Library News Blog

Best wishes for the future, Guillermo
Since 2008, Guillermo Meneses has been an indispensable colleague in the library. He has helped to maintain and troubleshoot issues with all the computers, printers, scanners, networks and other hardware and software in the library. He was reliable and reliably funny, humoring us with anecdotes and witty comments while fixing every technical issue imaginable. He was not only a great colleague to work with, but also a great friend to be around. Guillermo is leaving us this semester to pursue another career opportunity. As much as we will miss him, we wish him all the best in his new position and thank him for everything that he has done for the library.

We’re going to miss Guillermo tremendously around these parts. Besides the fact that he was extremely dependable and competent at his job, he was a complete joy as a colleague. Guillermo never failed to put me in a good mood. He has a wonderful sense of humor, but he’s also a philosopher. We’ve had lots of interesting and enlightening conversations over the years, and he always helped me to look at the bright side of things. He also made it clear to me early on that he would be willing to try any of my home baking. I’ll think of Guillermo every time I make cookies and will make a few extra in his honor. Thank you for everything, Guillermo! Your new colleagues are very fortunate. – Kathleen Collins

Guillermo has a rare ability to face a problem and then solve it without expressing any complaints. I will miss his friendly greetings and healthy smoothie drinks, chats about human nature and Mexican cuisine. His new colleagues will definitely appreciate his sense of humor and dependability. – Maria Kiriakova

Hands down Guillermo is the friendliest member of the library. First to smile, first to inquire about how you are doing and first to lend a helping hand. Even with things you should know how to fix on your own by now, he cheerfully steps in and finds and resolves the problem. Things will not be the same without him but we wish him continued success in his new position. - Maureen Richards

Saying goodbye to Guillermo is bittersweet: I’m sorry he won’t be my coworker anymore, but I’m pleased his professional expertise was recognized and awarded with a new career opportunity. While Guillermo’s tech gifts can’t be praised enough, his patience, good humor and open heart deserve to be mentioned as well. And, it is not just the library faculty and staff who will miss Guillermo: he has always been a student-centered professional who has worked with countless JJAY students as they navigated tech difficulties in the course of their academic endeavors. - Marta Bladek

Congratulations, Guillermo! You have been nothing but a pleasure to work with. I was always able to sleep at night knowing that you are there to make sure things were working. You are a great colleague and a great friend. And now that you are leaving, I’ll be sleep deprived. With all that said, I can’t express how much I’ve appreciated your help during my time at the Library. I don’t know if I will ever find someone as loyal and reliable as you have been for the last 10 years. Nonetheless, you deserve this new opportunity and I know you’ll do great at your new job. You will have always have a spot in my heart. Please take care. - Geng Lin

I am happy that Guillermo found another opportunity that advances his skills and expertise, but I am simultaneously sad to lose a great colleague. Guillermo would reliably, quickly and calmly fix all sorts of technical issues in the Library while making us laugh with an amusing insight or story. Thank you for sharing your good sense of humor with us, Guillermo, and for solving our many technical glitches. We are going to miss you! - Karen Okamoto

First, I want to congratulate Guillermo on this new opportunity. I have no doubt you will excel and be a vibrant part of the CUNY School of Labor Studies. However, I will greatly miss your humor, conversations about life and the state of the world today, and all of the technical help you have provided. I wish you all the best and am sad to see you go. - Patrick J Raftery Jr

Guillermo is a hard worker who enjoys working in the library and understands the vital use of computers for library work, patron usage, and librarian vitality. He appreciates working with the library staff and patrons. Guillermo will be missed! - Marvie Brooks

It's been really great working with Guillermo all these years. I’m sorry to see him go but I wish him luck and all the best in his new position. -Mark Zubarev

Guillermo was always helpful to me when technical problems presented themselves in the library. He did it with a smile and a willing spirit. I greatly appreciated his assistance. Apart from that, Guillermo was fun to talk with. We talked about all sort of things, everything from the complicated relationship between Latin America and the U.S. to ways to promote personal good health and fitness. He will be missed at John Jay College Library. - Tania Colmant-Donabedian

