Reference Service at Robarts Library in the 1970s and 1980s
Host Jesse Carliner explores Robarts Library’s intimidating reputation beyond its brutalist architecture, tracing how the building was intended as a formal, graduate student and faculty focused research facility until undergraduate protests led to full access when it opened in 1973. Through 2021 oral-history interviews, retired librarians Patricia Bellamy and Susan Johnston recall the busy 1970s–80s fourth-floor reference room—imposing service desks, constant phone questions, and pre-digital tools like card catalogs, microfiche, and rotating files—where librarians’ deep knowledge inspired awe but could also feel intimidating or even unwelcoming. Professor David W. Smith describes reliance on exceptionally skilled reference librarians, especially Mary McTavish, remembered as formidable and indispensable. Debbie Green, Eveline Houtman, and Suzanne Tabor discuss a perceived culture of elitism and hostility that gradually shifted toward friendlier, user-centered service.
Index
00:00 Unquiet Library Episode 3: The Gatekeepers
00:29 Marker Introduction
03:05 Marker Patricia Bellamy
10:14 Marker Susan Johnston
14:39 Marker Professor David Smith
18:47 Marker Mary McTavish
19:46 Marker Debbie Green
23:13 Marker Eveline Houtman
28:30 Marker Suzanne Tabur
32:48 Marker Conclusion
To learn more about the history of Robarts Library, visit uoft.me/robarts50. Follow us @unquietlibrarypodcast on Instagram, Blue Sky or TikTok for additional content and updates.
What is a library catalog? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Library_catalog
What is a bibliography? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bibliography
Who were the United Empire Loyalists? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Empire_Loyalist
About Rosedale, Toronto: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosedale,_Toronto
Theme music:
Felipe Sarro, Bach-Siloti - Prelude BWV 855a
Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication
Sound credits:
OFFICE SELF INKING STAMP ON PAPER 01.wav by sengjinn -- https://freesound.org/s/178650/ -- License: Attribution 4.0
escaleras_mecanicas_interior_-_metro.mp3 by sonsdebarcelona -- https://freesound.org/s/70146/ -- License: Attribution NonCommercial 3.0
Price Tower Elevator 2 by Filmscore -- https://freesound.org/s/823076/ -- License: Creative Commons 0
Walking Up Stairs by qubodup -- https://freesound.org/s/210430/ -- License: Creative Commons 0
British Library sounds
2 08 Br Lib amb 5.wav by ERH -- https://freesound.org/s/51632/ -- License: Attribution 4.0
picht-type-writer2.flac by ondrosik -- https://freesound.org/s/203989/ -- License: Creative Commons 0
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