University Library News Release

Date: October 12, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Jeanette Smith, NMSU Library, (505) 646-7492, jcsmith@lib.nmsu.edu

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Caroline E. Stras Research Room to be Dedicated October 19

The New Mexico State University Library announces the grand-reopening and naming event for the Caroline E. Stras Research Room, formerly the Library's Archives & Special Collections Research Room. The dedication will be held on Friday, October 19, from 4 to 6 p.m. on the fourth floor of Branson Library.

This event will celebrate the legacy of Caroline E. Stras of El Paso, who retired in 1978 as the Senior Vice President of Operations at the Bank of El Paso. A presentation on Stras will be followed by a wine and cheese reception.

Caroline E. Stras was the daughter of Jouett Fall Elliott and Brant Elliott and the granddaughter of Albert B. Fall. As the first woman vice president of a bank in El Paso, beginning in the late 1950s, in many ways she broke down gender barriers in the banking industry.

In November 2005, Edward, Jo Ann and Judith Sears created the Caroline E. Stras Endowed Fund for the New Mexico State University Library. Income from the endowment will be used to support the acquisition and preservation of collections in women's studies at the NMSU Library in honor of the achievements of Stras.

For more information, please contact the Archives and Special Collections staff at (575) 646-3839.

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