Edward Swanson, LRTS Book Review Editor, died December 10, 2010, after a brief illness.

Edward’s long and significant career (after earning his master’s degree in library science from the University of Minnesota) began at Macalester College, his alma mater, with duties including cataloging and organizing the college archives. In 1968, he moved to the Minnesota Historical Society where he led the Newspaper, Processing, and Technical Services departments, culminating in the position of coordinator of Library Cataloging and principal cataloger. During this time, he played a vital role as a Minnesota AACR2 Trainer, helping librarians throughout the state learn and understand the new cataloging rules. He not only provided in-person training, but authored and edited numerous manuals and other documentation to support cataloging. Edward prepared curriculum and conducted training for the Minnesota Opportunities for Technical Services Excellence (MOTSE) continuing education program, strengthening the cataloging knowledge of librarians and paraprofessionals throughout the state. He also served as a long-time Name Authority Cooperative Program (NACO) trainer for the region and as part of the Minnesota NACO funnel. He retired from the Minnesota Historical Society after thirty-two years and then joined the staff at Minitex, University of Minnesota, in 2001, where he managed the contract cataloging service for nine years.

Edward was drawn to librarianship as a teenager, and his contributions to the larger profession started just as early. He joined the Minnesota Library Association (MLA) when he was still in high school and became active in the MLA Technical Services Section almost immediately, ultimately serving as president of MLA. He received the MLA President’s Award in 1981 and also received an MLA Centennial Medal. Edward played a leadership role in the statewide shared integrated library system (MnSCU/PALS and MnLINK) Cataloging User Groups and Database Quality Maintenance Task Forces, where his expertise in authority control and indexing were particularly valued.

On a national level, Edward became a member of the American Library Association (ALA) in 1962. He served the Association for Library Collections and Technical Services (ALCTS) in a variety of roles. He was a member of the Library Research and Technical Services (LRTS) editorial board for fifteen years under various editors, ALCTS board member and parliamentarian, ALCTS International Relations Committee member, ALCTS Publications Committee member, and a member of many other committees and working groups. He indexed LRTS for decades, compiled the index for v. 1–25 in 1981; indexed the annual issues each year; and he compiled the cumulative index to v. 1–50. He served as the LRTS book review editor from 2003 until his death. He was a member and chair of the ALA Committee on Cataloging: Description and Access and MARBI Committee. Edward received the 2007 ALCTS Presidential Citation recognizing his lifetime of service to ALCTS.

Edward’s contributions were not limited to the state and national level—he also was active in the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions as a member of the governing board and served on a number of cataloging-specific committees, including the Serials and other Continuing Resources Standing Committee.

Edward was the consummate cataloger and the epitome of a lifelong learner. He had a wonderful, dry sense of humor. His range of knowledge and willingness to share his expertise were extraordinary. We have lost a valued colleague and a dear friend.

Carla Urban, Edward’s colleague at Minitex, observed, “Edward Swanson’s career was characterized by a true love and understanding of cataloging; dedication to sharing that knowledge with others through training, one on-one consultations, and publication; and a commitment to the professional community and its activities. His generosity and dedication to colleagues and cataloging have been greatly appreciated.”