Mary Jane Anderson, ALA Leader, Dies at 71

Norman Oder, Debra Lau Whelan -- School Library Journal, 5/31/2006

Mary Jane Anderson, a leader in children’s library services and a longtime American Library Association (ALA) council member, died on May 23 from cancer. She was 71 and lived in Coralville, IA.

Anderson, who earned her library degree at Florida State University, began her career in 1957 as an elementary school librarian in Miami. She worked for the Florida State Library as a consultant and the Baltimore County Public Library System as a children’s coordinator. Anderson retired in 2000 as director of the Maud Preston Palenske Memorial Library in St. Joseph, MI.

Anderson was also executive director of ALA’s Association for Library Service to Children from 1974 to 1982, and prior to that she was editor of the division’s journal, Top of the News.

A memorial service was held May 27 at Trinity Episcopal Church in Iowa City, IA. In lieu of flowers, Anderson asked that donations be made to the Episcopal Relief and Development Fund or the ALA Association for Library Service to Children Friends’ Program.

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