Section Council of the Medical Library Association

Comment from Melissa Rethlefsen
Time September 10, 2012 at 11:55 am

The news of Ysabel’s passing comes as a blow and a shock. She was a wonderful person and a fantastic colleague. I’ve loved working with her these past several years, and I will deeply miss her.

Comment from Ramune Kubilius
Time September 10, 2012 at 12:02 pm

Over the past year and a half, since she “inherited” me and my duties as the 2013 NPC Section Council liaison from previous Section Council chair, Judy Burnham, who “recruited me” in July 2010, Ysabel’s wise counsel and sense of humor were greatly appreciated as planning for the 2013 annual meeting rolled along. Her experience in MLA’s and the library world’s international scene was very helpful to me. Through the years, it was clear that she enjoyed and appreciated life to the fullest, though it’s too bad she didn’t get to enjoy life in retirement…She will be sadly missed.

Comment from Sara Katsh
Time September 10, 2012 at 12:33 pm

During my 40 years at AORN and Ysabel’s 40 years at Kaiser, I have always admired her and appreciated her joie de vivre and sense of humor. I’m so glad that I was able to see her in Seattle, never dreaming it would be the last time. She has always done us proud, and we will miss her.

Comment from Judy Burnham
Time September 10, 2012 at 1:33 pm

I am very saddened to hear about Ysabel’s untimely passing. I have know her through various MLA groups, especially NAHRS, for over 20 years and have grown to love her sense of humor, infectious smile and warm personality. I will miss her presence and her influence on the future of medical libraries and MLA. She was a true friend.

Comment from Carla Funk
Time September 10, 2012 at 2:46 pm

We are shocked and saddened to learn about Ysabel. I had just talked with her a few weeks ago about some followup to the MLA Board meeting. She was a wonderful colleague who I got to know through her involvement in IFLA and the chapter, but most recently as a member of the MLA Board. She will be sorely missed!

Comment from Jane Blumenthal
Time September 10, 2012 at 2:55 pm

I, too, was sadden and shocked at the news. Like others, I had come to appreciate and rely on Ysabel’s calm, clear thinking, practical grounding, and sense of humor. She will be greatly missed as a board member and as a colleague.

Comment from Dixie Jones
Time September 10, 2012 at 3:05 pm

Ysabel will certainly be missed! We go back together many years in MLA’s Hospital Libraries Section. I had just seen her in May and was looking forward to seeing her again in October; it’s just surreal to think that she won’t be with us at the fall Board meeting. She leaves behind a legacy of library advocacy and a smile that we will all remember.

Comment from Rikke Ogawa
Time September 10, 2012 at 3:47 pm

I was/am heartbroken to hear the news this morning. Ysabel was one of my first mentors in MLA and NCNMLG. Welcoming and encouraging to me as a new librarian, through her guidance I felt like I had a home in the medical library community. She was one of those awesome librarians who had been around in the MLA organization long enough to know all history, but was still so excited to see who the new comers were and what they were going to do. She is the librarian I want to be when I grow up.

Comment from Teresa Knott
Time September 10, 2012 at 4:25 pm

I have known of Ysabel for many years through mutual friends but truly came to know Ysabel as Section Chair with my work on the 2012 NPC. She was a joy to work with on MLA business. She was quick, insightful, energetic, lively and had a delicious sense of humor.

Just a couple of weeks ago, we were talking about how much we had enjoyed getting to know each other and that despite her retirement, we would continue working together and building our friendship. I am sadden that the medical library community, her family and friends have lost a remarkable person, that Ysabel had a very limited opportunity to enjoy her retirement and that we didn’t have more time to be friends.

Comment from Roz Dudden
Time September 10, 2012 at 6:22 pm

Ysabel worked with me on the MLA benchmarking project bringing all Kaiser libraries into the first data gathering effort. Through her efforts as well as other team members, the Kaiser libraries were able to prove they were under-funded and received more than one million dollars for eleven libraries. Back in 2003, I had the honor to share the award dias with her when she received the Lois Ann Colaianni Award for Excellence and Achievement in Hospital Librarianship. Ysabel had a unique ability to bring people together. She will be missed!

