July 12, 1948 – April 24, 2018
Before coming to Mississippi, Margaret had been a Collection Development Librarian in Texas, and a Consultant in both Alabama and Missouri. She was the first Development Services Director employed by MLC. She retired from the Mississippi Library Commission on January 3, 2014 with twenty years of service.
Margaret received her MLS from the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee in May 1972. Although she lived most of her adult life in the South she remained faithful to her school. Go Badgers!
Here are a few highlights from her career in Mississippi Libraries:
As part of her work with the Friends of Mississippi Libraries, she began an all-time favorite program at MLA called “Afternoon Tea with Authors.” Margaret was so good at using her carefully cultivated contacts to promote recently published Mississippi authors at this annual event.
Margaret was instrumental in pushing for Literary Landmark recognition of Mississippi authors while she was involved with the executive board of FOLUSA (now United for Libraries). Nine different recognitions can be traced to her involvement in the national and state level of the “Friends.” Among those honored were Stephen E. Ambrose, Tennessee Williams, William Johnson, Willie Morris, Eudora Welty, Stark Young, and Larry Brown.
In the aftermath of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina, Margaret formed a coalition between the Mississippi Library Commission, the Mississippi Library Association, and the Friends of Mississippi Libraries. This effort came to be known as Rebuild Mississippi Libraries. Thanks to Margaret’s leadership, the Mississippi Library Commission was honored with a Special Recognition Award by the Mississippi Humanities Council in February 2006 for Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts. This effort was also recognized by the Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Service in the Art and Humanities in 2007 with a GIVE Award presented by Governor Haley Barbour and First Lady Marsha Barbour.
One of Margaret’s first accomplishments upon her arrival in Mississippi was the implementation of a statewide Summer Library Program supported by the Mississippi Library Commission. Thanks to Margaret every public library in the state had access to a manual and publicity materials. Who can forget that she even had the Mississippi Catfish Council as official sponsors of the program with “Reada the Catfish” as the Mascot.
But most of all she was a friend. Ginny Holtcamp, the director of Starkville-Oktibbeha County Public Library System had this to say about Margaret.
She was our consultant for many years, but more than that, she was a dear friend. Whenever we came to Jackson, Margaret always had something special planned for us to do – whether it was dining somewhere special and fun or going somewhere interesting. I always treasure the time that Mary Helen (then director of Tombigbee) and Margaret and I went to the Every Day Gourmet Cooking School and the featured presenter was “Nick” from Nick’s wonderful restaurant in Jackson. We had a super fun time and I still have and use those recipes!! Margaret was a genius too with grants by suggesting some excellent wording for the particular grant – she was absolutely on top of how to present a grant so that it was really exceptional. Margaret saw our library system through our largest building addition. I have missed her as a friend and as a truly excellent resource for helping us write grants so that we got the grant award. Thank you again for letting me know.
Margaret Murray passed from this life after a brief illness and hospitalization. She will be missed by her many friends.
Mac Buntin
Senior Library Consultant
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