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Monteria Hightower

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Monteria Hightower
Born1929 (age 94–95)
Nacogdoches, Texas, U.S.
EducationUniversity of Maryland College of Information Studies, MLS
Alma materButler College (Texas)
OccupationLibrarian
AwardsLibrarian of the Year, Nevada Library Association, 1998

Monteria Hightower (born 1929) is an American librarian. She was formerly the Administrator of the State Library and Archives for Nevada, the first Black state librarian in Nevada, and the fifth Black state librarian in the United States.[1][2] She was the State Librarian of Missouri from 1986 through 1994 where she was the first Black state librarian.[3][4]

Hightower worked as State Librarian of Missouri beginning in 1986.[5] During that time oversight of the library shifted from the department of education to the Secretary of State's office.[6] Hightower was able to implement a few major programs during her time there including getting Missouri State Library designated as a Center for the Book by the Library of Congress and organizing the Missouri Governor's Conference on Library and Information Services.[7][8] Hightower was accused in a memo of using "the 'race' issue" to get what she wanted to which she responded "I don't need race. I'm trained for my job."[5] Hightower felt she was being asked to give patronage jobs and special privileges to family and friends of state employees, including opening the state library on Mother's Day so the governor's son could complete his homework, and resigned her job in protest in September 1994.[6][9]

She moved to Nevada and worked in the Clark County library system until she assumed her role at the State Library of Nevada in April 1999.[10][11][12] She worked there until her retirement in October, 2000.[2][13] She was named Librarian of the Year by the Nevada Library Association in 1998.[14]

She has also worked as the director of the Central Services division of Seattle Public Library from 1982 through 1986 as their first Black administrator, and supervisor of branches at DC Public Library.[2][15] She has worked at Los Angeles Public Library and public libraries in Maryland and Connecticut.[16][17] She is the author of the book Commonalities and Diversities in Public Library Programming in a Pluralistic Society, Serving Our Ethnic Publics, published in 1976.[18]

Hightower served as a Councillor for the American Library Association as a member of the Black Caucus where she took ALA to task for not making more hires of people of color.[19]

Early life and education

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Hightower was born in Nacogdoches, Texas in 1929 to Harrison and Laura Hightower. She graduated from Butler College in Texas and received her MLS from the University of Maryland Library School in 1970.[16][20][21]

References

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  1. ^ Gagnon, Kyle. "Guide to the Monteria Hightower oral history interview". UNLV Special Collections and Archives. The Regents of the University of Nevada. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  2. ^ a b c Wilkin, B.T. (2006). African American Librarians in the Far West: Pioneers and Trailblazers. Children's Literature Associat. Scarecrow Press. p. 81. ISBN 978-0-8108-5156-6. Retrieved 2022-02-04.
  3. ^ "Masthead". Show-Me Libraries. 41 (2). Missouri State Library: 2. Winter 1990. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  4. ^ "People - Appointments". ACRL College & Research Libraries News. 48 (4). April 1987. ISSN 0099-0086. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  5. ^ a b "News Fronts". American Libraries. 25 (9). American Library Association: 806–896. 1994. ISSN 0002-9769. JSTOR 25633371. Retrieved 2022-02-04.
  6. ^ a b "Weary of politics, state librarian moves on". American Libraries. 25 (11): 1040. December 1994. ISSN 0002-9769. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  7. ^ St. Lifer, Evan (September 15, 1993). "MO NAMED BOOK CENTER". Library Journal. 118 (15). ISSN 0363-0277. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
  8. ^ "Missouri Governor's Conference on Library and Information Services (Jefferson City, Missouri, November 16-17, 1990): Final Report". ERIC. 1991. Retrieved 2022-02-09.
  9. ^ Archives, L.A. Times (1990-05-16). "NATION : Library Open for Governor's Son". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2022-02-04.
  10. ^ Charton, Scott (May 20, 1990). "Use of Closed State Library by Governor's Family Draws Ridicule". AP News. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  11. ^ "MINUTES OF THE". Nevada Legislature. 1999-05-25. Retrieved 2022-02-04.
  12. ^ "Las Vegas news briefs". Las Vegas Sun. 1999-04-09. Retrieved 2022-02-04.
  13. ^ "MPLA Member Named Administrator of Nevada State Library and Archives" (PDF). MPLA Newsletter. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  14. ^ "Obituaries". American Libraries. 29 (1). American Library Association: 95. 1998. ISSN 0002-9769. JSTOR 25634799. Retrieved 2022-02-04.
  15. ^ Bidlack, Russell (1983). "The Awakening: Genealogy as it Relates to Library Services". Reference Quarterly. 23 (2): 171–180. ISSN 1094-9054. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  16. ^ a b "Names in the News". Connecticut Libraries. 12 (1): 35. Winter 1970. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  17. ^ "Health and Rehabilitative Library Services". AHIL Quarterly. 14 (3–4): 19. Summer–Fall 1974. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  18. ^ Commonalities and Diversities in Public Library Programming in a Pluralistic Society, Serving our Ethnic Publics. (Book, 1976) [WorldCat.org]. OCLC 425233487. Retrieved 2022-02-04 – via WorldCat.org.
  19. ^ "Affirmative Action at ALA". Library Journal. 113 (4): 38. March 1, 1988. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  20. ^ "Commencement : University of Maryland, College Park". Internet Archive. 2022-01-14. Retrieved 2022-02-04.
  21. ^ Dunhill, Priscilla (June 13, 1968). "Dust Gathers on the Public Library". The Reporter. 38 (12): 35. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
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