Pat Woodrum
{{Infobox person
| name = Pat Woodrum
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| known_for = Former Executive Director of the Tulsa City-County Library System, executive director of the [http://www.ocbg.org/ Oklahoma Centennial Botanical Garden now known as http://www.tulsabotanic.org/ The Tulsa Botanic Garden] in Tulsa
| birth_name = Patricia Ann Hoffman
| birth_date = October 11th, 1941
| birth_place = Hutchinson, Kansas
| occupation = Librarian
| spouse = Clayton Woodrum
| children = Clayton E Woodrum II
| alma_mater = University of Oklahoma
}}
Pat Woodrum is the former executive director of the Tulsa City-County Library System, a position she served in for 32 years. Since retiring from the library system in 2008, Woodrum has served as the executive director of the Oklahoma Centennial Botanical Garden in Tulsa. Among numerous awards, Woodrum was inducted in the Oklahoma Women's Hall of Fame in 1993.
Early life
Pat Woodrum was born in Hutchinson, Kansas in 1941, the eldest of four children. At the age of twelve, her family moved to Parsons, Kansas. She began working at the Parsons Public Library at age fifteen. Woodrum was married to husband Clayton Woodrum at age twenty, while she was still in college.{{cite web|last1=Hoberock|first1=Barbara|title=Pat Woodrum : The ultimate librarian|url=http://www.tulsaworld.com/archives/pat-woodrum-the-ultimate-librarian/article_d65a2244-38cd-5114-89fd-d2ce68c90bc1.html|publisher=Tulsa World|accessdate=27 July 2015}} She earned her bachelor's degree from Pittsburg State Teacher's College and later a master's degree in library science from the University of Oklahoma.{{cite journal|last1=Nykolaiszyn|first1=Juliana|title=Oral history interview with Pat Woodrum|journal=Inductees of the Oklahoma Women's Hall of Fame Oral History Project|date=July 22, 2008|url=https://cdm17279.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/halloffame/id/102/rec/31|accessdate=1 August 2022}}
Career
Three days after her graduation from OU, Woodrum began working at the Tulsa City-County Library system as a branch librarian. Woodrum served in nearly every position until she became the executive director of the Tulsa City-County Library System in 1976, where she served for 32 years. Woodrum remained active throughout her lengthy career with the library. She was a part of both OLA and ALA activities, serving as president of PLA (1993–1994).{{cite web|title=Pat Woodrum|url=https://www.library.okstate.edu/dean/jpaust/legends/people/woodrum.htm|website=Oklahoma Library Legends|publisher=Oklahoma State University Library|accessdate=27 July 2015|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131008165035/http://www.library.okstate.edu/dean/jpaust/legends/people/woodrum.htm|archivedate=8 October 2013}} Other involvements included:
- State Chairman and delegate to the first White House Conference on Libraries
- LSCA Advisory Council
- Board of Regents Library Advisory Committee
- Chairman of the OU Library School Advisory Committee
- Founder of the Tulsa Area Library Cooperative
Woodrum helped to establish [http://www.tulsadaycenter.org/ Tulsa's Day Center for the Homeless] as an alternative to the usage of public libraries for shelter.{{cite book|title=Poor People and Library Services|date = 16 November 2015|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hWv2NDMA9RoC&q=Pat+Woodrum+oklahoma&pg=PA30|publisher=McFarland|isbn = 9780786484492|accessdate=27 July 2015}} Woodrum was appointed to the first board of the University Center of Tulsa as well as served on the site selection committee and buildings committee for what is now the OSU-Tulsa campus.
At the time of her retirement, Woodrum made a run for State Senate, though she did not win the election.{{cite web|title=State Senate, District 35 Pat Woodrum|url=http://newsok.com/state-senate-district-35-pat-woodrum/article/2547942|publisher=News OK|accessdate=27 July 2015}}
After retiring from the library system, Woodrum went through the OSU Master Gardener Program and helped to create the Centennial Botanical Garden in Tulsa,{{cite web|title=Oklahoma Centennial Botanical Garden Project|url=http://www.incog.org/Community_Economic_Development/commdev_econdev_edafunding_garden.html|publisher=INCOG|accessdate=27 July 2015}} of which she now serves as executive director.{{cite web|last1=Kruse|first1=Missy|title=Lunch With: Pat Woodrum|url=http://www.tulsapeople.com/Tulsa-People/May-2009/Lunch-With-Pat-Woodrum/|publisher=Tulsa People|accessdate=27 July 2015}}
Awards and achievements
Throughout her career, Woodrum has been honored with numerous awards including:
- Oklahoma Women's Hall of Fame (1993)
- OLA Distinguished Service Award{{cite web|title=Distinguished Service Award|url=http://www.oklibs.org/?60PastAwardWinners|publisher=Oklahoma Library Association|accessdate=27 July 2015}}
- OLA Special Meritorious Service Award
- OLA President (1979–1980)
- PLA President (1993–1994)
- OU Library School Outstanding Alumnus
- Tulsa City-County Hall of Fame
- Tulsa Press Club's Headliner Award
- Women in Communications Newsmaker Award
- Leadership Tulsa's Paragon Award
- Pinnacle Award (2010){{cite web|title=2010 Pinnacle Awards Reception|url=https://www.cityoftulsa.org/community-programs/human-rights/commissions/mayor's-commission-on-the-status-of-women/pinnacle-award/pinnacle-award-past-recipients.aspx|publisher=City of Tulsa|accessdate=27 July 2015}}
- First female Senior Warden at Trinity Episcopal Church, Tulsa
- Co-founder Tulsa Botanic Garden
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://library.okstate.edu/search-and-find/collections/digital-collections/oklahoma-womens-hall-of-fame/ Oklahoma Women's Hall of Fame Oral History Project -- OSU Library]
- [http://www.labette.edu/foundation/press/distinguished-alumni-2010.html 2010 Distinguished Alumni Press Release]
- [http://archive.newsok.com/olive/apa/oklahoman/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=DOK%2F1995%2F02%2F23&id=Ar01202&sk=9F5DFFDC "500 Library Books Found" - The Oklahoman]
- [http://archive.newsok.com/olive/apa/oklahoman/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=DOK%2F1979%2F09%2F07&id=Ar05901&sk=D592BA2D "Library Science Due Recognition" - The Oklahoman]
{{Oklahoma Women's Hall of Fame}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Woodrum, Pat}}
Category:People from Hutchinson, Kansas
Category:People from Tulsa, Oklahoma
Category:University of Oklahoma alumni
Category:Pittsburg State University alumni
Category:Librarians from Oklahoma
Category:20th-century American librarians
Category:20th-century American women librarians