— 4 — In memoriam: Kenneth W. Butler, 1922-2009 Professor Emeritus Kenneth W. Butler died in Portland of natural causes on Jan. 22, 2009. Born Oct. 12, 1922, in Leeds, United Kingdom, Prof. Butler completed high school in 1940 and entered local public library service. After five years’ service in the Royal Army Pay Corps, Staff Sergeant Butler began a librarianship career. At Leeds School of Librarianship he earned certification as a library associate, and from 1948 to 1951 held various public library appointments. In 1950 Prof. Butler met Elsie Marie (Rusty) White, an experienced and inquisitive Oregon librarian who had taken temporary employment in Leeds to familiarize herself with British library procedures. In due course, she accepted the handsome young Briton’s marriage proposal, even though she had not always understood his Yorkshire dialect. After Prof. Butler obtained an employment offer from the Multnomah County Library in 1951, they traveled to Portland, where they married on Sept. 5, 1952. Soon thereafter, Prof. Butler took an appointment as Audio-Visual Services librarian at PSU’s forerunner institution, Portland Extension Center. Prof. Butler and three colleagues gathered the meager resources available to form a library collection, thereby laying the bibliographical foundation for Portland State University. Throughout his institutional service Prof. Butler pursued intellectual interests that augmented his capacity to support Portland State’s educational mission, including earning. B.A. (1952) and M.A. (1958) degrees at the University of Portland. From 1952 to 1976 Prof. Butler served as the Library’s director of Audio-Visual Services, an office that expanded dramatically, paralleling the institution’s growth. In 1976 he became assistant director of Millar Library, and at various times assumed the role of interim director. He retired in 1988. Under his guidance, the Library gathered a useful collection of films, slide transparencies, and recordings to support faculty instructional activities. Prof. Butler consistently pursued innovation opportunities, such as on-campus televised instruction, as supplements for traditional university education. Prof. Butler contributed significantly to academic governance through Faculty Senate service and participation in several important constitutional committees. He actively engaged in regional and national library associations, as well as with Oregon educational media councils. Prof. Butler’s personal interests ranged over astonishingly wide subject areas. He published a book dealing with the war, and faculty colleagues prevailed upon him to deliver guest lectures on wartime history and poetry. For several years he successfully coached a University soccer team, and organized winning cricket competitions with Reed College. While engaged in graduate study at the University of Portland, he held an appointment as visiting associate professor of Latin. His Yorkshire accent enhanced his performances of several major Shakespearean roles offered by the Theater Arts Department. Prof. Butler was a longtime member of the Ferdinand Society and a founder of RAPS. In January 1959, as a freshly minted Ph.D. recipient—a beginning instructor facing a 15-hour teaching load—I correctly sensed that Audio-Visual Services could provide vital assistance. I introduced myself to Ken Butler, who leaped into the breach with useful suggestions for utilizing available AVS materials. Until I retired in 1990, I relied upon AVS support for classroom and public affairs presentations. Throughout his career, Prof. Butler was an able faculty member who performed a significant role in this institution’s development as an instructional and research-based University. The library is every university’s vital center, and PSU owes him a profound debt of gratitude for tireless, willing services that contributed enormously to its growth, development, and enhanced reputation. Upon retiring Kenneth and Elsie Butler endowed the Portland State University Library Faculty Service Award, which annually recognizes a Library faculty member’s outstanding performance. The 2008 Butler Award went to Assistant Professor Linda Absher, humanities reference librarian. The University community will be forever indebted for this generous support for our educational mission. Prof. Butler’s spouse, Elsie, worked in the Multnomah County’s Children’s Library Section until her retirement in 1987. She died Sept. 9, 2008. To the Butlers’ surviving daughters, Margaret, Gillian, and Catherine, and their families, our organization extends its heartfelt condolences. —Victor C. Dahl, Professor Emeritus
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