLA
Date of Interview:
November 19, 2014
Editor and Project Director:
Carolyn E. Lipscomb, AHIP, FMLA
60 pages
Interview Date:
September 20, 1977 and October 30, 1977
Interviewer:
Estelle Brodman, AHIP, FMLA
Number of pages:
66 leaves
Interview Date:
October 5, 1990
Interviewer:
Anne Carroll Bunting
Number of pages:
26 leaves
Interview Date:
October 23, 1986
Interviewer:
Nancy Bruce [Kozlowski]
Number of pages:
43 leaves
Interview Date:
June 25-26, 1988
Interviewer:
Alison Bunting, AHIP, FMLA
Number of pages:
92 leaves
Interview Date:
May 28-29, 1998
Interviewer:
Ursula H. Poland, AHIP, FMLA
Number of pages:
87 pages
Interviewer: Julia F. Sollenberger, AHIP, FMLA
Date of Interview: November 10, 2015
Editor and Project Director: Carolyn E. Lipscomb, AHIP, FMLA
38 pages
Editor:
Diane McKenzie, FMLA
Interview Date:
September 23, 2008
Interviewer:
Diane McKenzie, FMLA, and Vicki Croft, AHIP
Number of pages:
43 pages
Interview Date:
August 7, 2003
Interviewer:
Rachael K. Anderson, AHIP, FMLA
Number of pages:
26 pages
Editor:
Holly Shipp Buchanan, AHIP, FMLA, and Carolyn E. Lipscomb, AHIP, FMLA
Interview Date:
November 13, 2008
Interviewer:
Lucretia W. McClure, AHIP, FMLA
Number of pages:
33 pages
Editor:
Holly Shipp Buchanan, AHIP, FMLA; Carolyn E. Lipscomb, AHIP, FMLA
Interview Date:
May 18, 2002
Interviewer:
Diane McKenzie, FMLA
Number of pages:
18 pages
Interview Date:
October 6, 1981
Interviewer:
Estelle Brodman, AHIP, FMLA
Number of pages:
33 leaves
Editor:
Rick B. Forsman, FMLA
Interview Date:
April 24, 2009
Interviewer:
Joan S. Zenan, AHIP, FMLA
Number of pages:
39 pages
Interview Date:
August 9, 1999 and February 27, 2000
Interviewer:
T. Mark Hodges, AHIP, FMLA and Shane Godbolt
Number of pages:
44 leaves
Ray Naegele's oral history has been published
Interview Date:
June 25, 1999
Interviewer:
Diane McKenzie, FMLA and Janet Schnall, AHIP
Number of pages:
59 page interview
Editor:
Rick B. Forsman, FMLA
Interview Date:
April 26, 2012
Interviewer:
Joan S. Zenan, AHIP, FMLA
Number of pages:
48 pages
Interview Date:
November 7-9, 1997
Interviewer:
Elizabeth Figa
Number of pages:
61 leaves
Interview Date:
April 1, 2001
Interviewer:
Diane McKenzie, FMLA
T. Scott Plutchak and Lynn M. Fortney's joint oral history has been published
Interview Date:
December 19, 20 1982; January 4, 1983
Interviewer:
Estelle Brodman, AHIP, FMLA
Number of pages:
52 leaves
Interview Date:
October 29, 1977
Interviewer:
Estelle Brodman, AHIP, FMLA
Number of pages:
23 leaves
Interview Date:
May 7, 1985
Interviewer:
M.A. Flower
Number of pages:
30 leaves
Mark E. Funk and Carolyn Anne Reid's oral history has been published
Interview Date:
January 19, 1979
Interviewer:
Mrs. Bertell and others, and Nancy Whitten Zinn, FMLA
Number of pages:
97 leaves
Interview Date:
November 9, 1998
Interviewer:
Diane McKenzie, FMLA
Number of pages:
40 page interview, 3 tapes
Interview Date:
March 12, 1980
Interviewer:
David A. Kronick, AHIP, FMLA
Number of pages:
42 leaves
Interviewer: Rick B. Forsman, FMLA
Date of Interview: March 2, 2018
Editor and Project Director: Carolyn E. Lipscomb, AHIP, FMLA
67 pages
Interview Date:
February 28, 1985
Interviewer:
Ann Gilmer
Number of pages:
22 leaves
Interviewer: Diane McKenzie, FMLA
Date of Interview: October 10, 2016
Editor and Project Director: Carolyn E. Lipscomb, AHIP, FMLA
36 pages
Interview Date:
May 11, 1984
Interviewer:
Carol Fenichel
Number of pages:
101 leaves
Editor:
Jo Anne Boorkman, AHIP, FMLA
Interview Date:
December 22, 2005
Interviewer:
Diane McKenzie, FMLA
Number of pages:
20 pages
Jean P. Shipman's oral history has been published
Editor:
Linda A. Watson, AHIP, FMLA
Interview Date:
September 1 and October 5, 2011
Interviewer:
Sheldon Kotzin, FMLA
Number of pages:
44 pages
Interviewer: Rick B. Forsman, FMLA
Date of Interview: December 5, 2017
Editor and Project Director: Carolyn E. Lipscomb, AHIP, FMLA
39 pages
Interview Date:
October 4, 1982
Interviewer:
Carol Fenichel
Number of pages:
80 leaves
Carolyn E. Lipscomb, AHIP, FMLA, Editor and Project Director
Interview Date:
April 18, 2011
Interviewer:
Cynthia L. Henderson, AHIP
Number of pages:
15 pages
Interviewer: Carol G. Jenkins, AHIP, FMLA
Date of Interview: January 22, 2019
Editor and Project Director: Carolyn E. Lipscomb, AHIP, FMLA
81 pages
Interview Date:
February 14, 1986
Interviewer:
M.A. Flower
Number of pages:
55 leaves
Interview Date:
May 9, 1983
Interviewer:
Nancy Whitten Zinn, FMLA
Number of pages:
76 leaves
Interviewer: Rick B. Forsman, FMLA
Date of Interview: June 9-10, 2017
Editor and Project Director: Carolyn E. Lipscomb, AHIP, FMLA
68 pages
Editor:
Virginia M. Bowden, AHIP, FMLA
Interview Date:
May 23, 2007
Interviewer:
Joan S. Zenan, AHIP, FMLA
Number of pages:
49 pages
Interview Date:
November 30, 2001
Interviewer:
Diane McKenzie, FMLA
Interview Date:
September 9, 1999
Interviewer:
Susan C. Speer
Interview Date:
April 27, 1982
Interviewer:
Nancy Whitten Zinn, FMLA
Number of pages:
47 leaves
Editor:
Phyllis S. Mirsky, AHIP, FMLA
Interview Date:
November 5, 2005
Interviewer:
Diane McKenzie, FMLA
Number of pages:
64 pages