{{short description|American librarian }} {{Infobox person | name = Susan Brynteson | image = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = Susan Shafer Dieckmann | birth_date = February 18, 1936 | birth_place = Huntington, West Virginia, U.S. | death_date = May 26, 2025 | death_place = | other_names = | occupation = Academic librarian | years_active = | known_for = Head of the University of Delaware Library | notable_works = | spouse(s) = | relatives = }}
'''Susan Shafer Dieckmann Brynteson''' (February 18, 1936 – May 26, 2025) was an American librarian. She was head of the University of Delaware Library for over 35 years, and was librarian at the Yaddo arts community for many years.
==Early life and education== Dieckmann was born in Huntington, West Virginia and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, the daughter of Shafer O. Dieckmann and Alpha Dieckmann.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1985-01-18 |title=Shafer O. Dieckmann |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-cincinnati-post-shafer-o-dieckmann/188029492/ |access-date=2026-01-02 |work=The Cincinnati Post |pages=10 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> She graduated from Western Hills High School, and earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy and a master's degree in library science from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.<ref name=":0" /> In college she was a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |date=1958-09-07 |title=Dieckmann Marriage Announced |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/wisconsin-state-journal-dieckmann-marria/188029251/ |access-date=2026-01-02 |work=Wisconsin State Journal |pages=58 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> ==Career== After working in several university libraries as a young woman,<ref>{{Cite news |date=1977-02-20 |title=Two library appointments announced |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-herald-times-two-library-appointment/188027782/ |access-date=2026-01-02 |work=The Herald-Times |pages=10 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Brynteson became director of the University of Delaware Library in 1980. She was named May Morris University Librarian in 2001, and became Vice Provost for Libraries in 2008. She oversaw the library's physical expansion<ref>{{Cite news |last=Grant |first=Tom |date=1986-09-04 |title=Work on UD library nearly finished |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-morning-news-work-on-ud-library-near/188027907/ |access-date=2026-01-02 |work=The Morning News |pages=70 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> and significant technological upgrades in the 1980s and 1990s,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Wallick |first=Merritt |date=1988-12-14 |title=UD library is at your fingertips |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-morning-news-ud-library-is-at-your-f/188027544/ |access-date=2026-01-02 |work=The Morning News |pages=28 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Smith |first=Cynthia |date=1986-10-07 |title=Files that purr; UD introduces DELCAT computer catalog system |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-morning-news-files-that-purr-ud-int/188028348/ |access-date=2026-01-02 |work=The Morning News |pages=1 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> and its acquisition of important collections,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Darnell |first=Michele |date=1991-02-28 |title=Landscape architect's papers donated to UD |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-journal-landscape-architects-p/188028739/ |access-date=2026-01-02 |work=The News Journal |pages=50 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> including the papers of Joe Biden<ref>{{Cite news |last=Quinn |first=Erin |date=2012-06-18 |title=Biden papers delivered to University of Delaware library |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-cecil-whig-biden-papers-delivered-to/188029015/ |access-date=2026-01-02 |work=The Cecil Whig |pages=5 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> and Paul Laurence Dunbar.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Humphrey |first=Theresa |date=1985-02-11 |title=Delaware Gets Dunbar Letters |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-times-delaware-gets-dunbar-let/188027376/ |access-date=2026-01-02 |work=The Daily Times |pages=3 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> She retired with emerita status in 2015,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Library leadership |url=http://www.udel.edu/udaily/2015/jun/brynteson-062515.html |date=June 25, 2015 |access-date=2026-01-02 |website=UDaily |archive-date=2025-06-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250604014207/https://www1.udel.edu/udaily/2015/jun/brynteson-062515.html |url-status=live }}</ref> and received the university's Medal of Distinction for her contributions.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 3, 2025 |title=In Memoriam: Susan Brynteson |url=https://www.udel.edu/udaily/2025/june/in-memoriam-susan-brynteson/ |access-date=2026-01-02 |website=UDaily |language=en |archive-date=2025-07-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250723091822/https://www.udel.edu/udaily/2025/june/in-memoriam-susan-brynteson/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
