Erickson’s work on UNLV library to be remembered

Thursday, Nov. 16, 2000 | 10:06 a.m.

Hal Erickson was a librarian who believed his job was more than just telling a client where a book was located.

His hands-on approach included teaching UNLV students and others how to properly research documents so they could identify what they needed to complete their projects.

"Hal made me recognize in myself a sense of responsibility for collecting, preserving and presenting research materials for the future," said Southern Nevada historian Dennis McBride, who received from Erickson guidance that helped him co-author his first book "Boulder City: Passages in Time."

"I had done research before that, but after meeting Hal I actually began to understand how to approach it professionally."

Harold H.J. Erickson, who in a quarter of a century as UNLV's librarian established the school's Special Collections Department and founded the library's endowment fund, died Monday at Valley Hospital of complications from diabetes. He was 69.

No services are scheduled for the Las Vegas resident of 35 years. Palm Mortuary-Jones handled the arrangements.

"When I was an undergraduate student at UNLV, Hal was so helpful," state Sen. Bob Coffin, D-Las Vegas, a longtime friend, said. "Instead of pointing you to a particular part of the library, he would walk you there. He was especially helpful to students around finals time, helping us find what we needed, which eased the stress."

As a legislator, Coffin had regular contact with Erickson, who lobbied for the UNLV library to get its fair share of funds.

The development of the Special Collections Department probably is the accomplishment for which Erickson will be most remembered.

"UNLV's Special Collections is known throughout the world for its gaming and history archives and today serves as a resource for filmmakers, journalists, historians and businessmen as well as UNLV students and faculty," McBride said.

Coffin noted that there are only two such repositories in Las Vegas, the other being the Nevada State Historical Society's Nevada State Museum.

"Hal never viewed the many donations -- even the materials that were duplicates -- as burdensome because he knew every now and then something would come in that was unique and exciting," Coffin said. "He looked upon his task as a joy."

Born Oct. 22, 1931, in Dollar Bay, Mich., Erickson was a graduate of Syracuse University who served in the Army during the Korean War.

He came to Las Vegas in 1965 to work as librarian for what was then Nevada Southern University, which later became the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

During the next 25 years at UNLV, the James R. Dickinson Library under Erickson's guidance grew to six times its original size. Much of that success resulted from his hard work and devotion to reach out to the community during the library's infancy.

"Those early years were a joy," Erickson said in the Summer 1991 issue of the University Library Society's Library Advocate newsletter. "The thing that impressed me was the tremendous support the community gave to the library. They all had a burning desire to see the university succeed."

In 1969 Erickson started the UNLV library endowment fund with $1,000 in donations he received in memory of Al Cahlan, former editor of the Las Vegas Review-Journal who at the time of his death was a columnist for the Sun. Today the fund's estimated worth is $2 million.

Erickson became director of library development in 1981 and retired in 1990.

In his spare time, Erickson was an avid stamp collector, whose collection included U.S. and foreign postage stamps and first-day covers. He also was a gourmet cook, who, at parties thrown at his home, wrote on a blackboard what he would be serving so his guests could peruse it as though they were at the entrance of a fine restaurant.

Erickson was a member of the American Library Association, the Women's Historical Society of Nevada and the American Food Servers and Caterers Association.

Erickson is survived by his companion of 34 years Hans Ring, and a brother, Robert Erickson of Bloomington, Ill.

The family requests donations to the American Diabetes Association.