People

L. H. Werner Fajardo, 92, who held several positions at University of California, Santa Barbara Library for more than 20 years, including supervision in cataloging, special collections, and bibliographic searching, died in August. Fajardo was active in the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions and the Seminar on the Acquisition of Latin American Library Materials.

Helen Mae Mullen, 91, a librarian at the Free Library of Philadelphia for 44 years, died December 2. Mullen began her career as a children’s librarian and progressed to coordinator of the Office of Work with Children, becoming the first African-American woman to head a department at the library. She served as 1981–1982 president of the Association of Library Service to Children and received the Public Library Association’s Allie Beth Martin Award in 1992, the Pennsylvania Library Association’s Distinguished Service Award in 1994, and outstanding alumni awards from both Hastings College and Syracuse University.

Carlton C. Rochell, 85, dean of New York University Libraries until his 1999 retirement, died December 23. As dean, he launched the first minicomputer-based online catalog in the country; incorporated the Courant Institute, Business and Real Estate Institute Libraries, and the NYU Archives; founded the Wagner Labor Archives; launched the Elmer H. Bobst Awards for Arts and Letters; brought the NYU Press under the management of the libraries; and integrated campus media and video production services. He served as chairman of the board of the Research Libraries Group, on the board of the Association of Research Libraries, and on ALA Council. He led the New York delegation to the White House Conference on Libraries in 1979, was a member of the New York State Governor’s Commission on Libraries, and was chair of the New York Regents Advisory Council on Libraries. Prior to joining NYU, Rochell was director of Atlanta Public Library from 1968–1976, and in the early 1960s, worked to integrate city libraries in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and Anniston, Alabama.

Kay Webster, 61, coordinator of youth services for 38 years at Greene County (Ohio) Public Library, died November 27. Webster was instrumental in the library’s decision to reinstate its bookmobile in 2001.

Edwin M. Cortez, 66, professor in the School of Information Sciences at University of Tennessee, Knoxville, until his 2016 retirement, died October 6. He also taught at University of Wisconsin–Madison; Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.; Pratt Institute in New York City; and University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. He chaired several American Library Association (ALA) committees, particularly those related to accreditation.