Violet Baird joined the Southwestern Medical College staff on July 1, 1943, about the time the College began operation. She was promoted to head librarian in 1947, a position she held until 1971, when she became historical bibliographer. She retired in 1972. As head librarian, she built the Library collection from almost nothing to 100,000 volumes. She had a special interest in preserving the history of the campus, and so began the Library’s archive of campus photos and documents. She also began the Library’s collection of books, journals and art works documenting the history of medicine. In this photo, she holds an 1813 medical caricature engraving titled “The Last Gasp” by the British artist Thomas Rowlandson (born 1756, died 1827).