Re: [ha-Safran] Fanny Goldstein Merit Award
Yasher Koach, Zachary, you are so deserving of this award. Many thanks to the committee for picking such a worthy recipient. I am in awe of your resume! Kathy B. On Mon, Apr 6, 2020 at 3:39 PM Zachary M Baker via Hasafran < hasafran@lists.osu.edu> wrote: > Dear Colleagues, > > I had hoped to join you at this year’s AJL Conference in Evanston, which > for understandable reasons has been canceled along with so many other > activities and functions. With Passover imminently upon us, here we all > are, sheltering in place, hoping that this frightful pandemic will soon > pass. > > When Elliot Gertel called to inform me that I am the recipient of the > Fanny Goldstein Merit Award, I was deeply touched — and I am very grateful > to AJL and to the committee members for the recognition. In a subsequent > e-mail exchange, Elliot asked me to send him a few paragraphs that might > summarize my career highlights, for inclusion in the conference program > book. In the end, I sent him a couple of versions: one long and one short. > > Presumptuously and with apologies, I am sharing the long version of my > career summary. Please feel free to jump to the next e-mail in your in-box! > > My first paid library job was during the year following my college > graduation (1972), when I worked as a clerk in the reference department of > the Hennepin County Library, which then served suburban Minneapolis (now > HCL covers both the city and its suburbs). HCL in those days was one of the > most innovative public library systems in the U.S. Its visionary adirector, > Robert Rohlf, hired Maurice (Mitch) Freedman as head of Technical Services; > Mitch, in turn, brought in Sanford (Sandy) Berman as the library’s Head > Cataloger, after Sandy and his family were ejected from Idi Amin’s Uganda > in 1972. One of the librarians with whom I worked in County Reference was > Rosalind (Roz) Reisner, who is now an active member of AJL. > > I put in a second stint at HCL, working my way through library school at > the University of Minnesota (1974-75). As I neared the end of my studies I > wondered what I might do next. A few months before graduation I received a > brochure from the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, announcing course > offerings for its academic unit, the Max Weinreich Center for Advanced > Jewish Studies. One listing particularly caught my eye: Internship in > Judaica Librarianship, co-taught by Dina Abramowicz and Bella Hass > Weinberg. I showed the brochure to Sandy Berman, who encouraged me to > enroll in the internship program — and to inquire about job prospects at > YIVO for an entry-level librarian. In January 1976 I began the internship > and the following June was hired as assistant librarian, to catalog Yiddish > books in the YIVO Library’s Vilna collection. > > It was during my first stint at YIVO (1976-1981) that the genealogical > craze, spurred by the TV series “Roots,” really took off. In that > pre-internet era, with access to Soviet and East European archives still > largely cut off, specialized institutions such as YIVO were important for > family history research. Dina Abramowicz asked me to attend a meeting of > the nascent Jewish Genealogical Society in late 1977 and when I reported > back to her the following morning, she duly delegated the responsibility > for genealogical reference service to me. I began to write for *Toledot: > the Journal of Jewish Genealogy*, whose editors, Arthur Kurzweil and > Steven W. Siegel, encouraged me to update David Bass's bibliography of > Eastern European Jewish memorial books (*yizker-bikher*), which had been > published in *Yad Vashem Studies*. I followed suit, and that bibliography > went through several iterations —including its being included in the two > editions of the anthology *From a Ruined Garden*, edited by Jack > Kugelmass and Jonathan Boyarin (1983 and 1998). > > It was while I was working at the Jewish Public Library in Montreal > (1981-1987) that our Association’s flagship journal, *Judaica > Librarianship*, was launched. Bella Hass Weinberg (founding co-editor, > with Marcia Posner) solicited my participation as the journal’s “Responsa” > columnist. Thus began my longstanding connection with the journal, as > Contributing Editor, Style Editor, and (eventually) Editor-in-Chief. > > Not long after I returned to YIVO in 1987 as Head Librarian, Bella and I > began to edit the *Yiddish Catalog and Authority File of the YIVO Library*, > which was published by G. K. Hall, in 5 volumes, in 1990. We anticipated > that the eventual retrospective conversion of the Library’s catalog would > not entirely supersede this facsimile of the Library’s Yiddish card > catalog. Of my other publications during that period I take special pride > in “The Case of the Soviet Sholem Aleichem: A Bibliographic Detective > Story,” which was published in *The Book Peddler* (as the Yiddish Book > Center’s magazine was then called) and subsequently, in expanded form, in > the *YIVO Ann
Re: [ha-Safran] Fanny Goldstein Merit Award
