S2 Ep2018: ONE PLACE, MANY VOICES Deb Carson with Gerald Notaro, USF St. Pete Librarian Emeritus

(Airs 5/19 1:10 pm) In this episode of One Place, Many Voices - Pinellas County, series Deb Carson talks with Gerald Notaro, USF St. Pete librarian emeritus about USF, Historic Kenwood (he launched the organization) and the history of gay life in St. Petersburg.Gerald A. Notaro, April 24 Interview by Deb CarsonABOUT GERALD NOTARO By the time Buffalo, New York native Gerald “Jerry” Notaro found his way to PinellasCounty, and his forever home in St. Petersburg, Florida, he had endured more than hisfair share of snow and cold. Hailing from a huge, close-knit Italian family, relatives andparents who made their way southward to Florida had to do little convincing for Jerry toeventually follow his dreams to Florida, but not before he earned an undergraduatedegree from SUNY Buffalo, and a masters from Canisius College in the new field ofmedia studies, a new concentration in library science.. After five years at a small Baptistcollege in Indiana, Jerry was more than ready for his next chapter. In 1985, he came toboth Tampa Bay and to the nascent St. Petersburg campus of USF as an openly gayman at age 35 in 1985. For the next nearly 30 years, Jerry was an integral part ofUSFSP’s academic as well as the campus’ community growth. Indeed, Jerry’s trainingand experience in the new technology-based field of media library science helpednationally elevate the campus’ Nelson Poynter Library as cutting edge. But Notaro’scontributions went beyond. On campus and beyond into the community, Jerry’sgrassroots work in establishing LGBTQ initiatives including St. Pete’s very first PRIDEcelebrations, justice and human rights initiatives, support (and often participation as askilled performer himself) of Pinellas and St. Petersburg’s burgeoning arts and culturewere, throughout the decades, are legendary and remain today passionate interests. forJerry. Just prior to retirement, Jerry donated his rich collection of photographs,documents and ephemera which tell a huge part of his historic campus and communitycontributions are part of the Poynter library’s special collections known as the “Gerald A.Notaro Collection.” In retirement, Jerry proudly holds the title of USFSP LibrarianEmeritus. and remains a passionate advocate for the community he helped to build.🎤Welcome to our America 250 celebration and our One Place, Many Voices podcast series powered by Heritage Village, with support from a Florida Humanities grant.   Listen anytime, anywhere to all the One Place, Many Voices podcasts on RadioStPete as we bring Pinellas County history to life through conversations with the people about the places and stories that define us. Help us celebrate America 250,  Heritage Village’s 50th anniversary and other milestones.  The podcast series is  inspired by the Smithsonian’s Many Voices, One Nation exhibit coming to Heritage Village this summer. About the One Place,  Many Voices podcasts.#pinellascountyhistory #heritagevillage #america250 #onevoicemanyplaces #nanettewiser #floridahumanities #stpete #stpetefl  #tampabay #radio #radiostpete #cityofstpete  #dtsp #downtownstpete  #historyrocks #debcarson #geraldnotaro #lgbtq+ #gaystpete #usfstpete #historic kenwood