Henry Madden Remembered

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Susan Mangini, administrative assistant, and Michael Gorman, dean of library services, were hosts at the reception honoring Henry Madden.

by Kay Conner

Humorous anecdotes abounded as current and former library personnel and friends met at a reception on Friday, Aug. 27, to commemorate the 50th year of the arrival of Henry M. Madden as head librarian at Fresno State.

Madden is credited by many with single-handedly making the library one of the most respected in the state. During his 30 years as librarian (1949-1979), the library's collection of books increased from 67,000 to 600,000.

Madden, a native of Oakland, received his bachelor's degree from Stanford University and his master's and doctoral degrees at Columbia University; he had a lifelong desire to learn. A plaque at the entrance to the library reads, "The things that are most with me are things that I have read, for they both open and store the mind. Reading is the means and the measure of intellectual life ­ Henry Madden."

At the reception Michael Gorman, dean of library services, began an open-mike session for those wanting to honor the former librarian. He spoke of Madden as "enormously creative, a librarian of the old school and a man who had a talent for people, one who built an extremely loyal staff, some of whom are still here." Others who took the podium to remember Madden with affection were George Raney (linguistics chair), John Crosby (professor emeritus of geography), Dale Burtner (professor emeritus of chemistry), Don Albright (coordinator emeritus, Services to Older Adults), and Tom Ebert (associate vice president for academic personnel). Some of the tales were laced with descriptions of Madden as a stickler for detail and a master of the English language who corrected others without fear of their rank.

Madden passed away in August of 1982 and, although Dean Gorman never met him, he said that he feels Madden's presence with him and that his "spirit and influence are still felt in the library."