The Australian Library Journal

Seymour Lubetzky, 1898-2003

Eugenie Grieg

Seymour Lubetzky, born 1898, passed away on 5 April 2003, just short of his 105th birthday.

A qualified schoolteacher living between Russia and Poland until 1927, later a graduate of UCLA, University of California Berkeley and the Berkeley Library School, Lubetzky's library career was centred on cataloguing. He brought to his work a fascination with its challenges, both theoretical and practical, that stayed with him for the rest of his life.

His studies in science, literature and education and his extensive linguistic expertise came into play and in the course of his career he became widely acknowledged for his exceptional teaching and communication skills. His writing and speaking was distinguished by his engaging, positive approach and sense of reasonableness.

The recognition he has received stands in contrast with some of his earlier experiences, such as those of migrating to the United States, as an adult and member of a (then) minority group, and of periods of being unable to find work in his adopted country. His subsequent success was thanks, at least in part, to his initiative and talent for writing imaginatively on cataloguing, and to mentors who perceived his potential; these were people he never forgot. He relished the opportunity to contribute fresh ideas to the work in one of the world's great libraries, and to influence Anglo-American and international cataloguing with regard to the establishment of sound cataloguing principles and hence, improved codes - although his voice of reason was not always listened to as much as it should have been.

Lubetzky's major library employment was for six years at UCLA and seventeen years at the Library of Congress. Then, from 1960, he was professor at the UCLA School of Library Service for nine years. In retirement, he continued to write about code development and cataloguing principles and to participate in conferences for more than a decade; actually, his very last published writing was a paper written in collaboration with Elaine Svenonius, on the occasion of the Centennial Celebration extended to him on 18 April 1998 by admiring colleagues.

Elaine Svenonius and Dorothy McGarry's compilation of Lubetzky's writings: Seymour Lubetzky: writings on the classical art of cataloging, was published in 2001 by Libraries Unlimited. Biographical information above is included in the editors' introduction to that volume (p.xi-xx).

Elaine Svenonius wrote, in letting colleagues know of his death: '...It is the passing of an era, would you believe during his last weeks he wanted to discuss topics such as the relationship between the book and life and what the Ancient Greeks might have talked about.'

Dorothy McGarry writes: 'I know he was almost 105, but it seems incredible that he is no longer with us. I'm glad that Elaine and I were able to get out the book with his writings while he was still alive.' - I'm sure many others agree with her. A Memorial service was held for Seymour Lubetzky on Sunday, 13 April, at Hillside Memorial Park Chapel in Los Angeles. He is survived by family including his son, David Lubetzky, 1250 H St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20005.