When I started as a map librarian, there was a copy of Mary’s book on the shelf in my cubicle that the previous map librarian had left.  I immediately grabbed the book and read it cover to cover.  Our library was faced with moving its map collection the same year I started, and I remember emailing Mary to ask her questions for moving a map library.  I also spoke to her on the phone a few times and she was very gracious – always willing to go out of her way to help a new librarian who was learning the ropes.  When it was time to write my first article that documented the map relocation, I talked to her again on the phone to ask questions about map moves.  Years ago, when I attended ALA for the first time, I got to meet Mary for the first time and talk with her.  It was the most exciting moment of my new career as a map librarian.  I wish I had the chance to get to know Mary more.  Mary will surely be missed.      

-Greg

Gregory H. March

Associate Professor

Map & Government Information Librarian  

University of Tennessee

152 Hodges Library

Knoxville, TN 37996

865-974-3878

Research Guides – Anthropology, Earth & Planetary Sciences, Geography, Maps, Government
Tennessee Committee on Geographic Names

From: Maps-L: Map Librarians, etc. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jon Jablonski
Sent: Thursday, July 20, 2017 9:09 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: sad news: Mary Larsgaard

Dear Friends:

It is with a heavy heart that I write to inform you of the passing of our friend and former colleague Mary Larsgaard.  Mary took ill last winter, and passed comfortably on Tuesday morning.  Up until early June, Mary continued to enjoy lunch outings and discussions of her reading list with friends.

Mary arrived at UCSB as map librarian and assistant department head of the Map & Imagery Laboratory in 1988, and for her final year served as department head before retiring in June of 2009.

Mary literally wrote the book on map librarianship.  It is called Map Librarianship, and Mary penned all three editions: 1978, 1987, and 1998.  She was a giant in the cataloging field:  frequently writing with Penn State’s Paige Andrew, and served for decades on the Anglo-American Cataloguing Committee for Cartographic Materials.  With Paige, she was a founding editor of the Journal of Map and Geography Libraries.  

Mary earned her Master of Arts in Library Science from the University of Minnesota, and holds a second MA in Geography from the University of Oregon.  Prior to coming to UCSB, she was Assistant Director for Special Collections at the Colorado School of Mines.  She also has the distinction of serving as president or chair of all three major American map library organizations: ALA’s Map & Geography Roundtable, SLA’s Geography and Map Division, and the Western Association of Map Libraries.

Mary is survived by her sister Caroline Thompson.  A memorial service is being planned for Friday, August 4 in Santa Barbara, which is Mary’s birthday.  Details to follow.

-jon

Jon Jablonski 
Map & Imagery Lab
UCSB Library