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The Phil And Jeannette Schorr Library at the

American Rose Society

Shannan HicksKayla McDonald

LIS 7403 – Spring 2012

ARS – American Rose Society; the national organization that has over 300 affiliates. Located in Shreveport, Louisiana at the Gardens of the American Rose Center.

ARC – The Gardens of the American Rose Center; facility that houses the ARS, a large rose garden featuring 20,000 rose bushes that comprise nearly 400 cultivars of modern and old garden roses.

Rosarian – a person who cultivates roses, either as an amateur or a professional. These are users of the Schorr Library.

IMPORTANT TERMS

The Phil and Jeannette Schorr Library

The Special Library we visited is part of a national organization – The American

Rose Society

The library originated in Columbus, Ohio and moved to Shreveport in 1974

Pictured above: Original label from ARC Library

An important archive held by the library is the Genus Rosa, c. 1914

Selections from Genus Rosa

The staff at the ARS run the library.These wonderful ladies allowed us a look

into an extraordinary library.

From l-r: Beth Smiley, Publications Director; Carol Spiers, Executive Assistant to the Executive Director; Peggy Spivey, Administrative Assistant

American Rose is the official magazine of the

ARS

It is created and

published locally

at the ARC.

Highlights of the library

1,000 volumes

Consists of books, periodicals and memorabilia

Dr. Griffith Buck collection – important hybridization specialist.

Phil and Jeannette Schorr were major donors to the construction of the library.

Built in 2005

No full-time librarian; staff with other duties volunteer.

Highlights, continued

Non-circulating library.

Archived materials and other horticulture materials held at another library at the ARC.

Board members volunteer as librarians.

Serves as a repository for collectors who donate entire collections, or selected items through weeding or largesse.

No line item in budget, funds come from donors and book sales.

Last Words.

Special libraries come in many varieties. The Schorr Library adequately serves its users, who see it as a valuable asset to the the rosarian community.

This unique library has special collections, archives and loaned materials.

This is a true community asset. We are honored to have been able to learn more about it.

Kayla McDonald and Shannan Hicks