In reflecting on the legacy of Dr. Lorna Peterson, I am reminded of one of the most pivotal moments in our profession's history. Scout Calvert, a librarian, recently directed me to the BCALA Memorial for Lorna Peterson, shortly after I had shared the LHRT memorials web page with her. Today, iSchools, where the ALA-accredited MLS is embedded, appear to be thriving. However, I first met Lorna Peterson during a challenging time: the closure of library schools. This trend marked the 1990s and extended into the new millennium. The Graduate Library School at the University of Chicago closed in 1989, followed by those at the University of Southern California in 1990, and Columbia University in 1992.
While there were some organized efforts, such as petitions, alumni campaigns, and statements from professional associations, many library and information science (LIS) professionals acted individually. I wasn't part of any organized group; those who sacrificed careers to join schools facing closure were forced to work independently, given the unique nature of the threats, which is a tragedy in itself. Since then, the lack of a unified, large-scale campaign has been noted as a weakness.
Lorna Peterson, however, was different. She was a strategic fighter. Although I didn't have the chance to collaborate with her, I still remember listening to her and others passionately discuss the Clark Atlanta University School of Library and Information Studies, which sadly closed in 2005. Lorna served as the President of the Association for Library and Information Science Education (ALISE) during the 2010-2011 term.
Below, I share the ALISE statement, the BCALA Memorial as printed in Challenger: Community News, and a link to her obituary, which includes 29 memories and condolences in the comments.
In Memoriam: Dr. Lorna Peterson (ALISE President, 2010-2011)
The ALISE community mourns the loss of Dr. Lorna Peterson, a distinguished educator, advocate, and leader who served as ALISE President from 2010 to 2011. Dr. Peterson's dedication to equity, diversity, and social justice left an indelible mark on our field and inspired both colleagues, students, and the broader field of library and information science.
Throughout her career, Dr. Peterson conducted research that illuminated critical issues of racial and social diversity in LIS education and practice. Her leadership and service were honored with the ALISE Service Award in 2013, celebrating her lasting impact on our organization.
Following her inspiring President's Program on diversity at the 2011 ALISE Annual Conference, Dr. Peterson established the ALISE Diversity Taskforce, which was charged with developing an ALISE Statement on Diversity. This initiative solidified ALISE's long-term commitment to fostering an inclusive and equitable professional environment, reflecting Dr. Peterson's belief in the transformative power of diversity within LIS.
Dr. Peterson's legacy also includes her heroic efforts to preserve Clark Atlanta University's LIS program, a historic institution established in 1941 that has graduated generations of African American librarians and leaders attuned to cultural diversity. Her effort to protect this program exemplified her dedication to expanding representation and creating opportunities for underrepresented voices in LIS.
In honor of her service and commitment, ALISE reaffirms its dedication to the values Dr. Peterson espoused. Her work continues to inspire us as we strive to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in LIS education. Her influence remains in the ALISE Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Taskforce, in her published scholarship, and in the countless lives she touched.
We extend our heartfelt condolences to Dr. Peterson's family, friends, and all those whose lives were enriched by her wisdom, leadership, and compassion.
Source: https://www.alise.org/index.php?option=com_dailyplanetblog&view=entry&year=2024&month=11&day=13&id=156:in-memoriam-dr-lorna-peterson-alise-president-2010-2011
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Dr. Lorna Ingrid Peterson
On November 11, 2024, Dr. Lorna Peterson, Ph.D., made her transition.
Lorna was born on July 22, 1956 in Buffalo, N.Y. the Daughter of Raymond George and Sybil Odette (Lythcott) Peterson.
Dr. Peterson was Associate Professor, Department of Library and Information Studies, Graduate School of Education, at UB where she had been on the faculty since August 1990.
-Memorial Resolution-
The Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA) issued the following Memorial Resolution in Lorna's memory.
WHEREAS the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA) says farewell and thank you to Dr. Lorna Peterson, a fierce and committed champion of librarianship. Her forty-year career as a librarian and library and information science (LIS) professor included serving as president of the Association for Library and Information Science Education (ALISE), chairing the ALA Committee on Education, and being an active, lifetime BCALA member.
WHEREAS born on July 22, 1956, Dr. Peterson furthered a remarkable lineage of African American educational and civic excellence. She was the daughter of Sybil Odette (nee' Lythcott) Peterson, a schoolteacher, and the late Raymond George Peterson Sr., a longtime leader within the City of Buffalo, New York chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Before receiving her Ph.D. in Education from Iowa State University in 1992, Dr. Peterson earned an MSLS from Case Western Reserve University and a Bachelor's degree from Dickinson College. She retired as an Emeritus Professor from the University at Buffalo's Department of Library and Information Studies in 2014. Notably, she was tireless in her protest against the 2003 closure of Clark Atlanta University's School of Library and Information Science, and recognized its value as both a historically Black college/university (HBCU) and the most prominent producer of Black librarians.
-A Fighter-
When Clark Atlanta University announced in 2003 it would close its library school, Lorna Peterson, a library educator at UB mounted a campaign to save the program, which has graduated more Black library leaders than any other. "I did not want this to happen without a fight," declared Lorna.
(Ed Note: This is all the information we had at press time. I remember Lorna as a conscientious, quiet warrior queen; an amazing researcher and keeper of records; a supportive friend with an uncompromising sense of justice. Lorna's humanity was the stuff that real heroines are made of. She always had her finger on the pulse and was an amazing organizer and disseminator of information. She cared about her community and was a great supporter of efforts she believed in. One of the most recent examples I recall was her dedication of a building in the Fruit Belt to the African Heritage Food Coop which will hopefully be renovated and open soon. Perhaps, somewhere in the building, Lorna can be remembered. May she rest forever in the Eternal Fields of Peace -alnisa
.. Per her final wishes, according to a local funeral home there will not be a memorial service or a funeral service. To plant trees in her memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Source: https://www.buffchallnews.com/news/local/dr-lorna-ingrid-peterson-community-advocate-champion-of-librarianship-transitions/article_b4447624-a80a-11ef-a480-fb20f650a584.html
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(Obituary) Lorna I. Peterson 1956 - 11/11/2024
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/buffalonews/name/lorna-peterson-obituary?id=56784962
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Anita Sundaram Coleman, PhD | Infophilia, a positive psychology of information | iSchool UIUC
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