Florida Public Health Oral History Project
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Interviewer
E. Charlton Prather
Publication Date
11-20-2014
Date
1999-07-08
Abstract
This oral history interview is with Carolyn Hall, former director of the Florida State Board of Health Library. Ms. Hall began her career as a junior high school science teacher and decided to further her education by obtaining a degree in library science. She later received a National Library of Medicine scholarship for post-graduate work at the University of Tennessee medical unit in Memphis and discovered her appreciation for medical librarianship. Ms. Hall obtained a position on the spot during her interview with the state board of health. Ms. Hall shares her experience working for the newly established Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services. She researched the early history of the library beginning with its founding under Dr. Porter, the state health officer, in 1889. Ms. Hall recounts the library’s mission to support public health personnel and other medical professionals in the state of Florida. She also details the highlights of her experience as library director from 1968 to 1981, the effects of the 1975 reorganization, and administrative plans to close the library. Carolyn Hall eventually left the health library and moved to a position at the Borland Library in Jacksonville. Shortly after leaving the health library, Ms. Hall received word that the state board of health libraries in Tallahassee and Jacksonville were closing. She then petitioned HRS to re-locate their print collection to the Borland library, where it resides to this day. Carolyn Hall completed her career at the Borland Library and as steward of the collection until her retirement in 1995.
Keywords
Florida. State Board of Health, Libraries and librarianship, Medical librarians, Public health
Extent
00:51:58; 25 page transcript
Subject: geographic
Duval County (Fla.); Jacksonville (Fla.)
Language
English
Media Type
Oral histories
Format
Digital Only
Identifier
C53-00014
Recommended Citation
Hall, Carolyn, "Carolyn Hall Oral History Interview" (2014). Florida Public Health Oral History Project. 55.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/fl_public_health_ohp/55
Rights Statement
