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Finding Aid

Lucille B. Emch Papers, 1936 to 1983

UM-30

Size: 1.25 linear feet

Provenance: Lucille B. Emch, April 28, 1988

Access: Open

Related Collections: MSS-267 Lucille B. Emch Papers 

Processing Note:

Condition: Good

Copyright: The literary rights to this collection are assumed to rest with the person(s) responsible for the production of the particular items within the collection, or with their heirs or assigns.  Researchers bear full legal responsibility for the acquisition to publish from any part of said collection per Title 17, United States Code.  The Ward M. Canaday Center for Special Collections may reserve the right to intervene as intermediary at its own discretion.

Completed by: Susan Schwerer, April 4, 1986/April 28, 1988

Biographical Sketch

Lucille B. Emch was born in Toledo, Ohio, on April 30, 1909 to parents Albert and Martha (Welke) Emch.  She grew up on Vance Street in Toledo, and attended Scott High School from 1922-23, and Libbey High School from 1923-26.  She completed her undergraduate and graduate studies at the University of Toledo, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1930 and a Master of Arts in 1939.  She completed her library studies at the University of Michigan, and received a Bachelor of Arts in Library Science in 1941.

Lucille Emch had already worked in the University of Toledo library since 1929 when she received her  library science degree at Michigan. As she continued, she was Associate Librarian from 1940 to 1970, Assistant Professor of Library Science in 1946, and Associate Professor in 1953.  In 1970, she became the Associate Director for Rare Books, Special Collections and Archives, and in 1979 she was appointed as Rare Book Librarian.  At the commencement ceremonies on June 16, 1979, she moved to Professor Emeritus, and this promotion coincided with the creation of the Ward M. Canaday Center for Research and Use of Rare Books and Special Collections on the fifth floor of the Carlson Library on November 16 , 1979.  By this time also, she could celebrate her fifty-year tenure in the library.

Her passion for rare books took her to several countries throughout Europe where she visited the leading rare book libraries such as the Montecassino monastery’s library founded in the sixth century by St. Benedict.  She had also studied at the Vatican library in 1966, 1968, and 1969; at Duke Humphries Library at Oxford University in England, and those in St. Gall, Switzerland, as well as other libraries in England, Greece, France, Germany, Ireland, and Italy.

As professional and scholar, Lucille Emch was active in the honor societies and civic communities: she served as president of Phi Kappa Phi from 1959 to 1960, as member of the Beta Phi Mu (for Library Science), Delta Kappa Gamma (Education), and other social groups.  She was also active as a member of the Lucas County Maumee Valley Historical Society, Friends of the UT Libraries, American Association of University Women, UT and Michigan Alumni Associations, William L. Clements Library Association, and other organizations. 

After retiring, she founded her own rare book consulting firm to advise rare book collectors living in this area. She worked out of her former home on Alvison Road.  Her experience with repairing, cataloging, and stacking rare books at the University of Toledo library has contributed to her life-long dedication to rare books.  Lucille Emch died on March 13, 2006 in Sylvania, Ohio.   

Scope and Content Note

The collection contains material concerning her interests in books and printing, Toledo Museum of Art, sister city of Toledo, Spain, American and foreign libraries and archives, and archaeology. It also contains records of library and archival business and acquisitions during her tenure. In addition to personal correspondence, there are request letters to her from other institutions. There are files about Toledo personalities Edward Lamb, an attorney and industrialist, and his wife; Major General John W. Leonard, cavalry unit Troop D; and alumnus Abraham Schwartz. The collection also contains literature about environmental conservation, the Ohio sesquicentennial, Malaysian puppets, monotype printing, and typographer Beatrice Warde. There is a large amount of information concerning conferences that Miss Emch attended, including her own Society of Ohio Archivists meeting held at the University of Toledo in 1974.

The collection is arranged alphabetically by subject area.

Folder List