CELEBRATING OUR COLLEAGUES continued from page 6
assistant director in 1980. She served as acting director twice and is the face of the library to local residents and is our institutional memory. In the 80s, she steered the library through its critical transition to automation. Liz has served as president of CLA and on CRLC’s Board of Directors and Executive Board. As an outstanding reference librarian, Liz can answer the trickiest questions, but it is love of literature for which she is best known. She is gifted at matching a reader’s interest with just the right book and is a talented book discussion leader. Liz is known for her unfailing graciousness. Staff members describe her as friendly, dedicated, sane, calm, optimistic, positive, professional, and noble—a saint! This year the Wethersfield Chamber of Commerce named her Town Employee of the Year. Liz enjoys writing poetry and running road races and marathons. After one race, I asked her how she did. “I finished first in my age group,” she said, then added, “I was the only one in my age group.” As a colleague, I have admired Liz for 25 years and have especially enjoyed the opportunity to work with her at Wethersfield for the past seven years. Laurel Goodgion, director, Wethersfield Library Les Kozerowitz, director, Norwalk Public Library, began his career there in 1987 and retired on April 30, 2009. Les served as president of CLA in 2003/2004 and, for some years, was a lively contributor to Connecticut Libraries. Beverly Lambert, director of the Bloomfield Public Libraries since 1993, retired in April 2009 to pursue her hobby of competing in Border Collie field trials throughout North America. Bev began her library career as a reference librarian in Springfield, MA, and prior to Bloomfield, she served as library director in Hamden, ME and Tiverton, RI. Bev was very active in Greater Hartford’s CONNECT library automation efforts. Her avid, wide-ranging reading tastes contributed to a diverse collection of materials at Bloomfield, and a corresponding significant increase in annual loans to citizens. Beverly’s tenure at Bloomfield was also noted for a series of remodels and enhancements to the main library building. When not traveling, she lives at her farm in Andover, with her spouse, the dogs and the sheep. Douglas McDonough, director, Manchester Public Library (and spouse)
Kathy Krazniewicz “Mrs. K”
Kate Mclelland “Mrs. Mac”
We love you. We miss you.
John Mcgavern, director of the University of Hartford’s library system for 34 years, died quietly on September 10, 2008 at Hanover Terrace Healthcare in Hanover, NH, at the age of 82. He graduated from Harvard University in 1949, and went on to earn a master’s degree in library science from Simmons College. Mcgavern began working at the university in 1959 at the original Hillyer College library. After a summer vacation, he returned to find that the librarian had left and he had been appointed to succeed him. Several libraries of the components of the new University of Hartford were scattered all over the city at the time—the Hillyer library on Hudson Street, the art library at the Wadsworth Atheneum, Ward College’s library on Niles Street, and the science and engineering library in the engineering school near the Colt building. John developed all of those libraries except Hillyer’s, supervised them through their growing periods, and oversaw their merger when the Harry Jack Gray Center was built in 1988. The music library, already in place when he arrived, had been located at the Hartt School’s original building on Broad Street. This quiet and unassuming librarian received extensive national news attention in 1977 after surviving a gunshot in the neck when his bus from New York City was held hostage. Asked by the New York Times if he desired revenge, he said, "If I wanted to seek revenge, there would be no difference between me and the man that shot me." Mcgavern retired from the University in 1993 and devoted himself to reading literature, science and Buddhist texts; cooking; playing the piano; and listening to chamber music. Judith Markiewicz, director of library services for Tunxis Community College, retired on June 30, 2009, after 32 years of service. From the early days of GEAC and CARL through the high tech demands of the 21st century, Judy always believed in the spirit of library cooperation to achieve common goals. She was an active member of the Council of Librarians of the Connecticut Community Colleges, the Council of Academic Library Directors, and college committees too numerous to mention. Her excellent knowledge of college library standards made her a frequent member of New England Association of Schools and Colleges Accreditation teams. Judy guided the Tunxis Library through a period of unprecedented growth and exciting technological change. She was a constant advocate for the library and its mission, allowing us to provide consistently outstanding service to our students, faculty, staff, and the community. Our beautiful new library is not only a visual showplace, but also a testament to her leadership and vision. The library staff will miss Judy and her exemplary quality as a leader, mentor, and friend—tremendously. Robert Royer & Lisa Lavoie, Tunxis CC Library Priya Rai, head of cataloging and metadata services at CCSU’s Elihu Burritt Library, has retired after 32 years of library service in Connecticut. Priya began her career at CCSU in 1977. In 1979, she assumed the position of head of technical services where she developed and oversaw many cataloging projects, including the transition from the library’s card catalog to the online CONSULS system. In addition to her work at CCSU, Priya was a member of continued on page 8
Connecticut Libraries
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JULY/AUGUST 2009