Special Collections Division the University of Texas at Arlington Libraries Vol. X * No. 2 * Fall 1996

Friends Start Fall '96 With a Bang!
by Gerald D. Saxon

On September 1 the Friends of the UTA Libraries began their ninth year as an organization actively supporting the development and improvement of the University Libraries. On that day the officers elected at last year's annual meeting took office. These officers are Connie Campbell, president; Lannie Forbes, first vice president; Dennis Reinhartz, second vice president; Charles Deur, secretary; and Sam Nix, treasurer. The newly-elected members of the Friends Advisory Council also began their service, and these members include Betty Bob Buckley, Tom Cogdell, Nancy Eichelberger, Carole Findlay, Daniel Kauth, Valerie Wright, and Jane Yarbrough.

Cover of the invitation for the September, 1996 meeting of the Friends depicting a nineteenth- century railroad bridge outside of Austin, Texas.

The first meeting of the 1996-1997 season took place on September 27 and was a resounding success. The meeting was held in conjunction with a major conference being sponsored by the UTA Libraries, the Center for Greater Southwestern Studies and the History of Cartography, the Friends, and a number of corporate sponsors. The conference was entitled "The Railroads and the West." The guest speaker for the evening affair was Robert D. Krebs, president and chief executive officer for the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad (BNSF), the largest railroad corporation in the U.S. Krebs' topic was the "Challenges and Opportunities Facing Western Railroads in the Future."

Krebs held the crowd's attention talking about the major problems that railroads have faced in the last quarter of this century and what they have done to address them. The BNSF, for example, is in the process of computerizing its entire operations, which will require an investment of close to $300 million before it is completed. Once this is done, virtually all of the railroad's operations (the control of every switch, every train, and every car on every train) will be controlled from the corporation's new headquarters in Fort Worth. Krebs ended his presentation by showing a film on the Santa Fe line, emphasizing its long and proud history.

After Krebs' presentation there was a formal opening of the major exhibition in Special Collections entitled "Whistle Stops: Mapping 19th Century Railroads." The exhibition focussed on the variety and scope of railroad maps as well as the type of information provided by both government and commercial mapmakers in the 1800s. A reception was also held for the 220 attendees.

Dr. Paul Boller, Jr. was the speaker at the November 2nd meeting. With the presidential election only a few days away, Boller spoke on "Campaigning for President: The Great American Shindig." And who better to address this topic than Boller, who has written a number of books on presidents, politics, and first ladies. After his talk, the Friends sold copies of his most recent book, Presidential Campaigns, published by Oxford University Press.

Boller is professor emeritus of history at TCU and a noted authority on U.S. politics and politicians. Born in New Jersey, he received his Ph.D. in history from Yale. His many years of teaching really was apparent as he captivated the 100-plus people in the audience with his anecdotes and stories. A reception was held in his honor after his presentation.

The Friends have a full season of programs already planned for the year so please mark your calendars for the following dates:

December 13, 1996, 7:30 p.m., Jeff Guinn, author of The Autobiography of Santa Claus, will be the special guest for the Friends' holiday program.

February 21, 1997, 7:30 p.m., Dr. George Wright, UTA provost and noted historian of African-American history, will speak on "Race Relations in Kentucky: A Personal and Historical Perspective."

April 18, 1997, 7:30 p.m., Dr. E. R. Milner, author of the new book The Lives and Times of Bonnie and Clyde, will speak about the notorious couple.

For those interested in more information about the Friends, please contact: The Friends of the UTA Libraries, Box 19497, UTA Libraries, Arlington, TX 76019-0497. The telephone number is (817) 272-3393.

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