“The
library community has lost a true advocate and a
wonderful friend,” State Librarian of California
Susan Hildreth says of Library Programs Consultant
Barbara Will who passed away July 8.
Barbara
Will was nationally known as an expert on the
federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).
She served on American Library Association
committees and task forces advocating LSTA
reauthorization, and every year she tenaciously
fought for the highest funding appropriation
possible from Congress. In a response to the
announcement of Will’s passing, Sandy
Schuckett, long-time library supporter and
California School Library Association leader, says
“Our library world has indeed lost one of its
brightest and strongest champions and
advocates.”
A
Library Programs Consultant in Library Development
Services at the California State Library from 1987 until
her retirement in 2006, Will spent many of
those years coordinating networking activities
throughout the state and facilitating development
of what would eventually become the Library of
California. She also monitored LSTA-supported
projects such as the California Preservation
Program and developed very successful
targeted grant programs, including Services for
People with Disabilities and Services for Small
Businesses.
Will
had gone to upstate New York
in late May to be with her father who was near
death. After his funeral, as she was
preparing to return home to
California, she collapsed from what was subsequently
diagnosed as an infected intestinal obstruction.
She underwent emergency surgery and remained alive
for several weeks but was never able to fully
recover.
Condolences
may be sent to Barbara Will’s husband, Gerry
Bowers, 2971 Elmwood Avenue,
Stockton,
California 95204-3906. Mr. Bowers has indicated that donations to
the Salvation
Army in Will's name would be appreciated.
Also, donations may be made in Will’s
name to the California
State Library Foundation.
