Edward Swanson will be retiring from his position as Minitex Contract Cataloging Manager next Wednesday, January 13. Please join us to celebrate him and his career, Wednesday, January 13, 3:30 to 5:30, with a presentation at 4:00, upstairs in the Atrium.
Below is an article that we included in the most recent issue of the Minitex/OCLC Mailing.
It is with mixed feelings that I announce the retirement of Edward Swanson. If this leaves you with a sense of déjà vu, that's because this is Edward's second retirement. Almost 11 years ago, he retired from the Minnesota Historical Society after thirty-one years of service. But he decided that, as cataloging was one of the things he really enjoyed in life, he wanted to continue doing it, and he joined Minitex Contract Cataloging. We've enjoyed the benefits of his wisdom, expertise and leadership for nine years, and we'll miss him greatly when he retires on January 13.
Edward's career has been long and influential. He must have felt a strong calling to the profession as he joined the Minnesota Library Association while he was still in high school! He started out as the Assistant to the Librarian at Macalester College, his alma mater, then 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.
These positions reflect only a portion of the contribution he has made to librarianship as Edward has always chosen to actively participate in associations and cooperative efforts. 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 that were used nationwide. He volunteered preparing curriculum and conducting training for the MN Opportunities for Technical Services Excellence (MOTSE), strengthening the cataloging knowledge of Minnesota librarians and paraprofessionals. He has served as a long-time NACO trainer for the region and as the Minnesota NACO funnel. He has also been active on the national and international levels on ALA and IFLA boards and committees and as editor of many publications
To us here at Minitex, his experience and cataloging knowledge have been invaluable. When catalogers in the Minitex Contract Cataloging Program or from other libraries come to him with questions, Edward is able to explain not only the appropriate rule, but how it came into being, why it took the shape it did, and how it can best be applied in real life situations to provide greatest utility to a library patron - the ultimate objective of any cataloging. He is able to see both the forest and the trees and explain how they relate to and affect each other.
Edward Swanson's career has been 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.
- Carla Dewey Urban
