Mary Larson

Professor and Head, Oklahoma Oral History Research Program
& Doris Neustadt Professor of Library Service

Contact Information:

207 A Edmon Low Library
Oklahoma State University
Stillwater, OK 74078
Phone: 405.744.6588
E-Mail: mary.larson@okstate.edu

About Mary:

Mary joined the OOHRP staff in July 2009 and has been conducting oral histories for more than twenty years, having previously worked with the programs at two other land-grant institutions—the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the University of Nevada, Reno. She holds an MA and PhD in anthropology from Brown University, where her specialty was ethnohistory. She has served in various capacities with the national Oral History Association, most recently being elected as First Vice-President of the organization.

At OSU, Mary is part of the leadership team for the Center for Oklahoma Studies, along with Ron McCoy (History) and Dennis Preston (English). Her recent oral history interviews include series on the 1957 anthrax outbreak in Oklahoma and on OSU's establishment of an agricultural university and experimental farms in Ethiopia, and she has been developing projects on Willham House (the university president's residence) and on women's athletics at OSU. Along with other members of the OSU Library, she has also been collaborating with the Cherokee Nation on upcoming efforts. Beyond topical studies, her research has centered on evolving technology and ethical concerns in oral history and the utilization of new media formats for accessibility.