Dear Guillermo, We've worked together many years. It's always been a pleasure. Thank you for your warmth, your smile, your willingness to help everyone. Speaking as a reference librarian, I am grateful for the many ways you kept our library computer systems running so smoothly. Even though I'll miss you and am sorry to see you go, I know you will do well in your new position, accepting the challenges and making the most of the opportunities. Congratulations and good luck in your new position! Warm regards - Lory Gallo

Read more from the Spring 2022 issue of Classified Information, the Library's newsletter

A startling bit of news came out of Bard College recently. The library newsletter announced, proudly, one assumes: “In keeping with campus-wide initiatives to ensure that Bard is a place of inclusion, equity, and diversity, the Stevenson Library is conducting a diversity audit of the entire print collection in an effort to begin the process of decanonizing the stacks. Three students, who are funded through the Office of Inclusive Excellence, have begun the process which we expect will take at least a year to complete. The students will be evaluating each book for representations of race/ethnicity, gender, religion, and ability.”

Bard quickly stepped back in the face of sharp public criticism. The chief librarian assured all that no books would actually be removed. But, she explained, the exercise “will help us understand and answer questions about representation in our collections and build a more inclusive collection going forward.” How odd, that a librarian would consider her collection as less than inclusive. Had she been intentionally building a collection based on exclusion? She is certainly suggesting that in the future Bard will not be putting on the shelves books whose ideas or authors they find objectionable.

We should ponder what Justice Louis Brandeis wrote in Whitney v. California (1927): “If there be time to expose the falsehood and fallacies, to avert the evil by the process of education, the remedy to be applied is more speech, not enforced silence.” Removing books from the stacks or not buying books expressing difficult ideas is “enforced silence.”

The Lloyd Sealy Library will not be “decanonizing” our collection. Indeed, that concept is antithetical to our core mission. It also violates the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights, a document adopted in 1939 as the rise of totalitarianism threatened liberal society. The first two articles are germane here.

Article I: Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.

Article II: Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.

Those principles guide our collection development policies and practices. Yes, we are constantly weeding our collection to make way for new volumes, but we do not remove any books because we find the ideas or the author objectionable. Really, it is my hope that everyone finds something in our collection they find objectionable. At the same time, we do our best to respond to requests that we acquire a particular volume, for that, too, is part of our core mission – supporting the educational and research needs of faculty and students.

Delivering a commencement address at Dartmouth College in June 1953, President Dwight D. Eisenhower implored his audience, “Don’t join the book burners. Don’t think you’re going to conceal faults by concealing evidence that they ever existed. Don’t be afraid to go in your library and read every book.”

Amen to that.

Jeffrey Kroessler, Interim Chief Librarian

Read more from the Spring 2022 issue of Classified Information, the Library's newsletter

The Lloyd Sealy Library would like to extend a warm welcome to our new Adjunct Open Educational Resources (OER) Librarian, Bruce Shenitz! Before joining John Jay, Bruce served as an Adjunct Reference Librarian at both Lehman College and Medgar Evers College (where he continues in that role). Bruce holds a Master’s of Science in Information and Library Science from Pratt University, and in his previous career was as a reporter-researcher at Newsweek magazine and executive editor of Out magazine. Over the pandemic, Bruce became increasingly involved in OER librarianship and is now bringing his expertise to John Jay. The sudden urgency to find and share freely-accessible research materials was felt across all CUNY campuses. At John Jay, that emphasis continues through Bruce’s collaboration with the Teaching and Learning Center (TLC). Together, the team is offering a faculty seminar that addresses the need for an OER curriculum across campus. As described by TLC, this summer’s Open Pedagogy Seminar will “introduce components of OER projects completed by John Jay faculty members in the social sciences, humanities, and STEM fields. Participants will engage in a collaborative learning environment to identify OER available for use in John Jay courses, explore principles of open pedagogy and practice developing assignments and activities for use in fall 2022 courses.” Please keep a lookout for a registration e-mail from TLC in the coming weeks. Utilizing free and openly accessible instructional materials is not only cost-efficient but also helps to enhance access to resources for online or hybrid students. However, one barrier to OER is a lack of faculty awareness. At John Jay, our team of librarians is facing that challenge head-on. Want to learn more about OER? Check out the library’s Guide to OER or contact Bruce Shenitz at bshenitz@jjay.cuny.edu. Kate Cauley Read more from the Spring 2022 issue of Classified Information, the Library's newsletter

