Restrictions to Access

No restrictions. Open for research.

Copyright Notice

Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], in the Susan Grey Akers Papers #4774, Southern Historical Collection, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Acquisitions Information

Received from Arthur Akers of Durham, N.C., in October 1995 (Acc. 95123) and May 1996 (Acc. 96058).

Sensitive Materials Statement

Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, the North Carolina Public Records Act (N.C.G.S. § 132 1 et seq.), and Article 7 of the North Carolina State Personnel Act (Privacy of State Employee Personnel Records, N.C.G.S. § 126-22 et seq.). Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill assumes no responsibility.

The following terms from Library of Congress Subject Headings suggest topics, persons, geography, etc. interspersed through the entire collection; the terms do not usually represent discrete and easily identifiable portions of the collection--such as folders or items.

Clicking on a subject heading below will take you into the University Library's online catalog.

• Akers, Susan Grey, 1889-
• Americans--Iran--Social life and customs--20th century.
• Americans--Japan--Social life and customs--20th century.
• Cataloging--Study and teaching--United States.
• Diaries.
• Europe--Description and travel.
• Iran--Description and travel.
• Japan--Description and travel.
• Librarians--United States--History--20th century.
• Libraries--Japan--History--20th century.
• Library buildings--Pictorial works.
• Library education--Iran--History--20th century.
• Library education--United States--History--20th century.
• Library schools--United States--History--20th century.
• Library science teachers--United States.
• Postcards.
• University of North Carolina (1793-1962)--Faculty--History--20th century.
• University of North Carolina (1793-1962). School of Library Science.
• Women college administrators--North Carolina--History--20th century.
• Women college teachers--North Carolina.
• Women librarians--United States--History--20th century.
• Women travelers--Diaries--History--20th century.
• Women--Diaries--History--20th century.

Susan Grey Akers was dean of the School of Library Science at the University of North Carolina from 1932 until 1954. A native of Kentucky, Akers received a Ph.D. from the Graduate Library School of the University of Chicago in 1932. She had worked in public libraries and in college and university libraries before receiving her Ph.D. and her appointment to the faculty at the University of North Carolina. In 1950-1951, Akers served as a library science consultant in Tokyo, Japan. In 1954-1955, she was visiting lecturer in library science at the University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

Papers of Susan Grey Akers include correspondence and related papers, diaries, books and articles, biographical material about Akers, picture postcards, clippings, and photographs. The collection chiefly documents Akers's education and career as a librarian, library science professor, and dean of the School of Library Science at the University of North Carolina. The books and articles are mostly scholarly works on library cataloging. Also documented are Akers's travels in the United States, Europe, Japan, and Iran.

The diaries Akers kept while in Japan, 1950-1951, and Iran, 1954-1955, describe her social life and her work in libraries and library schools, as well as her travels. The collection contains many postcards, about half of which are picture postcards of library buildings.

• Oversize papers (OP-4774)
• Photographs (P-4774)
• Photograph albums (PA-4774/1-3)