Zachary, Yashar Koah on the award. Loved reading your bio. So rich and exciting. Wishing you and the AJL community a healthy and somewhat happy Pesah. Naomi Steinberger JTS Library From: Hasafran on behalf of Dina Herbert via Hasafran Sent: Tuesday, April 7, 2020 11:28 PM To: Zachary M Baker Cc: Hasafran Subject: Re: [ha-Safran] Fanny Goldstein Merit Award I echo everyone's sentiments for Zachary. I'm so disappointed we aren't able to present it to him in person this year. This is a career to be jealous of and obviously Zachary you fully deserve this award. My thanks to Elliot and the rest of the committee. Dina Dina Herbert President, Association of Jewish Libraries: The Leading Authority on Judaic Librarianship https://jewishlibraries.org/ On Mon, Apr 6, 2020 at 6:39 PM Zachary M Baker via Hasafran mailto:hasafran@lists.osu.edu>> wrote: Dear Colleagues, I had hoped to join you at this year’s AJL Conference in Evanston, which for understandable reasons has been canceled along with so many other activities and functions. With Passover imminently upon us, here we all are, sheltering in place, hoping that this frightful pandemic will soon pass. When Elliot Gertel called to inform me that I am the recipient of the Fanny Goldstein Merit Award, I was deeply touched — and I am very grateful to AJL and to the committee members for the recognition. In a subsequent e-mail exchange, Elliot asked me to send him a few paragraphs that might summarize my career highlights, for inclusion in the conference program book. In the end, I sent him a couple of versions: one long and one short. Presumptuously and with apologies, I am sharing the long version of my career summary. Please feel free to jump to the next e-mail in your in-box! My first paid library job was during the year following my college graduation (1972), when I worked as a clerk in the reference department of the Hennepin County Library, which then served suburban Minneapolis (now HCL covers both the city and its suburbs). HCL in those days was one of the most innovative public library systems in the U.S. Its visionary adirector, Robert Rohlf, hired Maurice (Mitch) Freedman as head of Technical Services; Mitch, in turn, brought in Sanford (Sandy) Berman as the library’s Head Cataloger, after Sandy and his family were ejected from Idi Amin’s Uganda in 1972. One of the librarians with whom I worked in County Reference was Rosalind (Roz) Reisner, who is now an active member of AJL. I put in a second stint at HCL, working my way through library school at the University of Minnesota (1974-75). As I neared the end of my studies I wondered what I might do next. A few months before graduation I received a brochure from the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, announcing course offerings for its academic unit, the Max Weinreich Center for Advanced Jewish Studies. One listing particularly caught my eye: Internship in Judaica Librarianship, co-taught by Dina Abramowicz and Bella Hass Weinberg. I showed the brochure to Sandy Berman, who encouraged me to enroll in the internship program — and to inquire about job prospects at YIVO for an entry-level librarian. In January 1976 I began the internship and the following June was hired as assistant librarian, to catalog Yiddish books in the YIVO Library’s Vilna collection. It was during my first stint at YIVO (1976-1981) that the genealogical craze, spurred by the TV series “Roots,” really took off. In that pre-internet era, with access to Soviet and East European archives still largely cut off, specialized institutions such as YIVO were important for family history research. Dina Abramowicz asked me to attend a meeting of the nascent Jewish Genealogical Society in late 1977 and when I reported back to her the following morning, she duly delegated the responsibility for genealogical reference service to me. I began to write for Toledot: the Journal of Jewish Genealogy, whose editors, Arthur Kurzweil and Steven W. Siegel, encouraged me to update David Bass's bibliography of Eastern European Jewish memorial books (yizker-bikher), which had been published in Yad Vashem Studies. I followed suit, and that bibliography went through several iterations —including its being included in the two editions of the anthology From a Ruined Garden, edited by Jack Kugelmass and Jonathan Boyarin (1983 and 1998). It was while I was working at the Jewish Public Library in Montreal (1981-1987) that our Association’s flagship journal, Judaica Librarianship, was launched. Bella Hass Weinberg (founding co-editor, with Marcia Posner) solicited my participation as the journal’s “Responsa” columnist. Thus began my longstanding connection with the journal, as Contributing Editor, Style Editor, and (eventually) Editor-in-Chief. Not long after I returned to YIVO in 1987 as Head Librarian, Bella and I began to edit the Yiddish
Re: [ha-Safran] Fanny Goldstein Merit Award
I echo everyone's sentiments for Zachary. I'm so disappointed we aren't able to present it to him in person this year. This is a career to be jealous of and obviously Zachary you fully deserve this award. My thanks to Elliot and the rest of the committee. Dina Dina Herbert President, Association of Jewish Libraries: The Leading Authority on Judaic Librarianship https://jewishlibraries.org/ On Mon, Apr 6, 2020 at 6:39 PM Zachary M Baker via Hasafran < hasafran@lists.osu.edu> wrote: > Dear Colleagues, > > I had hoped to join you at this year’s AJL Conference in Evanston, which > for understandable reasons has been canceled along with so many other > activities and functions. With Passover imminently upon us, here we all > are, sheltering in place, hoping that this frightful pandemic will soon > pass. > > When Elliot Gertel called to inform me that I am the recipient of the > Fanny Goldstein Merit