Horner Fellowship

Purpose

The purpose of the Horner Fellowship Committee is to oversee the administration of the Horner Fellowship, in cooperation with the AzLA President and Executive Board, and the International Relations Committee of Japan Library Association to facilitate reciprocal exchanges.

History

The Horner Fellowship is endowed through the generosity of the late Dr. Layton "Jack" Horner and his wife Marian. Under the auspices of the Arizona Library Association, this unique Fellowship was created in 1989 to foster cultural understanding and to facilitate informational exchanges between Arizona and Japanese librarians. In 1999 Arizona Library Association (AzLA) and Japan Library Association (JLA) entered into an informal reciprocal exchange agreement.

Layton Horner's life-long-interest in Japan and his respect and affinity for the Japanese people began while earning his Master's degree at Yale Divinity School (1938). There he met Saburo Matsuyama of Kyoto, Japan his roommate and lifelong friend. From 1947 to 1949 Mr. Horner was assigned to the combined civilian and U.S. Shizuoka Military Government Team as chief Civil Education and Information Officer. His task was to assist in reorganizing the education system. An interesting outcome of this sojourn was an English Study reader written by Dr. Horner and Professor Inamura entitled, "Jack and Betty". Later in life Dr. Jack Horner became a Professor of Japanese History and Culture and wrote two insightful books concerning Japanese and American culture, "The Japanese and the Americans" and "On Both Sides of the Pacific".

Throughout their lives Jack and Marian Horner visited Japan over twenty times, hosted Japanese friends, colleagues and students and promoted understanding and cultural exchanges between the two countries. The Horners lived a simple life-style and took great pleasure in helping others. Long will they be remembered as benefactors of libraries, and librarians through the magnificent gift of the Horner Fellowship Exchange Endowment.

AzLA/JLA Agreement

AzLA and JLA Sign an Official Horner Fellowship Reciprocal Exchange Agreement

Through the dedication and hard work of many librarians ‘On Both Sides of the Pacific’, what began as informal exchanges among individuals in 1989 evolved into formal relationship between Arizona Library Association and Japan Library Association. On September 18, 2008, AzLA President, Angie Creel-Erb, and JLA Chairman, Shiomi Noboru, formalized an official reciprocal exchange agreement.

A special thank you must go to Professor Tsutomu Shihota (St. Andrew’s University Osaka), Katsuko Hotelling (retired Arizona State University librarian), Hitoshi Kamada (University of Arizona librarian), Toru Koizumi, Professor Yoriko Miyabe, and Taro Miura (past and present JLA International Relations Committee chairs). Because of their commitment, it is now possible for AzLA and JLA to sponsor the kind of exchanges envisioned by Dr. and Mrs. Layton “Jack” Horner. To each of you we say, 本当にありがとう --Thank you very much.

AzLA President, Angie Creel-Erb, and JLA Chairman, Shiomi Noboru, formalizing and official reciprocal exchange agreement.

Tributes