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Ted Meriam: More Than the Name Over the Door

The Meriam Library mourns the passing of Ted Meriam. The Meriam Library, at Ted’s insistence, was not named for Ted personally, but for the Meriam family and its long and deep connection to the campus. However, it was hard not to think of Ted and the Library in the same breath. Ted said that the Meriam Library was the accomplishment he was proudest of. The Meriam Library will always be proud to bear the Meriam name.

As a member of the CSU Board of Trustees, Ted helped to make CSU, Chico into the modern comprehensive university it is today. The building of the campus library was his dream. He always said that trustees were not supposed to have a favorite campus or champion one over another, but that he couldn’t help “cheating a bit” to ensure the funding for construction of the library. The trustees could not have chosen a better building to honor Ted and his family. A friend of Ted’s has said, “The man plainly loves books.” He began his library habit early at the public library and never looked back. Ted was widely and deeply read, especially in the history of northeastern California. He was a well-known book collector of regional history and “Californiana” with a considerable book buying habit, including fine press and limited editions.

Ted was, in every respect, one of the Library’s best friends. Ted was interested not just in saving old and rare items; he equally advocated their use by the campus community and the region. Ted was an indispensable scout for materials to add to the collection. He steered many valuable and unique collections to Special Collections and has helped make the Meriam Library a central resource for the entire region. He always refused to accept any official credit for his active role inbuilding the collection - like many other things, Ted did it for the good of the community and the university, not for himself. Ted served on the Boards of the Friends of the Meriam Library, the Association of Northern California Records and Research (ANCRR), and the Ellen Deering Library Endowment

We will miss our namesake and example.

Carolyn Dusenbury, Director for Library Services