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Kathie Durbin papers, 1962-2013

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Durbin, Kathie
Title
Kathie Durbin papers
Dates
1962-2013 (inclusive)
Quantity
21 cubic feet, (21 record cartons)
Collection Number
Coll 403
Summary
Papers of a journalist who worked in Oregon and Washington state and specialized in environmental reporting. The collection includes personal information, early student essays, travel essays, poetry, articles published in newspapers and magazines, and material for three books. Included are background sources and notes to support articles and books.
Repository
Oregon Historical Society Research Library
1200 SW Park Avenue
Portland, OR
97205
Telephone: 503-306-5240
Fax: 503-219-2040
libreference@ohs.org
Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Languages
English
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Biographical Note

Kathie Durbin, née Amy Kathleen Barton, was born in Eugene, Oregon, in 1944 and lived in Oregon for much of her life. She graduated from South Eugene High School in 1962 and married James Cole Durbin the same year. She attended Lane Community College and graduated from the University of Oregon School of Journalism in 1975.

Durbin had a long career as a journalist and book author. During her collegiate years, she was a reporter for the Lane Community College Torch (1973) and the University of Oregon Daily Emerald (1974). Her later employment included the following: reporter and photographer for the Springfield News (1974); reporter for the Eugene Register-Guard (1974-1975); reporter for Oregon State University publications (circa 1975-1977); reporter for Willamette Week (1977-1978); reporter for The Oregonian (1978-1994), including beat reporter for Portland city hall and public schools, Multnomah County government, urban affairs, drugs, and gangs (1978-1989) and environmental reporter (1989-1994); freelance environmental reporter and senior editor and columnist for the Cascadia Times (1994-1999); and reporter for The Columbian, Vancouver, Washington (1999-2011). She was also a contributor to numerous publications, including the Amicus Journal, Audubon, Clementine, Defenders of Wildlife, E Magazine, High Country News, National Wildlife, and Seattle Weekly. Durbin wrote three books: Tree Huggers: Victory, Defeat and Renewal in the Northwest Ancient Forest Campaign (1966); Tongass: Pulp Politics and the Fight for the Alaska Rain Forest (1999, second edition 2005); and Bridging the Great Divide: The Battle for the Columbia River Gorge (2013, published posthumously). She received numerous journalism awards, primarily for environmental feature articles written for the The Oregonian and The Columbian.

Kathie Durbin died in 2013.

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Content Description

The Kathie Durbin papers primarily document her professional career as a journalist. Series 1, Personal papers, includes early collegiate essays, poetry, travel, travel essays, a memoir, and material concerning Durbin's departure from The Oregonian in 1994. Series 2, Newspaper and journal articles, contains copious correspondence to Durbin on some topics, but there is little or no supporting documentation for the articles in the series, although it probably includes almost every article Durbin wrote. Series 3, Topics, includes, in most cases, extensive background notes related to the articles. These articles are almost always duplicated in Series 2 (which includes many more articles), but here they include background material. Series 4, Books, includes correspondence with publishers and readers, drafts of the chapters, background notes, papers related to speaking engagements, reviews, and other material related to each of the three books. Finally, Series 5, Miscellaneous notes, includes two boxes of notebooks with handwritten notes by Durbin, as well as audiotapes. These were not associated with any articles or books when the Oregon Historical Society Research Library received them. In general, each notebook and tape has the name of the person being interviewed or of a conference attended by Durbin.

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Use of the Collection

Preferred Citation

Kathie Durbin papers, Coll 403, Oregon Historical Society Research Library

Restrictions on Use

The Oregon Historical Society owns the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from copyright owners.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in five series, reflecting as closely as possible the arrangement of the material as received by the Oregon Historical Society Research Library:

  • Series 1: Personal papers
  • Series 2: Newspaper and journal articles
  • Series 3: Topics
  • Series 4: Books by Durbin
  • Series 5: Miscellaneous notes

Acquisition Information

Gift of the Durbin family, care of Audrey Durbin, June 2013 (Lib. Acc. 27923).

Processing Note

Collection guide was revised in July 2023 to correct errors and conform to current standard.

Separated Materials

There was a box of videos included with this collection. About one-third were entertainment videos that have no relationship to the collection. The rest were videos on various environmental topics, but not obviously connected to any particular article.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Environmental reporting--Oregon
  • Environmental reporting--Washington (State)
  • Environmentalism--Oregon
  • Journalism--Oregon
  • Journalism--Washington (State)
  • Journalists--Oregon
  • Journalists--Washington (State)
  • Women journalists--Oregon
  • Women journalists--Washington (State)

Personal Names

  • Durbin, Kathie

Form or Genre Terms

  • articles
  • correspondence
  • drafts (documents)
  • essays
  • poetry
  • research notes

George V. Smith
2013; revised 2023

CC0

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