Larry Sullivan retired as Chief Librarian in January 2021. He had held that position for a quarter century, and under his leadership the Lloyd Sealy Library became one of the most respected and forward-thinking in the CUNY system. More than anyone else, he is responsible for building our collection into one of the finest and most extensive in the field of criminal justice in the country. Scholars from around the world visit to use our unique resources. He also fostered the development of Special Collections, finding funds for the acquisition of rare books and encouraging the expansion of our manuscript collections. For over a decade he worked to open new spaces for Special Collections, and that effort has finally come to pass.

Dr. Sullivan earned a doctorate in medieval history from Johns Hopkins and then a library degree (MLIS) from Catholic University. His first position as a librarian was in the Maryland State Penitentiary. That experience spurred him to a lifetime interest in the writing of prisoners, and he has built an extensive personal collection. Prior to coming to John Jay, he was the head of Rare Books and Special Collections at the Library of Congress.

Above all, Larry Sullivan is a scholar, and throughout his career he evidenced a creative and insightful set of interests. He was the editor of The Encyclopedia of Law Enforcement (2005) and The SAGE Glossary of the Social and Behavioral Sciences (2009), enticing many John Jay faculty to contribute. He also edited two editions of Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Annual (2014 and 2017), again including contributions from faculty, including the librarians. He was also a co-editor of Pioneers, Passionate Ladies, and Private Eyes: Dime Novels, Series Books, and Paperbacks (1996), revealing another dimension of his interests.

Larry was the author of The Prison Reform Movement: Forlorn Hope (1990), Bandits & Bibles: Convict Literature in Nineteenth-century America (2003), and The New-York Historical Society: A Bicentennial History, 1804-2004 (2004) – for a time he had been head librarian there as well. Two other publications must be mentioned. With illustrator D. R. Wakefield he created The Brownsville Boys: Jewish Gangsters of Murder, Inc. (2013), a set of original prints of notorious and forgotten mobsters. It is a beautiful book about remorseless killers. In 2017 he curated an exhibit of courtroom art here, highlighting works in our collection. He “invited” me to contribute the text, and then we turned the exhibit into a book, Rogues Gallery: Forty Year Retrospective of Courtroom Art, from Son of Sam to El Chapo (2017).

Larry always encouraged the scholarly work of us librarians. Where some chief librarians insist that only publications in the field of Library Science would be acceptable, Larry encouraged the librarians here to publish in subject disciplines. Addressing a gathering of CUNY librarians in 2004, he said that publishing is what makes librarians “whole in the eyes of the rest of the college’s faculty and gives them equal stature as faculty.” He believed that a research agenda in a subject was integral to the role of academic librarians, and essential for tenure and promotion. After I published a book in 2010, he repeatedly reminded to me, “Your next book will get you promotion.” That took time, but I accepted the challenge. The best thing he could do as chief librarian, he insisted, was to “create an atmosphere that is conducive to research.” During his tenure at John Jay, Larry Sullivan more than accomplished that goal.

