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The Karen Corlee Outdoor Recreation Collection By Joel Cummings |
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As people who work in libraries know only too well, there are books, and even collections, hidden from view, unrecorded and unnoticed, and only the seasoned few know where to look for such recondite treasures. In this short article, I hope to bring to your attention one such treasure. Although it is not hidden, it goes largely unmentioned - forgotten to all but a few. Near the back and on the eastern wall of the Kamiak room is a collection of books kept especially for all library employees' use. It is a collection of hiking books and other guides to the astounding wilderness, that we, living in this remote corner of the country, are fortunate to have all around us. This collection is a memorial to Karen Lea Johnson Corlee who was the head of book processing and cataloging during the late seventies and early eighties. Karen loved the great outdoors. She was respected and is still sorely missed by all those who knew her. The people who remember her remember in particular the compassionate leadership she brought to whatever she did. With this collection can be found a short biography of Karen written by her family, excerpts of which are found below. For all of you who love the great outdoors and, indeed, even for those who look timorously at the surrounding hills and the mountains to the east, please explore this gift to you from a time past. (A portion of the collection is kept in a locked cabinet. Please contact Susan Lundquist in LAO for the key.)
Karen was born November 9, 1945 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She started her interest in books and reading at a very young age and reread her many little books. Trips to the library were one of her special adventures into the world of the unknown. Karen held the position as Head of Cataloging and Book Processing, Technical Service Division, at Washington State University [from 1977 to 1982]. This was probably one of the happiest times in her life; she loved her job, her friends, and her family. She served as a consultant with the Washington Library Network and was also a member of the state, Regional, and National Library Associations. She worked in the Campfire Girls Organization as a leader. Karen had an insatiable hunger for knowledge and found much pleasure between the covers of her books; she was talented in may craft skills, sewing, knitting, crocheting; she had a beautiful organic garden and harvested enough food for her family and several friends. Her interest in camping and all the beauties of nature started when she was about seven, and we as a family spent time in the summer camping. Karen was taken from us December 1st 1982, succumbing to cancer. |
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