Crystal E. McNally

is honored with a Brick from Barbara Baker, Margaret Deaver, Toni Dreiling, Annette Glover, Nina Gunter, Dale Hancock, Sally Hayes, Rebah Hubbard, Frances McCalla, Judith Mielke, Rhita Muci, Mel Schroeder, Idell Shaver, Helen White, Norma Williams, and Carol Wilson.

Crystal Elaine McNally was born on a farm in Hiattville, Kansas, September 23, 1914. Her early experience with books led quickly to a love of life and to an interest in libraries. She graduated from Kansas State University with a B.S. degree in Entomology. For a while she taught general science and agriculture in Bucklin, Kansas. She received her library certification from the University of Denver and a Master's degree in Library Science from Columbia University in New York.

Crystal's personal and professional efforts brought her into daily contact with students and adults of all ages. She has life memberships in a number of professional organizations and is still active in many, including the American Library Association, the William Allen White Book Selection Committee and the Newbery-Caldecott Committee.

Crystal retired as Director of Library Media Services for the Wichita Public Schools in 1985, having served in that capacity since 1947. Under her direction, the library program flourished and she brought the Wichita school libraries into the age of automation. In honor of her service to school libraries, The Crystal McNally Fund for Literary Appreciation (The Legacy of Success) was established at her retirement. For a number of years, contributions to that fund allowed the managing committee to bring many outstanding authors and illustrators to Wichita to visit schools and talk to interested community groups as well.

Crystal is a member of the Citizen-Ambassador Program established by President Dwight Eisenhower to assist countries who requested help establishing library programs. She was selected to go to China, Austria, the Scandinavian countries, India, Nepal, Tibet, South Africa, Iceland, Canada, East and West Germany, and Russia. She was asked to assist in planning the Bush Presidential Library in Texas. With a book in her hand, a story on her lips, a smile on her face and sparkling hope in her eyes, Crystal exemplifies the librarian extraordinare.

We the undersigned are pleased to have been a part of the outstanding library program that Crystal created, and we salute her for her contributions to the education of Wichita's children: Barbara Baker, Margaret Deaver, Toni Dreiling, Annette Glover, Nina Gunter, Dale Hancock, Sally Hayes, Rebah Hubbard, Frances McCalla, Judith Mielke, Rhita Muci, Mel Schroeder, Idell Shaver, Helen White, Norma Williams, and Carol Wilson.

September 5, 1998