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Robert M. Bird Society - Friends of the OUHSC Library: Home

Society for the endowment of the Library.

ABOUT THE SOCIETY

History

Dr. Robert Montgomery Bird was a remarkable physician, scholar, scientist and teacher who touched countless lives during his 24 years at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine.

Portrait of Robert M. Bird

During his tenure at OU, which began in 1952, Dr. Bird served as a professor and vice-chairman of the Department of Medicine, for which he was later named acting chair. From 1965-70, he served as chief of the Section of Hematology, as well as the College of Medicine’s associate dean for planning and development. He produced many grant proposals for physical facilities on campus, including the library building that would be named for him.

Dr. Bird was awarded the Regents Award for Superior Teaching in 1969 and continued to teach after he was appointed dean of the College of Medicine in 1970. In December 1974, Dr. Bird accepted a position as director of the Lister Hill National Center for Biomedical Communications, a division of the National Library of Medicine, in Bethesda, Maryland. He died December 30, 1976.

The Bird Society

Alumni support of The Robert M. Bird Society is crucial for the continued success and role of the library. Students, faculty, staff and the public take advantage of the library’s numerous resources each day. Those wishing to formally honor the memory of Dr. Bird are encouraged to become Friends of the Robert M. Bird Library by pledging $3,000 or $1,000 a year for 3 years to the Robert M. Bird Society endowment fund. The goals of the society are to foster the ideals Dr. Bird promoted and to assist the library in the acquisition of books, technology and other unmet needs. 

The Bird Library represents the noble tradition of the health sciences in Oklahoma and contains much of its history. We are eager to welcome new members to help us continue building traditions in the manner that Dr. Bird envisioned. Please join us in our efforts.

If you would like to donate to the library, please visit:  

https://www.oufoundation.org/OnlineGivingWeb/Giving/OnlineGiving/Bird