Award, I was deeply touched — and I am very grateful > to AJL and to the committee members for the recognition. In a subsequent > e-mail exchange, Elliot asked me to send him a few paragraphs that might > summarize my career highlights, for inclusion in the conference program > book. In the end, I sent him a couple of versions: one long and one short. > > Presumptuously and with apologies, I am sharing the long version of my > career summary. Please feel free to jump to the next e-mail in your in-box! > > My first paid library job was during the year following my college > graduation (1972), when I worked as a clerk in the reference department of > the Hennepin County Library, which then served suburban Minneapolis (now > HCL covers both the city and its suburbs). HCL in those days was one of the > most innovative public library systems in the U.S. Its visionary adirector, > Robert Rohlf, hired Maurice (Mitch) Freedman as head of Technical Services; > Mitch, in turn, brought in Sanford (Sandy) Berman as the library’s Head > Cataloger, after Sandy and his family were ejected from Idi Amin’s Uganda > in 1972. One of the librarians with whom I worked in County Reference was > Rosalind (Roz) Reisner, who is now an active member of AJL. > > I put in a second stint at HCL, working my way through library school at > the University of Minnesota (1974-75). As I neared the end of my studies I > wondered what I might do next. A few months before graduation I received a > brochure from the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, announcing course > offerings for its academic unit, the Max Weinreich Center for Advanced > Jewish Studies. One listing particularly caught my eye: Internship in > Judaica Librarianship, co-taught by Dina Abramowicz and Bella Hass > Weinberg. I showed the brochure to Sandy Berman, who encouraged me to > enroll in the internship program — and to inquire about job prospects at > YIVO for an entry-level librarian. In January 1976 I began the internship > and the following June was hired as assistant librarian, to catalog Yiddish > books in the YIVO Library’s Vilna collection. > > It was during my first stint at YIVO (1976-1981) that the genealogical > craze, spurred by the TV series “Roots,” really took off. In that > pre-internet era, with access to Soviet and East European archives still > largely cut off, specialized institutions such as YIVO were important for > family history research. Dina Abramowicz asked me to attend a meeting of > the nascent Jewish Genealogical Society in late 1977 and when I reported > back to her the following morning, she duly delegated the responsibility > for genealogical reference service to me. I began to write for *Toledot: > the Journal of Jewish Genealogy*, whose editors, Arthur Kurzweil and > Steven W. Siegel, encouraged me to update David Bass's bibliography of > Eastern European Jewish memorial books (*yizker-bikher*), which had been > published in *Yad Vashem Studies*. I followed suit, and that bibliography > went through several iterations —including its being included in the two > editions of the anthology *From a Ruined Garden*, edited by Jack > Kugelmass and Jonathan Boyarin (1983 and 1998). > > It was while I was working at the Jewish Public Library in Montreal > (1981-1987) that our Association’s flagship journal, *Judaica > Librarianship*, was launched. Bella Hass Weinberg (founding co-editor, > with Marcia Posner) solicited my participation as the journal’s “Responsa” > columnist. Thus began my longstanding connection with the journal, as > Contributing Editor, Style Editor, and (eventually) Editor-in-Chief. > > Not long after I returned to YIVO in 1987 as Head Librarian, Bella and I > began to edit the *Yiddish Catalog and Authority File of the YIVO Library*, > which was published by G. K. Hall, in 5 volumes, in 1990. We anticipated > that the eventual retrospective conversion of the Library’s catalog would > not entirely supersede this facsimile of the Library’s Yiddish card > catalog. Of my other publications during that period I take special pride > in
Re: [ha-Safran] Fanny Goldstein Merit Award
Elliott, well said! As a colleague of Zachary's at Yivo for many years, I agree with the appropriateness of this award and with all the laudatory remarks about Zachary's professionalism and his place as a role model within the profession. With best wishes for good health and happiness for everyone on the eve of Passover, Fruma Mohrer ( former) Chief Archivist Yivo Institute (2003-2013) (former) Deputy and Acting Chief Archivist Yivo Institute (c1995-2003) On Tue, Apr 7, 2020, 2:48 PM Elliot H. Gertel via Hasafran < hasafran@lists.osu.edu> wrote: > Now, I think everyone sees (at least those rare people who haven't had the > pleasure of knowing him--it just reminds the rest of us!) why Zachary was > selected as the Fanny Goldstein Merit Award recipient this year. And, as > he explained in his career timeline where he enumerated just a small sample > of his accomplishments, he continues to make significant contributions to > the field of Judaic studies. > > I’ve had the privilege of knowing Zachary since before I ever considered > becoming a librarian. This was while I was a research assistant for Deborah > Dash Moore at Yivo in late 1988 and through 1990, first in New York, then > “commuting” between the “metropolis” of Stamping Ground, Kentucky > (population 704 in 1990) and Yivo in New York, and then