APRL Trustee

I appreciate the support of the 1,719 people who voted for me for APRL Trustee. Unfortunately, this fell short of the number needed for election. Best wishes to the APRL Board as it faces some very challenging problems in the next few years. Larry

I'm running for the position of Trustee of the American Philatelic Research Library for the 2009-2015 term in the Spring APS election. This webpage provides information in support of my candidacy for that office. Contact me at nix@libraryhistorybuff.org .

Philately and libraries are a wonderful combination. As a retired librarian who is a serious philatelist I appreciate that combination more than most. I am seeking your vote for Trustee of the American Philatelic Research Library because I think my knowledge of libraries, library technology, and library networking will be an asset to the APRL in making philatelic knowledge more accessible to the philatelic community.

Before I retired I was Director of Public Library Development for the State of Wisconsin for twenty years. In that capacity I actively participated in the technology revolution which libraries have undergone in Wisconsin and the nation. I was responsible for administering state and federal programs for public libraries in Wisconsin which resulted in universal public library access to the Internet and over ninety percent participation by public libraries in shared automated library systems. Since my retirement I continue to be active in library activities including a variety of library consulting projects. For three years I served on the Board of the Wisconsin Library Association Foundation during which time it successfully implemented the most aggressive fundraising and publicity program in its history. I am currently Chair of the Steering Committee of the Wisconsin Library Heritage Center, the first endeavor of its kind in the nation.

Even my philatelic interests relate to libraries. I am a collector and exhibitor of postal artifacts related to libraries. Philatelic exhibiting has resulted in multiple gold awards and has been the impetus for my doing serious research related to library history and philately. This has provided me with a good understanding of the needs and challenges of philatelists who do not have convenient physical access to philatelic research collections.

I am particularly interested in the leadership role that the APRL can play in supporting and cooperating with other philatelic libraries in the nation. I recently began writing the “Library News” column for Philatelic Literature Review. This has provided me with insight into the needs and contributions of these important libraries.

Since retirement in 2003 I have pursued my interests in library history and the hobby of stamp and cover collecting. This includes maintaining the Library History Buff Web site; the Library History Buff Blog; serving as Chair of the Wisconsin Library Heritage Center Steering Committee; and serving as webmaster for the Wisconsin Library Heritage Center website. I have also developed several philatelic exhibits featuring postal librariana. I have written articles which have appeared in both library and philatelic periodicals. I continue to be active in the Wisconsin Library Association, and I have also undertaken several projects as a library consultant. To read about how I became a collector of postal librariana and a library history buff click here.

Director
Public Library Development Team
Wisconsin Division for Libraries, Technology, and Community Learning
Madison, WI
11/1983 – 8/2003
For the period 9/96-6/97, also served as the Assistant State Superintendent for the Division for Libraries, Technology, and Community Learning (Wisconsin’s state librarian).

Library Consultant for Public Library Administration and Buildings
Public Library Development Team
Wisconsin Division for Libraries, Technology, and Community Learning, Madison, WI
5/80 - 11/83

Director
Greenville County Library, Greenville, SC
2/74 - 5/80

Associate Director of Libraries
Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, Charlotte, NC
7/7l - 2/74

Director
Clinch Powell Regional Library System, Clinton, TN
8/69 - 6/7l

Education
B. S. (English)
George Peabody College of Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN

M. S. (Library Science)
Graduate School of Library and Information Science
University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana, Urbana, IL

Professional Activities

American Library Association
Member since l969. Served on numerous committees and boards including the boards of the Public Library Association and the Library Administration and Management Association.

Wisconsin Library Association
    Member since 1980. Honorary Life Member 2005-
    Library Advocacy Round Table Board Member 2003-2005.
    WLA Legislative Advocate for 2004.
    Ad Hoc Committee on Public Library District Legislation 2004-2005.

WLA Foundation
Board Member 2005-2007.
Chair, Wisconsin Library Heritage Center Steering Committee 2007-

American Philatelic Society
U.S. Philatelic Classics Society
American Association of Philatelic Exhibitors
American Topical Association
United Postal Stationery Society
American First Day Cover Society
Wisconsin Federation of Stamp Clubs
Badger Stamp Club (Madison, WI metro area)
Rocky Mountain Philatelic Library

Bowman, John D., Larry Nix, and Gordon Stimmell “Mercantile Library
Association Stamps,” The Chronicle of the U.S. Classic Postal Issues, Vol.
37, No. 3, Whole No. 207, (August 2005): 167-180.

Nix, Larry T. "Bibliophilately Revisited," American Libraries, Vol. 31, No. 2, (February 2000): 56-58.

Nix, Larry T. “Housecleaning by Library Staff Turns up Cache of N.Y.
Mercantile Library Stamps,” Linn’s Stamp News, Vol. 79, No. 4038, (March 20,
2006): 1, 22.

Nix, Larry T. "Library News," Philatelic Literature Review, quarterly column
starting with Vol. 57, No. 4 (2008).

Nix, Larry T. "The New York Mercantile Library and Its Home Delivery
Service," Libraries & The Cultural Record, Vol. 42, No. 4, (2007): 452-455.

Nix, Larry T. "Stamp Act: A philatelist recalls the ALA/postal Service effort
that symbolically elevated libraries nationwide," American Libraries, Vol.
38, No. 7, (August 2007): 50-52.

Nix, Larry T. "U.S. Service Began Recognizing U.S. Libraries on Stamps in
1982," Linn's Stamp News, Vol. 80, No. 4096, (April 30, 2007): 36.

Nix, Larry T., John D. Bowman, and Gordon Stimmell "Unraveling the Story of
the Delivery Stamps of the Mercantile Library of New York," American
Philatelist, Vol. 121, No. 12 (December, 2007): 1128-1135.

Philatelic Exhibiting

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