Byers, Edna Hanley (1901-1972)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1972 Mar 9 p. 6

Birth date: 1901

text of obituary:

Retired Librarian Dies in Georgia

Bluffton, Ohio. — Word was received here that Edna Hanley Byers, 71, former librarian at Bluffton College and widow of the late Dr. Noah E. Byers, died Feb. 16 at Decatur, Ga.

Mrs. Byers graduated from Bluffton College in 1923, after which she served as secretary to the president. She later attended the University of Michigan where she received a degree in library science in 1927. She was librarian at Bluffton College from 1927 to 1932, and at Agnes Scott College in Decatur from 1932 until her retirement in 1969.

Dr. Byers was a long-time academic dean and faculty member at Bluffton. He died at Decatur in 1962. Mrs. Byers was a friends of the late poet, Robert Frost.

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Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1972 Mar 30 p. 5

text of obituary:

Librarian Was Friend of Poet Robert Frost

Mrs. Edna Hanley Byers, long-time librarian at Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Ga. whose death on Feb. 17 was reported in a recent issue of the Review, achieved considerable prominence as a librarian and as a collector of the works and memorabilia of the well-known poet, Robert Frost.

Through the courtesy of Mrs. Emma Bachman, who was Mrs. Byers' companion during the last six months of her life, the Review received a copy of "The Profile," Agnes Scott College paper, containing a front page feature on the contribution of Mrs. Byers. The article says she was one of the most important figures in Scott's history.

A graduate of Bluffton College and librarian there from 1927 to 1932, Mrs. Byers served as head librarian at Agnes Scott, a small woman's college, for 37 years. When she came to Scott in 1932 the college had only a small library. Having studied under the originator of library building studies, she helped design the new McCain Library which opened in 1937. By the time of her retirement in 1969 the library contained 115,000 volumes and subscribe to more than 600 periodicals.

Mrs. Byers later wrote a book, "College and University Library Buildings," and served as consultant to several colleges in their library building projects. She was listed in "Who's Who in America and was a Carnegie Fellow.

Mrs. Byers established the Robert Frost and Scott Memorabilia collections located in the second floor of the McCain Library. The Frost collection is considered one of the best in the country and includes a number of keepsakes and collectors items resulting from Mrs. Byers' long friendship with the late poet. Before his death in 1963, he made 20 visits to the Scott campus, and referred to Mrs. Byers as "my faithful friend and indefatigable collector."

Mrs. Byers was the widow of Dr. N. E. Byers, long-time dean and professor at Bluffton College, who died at Decatur in 1962.