remotely while in > library school at the University of Kentucky. During that period, Zachary > was the Head Librarian at Yivo where he carefully oversaw and curated its > unique resources, some of which I got to handle. I consider myself very > fortunate to have had such a great role model as a colleague all these > years. He is not only a true scholar and the archetypal Judaica librarian, > but very approachable and willing to share his time, energy, and knowledge, > which is considerable. > > I think that all of us in AJL as well as researchers in all aspects of > Jewish studies are the beneficiaries of Zachary Baker’s wisdom, knowledge, > and experience, which he has so generously shared over the decades with all > types of researchers and information seekers. Although, of course, it was > necessary, I only regret that we won’t be able to gather in Evanston to > enjoy hearing his inimitable style of presentation in person. I hope that > we will have that benefit at upcoming AJL conferences in the > not-too-distant future. *Mazl-tov un shkoyekh,* Zachary! > > Wishing everyone a safe and Happy Passover! !אַ פֿרײלעכן פּסח > > Elliot > > = > Elliot H. Gertel אליהו־צבי גרטל / עלע־הערש גערטל > AJL-ALA Liaison > Chair, 2020 AJL Fanny Goldstein Merit Award Committee > Irving M. Hermelin Curator Emeritus of Judaica > The University of Michigan > Ann Arbor, Michigan > eger...@umich.edu > > > On Mon, Apr 6, 2020 at 6:39 PM Zachary M Baker via Hasafran < > hasafran@lists.osu.edu> wrote: > >> Dear Colleagues, >> >> I had hoped to join you at this year’s AJL Conference in Evanston, which >> for understandable reasons has been canceled along with so many other >> activities and functions. With Passover imminently upon us, here we all >> are, sheltering in place, hoping that this frightful pandemic will soon >> pass. >> >> When Elliot Gertel called to inform me that I am the recipient of the >> Fanny Goldstein Merit Award, I was deeply touched — and I am very grateful >> to AJL and to the committee members for the recognition. In a subsequent >> e-mail exchange, Elliot asked me to send him a few paragraphs that might >> summarize my career highlights, for inclusion in the conference program >> book. In the end, I sent him a couple of versions: one long and one short. >> >> Presumptuously and with apologies, I am sharing the long version of my >> career summary. Please feel free to jump to the next e-mail in your in-box! >> >> My first paid library job was during the year following my college >> graduation (1972), when I worked as a clerk in the reference department of >> the Hennepin County Library, which then served suburban Minneapolis (now >> HCL covers both the city and its suburbs). HCL in those days was one of the >> most innovative public library systems in the U.S. Its visionary adirector, >> Robert Rohlf, hired Maurice (Mitch) Freedman as head of Technical Services; >> Mitch, in turn, brought in Sanford (Sandy) Berman as the library’s Head >> Cataloger, after Sandy and his family were ejected from Idi Amin’s Uganda >> in 1972. One of the librarians with whom I worked in County Reference was >> Rosalind (Roz) Reisner, who is now an active member of AJL. >> >> I put in a second stint at HCL, working my way through library school at >> the University of Minnesota (1974-75). As I neared the end of my studies I >> wondered what I might do next. A few months before graduation I received a >> brochure from the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, announcing course >> offerings for its academic unit, the Max Weinreich Center for Advanced >> Jewish Studies. One listin
Re: [ha-Safran] Fanny Goldstein Merit Award
I am truly happy that Zachary Baker was selected as a recipient of that important award. There is nothing in Jewish (and beyond) librarianship that he is not qualified for, and his subtle academic mind led him to amazing research results. Heartfelt congratulations! On Tue, Apr 7, 2020 at 9:48 PM Elliot H. Gertel via Hasafran < hasafran@lists.osu.edu> wrote: > Now, I think everyone sees (at least those rare people who haven't had the > pleasure of knowing him--it just reminds the rest of us!) why Zachary was > selected as the Fanny Goldstein Merit Award recipient this year. And, as > he explained in his career timeline where he enumerated just a small sample > of his accomplishments, he continues to make significant contributions to > the field of Judaic studies. > > I’ve had the privilege of knowing Zachary since before I ever considered > becoming a librarian. This was while I was a research assistant for Deborah > Dash Moore at Yivo in late 1988 and through 1990, first in New York, then > “commuting” between the “metropolis” of Stamping Ground, Kentucky > (population 704 in 1990) and Yivo in New York, and then remotely while in > library school at the University of Kentucky. During that period, Zachary > was the Head Librarian at Yivo where he carefully oversaw and curated its > unique resources, some of which I got to handle. I consider myself very > fortunate to have had such a great role model as a colleague all these > years. He is not only a true scholar and the archetypal Judaica librarian, > but very approachable and willing to share his time, energy, and knowledge, > which is considerable. > > I think that all of us in AJL as well as researchers in all aspects of > Jewish studies are the beneficiaries of Zachary Baker’s wisdom, knowledge, > and experience, which he has so generously shared over the decades with all > types of researchers and information seekers. Although, of course, it was > necessary, I only regret that we won’t be able to gather in Evanston to > enjoy hearing his inimitable style of presentation in person. I hope that > we will have that benefit at upcoming AJL conferences in the > not-too-distant future. *Mazl-tov un shkoyekh,* Zachary! > > Wishing everyone a safe and Happy Passover! !