Comment from Judith Weiner Mills
Time September 10, 2012 at 7:18 pm

I was my privilege to work with Ysabel in my capacity as the NCNMLG President. Always ready to assist with a good advice, she was an active member of the Bylaws/Nominating/Election Committee. Her vast knowledge of the chapter’s history and commitment to our development was a great asset to all of us. I have spoken with her just before she retired from her employment and Ysabel assured me that she would remain an active member in our group.
Today I am deeply saddened for the news of her passing yet I am grateful to have known her.

Respectfully,

Judith W. Mills, MLIS, MS
Knowledge Manager Librarian
NCNMLG President

Comment from Kay H. Smith
Time September 10, 2012 at 7:39 pm

I’ve only known Ysabel for a few years myself, but was immediately impressed by her kindness and genuine interest in me as a new officer in CAPHIS. I also loved it that she conducted the CAPHIS business meeting not with a copied agenda but with scribbled notes on a cocktail napkin! All in all, one cool lady. She will be missed.

Comment from Jerry Perry
Time September 10, 2012 at 7:40 pm

Ysabel was an outstanding colleague, friend and librarian. A role model to us all in her ability to use humor and common sense to resolve issues, find perspective and move forward. I especially enjoyed working with her on the MLA Board, and looked forward to hearing what was new in her life. Her world-view on international matters was always so prescient! And, I loved her purple sandals!

Comment from Mary Fran Prottsman
Time September 10, 2012 at 11:00 pm

I first met Ysabel decades ago when we were serving on MLA’s Mentoring Task Force and gleefully observed her deftness at cutting through the nattering and going straight to the chase. It was a joy to work with her on Section Council this past year and to observe the mastery with which she conducted what could have been a long and tedious SC annual meeting but was instead extremely productive as we all shared common concerns and solutions. She will indeed be sorely missed.

Comment from Tony McSean
Time September 11, 2012 at 4:25 am

I was very sad to learn of Ysabel’s untimely death. She was someone you always looking forward to bumping into at a conference – always something interesting and thoughtful to contribute, always enjoyable to chat with.

Comment from M.J. Tooey
Time September 11, 2012 at 2:59 pm

When I heard the news of Ysabel’s passing it was though someone had punched me in the stomach. What a great colleague and friend. I loved her sense of humor and outlook on life. One of my favorite memories of her will always be her taking me on a tour of Berkeley where she had gone to school. What colorful commentary and what good fun! She had been there during the most colorful of times – why was I not surprised? I am sure she contributed to them. I will miss her very much

Comment from Camille Evans
Time September 11, 2012 at 5:13 pm

Ysabel was a wonderful smart, witty, funny person. She always had a funny story to share and healthy advice.
We will miss you.

Comment from Donna Flake
Time September 12, 2012 at 11:35 am

I was saddened to learn of Ysabel’s death. She was always interested in international medical librarianship, and I admired her. What a loss to all of us!

Comment from beth whipple
Time September 12, 2012 at 12:23 pm

I was also shocked to hear of Ysabel’s death. I just got to know her over this past year, working on Section Council duties. I met her face-to-face for the first time in Seattle, and really enjoyed her spunk, no-nonsense attitude, and enthusiasm for the profession and for those entering the profession. She was kind and helpful, and I am grateful I got to know her, even for a short period of time.

Comment from Carmen Huddleston
Time September 12, 2012 at 1:38 pm

I was very saddened to hear of Ysabel’s untimely death. She was as asset and friend to many in the medical library community. She will be greatly missed.

Comment from Sandra Franklin
Time September 12, 2012 at 2:54 pm

I met Ysabel while serving on an MLA committee over ten years ago and valued her as a colleague ever since. I will miss the hugs, her honest perspective, and geniuneness.

Comment from Richard Klein
Time September 12, 2012 at 4:34 pm

It was my great pleasure and privilege to be a friend and colleague to Ysabel Bertolucci over numerous decades. To echo previous comments, her candor, her humor, her “onward and upward” attitude were infectious and a big morale booster. I will sadly miss the many lunches and dinners filled with much laughter and Ysabel “charm.” Our lives will feel the void of her loss, but also the enhancement of knowing her.