Jeffrey Kroessler, Interim Chief Librarian

Read more from the Spring 2022 issue of Classified Information, the Library's newsletter

On the morning of January 6, 2021 Larry Sullivan announced his retirement, effective immediately at a regular Library faculty meeting. We all thought it would be the most shocking thing that would happen that day. We were wrong about that, but at least we will always remember the anniversary of his retirement.
    I will miss Larry’s deep understanding of academic library administration and management; he always knew when, how and to whom to advocate for the Library when a problem loomed. But the most important lessons I learned from working with Larry was how to practically manage our Special Collections. Under his direction we made significant acquisitions of rare book and archival collections, which have more than doubled in size over these past two decades. As a result, we regularly have been able to report in this publication an average of four to five publications a year resulting from researchers working with our unique primary resources on criminal justice history (broadly defined).
    As work continues finally finishing and opening our new Special Collections reading room and exhibit space, I am also reflecting on how this suite of room was conceptualized as part of “the John Jay Construction Phase II” planning of the New Building three decades ago, well before I arrived in 2004. It took all of the intervening years of Larry advocating for this space to finally make it a reality. While famously technology-adverse, Larry’s support for our robust digitization program from our Special Collections have made content from thousands of items freely available supporting not only those unable to travel to NYC but most importantly student learning directly from primary materials. We have Larry to thank for making the Library’s unique collections accessible, known and used, not only at the College but worldwide. I wish him well on his well-deserved retirement. -- Ellen Belcher

In addition to being a celebrated scholar and mentor, as a chief librarian who oversees the work of library faculty and staff, Larry has also been a compassionate manager who had promoted work-life balance well before it became a management cliche. I am grateful for working with Larry when I was a new mother and my son was a very small child. Among sleepless nights, endless colds, unpredictable child  afflictions, snow day school closures, and other crises, I had always known that Larry would tell me to calm down, take as much time as needed, and pick up the work when I was able to. Thanks to Larry, the library department has embraced a care-work culture where people’s private lives and family obligations were seen as a part of who we are and how we work. Time and time again, Larry supported those of us who had to attend to children, elderly parents, our own health crises, or to others who needed our care by ensuring we knew that he understood and encountered these challenges himself. I wholeheartedly hope that this particular legacy of Larry’s tenure in the Library will continue to shape our work lives. -- Marta Bladek

I am appreciative for his expertise as an administrator who was an able representative among the CUNY and John Jay College administrators and fellow faculty members. He was special in his ability to draw out the best in the library faculty and staff (including custodians) and helped all of us to make a good presentation professionally at the College and elsewhere. -- Marvie Brooks

Larry was and is a scholar, first and foremost, and as chief librarian for over two decades he made a point to hire intellectually curious library faculty in whom he saw the same potential. I couldn’t have asked for a better place to land than John Jay, and I am grateful to Larry for his unflagging support and encouragement of my scholarship en route to tenure and promotion. Working for Larry meant never having a moment’s doubt that he would support his faculty and staff in every way possible. He instilled confidence in me and my colleagues and gave us the freedom to carry on and do our jobs well. In large part due to Larry, my position at John Jay has been the most satisfying work experience of my career. – Kathleen Collins

For many decades, the John Jay College Library and Larry, or Dr. Sullivan, were synonymous terms when faculty were talking about my place of work. Everybody in the college, be it a seasoned professor, a janitor, a 6th floor administrator, a graduate student, a visiting scholar knew Larry and were able to make their way into his office to chat or get advice. His attitude towards library faculty, clerical staff and student workers is always of respect, equality and interest in other person’s life and experience. Larry is always impeccably dressed, has a calming and attentive demeanor and is carrying the most erudite conversations on a vast variety of topics: world travel, literature, theater, history of punishment, crime, educational theories, just to name a few. Larry’s favorite phrase is “to be continued” which I interpret as “problems will be solved, people will move on, reason will prevail.” -- Maria Kiriakova

I am going to miss Larry’s calm and compassionate leadership. He guided so many of us through the stress–inducing tenure process. I appreciated Larry’s trust in our ability to lead and manage our work responsibilities and units. I never doubted that he would support us and the library even through the most difficult times like the pandemic lockdown period. Thank you, Larry, for being there for us! -- Karen Okamoto

As Assistant to the Chief Librarian, I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to learn from the exceptional librarians in the John Jay College Library, in particular Bonnie Nelson for excellent computer training, and Janice Dunham and Chief Librarian Larry Sullivan for excellent library training.
-- Carolyn Paden

