Thanks for sharing, Ryan. Saul lived his life with passion, for sure, and made significant contributions to libraries in Michigan. He will be remembered fondly. ~Sheryl ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sheryl L. Mase, Director <mailto:smase@mmll.org> Mid-Michigan Library League 201 N. Mitchell, Suite 302, Cadillac MI 49601 phone: 231-775-3037 fax: 231-775-1749 https://mmll.org ~ visit us on facebook<https://www.facebook.com/4mmll> ________________________________ From: Michlib-l <michlib-l-bounces@mcls.org> on behalf of Ryan Wieber via Michlib-l <michlib-l@mcls.org> Sent: Monday, August 9, 2021 1:14 PM To: michlib-l@mcls.org <michlib-l@mcls.org> Subject: [Michlib-l] Sad news regarding Saul Amdursky Dear Michigan librarians, Kalamazoo Public Library and our community (and the library profession) recently lost an instrumental figure in the history of KPL. Longtime, former director Saul Amdursky passed away July 30, 2021 after a battle with cancer. Saul brought significant, positive changes in library service to Kalamazoo, and his efforts led to the library becoming one of the first formed as a district library in Michigan, the eventual construction and renovation of all KPL library locations in the late 1990s, and acclaim as the Library Journal National Library of the Year honor in 2002. Originally from Rochester, New York, Saul graduated with his library degree from University of Kentucky, and embarked upon a career that included stops at libraries in Prince William County, Virginia (1971-1975); Albion, Michigan (1975-1979); Racine, Wisconsin (1979-1982); Bloomington, Illinois (1982-1987); Kalamazoo (1987-2004); Fraser Valley Regional Library System, British Columbia (2004-2007); and Des Moines, Iowa (2007-2010). Saul advocated enthusiastically for great public library service here in Kalamazoo and nationally, and the passion for his profession was evident in every conversation. We will miss him, yet his memory and significant contributions to Kalamazoo and the library world remain! According to the Amdursky family, a memorial service will take place later this fall in Kalamazoo. -Ryan Ryan Wieber | Director Kalamazoo Public Library | CEN 315 S. Rose St. | Kalamazoo, MI 49007 (269) 553-7828 [Kalamazoo Public Library]<https://www.kpl.gov/> [Facebook]<https://www.facebook.com/KalamazooPublicLibrary/> [Instagram] <https://www.instagram.com/kzoolibrary/?hl=en> [Twitter] <https://twitter.com/KzooLibrary?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor> [KPL Videos] <https://www.kpl.gov/videos/>
