Anne Frank in the Southeast Asian Archive

It was truly the end of an era when Southeast Asian Archive Librarian Anne Frank retired in June of 2007. Anne distinguished herself in many ways during her 40 years of work at the UCI Libraries. She began as a serials cataloger, spent many years in Langson Reference, and, nearly twenty years ago, began to build what has become UCI’s nationally renowned Southeast Asian Archive. What started in her filing cabinet 20 years ago has grown to more than 3,000 volumes and hundreds of feet of archival material. The Archive is nationally know for preserving the history and culture of the new ethnic communities that have arisen as a result of the post-Vietnam War diaspora from Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam.

One of the many reasons for the Archive’s success is that Anne worked diligently to build strong bonds with the local Southeast Asian American community. She received numerous honors from organizations local and beyond, perhaps the most notable of which is the Distinguished Lifetime Service Award she received from the Association of Asian American Studies two years ago. Anne’s legacy, this wonderful Archive, will long stand as testimony to her talents and dedication. Her many colleagues and admirers at UCI and elsewhere know her exceptional dedication to both the Archive and the communities whose stories the Archive seeks to tell. Anne’s legacy, this wonderful Archive, will long stand as testimony to her talents and dedication.

Research Librarian Christina Woo has been temporarily assigned to the Archive to provide research assistance to faculty and students, until a permanent replacement for Anne is found.