I was the lone person on duty in Folklife this past Saturday, and before I could get really involved in one of my many projects, I got a phone call. I was able to answer the woman's question pretty easily, but she offered up more information than needed, as folks tend to do. She was calling from Connecticut, but had a local connection other than her cell phone's 518 area code. She wondered if by any chance I had worked with her cousin. I informed her that I had not, since I have only worked here for nine years. But, I told her, I know of your cousin, because our research room is named in his honor. This, she had not known, and was very touched by the sentiment.
If she didn't know, then I bet others don't know either. So, I went down a little bit of a rabbit hole to write a biography for the man who helped shape our archives and special collections. The man behind "The Albert W. Fowler Research Center".
Albert ‘Bert’ Wose Fowler was born in Syracuse, NY on June 6, 1940 to writers Helen Wose and Albert Vann Fowler.
He graduated from Haverford College (PA) in 1962, earned his MLS from Syracuse University (NY) and a master’s in history from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA.
Professionally, Albert was archivist in The Peace Collection of Quaker history at Swarthmore College (PA), was a librarian and taught Library Science for the University of Alaska in Fairbanks, and worked with special collections for the Adirondack Museum at Blue Mountain Lake (now Adirondack Experience) in Saranac Lake, NY. For almost twelve years, he was a reference librarian and then archivist with the Folklife Center at Crandall Public Library in Glens Falls, NY. His hard work and dedication to cataloging, describing and creating finding aids for the archives and special collection garnered the Library a 2001 New York State Archives award for Program Excellence in a Historical Records Repository. He also volunteered with the Warren County Historical Society (NY)., and helped research scripts for the Chapman Museum's annual cemetery tours.
In 1990, Albert married Anna Smith. The couple had one son, Benjamin, born while they were living in Fairbanks, AK.
Albert enjoyed gardening, walking, cross-country skiing, reading, and writing, contributing three autobiographical sketches in the book Crandall Voices.
Raised a Quaker, Albert was active in the Peace Movement, The American Friends' Service Committee and the Civil Rights Movement, and was a conscientious objector during the Vietnam War. Later he joined the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Glens Falls, NY and was active in ministry and the on the Peace Center Task Force.
Albert died on Saturday, January 27, 2007 at Glens Falls Hospital (NY) and is buried in Cranberry Lake Cemetery (NY). In an article in the Post-Star published shortly after his death, Albert was remembered by colleagues and researchers as a kind, thoughtful and peaceful man. The reading room in the Folklife Center at Crandall Public Library was named “The Albert W. Fowler Research Center” in 2008.
"Before you got an answer, you knew there was a lot of thought that went into it." -Bruce Cole
If you have a memory about Albert, please share it in the comments.
Sources
Post-Star. “Albert Wose Fowler.” Post-Star, The (Glens Falls, NY), January 28, 2007, p.10.
Thompson, Maury. “Archivist remembered for his work and wisdom.” Post-Star, The (Glens Falls, NY), January 31, 2007, p.7,12.
Tisha Dolton is Public Historian/Librarian at The Folklife Center at Crandall Public Library in Glens Falls, NY. Her areas of interest are suffrage music, suffragists of Warren and Washington Counties, local women and minority populations, and embroidery.
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