I first met Larry at about the beginning of the fall 2019 semester when I arrived at John Jay for my interview for the cataloging and metadata librarian position. I had just recently finished my dual MS LIS and MA History degrees and Larry’s scholarship on prisons and prison librarianship filled the bibliography of my theses. I would soon learn that we share even more interests such as rare book cataloging, American traditional tattoos, and a deep admiration for Samuel Steward a.k.a Phil Sparrow. I did not have the pleasure of working with Larry for long. However, Larry has provided me with great support within my research areas, professional development opportunities, and has continually reminded me that I can always reach out to him for support. I am grateful to have worked with him for he is a true scholar, mentor, librarian, and leader. I wish him all the best in his well-deserved retirement. -- Patrick J. Raftery Jr.

It is hard to adequately pay tribute to the work of the Chief Librarian who led and shaped the Library for over a quarter of a century. Larry was barely ensconced in the Chief's Chair when I started my career at the library in the mid-nineties. His was a genial and discreet presence, striding the hallways with a single thin braid running over the collar of his dark suit. He arrived as web browser Netscape's Navigator took over from Mosaic, and the CD ROMS stacked in towers beside workstations were our most exciting new technology visible to users. Telephones sat firmly on top of desks. He enlivened the dullest meetings with philosophical asides and anecdotes of the Chicago boys, dive bar tending and prison librarianship. He wrote and taught and talked about punishment and prisons and prisoners and prisoners’ writing. His office was a curio box of vintage dime store novels, religious kitsch, postcards and art, with the resident devils and angels mesmerizing and menacing guests. He steered the Library successfully from card catalog days through three management systems (NOTIS, Aleph, Alma), yet was helpless in front of a beeping photocopier. By the year he retired, most of our users were accessing most library content remotely, many using light handheld devices many times more powerful than our old workstations.
    Larry was generous with distributing writing assignments to the willing, sharing opportunities to publish in the encyclopedias and handbooks he edited. Generous too with tickets to the magnificent annual Armory show on Park Avenue; wandering through the stalls in search of bargain-basement criminal justice treasures was an education; not least chatting with Larry's tattooed and kilted friends amid their eclectic collections.
    He was a steadfast and unfailing advocate for the library within the college and beyond. He led us enthusiastically through times of unimaginable technological change while maintaining a deep reverence for the physical manifestations of books and manuscripts. We miss his stewardship, and wish him all the best and happy travels. -- Ellen Sexton

To Larry, you have touched all hearts in Lloyd Sealy Library. I greatly appreciate your leadership and support system for your employees throughout the years. P.S. don’t forget about us. Thank you so much. -- Debbie Spivey

On paper and in life, Larry’s breadth and depth of knowledge might intimidate the less traveled, both figuratively and literally given his penchant for world travel. And then one gets to know him. Although the library is only one of Larry’s many interests, he always has had the library’s back, knowing when to lead, when to intervene, and when to let the experts do their job. For me, his kindness and efforts to support the people in the library are what I will always remember first when thinking about Larry. -- Maureen Richards

I was honestly surprised when I heard that Larry Sullivan decided to retire. A part of me thought that he'd be here forever. He has been a fixture of the library for the whole of my career and it’s difficult to imagine the place without him. Larry’s time as Chief Librarian has been transformative. It is a period where the way we do business changed completely, moving from card catalogs to computers. I’m deeply appreciative to have had the opportunity to work here while he has been in charge. He helped to make the library an open and friendly place, both for students to study in and for faculty and staff to work in. His retirement is the end of an era but I know that after so many years of hard work, it is also well deserved. Larry, congratulations and best wishes! -- Mark Zubarev

Read more from the Spring 2022 issue of Classified Information, the Library's newsletter