Comment from Betsy Barsamian Teman
Time September 13, 2012 at 11:29 am

Today, a friend of Ysabel’s contacted me (thank you, facebook) and delivered this terrible news. I am just devastated. Ysabel and I have been friends since I was 3 years old, which means 57+ years! Our parents were very close friends and she and I grew up together. We went to UC Berkeley together. She was two years ahead of me. It was Ysabel who steered me into my profession as a landscape architect by way of an acquaintance (later, a colleague of mine) at UCB. Ysabel always wanted to be a librarian – ever since we were children. She achieved that goal and then some. It is heart-warming to know she had all of you wonderful friends and colleagues. I recently referred a friend (Kaiser nurse) to Ysabel to research PhD possibilities in nursing. As a result, my friend is enrolled in such a program. Ysabel and I had plans to get together for lunch a few weeks ago; but, plans changed. Now, I know why. She was so looking forward to a long retirement. By the way, for those of you who are close enough to Ysabel: yes, I am the one who (allegedly) poked her doll’s eyes out when we were kids – although, I don’t remember and have always denied it! Love you, Ysie!

Comment from Päivi Pekkarinen
Time September 13, 2012 at 4:00 pm

It was so sad to receive the news of Isabelle’s sudden passing away. I got to know her through the IFLA Health and Biosciences Standing Committee, and will always remember her strong support, her inimitable smile and sense of huomour.

Comment from Jodi Philbrick
Time September 14, 2012 at 8:39 am

When I received the email about Ysabel’s passing, it took me some time to process the thought that she was gone. I had only recently had the opportunity to work with Ysabel through Section Council, but I really enjoyed having the chance to learn from a wonderful person who had given so much to the profession. Words really can’t express how much she will be missed…but we can all cherish our memories of her and the legacy that she leaves behind.

Comment from Jana Liebermann
Time September 14, 2012 at 3:07 pm

Ysabel shepherded me through my year as CAPHIS Chair last year, and I really appreciated her availability, her collegiality, and her humor! She answered a myriad of questions from me and never was anything but gracious. I will miss her greatly.

Comment from Mary Hyde
Time September 17, 2012 at 9:34 am

When I first met Ysabel I asked her about her shoes. She always wore Keens to work and at meetings. She told me she had every color shoe they made to match her outfits for the Day. I had become a Keen advocate myself because I walk a lot as well. She recently told me that she switched to Ahnu shoes and that she thought they were better than Keens. That has yet to be proven, because I haven’t bought a pair – yet! Ysabel helped celebrate our sections 60th anniversary this year at MLA. She even helped us to through a resignation of an incoming officer by walking us through the process at our meeting. She was a wonderful person and will be missed.

Comment from Michelle Kraft
Time September 17, 2012 at 10:45 am

I really got to know Ysabel while she was Section Chair and working on the 2012 NPC and while working with her on the MLA Board. I loved her straight talk and her sharp wit. She and seemed to share a similar sense of humor. What was wonderful about Ysabel is that she had been around the profession for a while but she didn’t sit still. She was always working to try and change things for the better and always welcomed new people and fresh ideas into the mix. This year at MLA we had a lot of fun joking about me dressing up as a zombie for the Section Shuffle. Anything to get new and current members engaged and she was all for it. I will miss her a lot.

Comment from Christine Marton
Time September 17, 2012 at 2:26 pm

I remember fondly table sitting for Section Council with Ysabel at MLA2010. Ysabel had a great sense of humor and was very willing to share her extensive knowledge of the profession of medical librarianship. I will miss her dearly.

Comment from Alan Carr
Time September 17, 2012 at 6:07 pm

I am deeply sorry to hear of Ysabel’s passing. I have enjoyed the pleasure of her company many, many times at MLA annual and chapter meetings. Working in the NN/LM PSR RML, I could always count on Ysabel to give me the scoop on a colleague or institution in her neck of the woods when I was having difficulty tracking something down. And she always had great restaurant advice!

Comment from Helen-Ann Brown Epstein
Time September 17, 2012 at 8:30 pm

Ysabel and I were pals for more than 30 years. Usually at MLA one hug and then hellos in passing was enough to renew our caring relationship each year. In Seattle, Ysabel and I passed each other at the end of the day and decided to have dinner. I am so grateful for that time we got to spend together. I consider it a wonderful present Ysabel gave me as a token of our longstanding friendship.

Comment from Margaret Peloquin
Time September 18, 2012 at 7:36 am

I have fond memories of Ysabel through the NAHRS section where she was active and a role model for all of us. We were entertained and taught excellence in health sciences librarianship through her wisdom and humor.

Comment from Dan Doody
Time September 18, 2012 at 8:01 am

Ysabel was always very generous with her advice and counsel to us at Doody Enterprises. One of a handful of librarians who helped us develop a pioneering way to search Medline, Ysabel was insightful and ever-so-helpful. I will especially miss her generous spirit.

