A love of books, teaching

Herman Totten always dreamed of being just like Emerene Carter Moore.

Moore was the local librarian in Langston, Okla., the small rural community where Totten grew up, and she became a second mother to Totten. During a time of segregated schools and substandard education for black children, Moore began an intensive reading program that successfully guided black children like Totten from elementary school to high school graduation.

"She was something else," Totten says. "She never settled for anything less than the best from us. There were 75 of us youngsters, and she knew all of our mothers and fathers. She watched over us like a hawk."

Totten says his determination and love of books and teaching were nurtured by Moore. Now, after 23 years at UNT, the Regents Professor and associate dean of the School of Library and Information Sciences still tries, every day, to inspire his students the way that Moore inspired him.

"She was an unsung heroine," Totten says. "And I still keep telling myself, 'I'm gonna be like Emerene some day.'"

Whether he's teaching the first library science course at the UNT System Center at Dallas or reaching students as far away as Minnesota via the Internet, Totten strives to make a difference in the lives of his students. He manages many of UNT's distance learning courses, and arranges the course schedules for the library school.

But his greatest love is the actual act of teaching.

"What amazes me is being able to reach into the lives of so many people so far away," Totten says. "It's no longer just making the difference for young students here at UNT, but it's reaching out to people — like the mother I talked to a few weeks ago in Houston who was taking a course over the Internet. Before the Internet, she could never balance going back to school and spending time with her family."

Totten's love of teaching has not been limited to library science. An accomplished musician who plays the violin, cello, trombone and piano, he has given instrumental music lesson and served as choir director for a local high school.

One of the greatest gifts Moore imparted to Totten is the love of books. Today, Totten owns nearly 5,000 — almost enough to legally declare his home a state-funded library.

Every birthday and holiday, he shares Moore's gift with his friends and family, who all know to expect a good read as a present.

BY RUFUS COLEMAN rcoleman@unt.edu

Other featured articles in this issue:

• Raises, technology priorities in operating budget
• Regents study future structure of UNT system
• Building university's computers on campus increases quality, savings
• 12 schools use UNT Coliseum for commencement exercises
• e-Texas meets at System Center
• New planetarium show focuses on cells
• Kappelman to direct information systems center
• UNT creates Jewish studies minor
• Final answer: Hoerschelmann researches game shows
• Davison named manager of bookstore
• National track meet planned

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