On the morning of January 6, 2021 Larry Sullivan announced his retirement, effective immediately at a regular Library faculty meeting. We all thought it would be the most shocking thing that would happen that day. We were wrong about that, but at least we will always remember the anniversary of his retirement.
    I will miss Larry’s deep understanding of academic library administration and management; he always knew when, how and to whom to advocate for the Library when a problem loomed. But the most important lessons I learned from working with Larry was how to practically manage our Special Collections. Under his direction we made significant acquisitions of rare book and archival collections, which have more than doubled in size over these past two decades. As a result, we regularly have been able to report in this publication an average of four to five publications a year resulting from researchers working with our unique primary resources on criminal justice history (broadly defined).
    As work continues finally finishing and opening our new Special Collections reading room and exhibit space, I am also reflecting on how this suite of room was conceptualized as part of “the John Jay Construction Phase II” planning of the New Building three decades ago, well before I arrived in 2004. It took all of the intervening years of Larry advocating for this space to finally make it a reality. While famously technology-adverse, Larry’s support for our robust digitization program from our Special Collections have made content from thousands of items freely available supporting not only those unable to travel to NYC but most importantly student learning directly from primary materials. We have Larry to thank for making the Library’s unique collections accessible, known and used, not only at the College but worldwide. I wish him well on his well-deserved retirement. -- Ellen Belcher

In addition to being a celebrated scholar and mentor, as a chief librarian who oversees the work of library faculty and staff, Larry has also been a compassionate manager who had promoted work-life balance well before it became a management cliche. I am grateful for working with Larry when I was a new mother and my son was a very small child. Among sleepless nights, endless colds, unpredictable child  afflictions, snow day school closures, and other crises, I had always known that Larry would tell me to calm down, take as much time as needed, and pick up the work when I was able to. Thanks to Larry, the library department has embraced a care-work culture where people’s private lives and family obligations were seen as a part of who we are and how we work. Time and time again, Larry supported those of us who had to attend to children, elderly parents, our own health crises, or to others who needed our care by ensuring we knew that he understood and encountered these challenges himself. I wholeheartedly hope that this particular legacy of Larry’s tenure in the Library will continue to shape our work lives. -- Marta Bladek

I am appreciative for his expertise as an administrator who was an able representative among the CUNY and John Jay College administrators and fellow faculty members. He was special in his ability to draw out the best in the library faculty and staff (including custodians) and helped all of us to make a good presentation professionally at the College and elsewhere. -- Marvie Brooks

Larry was and is a scholar, first and foremost, and as chief librarian for over two decades he made a point to hire intellectually curious library faculty in whom he saw the same potential. I couldn’t have asked for a better place to land than John Jay, and I am grateful to Larry for his unflagging support and encouragement of my scholarship en route to tenure and promotion. Working for Larry meant never having a moment’s doubt that he would support his faculty and staff in every way possible. He instilled confidence in me and my colleagues and gave us the freedom to carry on and do our jobs well. In large part due to Larry, my position at John Jay has been the most satisfying work experience of my career. – Kathleen Collins

For many decades, the John Jay College Library and Larry, or Dr. Sullivan, were synonymous terms when faculty were talking about my place of work. Everybody in the college, be it a seasoned professor, a janitor, a 6th floor administrator, a graduate student, a visiting scholar knew Larry and were able to make their way into his office to chat or get advice. His attitude towards library faculty, clerical staff and student workers is always of respect, equality and interest in other person’s life and experience. Larry is always impeccably dressed, has a calming and attentive demeanor and is carrying the most erudite conversations on a vast variety of topics: world travel, literature, theater, history of punishment, crime, educational theories, just to name a few. Larry’s favorite phrase is “to be continued” which I interpret as “problems will be solved, people will move on, reason will prevail.” -- Maria Kiriakova

I am going to miss Larry’s calm and compassionate leadership. He guided so many of us through the stress–inducing tenure process. I appreciated Larry’s trust in our ability to lead and manage our work responsibilities and units. I never doubted that he would support us and the library even through the most difficult times like the pandemic lockdown period. Thank you, Larry, for being there for us! -- Karen Okamoto

