Viola “Vi” Harper, the first librarian at the University of South Alabama, has established an endowment to fund the reference area at the USA main library.

Harper began her career at USA when she was hired as the University’s first reference librarian in 1967. She established the University’s first reference collection and played an important role in bringing technology, such as the online catalog system, to the library. After 24 years of service, she retired from USA in 1991.

\In honor of Harper’s long-term dedication to the University, the reference area at the library will be named “The Vi Harper Reference and Collection Area.”

For more information, please contact Angela Dunn, associate director of planned giving, at (251) 460-7906 or adunn@usouthal.edu.