Paul Spence

Dr. Paul H. Spence (born in December 25, 1923; died August 15, 2016 in Jefferson County) was the founding director of the UAB Sterne Library. He was born in Geraldine, AL to John C. Spence and Leila Carrell Spence.

He served in the U.S. Army during WWII in the European Theater. After the war he graduated from Emory University and later received his Ph.D. in Library Science from the University of Illinois. He retired in 1988, but continued to work until May 2014 as Professor Emeritus.

He married Ruth M. Schmidt of Montgomery in 1954 and they raised 3 sons.