As Assistant to the Chief Librarian, I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to learn from the exceptional librarians in the John Jay College Library, in particular Bonnie Nelson for excellent computer training, and Janice Dunham and Chief Librarian Larry Sullivan for excellent library training.
-- Carolyn Paden

I first met Larry at about the beginning of the fall 2019 semester when I arrived at John Jay for my interview for the cataloging and metadata librarian position. I had just recently finished my dual MS LIS and MA History degrees and Larry’s scholarship on prisons and prison librarianship filled the bibliography of my theses. I would soon learn that we share even more interests such as rare book cataloging, American traditional tattoos, and a deep admiration for Samuel Steward a.k.a Phil Sparrow. I did not have the pleasure of working with Larry for long. However, Larry has provided me with great support within my research areas, professional development opportunities, and has continually reminded me that I can always reach out to him for support. I am grateful to have worked with him for he is a true scholar, mentor, librarian, and leader. I wish him all the best in his well-deserved retirement. -- Patrick J. Raftery Jr.

It is hard to adequately pay tribute to the work of the Chief Librarian who led and shaped the Library for over a quarter of a century. Larry was barely ensconced in the Chief's Chair when I started my career at the library in the mid-nineties. His was a genial and discreet presence, striding the hallways with a single thin braid running over the collar of his dark suit. He arrived as web browser Netscape's Navigator took over from Mosaic, and the CD ROMS stacked in towers beside workstations were our most exciting new technology visible to users. Telephones sat firmly on top of desks. He enlivened the dullest meetings with philosophical asides and anecdotes of the Chicago boys, dive bar tending and prison librarianship. He wrote and taught and talked about punishment and prisons and prisoners and prisoners’ writing. His office was a curio box of vintage dime store novels, religious kitsch, postcards and art, with the resident devils and angels mesmerizing and menacing guests. He steered the Library successfully from card catalog days through three management systems (NOTIS, Aleph, Alma), yet was helpless in front of a beeping photocopier. By the year he retired, most of our users were accessing most library content remotely, many using light handheld devices many times more powerful than our old workstations.
    Larry was generous with distributing writing assignments to the willing, sharing opportunities to publish in the encyclopedias and handbooks he edited. Generous too with tickets to the magnificent annual Armory show on Park Avenue; wandering through the stalls in search of bargain-basement criminal justice treasures was an education; not least chatting with Larry's tattooed and kilted friends amid their eclectic collections.
    He was a steadfast and unfailing advocate for the library within the college and beyond. He led us enthusiastically through times of unimaginable technological change while maintaining a deep reverence for the physical manifestations of books and manuscripts. We miss his stewardship, and wish him all the best and happy travels. -- Ellen Sexton

To Larry, you have touched all hearts in Lloyd Sealy Library. I greatly appreciate your leadership and support system for your employees throughout the years. P.S. don’t forget about us. Thank you so much. -- Debbie Spivey

On paper and in life, Larry’s breadth and depth of knowledge might intimidate the less traveled, both figuratively and literally given his penchant for world travel. And then one gets to know him. Although the library is only one of Larry’s many interests, he always has had the library’s back, knowing when to lead, when to intervene, and when to let the experts do their job. For me, his kindness and efforts to support the people in the library are what I will always remember first when thinking about Larry. -- Maureen Richards

I was honestly surprised when I heard that Larry Sullivan decided to retire. A part of me thought that he'd be here forever. He has been a fixture of the library for the whole of my career and it’s difficult to imagine the place without him. Larry’s time as Chief Librarian has been transformative. It is a period where the way we do business changed completely, moving from card catalogs to computers. I’m deeply appreciative to have had the opportunity to work here while he has been in charge. He helped to make the library an open and friendly place, both for students to study in and for faculty and staff to work in. His retirement is the end of an era but I know that after so many years of hard work, it is also well deserved. Larry, congratulations and best wishes! -- Mark Zubarev

Read more from the Spring 2022 issue of Classified Information, the Library's newsletter

Marta Bladek published “Student well-being matters: Academic library support for the whole student” in The Journal of Academic Librarianship (47.3) and “Students and parents: How academic libraries serve a growing population” in Library Trends (70.2).

