Dear Colleagues,

Professor Andrew Jackson shares with us this announcement of the loss of former GSLIS Adjunct Professor David Cohen.  Attached is an article honoring Prof. Cohen, the  beginnings of which I repeat below (from an article in NYLA last year).

Please share as appropriate.

"Retired GSLIS Professor Celebrates 105th Birthday

By Andrew P. Jackson (Sekou Molefi Baako)

  Professor David Cohen, considered “a library legend and pioneer in Multicultural Library Education and Intellectual Freedom” by many who know him, celebrated his 105th birthday on May 24, 2014.  Professor Cohen retired from Queens College’s Graduate School of Library and Information Studies (CUNY), in Flushing, Queens, New York after serving for over seven decades.  He advocated for building multicultural library collections and encouraged publishing books by culturally diverse authors.  In 1978 he created and taught GSLIS 771 Libraries in a Multicultural Society: Programs and Collections, for their library science curriculum.  In Professor Cohen’s honor, The David Cohen Multicultural Award, established in 1991, is presented to a graduating senior or alum.  "
Claudia Perry

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Jackson, Andrew P" <Andrew.P.Jackson@queenslibrary.org>
Subject: FW: Prof David Cohen Passed Away this Morning @ 105 years old.
Date: February 6, 2015 at 10:28:19 AM EST
To: "stanenbaum@queensbp.org" <stanenbaum@queensbp.org>, "ccool@gmail.com" <ccool@gmail.com>, "c2perry@nyc.rr.com" <c2perry@nyc.rr.com>
Cc: "tealfordsr@aol.com" <tealfordsr@aol.com>, "bcala@listserv.kent.edu" <bcala@listserv.kent.edu>, "harroh13@yahoo.com" <harroh13@yahoo.com>

Good Friday Morning,

 

Sharing this email on the transition of Prof. David Cohen's  from his daughter. 
Please share with those who knew him.  Attached is a copy of an article written in celebration of David's
105th birthday that several of his colleagues and I shared with him last year.

 

aj
From: Harriet Cohen [harrcoh13@yahoo.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 05, 2015 10:22 PM
To: Jackson, Andrew P
Subject: Re: David Cohen

Andrew,
 
My Dad passed away this morning at 6 am. We stayed with him all day yesterday as the hospice felt his time was near. But by evening he did not seem to be leaving so we left. When the hospice called early this morning I thought: he just wanted to leave on his own terms -- ever the independent minded man.  

I would like to ask you to speak at the funeral. Especially since you recently wrote me about an article you had written about David and his work. We would be grateful to hear from you at this time; others will speak as well. Also, if you could pass the word along. I seem to have lots of addresses and no phone numbers or old ones and very few e-mails.  So any colleagues, former students, friends you know of are welcome. Do you know Brigit Calahan and how could get in touch with her.  I think she recently retired from the Donnell.

Here are the arrangements:
Funeral:
Monday, February 9, 2015
at 11:00am
Schwartz Brothers-Jeffer Memorial Chapel 
114-03 Queens Blvd.
Forest Hills, NY 11366
718-263-7600

gathering afterwards at my home:
387 Grand Street, #K1506
New York, NY 10002
917-434-4797

I hope you will be able to make this event. We're hoping that his friends, colleagues and family to share it together.

Harriet Cohen



On Thursday, February 5, 2015 1:52 PM, "Jackson, Andrew P" <Andrew.P.Jackson@queenslibrary.org> wrote:


Hi Harriet,
 
Thank you for this sad update on David's health.  We've been blessed with his presence for over 105 years, and he has made so many major contributions to our profession.  I am blessed to have had him as a mentor and colleague.  Just last week, I spoke of him to my GLIS grad students taking our Libraries in a Multicultural Society course, the one David created and taught.  I'm glad we had the opportunity to share his last birthday with him and see that great smile again.  
 
I will make every effort to attend his services and pay my last respects to a Giant of a Man.
 
aj
 
 
From: Harriet Cohen [harrcoh13@yahoo.com]
Sent: Wednesday, February 04, 2015 10:24 PM
To: Jackson, Andrew P
Subject: David Cohen

I wanted to let you now that my father entered hospice care at Flushing Hospital this past weekend.  
He is comfortable, although slowly declining. I will keep you informed of the end and related funeral services.

Harriet

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Shop to Support Queens Library! Buy books, e-books, videos, music, gifts at great prices. A portion of the proceeds benefit Queens Library.


The information contained in this message may be privileged and confidential and protected from disclosure. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, or an employee or agent responsible for delivering this message to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by replying to the message and deleting it from your computer.