In Memory of Dr. Jerry D. Saye

Jerry was an exceptional teacher, winning the School's Outstanding Teaching Award twice, once in 1998 and again in 2005, as well as the Association for Library and Information Science Education (ALISE) Award for Teaching Excellence in 2002. He was the recipient of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Distinguished Teaching Award for Post Baccalaureate Instruction in 1999 and became a member of the Academy of Distinguished Teaching Scholars in 2000. In 2009, he received the Lifetime Teaching Award, a special award presented by SILS for exceptional teaching.

 

His primary subject areas included cataloging and classification, history of the book, library history and metadata. Jerry authored, "Manheimer and Saye's Cataloging and Classification," 5th edition. New York: Marcel Dekker, and from 1997 to 2002, he edited with Dr. Evelyn Daniel, the annual "Library and Information Science Education Statistical Report." He published many papers, articles and reports, and presented broadly primarily on subjects related to cataloging. In addition, he conducted many workshops on subjects for which he had great passion to help educate colleagues and students. He was devoted to his teaching, but he was also a devoted leader at SILS. In 1990, he was appointed assistant dean and in 1994 he was promoted to associate dean.

 

Jerry became involved with the country of Slovenia when he advised SILS doctoral student Alenka Šauperl (Ph.D. ’99), a SILS alumna and now a professor in the Department of Library and Information Science at the University of Ljubljana. In 2003, he received the prestigious title of Senior Fulbright Scholar to Slovenia, which deepened his affection for this area of the world. His connections there resulted in a long-standing exchange program between SILS and the University of Ljubljana, and a summer seminar that was in place at SILS for several years. In November of 2011, he was presented with the “Pro universitate labacensis” award “for special merit for advancing the development of the University of Ljubljana."

 

Jerry received his Ph.D. and Master's degrees in Library Science from the University of Pittsburgh. He was inducted into the Beta Phi Mu (International Honor Society in Library Science) in 1971.

 

He had been an active member in several professional groups including: Zveza Bibliotekarskih Društev Slovenije. Društva Ljubljana. [Union of Associations of Slovene Librarians. Ljubljana Association]; Society for Slovene Studies; the American Library Association; American Society for Information Science and Technology; Association for Library and Information Science Education; and the Association for Library Collections and Technical Services.

 

In addition to a stellar academic career, Jerry served in the U.S. Pacific Fleet of the United States Navy. He spent part of his time at the Pearl Harbor Naval Base Library as a Library Technical Assistant. He later rejoined the U.S. Naval Reserves and retired as a Lt. Commander with 27 years of service.

 

Our deepest condolences to Jerry's wife Terri Orsini Saye, his sisters, Sandra (Bob) Kord and Debra (Jan) Grunewald, mother and father-in-law Tony and Mary Louise Orsini and his nieces, nephews who he leaves behind.

 

A celebration of Jerry's life will be held later this fall to honor the lifetime of teaching and leadership he gave to SILS on the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill campus.

 

The family has requested that memorial contributions be made in Dr. Saye's honor to the School of Information and Library Science at UNC by accessing http://sils.unc.edu/giving/ways-to-give , the Orange County Rescue Squad or another charity of your choice.