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Friends of the UNCG Libraries Elect New Officers



The Friends of the UNCG Libraries elected new officers at their recent annual meeting, which featured Nikki Giovanni providing “An Evening of Poetry, Love, and Enlightenment.” Outgoing chair Billie Durham served as master of ceremonies at the event, attended by 332 members and other attendees.  Funds raised at the dinner support the University Libraries.

The new Chair of the Friends is Dr. Karl Schleunes of Greensboro, Professor Emeritus of History at UNCG, where he specialized in Modern German History and the Holocaust.  Schleunes taught for 45 years, including 39 years at UNCG.  Major publications include The Twisted Road to Auschwitz: Nazi Policy toward German Jews, 1933-1939 and Legislating the Holocaust: The Bernhard Loesener Memoirs.  An avid library user and supporter, Schleunes is also a collector of travel accounts by American travelers to the Holy Land (Palestine) during the 19th century and the early 20th century (up to 1948).  He is married to the Brenda Schleunes, Founder and Director of the Touring Theatre of North Carolina.  They have one daughter and two grandchildren.  Schleunes notes that he has been a denizen of UNCG’s Jackson Library since the tower went up in 1973, and can often be found there working in his faculty study on the 8th floor.


The new Vice-Chair/Chair Elect is Camille Payton of Greensboro.  Payton has been practicing law since 1993. A native of Kinston, North Carolina, she graduated from UNC Chapel Hill and the University of Texas before practicing law in Greensboro. Payton has extensive trial experience and practices in the areas of workers' compensation and personal injury.

Newly elected to the Board for three year terms were Jud Franklin, Elizabeth Hudson, Afrique Kilimanjaro  and Mary Ellen Shiflett of Greensboro and Joyce Traver of Brown Summit.  Re-elected to a second term were Billie Durham of Asheboro and Camille Payton of Greensboro.  

For a full list of Board members, see here.

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