USC CLIS History -- 1930-1961 Nancy Burge and Nancy Jane Day

1930-1961

Nancy T. Burge and Nancy Jane Day

The University has been offering library science courses since 1930 in a Library Science Department in the School of Education. These courses were principally oriented towards the preparation of school librarians and were offered at the undergraduate level, first as a minor and then later as a major.

1954: Nancy T. Burge Begins Teaching Library Science Courses

Nancy T. Burge

Nancy Burge began teaching undergraduate courses in Library Science in 1954 and continured teaching them after the establishment of the College of Librarianship. She was a tireless teacher and worker for the cause of library development in the state and strongly advocated for the establishment of professional education for librarians. She retired as Professor Emeritus in 1974. A press release was issued on the occasion of her retirement.

November 4, 1961
Nancy Jane Day Notes an Increased Demand for Trained Librarians

Nancy Jane Day taught Library Science courses at Winthrop College from 1939 to 1943 and was Supervisor of Library Services for the SC Department of Education from 1943 to 1970. Her term as President of the South Carolina Library Association in 1961 gave her the opportunity to urge the establishment of graduate level education in the state.

In her President's report to SCLA, Nancy Jane Day, urged the Recruiting Committee to double its efforts because of the increased demand for trained library personnel in the state resulting from the recent:

(1) adoption of state standards for elementary schools

(2) initiation of a procedure for certifying public librarians

(3) programs for strengthening college libraries in SC

Nancy Jane Day, President, South Carolina Library Association, 1960-1962

Over the next few years, Ms. Day continued to be a strong advocate of a graduate level library school in South Carolina instead of an expanded undergraduate program, as some were urging on the university.