EHSLibrary » oral history

Another Eccles success: our first book signing event

Todd Vandenbark — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:19:47 +0000

On Friday, January 27, 2012, the Library hosted its first book signing and presentation, which proved to be a thought-provoking event. Joy Harriman, Medical Librarian at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions; and Margaret Pearce, Chief Nursing Officer at the University of Utah Hospital and Clinics, spoke on the topic of healthcare disparities in Mobile, AL and New Orleans, LA, respectively. Harriman shared stories from her book, Health Care in Mobile: An Oral History of the 1940s, and from her time spent researching the book. Pearce shared stories from her background as a nurse trained by the Daughters of Charity, and the time she spent caring for victims of AIDS in New Orleans before the disease had been identified. Attenders had many questions for the presenters afterwards, and also took the opportunity to purchase Harriman’s book, which she autographed.

More special events coming, so stay tuned!

Exploring healthcare disparities from a historical perspective

Todd Vandenbark — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 22:10:04 +0000

The library is excited to announce an upcoming special event: a presentation and book signing on the topic of healthcare disparities. Two dynamic speakers will be presenting: Joy Harriman, Medical Librarian at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions; and Margaret Pearce, Chief Nursing Officer at the University of Utah Hospital and Clinics

Copies of Ms. Harriman’s recently published book, Health Care in Mobile: An Oral History of the 1940s will be available for purchase and signing by the author. This work presents a small oral history of the delivery of health care in Mobile, AL, from the late 1930s to the early 1950s. It includes the beliefs, behaviors, expectations, and experiences of individuals whose lives have been entwined with community and health care.

Ms. Pearce also has ties to the Mobile area and underwent her nursing education in the region. She trained with the Daughters of Charity who have long been devoted to the elimination of disparities in health care. Ms. Pearce will share with us some of her personal experience and insights gained from her involvement with this organization.

Date: Friday, January 27, 2012
Time: 3:30 – 5:00 p.m.
Where: Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library (main floor)
What: presentation and book signing
Questions? Contact Christy Jarvis, Collections Librarian, at

Refreshments will be provided. Please join us for the first of what we hope will be a series of fun and informative public events.

Memorial service for Priscilla Mayden

Todd Vandenbark — Wed, 25 May 2011 19:26:07 +0000

A service honoring Priscilla’s memory will be held on Tuesday, June 7, 2011 at 5:30 pm at First Unitarian Church of Salt Lake City, 569 S 1300 E, Salt Lake City, UT. An obituary for Ms. Mayden was recently posted on the Salt Lake Tribune website.

As noted in an earlier blog post, Priscilla Mayden was the first director of the Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library here at the University of Utah. When the current library staff learned of Ms. Mayden’s passing, Joan Stoddart, our Deputy Director, shared some interesting tidbits she’d gleaned from interviews with Ms. Mayden as part of the Everett L. Cooley Oral History Project. One amusing story was about Ms. Mayden’s time working as a “Rosie the Riveter.” Apparently, she was the best in the factory at the assembly work she did, but because of the era in which she lived, they would not give her a promotion to supervisor with accompanying pay raise. Eventually, she got fed up with having men promoted to supervise her that couldn’t do the job as well. So she marched into the office and demanded a promotion and a raise, and got it! Unfortunately, the men at that time didn’t appreciate having a woman as a supervisor, and gave her no end of grief.

Have you got a favorite story about Priscilla (Maltby) Mayden you’d like to share? Tell us using the comments box below!