אַ פֿרײלעכן פּסח > > Elliot > > = > Elliot H. Gertel אליהו־צבי גרטל / עלע־הערש גערטל > AJL-ALA Liaison > Chair, 2020 AJL Fanny Goldstein Merit Award Committee > Irving M. Hermelin Curator Emeritus of Judaica > The University of Michigan > Ann Arbor, Michigan > eger...@umich.edu > > > On Mon, Apr 6, 2020 at 6:39 PM Zachary M Baker via Hasafran < > hasafran@lists.osu.edu> wrote: > >> Dear Colleagues, >> >> I had hoped to join you at this year’s AJL Conference in Evanston, which >> for understandable reasons has been canceled along with so many other >> activities and functions. With Passover imminently upon us, here we all >> are, sheltering in place, hoping that this frightful pandemic will soon >> pass. >> >> When Elliot Gertel called to inform me that I am the recipient of the >> Fanny Goldstein Merit Award, I was deeply touched — and I am very grateful >> to AJL and to the committee members for the recognition. In a subsequent >> e-mail exchange, Elliot asked me to send him a few paragraphs that might >> summarize my career highlights, for inclusion in the conference program >> book. In the end, I sent him a couple of versions: one long and one short. >> >> Presumptuously and with apologies, I am sharing the long version of my >> career summary. Please feel free to jump to the next e-mail in your in-box! >> >> My first paid library job was during the year following my college >> graduation (1972), when I worked as a clerk in the reference department of >> the Hennepin County Library, which then served suburban Minneapolis (now >> HCL covers both the city and its suburbs). HCL in those days was one of the >> most innovative public library systems in the U.S. Its visionary adirector, >> Robert Rohlf, hired Maurice (Mitch) Freedman as head of Technical Services; >> Mitch, in turn, brought in Sanford (Sandy) Berman as the library’s Head >> Cataloger, after Sandy and his family were ejected from Idi Amin’s Uganda >> in 1972. One of the librarians with whom I worked in County Reference was >> Rosalind (Roz) Reisner, who is now an active member of AJL. >> >> I put in a second stint at HCL, working my way through library school at >> the University of Minnesota (1974-75). As I neared the end of my studies I >> wondered what I might do next. A few months before graduation I received a >> brochure from the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, announcing course >> offerings for its academic unit, the Max Weinreich Center for Advanced >> Jewish Studies. One listing particularly caught my eye: Internship in >> Judaica Librarianship, co-taught by Dina Abramowicz and Bella Hass >> Weinberg. I showed the brochure to Sandy Berman, who encouraged me to >> enrol
Re: [ha-Safran] Fanny Goldstein Merit Award
Now, I think everyone sees (at least those rare people who haven't had the pleasure of knowing him--it just reminds the rest of us!) why Zachary was selected as the Fanny Goldstein Merit Award recipient this year. And, as he explained in his career timeline where he enumerated just a small sample of his accomplishments, he continues to make significant contributions to the field of Judaic studies. I’ve had the privilege of knowing Zachary since before I ever considered becoming a librarian. This was while I was a research assistant for Deborah Dash Moore at Yivo in late 1988 and through 1990, first in New York, then “commuting” between the “metropolis” of Stamping Ground, Kentucky (population 704 in 1990) and Yivo in New York, and then remotely while in library school at the University of Kentucky. During that period, Zachary was the Head Librarian at Yivo where he carefully oversaw and curated its unique resources, some of which I got to handle. I consider myself very fortunate to have had such a great role model as a colleague all these years. He is not only a true scholar and the archetypal Judaica librarian, but very approachable and willing to share his time, energy, and knowledge, which is considerable. I think that all of us in AJL as well as researchers in all aspects of Jewish studies are the beneficiaries of Zachary Baker’s wisdom, knowledge, and experience, which he has so generously shared over the decades with all types of researchers and information seekers. Although, of course, it was necessary, I only regret that we won’t be able to gather in Evanston to enjoy hearing his inimitable style of presentation in person. I hope that we will have that benefit at upcoming AJL conferences in the not-too-distant future. *Mazl-tov un shkoyekh,* Zachary! Wishing everyone a safe and Happy Passover! !אַ פֿרײלעכן פּסח Elliot = Elliot H. Gertel אליהו־צבי גרטל / עלע־הערש גערטל AJL-ALA Liaison Chair, 2020 AJL Fanny Goldstein Merit Award Committee Irving M. Hermelin Curator Emeritus of Judaica The University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Michigan eger...