Brynteson was a volunteer librarian for the Yaddo arts community for many years, and served on the community's board of directors.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2025-05-27 |title=Susan Shafer (Dieckmann) Brynteson |url=https://rtfoard.com/obituary/susan-shafer-dieckmann-brynteson/ |access-date=2026-01-02 |website=RTFoard |language=en-US |archive-date=2025-10-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251014202624/https://rtfoard.com/obituary/susan-shafer-dieckmann-brynteson/ |url-status=live }}</ref> She was active at the national level in the American Library Association, as a member of the ALA Council, chair of the ALA Publishing Committee and chair of the ALA Legislative Committee. She served on the advisory board of the National Security Archive.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Governance |url=https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/about/governance |access-date=2026-01-02 |website=National Security Archive}}</ref> She was president of the Association for Library Collections and Technical Services.<ref name=":2">[https://web.archive.org/web/20080512005730/http://yaddo.org/yaddo/BryntesonHagen.shtml "Yaddo Elects Librarian Susan Brynteson and Composer Daron Hagen Lifetime Members"] ''Yaddo'' (September 25, 2006).</ref> In 2000 she was named to the ALA's National Advocacy Honor Roll.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Billington |first=Mike |date=2000-07-18 |title=Del. lengthens library honor roll |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-journal-del-lengthens-library/188027072/ |access-date=2026-01-02 |work=The News Journal |pages=2 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> She was elected a lifetime member of the Yaddo community in 2006.<ref name=":2" />
==Publications== * ''Ask Me about DELCAT: A Self-Paced Workbook to DELCAT Technical Services'' (with Kirstin Antelman)<ref>{{Cite report |url=https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED337173 |title=Ask Me about DELCAT: A Self-Paced Workbook to DELCAT Technical Services. 3rd Edition |last=Antelman |first=Kirstin |last2=Brynteson |first2=Susan |date=1990 |language=en}}</ref> * ''Treasures of the University of Delaware Library: A Catalog and Exhibit'' (1986, with Alice D. Schreyer)<ref>Brynteson, Susan, and Alice D. Schreyer. ''Treasures of the University of Delaware Library: A Catalog and Exhibit''. The University, 1986.</ref> * ''The Two-millionth Volume: In Celebration'' (1992, with James O. Freedman)<ref>Freedman, James O., and Susan Brynteson. ''The Two-millionth Volume: In Celebration''. University of Delaware Library Associates, 1992.</ref> * ''Hugh MacDiarmid: An Exhibition Celebrating the Centenary of His Birth'' (1992, with A. N. Bold and T. Murray)<ref>Brynteson, Susan, Alan Norman Bold, and Timothy Murray. ''Hugh MacDiarmid: An Exhibition Celebrating the Centenary of His Birth: Hugh M. Morris Library, Special Collections Department, August 13-December 18, 1992''. University of Delaware Library, 1992.</ref> * ''Ernest Hemingway in His Time: An Exhibition'' (1995)<ref>University of Delaware. Library, and Susan Brynteson. ''Ernest Hemingway in His Time: An Exhibition: August 25-December 16, 1995, University of Delaware Library, Newark, Delaware.'' University of Delaware Library, 1995.</ref> * ''Self Works: Diaries, Scrapbooks, and Other Autobiographical Efforts: Catalog of an Exhibition'' (1997, with L. R. J. Melvin)<ref>Brynteson, Susan, and L. Rebecca Johnson Melvin. ''Self Works: Diaries, Scrapbooks, and Other Autobiographical Efforts: Catalog of an Exhibition, August 19, 1997-December 18, 1997: Guide to Selected Sources''. Special Collections, Hugh M. Morris Library, University of Delaware Library, 1997.</ref> * ''Paul Bowles, 1910-1999: Catalog of an Exhibition'' (2000, with David P. Roselle, V. S. Carr, T. Murray, and L. R. J. Melvin)<ref>Roselle, David P., Susan Brynteson, Virginia Spencer Carr, Timothy Murray, and L. Rebecca Johnson Melvin. ''Paul Bowles, 1910-1999: Catalog of an Exhibition August 22, 2000-December 15, 2000: Special Collections, Hugh M. Morris Library''. University of Delaware Library, 2000.</ref> * ''Ezra Pound in His Time and Beyond: The Influence of Ezra Pound on Twentieth-century Poetry: a Catalog of an Exhibition'' (2006, with D. P. Roselle, D. Rich, and J. Rossa)<ref>University of Delaware. Library. Special Collections, David P. Roselle, Daniel Rich, Susan Brynteson, and Jesse Rossa. ''Ezra Pound in His Time and Beyond: The Influence of Ezra Pound on Twentieth-century Poetry: a Catalog of an Exhibition: Special Collections, Hugh M. Morris Library by Jesse Rossa''. University of Delaware Library, 2006.</ref>
==Personal life== Susan Dieckmann married historian William Everett Brynteson in Wisconsin in 1958; they later divorced.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=1984-11-06 |title=Skidmore professor to deliver annual faculty lecture |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-post-star-skidmore-professor-to-deli/188029782/ |access-date=2026-01-02 |work=The Post-Star |pages=11 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> She died in 2025, at the age of 89.<ref>{{Cite web |title=In Memoriam |website=Delaware Library Association |url=https://dla.lib.de.us/in-memoriam/ |access-date=2026-01-02 |language=en-us |archive-date=2025-10-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251014003526/https://dla.lib.de.us/in-memoriam/ |url-status=live }}</ref> ==References== {{reflist}}
{{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Brynteson, Susan }} Category:1936 births Category:2025 deaths Category:People from Huntington, West Virginia Category:University of Wisconsin–Madison alumni Category:University of Delaware faculty Category:American librarians