A collection of children’s literature was donated to the California State University, Stanislaus Library in 2011. According to Annie Hor, Interim Dean of Library Services, this was the personal library of Dr. Armin Schultz, Professor Emeritus of Teacher Education and Inaugural Director of the John Stuart Rogers Faculty Development Center at CSU Stanislaus.
Dr. Schultz retired in 2008 and his family generously donated his collection of literature in July of 2011 after his death in April 30, 2011.
Hor indicates Dr. Schultz was known for his many achievements: he was the President of the California Reading Association, a recipient of the statewide Marcus Foster Memorial Reading Award, honoring both service and scholarship to the state and the recipient of the California Association of Teachers of English “Classroom Excellence Award.” He was named CSU Stanislaus “Outstanding Professor of the Year in 2003.”
A reception was held on Friday, Sept. 21, to honor Dr. Schultz and display his children’s literature collection. The 3,145 titles comprising the children’s literature collection is a gallery of diversity that includes books ranging from biographies to math and science to fairytales.
Maryann Hight, Librarian at CSU Stanislaus said, “So now we don’t just have a great collection, we have a fabulous collection. We have diversity. We have poetry.”
Many of Dr. Shultz’s friends, relatives and colleagues attended the reception and all praised him for his excellence. The reception’s opening speech was given by close colleague Dr. Susan Neufeld from Office Education.
“This book collection is just another way he found joy and he has brought that joy to the rest of us,” she said. “The collection is his legacy to all of us: to the students of this university, to the children of the Central Valley, and to many teachers whose lives he touched and shared the gift of literature.”
Books that were duplicates of those already in the library’s current collection were sold after the reception. The proceeds from the book sale will establish the Armin Schultz Children’s Book Fund.