@umich.edu On Mon, Apr 6, 2020 at 6:39 PM Zachary M Baker via Hasafran < hasafran@lists.osu.edu> wrote: > Dear Colleagues, > > I had hoped to join you at this year’s AJL Conference in Evanston, which > for understandable reasons has been canceled along with so many other > activities and functions. With Passover imminently upon us, here we all > are, sheltering in place, hoping that this frightful pandemic will soon > pass. > > When Elliot Gertel called to inform me that I am the recipient of the > Fanny Goldstein Merit Award, I was deeply touched — and I am very grateful > to AJL and to the committee members for the recognition. In a subsequent > e-mail exchange, Elliot asked me to send him a few paragraphs that might > summarize my career highlights, for inclusion in the conference program > book. In the end, I sent him a couple of versions: one long and one short. > > Presumptuously and with apologies, I am sharing the long version of my > career summary. Please feel free to jump to the next e-mail in your in-box! > > My first paid library job was during the year following my college > graduation (1972), when I worked as a clerk in the reference department of > the Hennepin County Library, which then served suburban Minneapolis (now > HCL covers both the city and its suburbs). HCL in those days was one of the > most innovative public library systems in the U.S. Its visionary adirector, > Robert Rohlf, hired Maurice (Mitch) Freedman as head of Technical Services; > Mitch, in turn, brought in Sanford (Sandy) Berman as the library’s Head > Cataloger, after Sandy and his family were ejected from Idi Amin’s Uganda > in 1972. One of the librarians with whom I worked in County Reference was > Rosalind (Roz) Reisner, who is now an active member of AJL. > > I put in a second stint at HCL, working my way through library school at > the University of Minnesota (1974-75). As I neared the end of my studies I > wondered what I might do next. A few months before graduation I received a > brochure from the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, announcing course > offerings for its academic unit, the Max Weinreich Center for Advanced > Jewish Studies. One listing particularly caught my eye: Internship in > Judaica Librarianship, co-taught by Dina Abramowicz and Bella Hass > Weinberg. I showed the brochure to Sandy Berman, who encouraged me to > enroll in the internship program — and to inquire about job prospects at > YIVO for an entry-level librarian. In January 1976 I began the internship > and the following June was hired as assistant librarian, to catalog Yiddish > books in the YIVO Library’s Vilna collection. > > It was during my first stint at YIVO (1976-1981) that the genealogical > craze, spurred by the TV series “Roots,” really took off. In that > pre-internet era, with access to Soviet and East European archives st
Re: [ha-Safran] Fanny Goldstein Merit Award
Zach, Thank you for sharing the long version of your career path. Your professionalism and collegiality are unparalleled. Thank you for your long dedicated service to libraries, librarians, and the field of librarianship. Chag kasher v’Sameach Abigail Yasgur Los Angeles, CA On Mon, Apr 6, 2020 at 3:39 PM Zachary M Baker via Hasafran < hasafran@lists.osu.edu> wrote: > Dear Colleagues, > > I had hoped to join you at this year’s AJL Conference in Evanston, which > for understandable reasons has been canceled along with so many other > activities and functions. With Passover imminently upon us, here we all > are, sheltering in place, hoping that this frightful pandemic will soon > pass. > > When Elliot Gertel called to inform me that I am the recipient of the > Fanny Goldstein Merit Award, I was deeply touched — and I am very grateful > to AJL and to the committee members for the recognition. In a subsequent > e-mail exchange, Elliot asked me to send him a few paragraphs that might > summarize my career highlights, for inclusion in the conference program > book. In the end, I sent him a couple of versions: one long and one short. > > Presumptuously and with apologies, I am sharing the long version of my > career summary. Please feel free to jump to the next e-mail in your in-box! > > My first paid library job was during the year following my college > graduation (1972), when I worked as a clerk in the reference department of > the Hennepin County Library, which then served suburban Minneapolis (now > HCL covers both the city and its suburbs). HCL in those days was one of the > most innovative public library systems in the U.S. Its visionary adirector, > Robert Rohlf, hired Maurice (Mitch) Freedman as head of Technical Services; > Mitch, in turn, brought in Sanford (Sandy) Berman as the library’s Head > Cataloger, after Sandy and his family were ejected from Idi Amin’s Uganda > in 1972. One of the librarians with whom I worked in County Reference was > Rosalind (Roz) Reisner, who is now an active member of AJL. > > I put in a second stint at HCL, working my way through library school at > the University of Minnesota (1974-75). As I neared the end of my studies I > wondered what I might do next. A few months before graduation I received a > brochure from the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, announcing course > offerings for its academic unit, the Max Weinreich Center for Advanced > Jewish Studies. One listing particularly caught my eye: Internship in > Judaica Librarianship, co-taught by Dina Abramowicz and Bella Hass > Weinberg. I showed the brochure to Sandy Berman, who encouraged me to > enroll in the internship program — and to inquire about job prospects at > YIVO for an entry-level librarian. In January 1976 I began the internship > and the following June was hired as assistant librarian, to catalog Yiddish > books in the YIVO Library’s Vilna collection. > > It was during my first stint at YIVO (1976-1981) that the genealogical > craze, spurred by the TV series “Roots,” really took off. In that > pre-internet era, with access to Soviet and East European archives still > largely cut off, specialized institutions such as YIVO were important for > family history research. Dina Abramowicz asked me to attend a meeting of > the nascent Jewish Genealogical Society in late 1977 and when I reported > back to her the following morning, she duly delegated the responsibility > for genealogical reference service to me. I began to write for *Toledot: > the Journal of Jewish Genealogy*, whose editors, Arthur Kurzweil and > Steven W. Siegel, encouraged me to update David Bass's bibliography of > Eastern European Jewish memorial books (*yizker-bikher*), which had been > published in *Yad Vashem Studies*. I followed suit, and that bibliography > went through several iterations —including its being included in the two > editions of the anthology *From a Ruined Garden*, edited by Jack > Kugelmass and Jonathan Boyarin (1983 and 1998). > > It was while I was working at the Jewish Public Library in Montreal > (1981-1987) that our Association’s flagship journal, *Judaica > Librarianship*, was launched. Bella Hass Weinberg (founding co-editor, > with Marcia Posner) solicited my participation as the journal’s “Responsa” > columnist. Thus began my longstanding connection with the journal, as > Contributing Editor, Style Editor, and (eventually) Editor-in-Chief. > > Not long after I returned to YIVO in 1987 as Head Librarian, Bella and I > began to edit the *Yiddish Catalog and Authority File of the YIVO Library*, > which was published by G. K. Hall, in 5 volumes, in 1990. We anticipated > that the eventual retrospective conversion of the Library’s catalog would > not entirely supersede this facsimile of the Library’s Yiddish card > catalog. Of my other publications during that period I take special pride > in “The Case of the Soviet Sholem Aleichem: A Bibliographic Detective > Story,” which was published in *The Book Peddler* (
Re: [ha-Safran] Fanny Goldstein Merit Award
I appreciate getting to read the long version. The short version would have had me wondering what I missed. There are so many notable names, institutions, accomplishments listed. Quite impressive! I didn’t realize you worked with Sandy Berman. I never met him, but I used to get all sorts of cool reading materials from him when I was just an aspiring grad student at UWO. Among other things, he gave me wonderful leads which I used for my “Libraries in Comics” & “Jews in Comics” bibliographies. I’m sure I speak for many bored librarians who can only imagine what the Chicago conference would have been like. At least you have use a taste of what the Goldstein Merit Award presentation might have sounded like. B’shalom, Steven Bergson Toronto, Canada __ Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) == Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: hasaf...@lists.service.ohio-state.edu To join Ha-Safran, update or change your subscription, etc. - click here: https://lists.service.ohio-state.edu/mailman/listinfo/hasafran Questions, problems, complaints, compliments send to: galro...@osu.edu Ha-Safran Archives: Current: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.service.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html Earlier Listserver: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html AJL HomePage http://www.JewishLibraries.org -- Hasafran mailing list Hasafran@lists.osu.edu https://lists.osu.edu/mailman/listinfo/hasafran
[ha-Safran] Fanny Goldstein Merit Award
Dear Colleagues, I had hoped to join you at this year’s AJL Conference in Evanston, which for understandable reasons has been canceled along with so many other activities and functions. With Passover imminently upon us, here we all are, sheltering in place, hoping that this frightful pandemic will soon pass. When Elliot Gertel called to inform me that I am the recipient of the Fanny Goldstein Merit Award, I was deeply touched — and I am very grateful to AJL and to the committee members for the recognition. In a subsequent e-mail exchange, Elliot asked me to send him a few paragraphs that might summarize my career highlights, for inclusion in the conference program book. In the end, I sent him a couple of versions: one long and one short. Presumptuously and with apologies, I am sharing the long version of my career summary. Please feel free to jump to the next e-mail in your in-box! My first paid library job was during the year following my college graduation (1972), when I worked as a clerk in the reference department of the Hennepin County Library, which then served suburban Minneapolis (now HCL covers both the city and its suburbs). HCL in those days was one of the most innovative public library systems in the U.S. Its visionary adirector, Robert Rohlf, hired Maurice (Mitch) Freedman as head of Technical Services; Mitch, in turn, brought in Sanford (Sandy) Berman as the library’s Head Cataloger, after Sandy and his family were ejected from Idi Amin’s Uganda in 1972. One of the librarians with whom I worked in County Reference was Rosalind (Roz) Reisner, who