Edmon Low

Edmon Low (January 4, 1902 – December 2, 1983) was the head librarian of the Oklahoma State University Library from 1940–1967. His service in this position is the longest to date. During his time at Oklahoma State, Low was strongly involved with the construction of the present Edmon Low Library building, the main library of the Oklahoma State University System, named after his contributions to the university. Low was instrumental in having the library staff elevated to faculty status at OSU. One of Low's more notable contributions to the library system was his development of the open stack approach in library service.

Early life Edmon Low was born in 1902, before Oklahoma had been granted statehood, to Foster Lafayette Low & Katherine Horton Low in Kiowa Indian Territory. He had one brother, Lee, and graduated from high school in 1920 in Tishomingo, OK. Upon graduation from high school, Low worked at a bank for a short time before enrolling at East Central State College in Ada, OK. After his retirement at OSU in 1967, Low returned to University of Michigan where he taught full-time for several more years. After his retirement from Michigan, Low and his wife moved to head the library at New College of Florida in Sarasota, FL. After WWII, Quonset huts were erected to house certain parts of library collections as well as provide study space for 500 students.

Low's changes to library system Low was instrumental in many changes to the library system. He is most well known for pioneering the open stack concept, one that he put into use at Oklahoma State. Low died in 1983 in Tulsa, OK and is buried in Stillwater, OK.