Comment from Tovah Reis
Time September 18, 2012 at 8:22 am

It was very sad to hear that Ysabel passed away. Thinking about her brought back wonderful memeories of our times together at IFLA, where I first got to know her, then at MLA and at meetings of the NEJM Library Advisory Board. Ysabel was unique. She said what she thought, she wanted us to be better, she knew we could do better and was always trying to advance and improve our profession and associations. She never just criticized and then walked away. It is unfortunate she didn’t serve her full term as Section Council chair and Board member, as she would have definitely left her mark and made an outstanding contribution to both.

Comment from Amy Blevins
Time September 18, 2012 at 12:18 pm

I got to know Ysabel while working on the Section Shuffle Plans for MLA 2012. She never tired of my sometimes ceaseless questions and her emails were always supportive and kind. It was a great pleasure to get to meet her in Seattle and put a face to the name. It was shocking and sad to hear that a woman so full of life and energy and passion for MLA had passed. I only wish I’d gotten to know her sooner.

Comment from Dorothy A. Spencer
Time September 18, 2012 at 4:45 pm

I Knew Ysabel for almost 40 years and, for a brief time, I enjoyed being her library neighbor while at Samuel Merritt College in Oakland, from 1996-97. She was not only a great librarian and advocate, she was one of the funniest people I have ever know. It was her sense of humor and joy of life that I will remember and miss the most.

Comment from Nikki Dettmar
Time September 19, 2012 at 10:01 am

It is very hard to envision MLA, and especially CAPHIS, without Ysabel’s tireless enthusiasm for connecting with new members and deep love for our field combined with a phenomenal sense of humor. I am so saddened by this great loss, but so thankful I was able to learn from & work with her since 2009 in CAPHIS. I’ll miss you, Ysabel!

Comment from Hope McDaniel
Time September 20, 2012 at 8:50 pm

As I read all the kind words that many have written about Ysabel, my heart is overflowing with joy knowing that she had so many people who loved and respected her. I, too, am one of those people. Ysabel and I became friends while working at Kaiser. She always greeted me with a smile and a funny story. It was as if she knew just what to say at the right time. When she told me that she would be retiring, I was both happy and sad. Happy because I knew that she would be traveling the world, visiting family and enjoying life. Sad because I knew I would not see her lovely smile most days of the week for 28 years. Ysabel, encouraged me to look into retiring as early as possible so that as she put it, “…you can do the things you’ve been putting off so long to do.”
Lesson learned…let Ysabel’s untimely passing remind us of how short life is and to enjoy those things and people today as tomorrow is not promised to any of us. Most important lesson from Ysabel…a smile ca warm even the coldest of hearts. I will miss you so Ysabel.

Comment from Connie Schardt
Time September 24, 2012 at 10:26 am

I heard about Ysabel’s passing while traveling in Australia. I was shocked and deeply saddened. Ysabel, Deborah Adams and I wrote the 2nd edition of the MLA Standards for Hospital Libraries back in the 1990s. She was great to work with – reliable, smart, practical and funny. We later discovered that we had gone to the same high school and library school. Our shared history and work on the standards made us good friends over the years. She was one of our unsung “giants”.

Comment from Hillary Farkas
Time September 26, 2012 at 7:24 pm

I was deeply shocked to hear about Ysabel’s passing. I’ve known her since the late 1980s from NCNMLG, and all her wonderful work with MLA, including a fantastic conference some years ago in San Diego. Ysabel was quite a character–flippant but fair, honest to the point of bravery when it came to issues, able to cut to the quick, firm and yet fragile. She will be tremendously missed by everyone whose lives she touched, both professionally and personally.

Comment from Carole Gilbert
Time September 28, 2012 at 4:31 pm

I felt like I had been hit over the head when I heard about Ysabel’s untimely death. She and I had just discussed some SC issues and I had given her some “advice” on her retirement, being a unwilling retiree four years ago. Having known her since I was joined HLS in 1984, I knew that I would have another retired colleague, still working for MLA, with whom to share ideas and war stories. I will miss her next May!

Comment from Joy Summers-Ables
Time October 9, 2012 at 1:24 pm

I echo the sentiments concerning shock and sadness in regard to Ysabel. I didn’t know her long, but appreciated her enthusiasm and humor as I came to know her.