Obituaries L
Elizabeth Russell (née Lang)
iz gained her library qualifications at Strathclyde University and she later worked in its library. She met her husband, Robert, in Glasgow, and they moved to Norwich, where Liz was the classi- fication expert in the library at the University of
East Anglia.
From 1976 to 1992 Liz was the Assistant Librarian at King’s College, Cambridge, in charge of the undergradu- ate library. She decided that King’s home-made classifica- tion scheme was nonsensical and that the, then, embry- onic 2nd edition of the Bliss scheme was the way to go. She joined the Bliss Classification Association Committee in the mid-80’s and served for over 20 years. After Liz took early retirement in 1992 she continued at King’s as classification assistant for three years. Mean- while she made a huge contribution to BC2 by testing draft schedules and, with input from other Cambridge librarians, designing drafts for Music and History. So-called retirement saw Liz doing weekly stints of reclassification at Queens’, Sidney Sussex and Fitzwilliam Colleges and the Haddon Library (Dept of Archaeology and Anthropology). In the 1980’s several Cambridge Colleges were building new, modern undergraduate libraries. Not to be outdone King’s commissioned a well-known architect who, having in his head a vision of the Reading Room at the BM,
produced a plan for a circular library to be built in the Fellows’ Garden, a fairly small space on the far side of the river from the College. Appalled at the impracticality of this plan, Liz rallied opposition from students, Fellows and other librarians. Amazingly she won her case and the plan was dropped.
Liz’s other passion was dance, from Scottish and English Country Dancing to Medieval and Renaissance dance. She was a leading member of the Capriol Society who perform at festivals, fairs, concerts and schools. As the Society’s archivist she researched dance steps, music and costume, and leaves a large photographic archive. Liz’s sudden death has caused shock waves among her many circles of friends. She is much missed.
Marion MacLeod
William ‘Michael’ Strain
With the great library traditions of Glas- gow and the Scottish cities it is no surprise that he decided on librarianship for a career. He worked in public libraries in Scotland and in the mid-1970s he moved to London and took up a lectureship to teach Bibliographical Studies at Ealing College of Higher Education. When the 1970s gave way to the 1980s new technologies emerged heralding opportunities and challenges for the library professional. Michael and his colleagues showed an appetite to adapt and respond to these changes. For many years Michael was Course Director for the BA Library and Information Studies degree; until in the 1990s it developed into a BA/BSc Information Management degree, with a common core curriculum and three separate pathways: Library, Business IT and Publishing.
W
Michael did a tremendous job in developing the Publishing pathway, inveigling his way into the world of commercial publishing and persuading some of its leading figures to devote time to this educational enterprise. Michael’s contribution to academic life was far more than just his teaching, though he was engaging in conveying his knowl-
52 INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL
illiam ‘Michael’ Strain was born in Glasgow in 1938 and took a degree in English from Glasgow University.
edge to students. As a long-time course director he took the pastoral care role very seriously, being supportive of any student’s justifiable concerns and sympathetic to the personal problems a young person may experience. In 1997 Michael left the University to pursue a long-standing interest in painting. He remained in Ealing to pursue an active retirement. Two of his paintings are in the World Rugby Museum, Twickenham: The Maul and England versus Scotland. In his later years he gave up his broadly figurative style for abstraction. He has two abstract works in the Saatchi Art Collection: Distant Light and Pitshanger Pathway. These may be viewed online. Michael died in his 83rd year from Covid on 7 February 2022. Former students and staff members of the College (now University of West London) will have fond memories of Michael’s years of teaching at Ealing, and many more will know him as an ‘Ealing painter’.
Prepared by Colin Askew and Stephen A. Roberts on behalf of former colleagues of Michael Strain
September 2022
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