Kathleen Collins was a writer-in-residence for two weeks at the Monastery of St. Gertrude in Cottonwood, Idaho during her Fall 2021 sabbatical and shares her experience in “Big Monastery on the Prairie” at katcoindustries.com/scholastica. Her short story, “Footprint Zero,” was published in the Spring issue of A Plate of Pandemic. She continues to produce Indoor Voices podcast, which she co-founded in 2017, and published the 71st episode in March 2022.

Jeffrey Kroessler published “The Word on Wilding” in the Spring 2022 issue of Academic Questions. The November 18, 2021 issue of The New York Review of Books featured an essay about his recent book, Sunnyside Gardens: Planning and Preservation in a Historic Garden Suburb. In March he gave a talk at the AIA’s Center for Architecture about the book.

Read more from the Spring 2022 issue of Classified Information, the Library's newsletter

The Lloyd Sealy Library’s physical space will be open to current John Jay and CUNY students, faculty, and staff starting on Friday 1/28/22. Our remote services will continue as well. 

In line with COVID-19 mitigation guidelines, please see details below:

Access to the physical library:

Currently, only current CUNY students, faculty, and staff who comply with CUNY’s COVID-19 mitigation protocol can visit the Library. 

Visitors (including outside researchers and alumni) must follow the campus access protocol. The special collections room will remain closed. Researchers may inquire about a virtual consultation with the special collections librarian by contacting libspcoll@jjay.cuny.edu 

Library hours:

Please refer to the Library’s calendar for details.

Mask mandate:

Everyone must wear a face mask at all times while in the library, per CUNY guidelines.

Available services for students:

• Circulating books and reserves.
• Computer workstations (library computers are not equipped with headphones or microphones)
• Silent study areas
• Study spaces for students with their own devices.
• Printing and scanning.
• Study rooms will be capped to 2 people at a time.
• In-person research assistance on the upper level of the library.
• Remote research help through chat, email, Zoom, and phone.
• Interlibrary loan (ILL), please refer to our ILL policy for details.

Available services for faculty:

• In-person research assistance on the upper level of the library.
• Remote research help through chat, email, Zoom and phone.
• Library instruction.
• Reserves.
• Interlibrary loan (ILL), please refer to ILL our policy for details.

For Fall 2021, the Library is expanding its virtual reference assistance. Now, in addition to chat and email students are welcome to consult with librarians live on Zoom.
 
The Zoom drop-ins are equivalent to our face-to-face reference service that provides assistance with forming a research topic and search strategy, finding and accessing sources, and solving any research-related problems.
 
Some of the queries librarians address include the following:
 
*How do I get started with my project?
*What are the keywords I need to get good articles?
*Where should I go to find sources for my paper?
 
Checking in with a librarian, as students often observe, makes research more doable and saves lots of time and frustration. In the remote environment, getting library assistance via Zoom additionally provides guidance in doing research in a context where print sources are not available.
 

We are looking forward to seeing you on Zoom.

PROBLEM:  How do you wear a protective face mask yet use your voice clearly?
How do you maintain a safe social distance yet participate in shaping your community?
SOLUTION:   Vote! 

Despite the challenges of COVID, it’s easy to vote in the upcoming election. We’ve put together a brief guide with links to help you navigate.
Start by making sure you are registered to vote. The guide provides links to register to vote and/or check your registration status online.
This year, you can vote by mail with an absentee ballot. Alternatively, you can vote in-person - either early or on election day. The guide provides links to the absentee ballot application and is an easy place to find the dates and locations of in-person polling places for both early voting and Election Day voting.
In addition, we provide links to help you make informed decisions about the candidates and any ballot measures up for a vote. Our guide helps you find biographical information, policy and issue viewpoints, positions and beliefs, and who exactly is helping to finance a candidate’s campaign.
Your vote and your voice make a difference. Check out our Voting 2021 guide and vote!

By Peggy Teich