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Ardrey retires after 38 years as IU Kokomo Library director
May 2, 2003 | ||||||
KOKOMO, Ind.—A man with a talent for bringing people together and bringing out their best, Dick Ardrey will retire in June after 38 years as director of the Indiana University Kokomo Library. “For many years, Dick’s office was the focal point where much informal business was completed,” recalled Ria Lukes, director of technical services for the Library. “It was not unusual to see the Chancellor in his office having a coffee break with faculty members.” Ardrey has always been “a center of campus stability and a steady friend to all,” according to Professor Emeritus Herbert Miller, Ph.D. “He has stayed ahead of the curve in a rapidly changing discipline. He will be hard to replace, if not impossible.”
“Our library is at the core of what we do at the university—develop the life of the mind,” said Chancellor Ruth Person. “Dick has ensured the success of that endeavor.” A native of Scottsburg, Ardrey earned a bachelor’s degree in education from IU Bloomington in 1961 and a master’s degree in Library Science in 1963. He became director of the IU Kokomo Library in 1965, after working at the IU Bloomington Library. Ardrey said the most important aspect of his and his staff’s jobs has been to “build trust and relationships” with the faculty and administration. “We’re honest. We open up the budget to them.” The result, Ardrey said, is a library collection that supports the campus’ undergraduate mission well, with extensive holdings addressing state education, health, and human services. “It’s a good collection. You can see that by the number of loans [of materials] that we make to other campuses’ libraries.” His proudest contribution to IU Kokomo came in 1995, when Ardrey directed the Library’s move from IU Kokomo’s Main Building to a new structure connected to the Kelley Student Center. “Some $2.2 million in donations for library construction came from IU Kokomo’s service area,” Ardrey said. “This is a generous, giving community.” Ardrey has been “a major driving force in moving the Library into the technology era,” said Garry Hancock, director for circulation, interlibrary loans, and reserves. More importantly, he said, Ardrey truly cares about his employees. “Dick never makes me feel that he is too busy to help.” “He hires competent people and then lets them do their jobs,” said Reference Librarian Gail MacKay of Ardrey. “He believes in his staff.” President of the Faculty Senate and Professor of Accounting Marilyn Kintzele appreciates Ardrey’s strong service commitment to the campus. Co-chairing the search for the School of Business dean, Ardrey “demonstrated his leadership and diplomatic skills as it got down to a close call between the two finalists,” Kintzele said. “His work on the Faculty Senate’s Admissions Committee was instrumental to IU Kokomo revising its admissions standards in 2002.” Ardrey “could be a good politician” agreed Walt Baker, former supervisor of the Library’s audio-visual department. “In the words of a former Chancellor, ‘It would be wise to listen to Dick when planning, as he keeps his ear to the ground and is very knowledgeable in the academic field.’ ” Although Baker joked that Ardrey, his boss for 22 years, “came to IU Kokomo with the floor plans,” he also called Ardrey “the type of person whom you will never forget. He helps a person out any way he can.”
Julie Diesman, coordinator of campus Career Services, also calls Ardrey a friend and professional mentor. “I can count on good, honest information from him,” she said. “His self-depreciating manner makes him very approachable. I don't think he realizes how much we will all miss him when he retires.”
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