The Infamous Elsie Hand

Elsie Denton Hand had served as head librarian at OAMC for 12 years when she was sacked by the Board of Regents over the purchase of a collection of rare books. Elsie continued working for another two month after her termination, insisting it was all a misunderstanding that had since been smoothed over. We will likely never know the true reason behind Elsie's firing, but in this episode we tell the story leading up to the controversial termination and explore some theory behind it.

Centennial History Series: https://dc.library.okstate.edu/digital/collection/centbooks/id/5664/rec/10

Bennett's letter of recommendation: https://library.okstate.edu/files/news/podcast/flat-cool-acid-free/bennett-recommendation.pdf

“Whose Our Librarian? Public Is Puzzled as Tongues Buzz” Campus newspaper June 16, 1933 https://library.okstate.edu/files/news/podcast/flat-cool-acid-free/who-is-our-librarian.pdf

Explore the Archives Facebook page and see photos from the Archives.

The Library hosts a suite of podcasts. Amplified Oklahoma and Dear Oklahoma, both produced by the Oklahoma Oral History Research Program at the OSU Library, can be found wherever you get your podcasts.

Bonnie Cain-Wood is the Manager of OSU Library Communication Services. She loves sunshine, movies, the color yellow, and being a redhead. Bonnie stumbled upon a career in public relations after a life-changing afternoon washing dirt. She has worked in communications for over 20 years and became accredited in public relations in 2007.

David Peters is the Head of the Oklahoma State University Archives. He has worked at the Edmon Low Library since January 1986, working in the General Reference Department, later in Special Collections, then as supervisor of the Map Room. He returned to the Archives in 2000, where he has worked since.