Jean Williams Sayre, AHIP, 1951–2006.

Jean Williams Sayre, AHIP, associate university librarian and director of the Hardin Library for Health Sciences, University of Iowa, died on January 28, 2006; she was 54. Her untimely death, from cancer, came as she was reaching the height of her professional career. At the University of Iowa and in her previous positions in the Midwest and South, Jean was a highly respected library leader who had mentored and developed friendships with many of her colleagues. Born October 13, 1951, and raised in a small town in western Minnesota, Jean was the eldest child of Edward and Norma Anderson. She grew up on the family homestead, recently designated a Century Farm, near Pelican Rapids. Deeply connected to her Scandinavian heritage, Jean traveled several times to Norway to visit family. She laughed easily about their stoical perseverance and reserved mannerisms, their pragmatism and liberalism, but also recognized these characteristics in herself. After graduating from Pelican Rapids High School, Jean earned a bachelor's degree in biology in 1973 (University of Minnesota Duluth) and a master's degree in library science in 1975 (University of Minnesota Minneapolis). Jean's early professional experiences, all in Minnesota, included a Mayo Clinic internship and appointments at the Minneapolis Public Library, the Golden Valley Health Center, and American Medical Systems (a medical devices company). From 1978 to 1980, she was the assistant director of the Southeast Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Library at the University of North Dakota in Fargo. Stories of her AHEC winter travels, occasionally by university helicopter, later amazed and entertained colleagues. From there, she went to Iowa City Veterans Administration Medical Center as its librarian. In 1981, Jean accepted the position of assistant director of the Mercer University School of Medicine Library and became a member of its charter faculty. She took an active role in the formative days of the new school, serving as tutor in the Community Science program, student advisor, and voting member of the Admissions Committee. She was also a founder of the Georgia Interactive Network for Medical Information (GaIN), an electronic network linking rural physicians and hospitals to information resources in the days well before personal computers were common. For her innovative work with GaIN, Jean was a corecipient of MLA's Frank Bradway Rogers Information Advancement Award in 1992. Jean's interest in outreach extended throughout her career. Early experiences with hospital libraries, along with her work with GaIN, led to a statewide influence in Ohio. Following a year as a librarian consultant at the University of Mississippi Rowland Medical Library, Jean accepted an appointment at the Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine in 1989. There, as assistant professor, director, and chief medical librarian of the Oliver Ocasek Regional Medical Information Center until 1996, she established a hospital library network to enable connectivity to the Internet and medical resources. She guided hospital librarians to review larger issues such as collection sharing, and she was instrumental in leading the development of the first regional OhioLINK depository. Jean served as chair of the OhioLINK Library Advisory Council from 1995 to 1996. Jean's demonstrated experience and outreach skills provided excellent qualifications for the position of associate director for the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM) Greater Midwest Region (GMR) at the University of Illinois in Chicago. From 1997 to 2001, she provided regional and national oversight of one of the largest regions of the NN/LM programs. Among her accomplishments were promoting cooperation, introducing distance learning for GMR, overseeing numerous subcontracts, and successfully leading the five-year contract renewal in 2001. In 2002, Jean was appointed director of the Hardin Library. Charismatically, she reorganized it and achieved efficiencies without disaffecting the staff. Jean received a significant grant that resulted in the Iowa Public Health Information project, a Web portal for linking local public health information with relevant national information for Iowa public health professionals . Simultaneously, she led a major remodeling effort, recognized in 2005 by the university's Improving Our Workplace Award. She raised the profile of the library on campus, throughout the state, and across the nation. Her contributions to the university and the state were recently recognized by a Certificate of Recognition, issued by Governor Thomas Vilsack. A familiar figure and frequent presenter at local, regional, and national meetings, Jean served on many Medical Library Association committees, notably the 2000 and 2005 National Program Committees, the 2001 Nominating Committee, and the Grants and Scholarship Committee, which she chaired in 1994/95. She was an ardent member of the Medical Informatics Section, which she chaired in 2003/04, and she headed the Southern Chapter in 1984/85. She was the author of several peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, generally with themes of outreach and education. Jean's personal interests were wide-ranging, always passionate and carrying a fresh perspective. Interest in political events was a lifetime avocation that was reflected in her work with the MLA/Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries Joint Legislative Task Force and culminated with her very active participation in the Howard Dean presidential campaign. Jean was knowledgeable and well read in alternative and natural medicines, often serving as a resource for others. She encouraged all to look outside traditional medicine for alternative choices to balance life health. Above all, her friends and colleagues remember most her enduring loyalty and friendships, that sense of humor, her spiritual journey, and her willingness to share intellectual explorations and unusual experiences. Jean is survived by her loving husband Robert and her three brothers Edward, Kevin, and Keith Anderson and their families (three nieces and four great nieces). A funeral service was held in Pelican Rapids, followed by a memorial service at the University of Iowa.