In Remembrance: Judith J. (Judy) Field (1939-2019)
Judy Field, a retired faculty member from the School of Information Sciences (SIS), Wayne State University, died June 29, 2019. A graduate of the University of Michigan, with a bachelor's degree in business administration and a master's degree in library science, Judy held a variety of leadership positions over a 50-year career. Before joining the SIS faculty as senior lecturer in 1989, Judy Field served as Library Manager, Western Electric/Bell Telephone Laboratories, Indianapolis, IN; Director, University of Michigan, Institute for International Commerce Library; Head, General Reference Department, Flint Public Library, Flint, MI; Director, Legislative Reference Library, Minnesota State Legislature, St. Paul, MN.
Judy Field was very active in the Special Library Association (SLA) where she served as President 1997-1998. For more than a decade Judy was involved in IFLA, where she served as Chair, Division III (Library Services) and as member of the Professional Committee and member of the Governing Board (2009-2011). She was active and held positions in other professional associations, such as the American Society of Information Science and Technology (ASIST), Michigan Library Association (MLA) and the Association of Records Managers and Administrators (ARMA). She was an external review panel member or chair for numerous accreditation visits conducted by the Committee on Accreditation (COA) of the American Library Association (ALA).
Judy was invited as speaker at numerous national and international professional events. She published several articles and opinion pieces and received numerous awards from a variety of national and international professional organizations. National directories included biographical notes that highlight Judy Field's professional career (Who's Who in America, Who's Who of American Women, Who's Who in the Midwest, and Who's Who in Library and Information Services).
Upon her retirement from Wayne State, Judy established a generous fund, the Judith J. Field Scholarship, aimed at recognizing scholastic achievement and innovation in approach to librarianship.
Judy's impact on her students, on her colleagues, on SIS, and on the library and information science profession was immeasurable, and her loss is felt deeply throughout the campus and the library world. She was a dedicated educator and a passionate professional, known for her keen sense of humor and her unique sense of wisdom, which she was always eager to share. Judy's kindness and generosity will be sorely missed, but her spirit lives on.