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California Library Hall of Fame

Martha Boaz (1911-1995)

Martha Boaz was dean of the University of Southern California’s library school from 1955 until 1978—the longest-serving and possibly the most inflential dean in the school’s history.

Born in Virginia in 1911, Martha and her seven siblings grew up in a house full of books. Though she worked in the college library while studying for her BA degree, she at first decided to become a teacher, but soon pursued a BS degree in library science instead. She also eventually received both a master’s and doctorate degree in library science from the University of Michigan. Martha worked a year at Pasadena Public Library and, in 1953, accepted a teaching position at USC’s library school. Two years later, she became dean and immediately began evaluating the school’s programs and course offerings. Under her leadership, enrollment increased from 89 students to almost 400 by the time she retired in 1978. Martha introduced extension courses and created a library science PhD program. She also developed an innovative one-unit televised course, called “Living Library,” meant to expose the broader population to library work. Moreover, Martha was an early adopter of library automation, organizing a three-day symposium on the topic in 1958. Guest speakers included representatives from IBM, Rand, the U.S. Patent Office, Burroughs Corporation, and Magnavox. In 1976, the library school became the first automated department on the USC campus, two years after dean Boaz raised the funds for and oversaw the construction of a new three-story library school building.

During her long career, she served as president of the Association of American Library Schools (1962-63) as well as the California Library Association (1962). As CLA president, Martha worked closely with the state librarian and public librarians statewide to create and ratify a “Master Plan for Public Libraries in California,” which eventually led to the establishment of regional library systems by the mid-1960s.

According to the “Dictionary of American Library Biography,” Martha Boaz was “a progressive, futuristic, and forward-thinking individual” whose “greatest impact was in the areas of curriculum and program development, the use of library technology, advocacy for worldwide access to information, and intellectual freedom.” Her many honors included: USC Trojan Woman of the Year (1976), USC Distinguished Emerita (1982), and the Association for Library and Information Science Education Award for Professional Contributions to Library and Information Science (1987). Martha Boaz died in 1995.

Martha Boaz was inducted into the Caifornia Hall of Fame in 2023.  For more information see:

References: DICTIONARY OF AMERICAN LIBRARY BIOGRAPHY (1991), https://www.google.com/books/edition/Dictionary_of_American_Library_Biography/91UjM6TLRJgC?hl=en&gb pv=1&pg=PA35&printsec=front cover

Martha Boaz, LIBRARIAN/LIBRARY EDUCATOR (Scarecrow Press, 1987) “Martha Boaz,” WIKIPEDIA, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martha_Boaz