is now an active member of AJL. I put in a second stint at HCL, working my way through library school at the University of Minnesota (1974-75). As I neared the end of my studies I wondered what I might do next. A few months before graduation I received a brochure from the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, announcing course offerings for its academic unit, the Max Weinreich Center for Advanced Jewish Studies. One listing particularly caught my eye: Internship in Judaica Librarianship, co-taught by Dina Abramowicz and Bella Hass Weinberg. I showed the brochure to Sandy Berman, who encouraged me to enroll in the internship program — and to inquire about job prospects at YIVO for an entry-level librarian. In January 1976 I began the internship and the following June was hired as assistant librarian, to catalog Yiddish books in the YIVO Library’s Vilna collection. It was during my first stint at YIVO (1976-1981) that the genealogical craze, spurred by the TV series “Roots,” really took off. In that pre-internet era, with access to Soviet and East European archives still largely cut off, specialized institutions such as YIVO were important for family history research. Dina Abramowicz asked me to attend a meeting of the nascent Jewish Genealogical Society in late 1977 and when I reported back to her the following morning, she duly delegated the responsibility for genealogical reference service to me. I began to write for Toledot: the Journal of Jewish Genealogy, whose editors, Arthur Kurzweil and Steven W. Siegel, encouraged me to update David Bass's bibliography of Eastern European Jewish memorial books (yizker-bikher), which had been published in Yad Vashem Studies. I followed suit, and that bibliography went through several iterations —including its being included in the two editions of the anthology From a Ruined Garden, edited by Jack Kugelmass and Jonathan Boyarin (1983 and 1998). It was while I was working at the Jewish Public Library in Montreal (1981-1987) that our Association’s flagship journal, Judaica Librarianship, was launched. Bella Hass Weinberg (founding co-editor, with Marcia Posner) solicited my participation as the journal’s “Responsa” columnist. Thus began my longstanding connection with the journal, as Contributing Editor, Style Editor, and (eventually) Editor-in-Chief. Not long after I returned to YIVO in 1987 as Head Librarian, Bella and I began to edit the Yiddish Catalog and Authority File of the YIVO Library, which was published by G. K. Hall, in 5 volumes, in 1990. We anticipated that the eventual retrospective conversion of the Library’s catalog would not entirely supersede this facsimile of the Library’s Yiddish card catalog. Of my other publications during that period I take special pride in “The Case of the Soviet Sholem Aleichem: A Bibliographic Detective Story,” which was published in The Book Peddler (as the Yiddish Book Center’s magazine was then called) and subsequently, in expanded form, in the YIVO Annual, where it bore the title "Sholem Aleichem's 80th Birthday Observances and the Cultural Mobilization of Soviet Jewry: A Case Study.” I am also proud of the collaborative work that the YIVO Library and the Yiddish Book Center did together during those years. Perhaps the most important example of that collaboration was the fact-finding trip that Neil Zag
[ha-Safran] Fanny Goldstein Merit Award
Mazel tov to Elliot Gertel as this year's recipient fo the Fanny Goldstein Merit Award! Elliot, your dedication to AJL and to the profession in general is well-deserving of this recognition! Warmly, Heidi Rabinowitz __ Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) == Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: hasaf...@lists.service.ohio-state.edu To join Ha-Safran, update or change your subscription, etc. - click here: https://lists.service.ohio-state.edu/mailman/listinfo/hasafran Questions, problems, complaints, compliments send to: galro...@osu.edu Ha-Safran Archives: Current: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.service.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html Earlier Listserver: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html AJL HomePage http://www.JewishLibraries.org -- Hasafran mailing list Hasafran@lists.osu.edu https://lists.osu.edu/mailman/listinfo/hasafran
[ha-Safran] Fanny Goldstein Merit Award
Dear Joy, Mazal Tov on your selection for this year's Fanny Goldstein Merit Award. You have made an enormous contribution to the smooth running of AJL in addition to your teaching archival topics at numerous conventions, Toby -- Toby G. Rossner -- Toby G. Rossner 1000 Chapel View Blvd. Unit 308 Cranston, RI 02920-3070 401 521-5965 tobyr...@cox.net __ Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) == Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: hasaf...@lists.service.ohio-state.edu To join Ha-Safran, update or change your subscription, etc. - click here: https://lists.service.ohio-state.edu/mailman/listinfo/hasafran Questions, problems, complaints, compliments send to: galro...@osu.edu Ha-Safran Archives: Current: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.service.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html Earlier Listserver: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html AJL HomePage http://www.JewishLibraries.org -- Hasafran mailing list Hasafran@lists.osu.edu https://lists.osu.edu/mailman/listinfo/hasafran
