Members' Corner
Molly White
Marlene Cummins has taken early retirement from the University of Toronto Astronomy and Astrophysics Library, after a rewarding career there of twenty years. One of the parts she considers most rewarding was her involvement with PAM and the astronomy librarian community as a whole. Marlene is currently taking courses for mind and body, volunteering at a museum and catching up on lots of other activities. It is great!
As of January 3 2005, Nisa Bakkalbasi joined Yale University Libraries
as the General Science Librarian at Kline Science Library. Nisa's
primary responsibilities include reference, science instruction program
coordinator, exchange programs coordinator, preservation and
conservation liaison, web management, collection development and
instruction in selected subject disciplines.
Nisa was born and raised in Turkey. She received a B.A. in Mathematics
and an M.S. in Applied Statistics from University of Alabama, and an
M.L.I.S. in Library and Information Science from Long Island
University. Prior to joining Yale, Nisa worked as a Science/Electronic
Resources Librarian at Purchase College, State University of New York.
Sandy Ward writes:
"I've decided to begin Early Retirement in July 2005. My career began in 1966 as Physics Librarian at Columbia University. I was also responsible for Astronomy, so I audited Lloyd Motz's introductory course that fall—a delightful way to learn about the subject. The Physics Library was across the hall from I.I. Rabi's office. One day he gave a lecture about his days as a grad student in the late 1920's—an exciting time in the history of physics. It seemed to me I'd been born too late! Little did I know then that I'd soon be witnessing another revolution in scientific thought. Columbia transferred me to the Lamont Geological Observatory, where I served as Geoscience Librarian 1967-69, just as the sea-floor spreading and plate-tectonic ideas were emerging. Recently I have enjoyed reading histories of that thrilling period.
After an interlude as mom-at-home, I worked as Science Librarian at Stanford's Meyer Library for 15 years (1977-1992) and developed a love for teaching undergraduates. In 1992 I became Science Librarian at Mount Holyoke College, my alma mater.
I'll miss attending PAM events at SLA. I like the practical and professional way that PAM members tackle issues, as well as the fun interactions among us, so PAM has been my favorite group. I'm not leaving the library world entirely. I'll continue volunteering with a consumer health library project I started about 5 years ago, see http://www.holyokehealth.info."
mwhite@mail.utexas.edu
