Wayne Yenawine collection

Wayne Yenawine (1911 – 1981), was a professor of library science, a circulation librarian, and the first dean of Davis College. He came to USC in 1970 and was given a year to gather faculty for the college, and after that spent another year establishing curriculum for the students. Yenawine helped to open the college to its first students in 1972 and by summer of 1973 had graduated the first class. Under Yenawine, the College achieved American Library Association (ALA) accreditation in June 1974.

This is more of a collection of letters than actual correspondence. Most people included within only wrote a single letter, with one exception who wrote two. These letters deal primarily with Dr. Yenawine’s library career and involvement with libraries and library schools. Many of the correspondence refer to new positions Dr. Yenawine achieved, research/programs he was performing, his participation in programs/research by other libraries and library schools, or searching for recommended names to fill a desired position. The letters were a gift from Barbara McCrimmon, a colleague who served on the Manuscript Society Board with Yenawine. Yenawine gave these letters to McCrimmon because of her interest in librarian correspondence. Upon Yenawine’s death, McCrimmon donated the collection of letters to the University of South Carolina.