Remembering Dan Chaney

January 18, 2017

The staff and faculty of the OSU Library acknowledge with profound sadness the death of Daniel W. Chaney. Dan held the position of Reference Librarian from 1992 to 2016, finishing his career as a tenured Associate Professor. He died at the age of 52 on December 30, 2016.

Dan held a B.S. in political science and a M.A. in library science both from Northern Illinois University.

During his 24 years of service at Oklahoma State University, Dan served as a liaison between the library and a number of academic departments. He was elected to represent the Library on OSU Faculty Council from 2003 to 2006 and was also a member of numerous task forces and campuswide committees. He was passionate about open educational sources and open textbooks and led efforts to educate both students and faculty about related issues.

His work for libraries did not end at OSU. Dan held professional memberships in the Oklahoma Library Association, the American Library Association and the Mountains Plains Library Association. He was active in all three organizations, serving on committees and presenting at conferences. Dan served as a board member of MPLA for 18 years, as well as the webmaster for both MPLA and the Greater Western Libraries Association.

In 2009, Dan received the Carl Gaumer Library Champion Award presented by MPLA. The award recognizes an individual or company whose positive support of the Mountain Plains Library Association is demonstrated by constant conscientious endeavors towards libraries, library staff, trustees, and professional activities. He was also a graduate of the Snowbird Library Leadership Institute.

His colleagues will remember him as a professional librarian, author, gumbo cook, artist, cyclist, curmudgeon, cocker spaniel lover, Cubs follower, and friend.

URL: https://library.okstate.edu/news/archived-news/spring-2017/dan-chaney

Last Updated: 13 November 2019