Library History
A Brief History of the York College Library
Part I: The Chief Librarians
| When York College opened in 1967, it was housed primarily on the campus of Queensborough Community College, in Bayside, Queens. York's Library was located in the basement of Queensborough's Library, and the three original Library faculty members were Professors Judith Bartlett, Benedetto DiRusso, and Gladys Jarrett. During the first year, the York Library was overseen by Queensborough's Chief Librarian, Professor Charles Pappalardo, who was simultaneously employed by York as an Adjunct Lecturer. For more on the history of the Queensborough Community College Library, you can take their historical virtual tour. |
 Prof. Charles Pappalardo Queensborough C.C. Chief Librarian, 1960-1983 York Library Supervisor, 1967-1968 |
| In 1968, York College's first President, Dr. Dumont Kenny, recruited and appointed George M. Bailey to become York's first Chief Librarian. Professor Bailey had been Executive Secretary of the Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL) from 1963 to 1968, and had previously worked in the libraries of Northwestern University, the University of California at Davis, and the University of California at Berkeley. He held Master's degrees in History from the University of Pennsylvania, and in Library Science from the University of Wisconsin. Among Professor Bailey's publications were articles published in Illinois Libraries, Drexel Library Quarterly, Rice University Studies, and College Library Notes. In his work with ALA's Cooperative Reference Services Committee, he compiled Directory of Cooperative Reference Service Programs: A Preliminary Edition (Chicago: American Library Association, 1972). Professor Bailey left York in 1971 and became Associate Director of Libraries for The Claremont Colleges from 1971 until his retirement in 1989. |
 Prof. George Bailey Chief Librarian, 1968-1971 |
| After Professor Bailey left York in the Summer of 1971, Professors J. Edward Bradford and Gladys W. Jarrett were designated as Co-Acting Chief Librarians by York's Acting President David Newton and Dean of Faculty Lewis Bodi. Professor Bradford had joined the York Library in 1968 as Head of Technical Services. He held Master's degrees in English Literature and Library Science from the University of Oklahoma, and previously worked as Chief of Technical Processing at the Queens Borough Public Library. Professor Bradford left York in 1974. See below for information on Co-Acting Chief Librarian Gladys Jarrett. |
 Prof. Edward Bradford Co-Acting Chief Librarian, 1971-1972 |
| In 1972, Fred J. Harsaghy, Jr., was hired by York College President Milton Bassin to serve as the College's second Chief Librarian. Professor Harsaghy had previously administered libraries in Puerto Rico, Saudi Arabia, and Japan. He received a Master's degree in Library Science from Columbia University, and Master's and Ph.D. degrees in Public Administration from New York University. After he left York in 1974, Dr. Harsaghy taught at the University of New Haven and in the Danbury, Connecticut, public school system, and passed away in 1996. Among his publications were articles in College and Research Libraries, Special Libraries, and Wilson Library Bulletin. Click for a 1973 interview with Dr. Harsaghy. |
 Dr. Fred Harsaghy Chief Librarian, 1972-1974 |
| After serving as Acting Chief Librarian for a second time, Gladys W. Jarrett was appointed by President Bassin in February 1976 to be York College's third Chief Librarian. Professor Jarrett was one of York's original faculty members, having started in the Library in 1967, working in Cataloging and then as Head of Public Services. It is very likely that Professor Jarrett was the first African-American woman to be a Chief Librarian in The City University of New York system. Professor Jarrett had previously worked at Pace University and the Brooklyn Public Library. She held Master's Degrees in Spanish from Teachers College of Columbia University, and in Library Science from Pratt Institute. Prof. Jarrett was elected President of LACUNY (the Library Association of the City University of New York) for 1972-1973. She retired from York College in 1985. Professor Jarrett passed away in July 2007. |
 Prof. Gladys Jarrett Co-Acting Chief Librarian, 1971-1972 Acting Chief Librarian, 1974-1976 Chief Librarian, 1976-1985 |
| Benedetto DiRusso was appointed York's fourth Chief Librarian by President Bassin in 1986, after having served as Acting Chief Librarian for a year. Professor DiRusso was an original York faculty member, having started in the Library in 1967, working in Public Services and then as Deputy Chief Librarian. He previously worked as science librarian at St. John’s University, and also at the Brooklyn Public Library. Professor DiRusso received Master's degrees in Library Science from Pratt Institute, and in Business Administration from St. John's University. He served as Treasurer of LACUNY (the Library Association of the City University of New York) during 1975-1976. Professor DiRusso stepped down as Chief Librarian in 1988, and retired in 1991. |
 Prof. Ben DiRusso Acting Chief Librarian, 1985-1986 Chief Librarian, 1986-1988 |
| After serving as Acting Chief Librarian for a year, J. Kevin Barry was appointed York's fifth Chief Librarian by President Bassin in 1989. Professor Barry had joined the York College Library faculty in 1974 as Acquisitions Librarian, and previously worked at Northeastern University. He held Master's degrees in English Literature from Drew University, and in Library Science from Simmons College. Professor Barry became York's Deputy Chief Librarian in 1992, and held that position until his retirement in 2001. He also served the faculty as Grievance Officer and then Chapter Chair of the York College Chapter of the Professional Staff Congress (PSC), the CUNY faculty union. |
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| Robert A. Machalow was appointed York's sixth Chief Librarian in 1992 by President Josephine Davis. Professor Machalow had joined the York College Library faculty in 1982, working as the Curriculum Materials Center Librarian, Interlibrary Loan Librarian, Bibliographic Instruction Librarian, and Systems Librarian, and currently serves as Head of Circulation & Reserve. He received a Master's degree in English Literature from Indiana University, and in Library Science from Rutgers University. Prof. Machalow is the author of 5 books on the use of technology in libraries, and has contributed articles to The Reference Librarian, Computers in Libraries, OCLC Micro, Library Software Review, ERIC, Small Computers in Libraries, and The Unabashed Librarian. |
 Prof. Robert Machalow Chief Librarian, 1992-2007 |
| Kenneth Schlesinger was appointed by President Marcia Keizs to be York's Acting Chief Librarian on Feb. 1, 2007. Professor Schlesinger had been Director of Media Services at LaGuardia Community College since 2000. Previously, he worked in both libraries and archives at Hostos Community College, Thirteen/WNET, Time Inc., the Museum of Television & Radio, NBC News, and the Kurt Weill Foundation for Music. He received a Master's degree in Information and Library Science from Pratt Institute, and an M.F.A. in Dramaturgy and Dramatic Criticism from Yale University. He left York at the end of June 2007 to become the Chief Librarian at CUNY's Lehman College. |  Prof. Kenneth Schlesinger Acting Chief Librarian, Feb. 2007-June 2007 |
| After serving as Acting Chief Librarian for 18 months, John A. Drobnicki was appointed by President Marcia Keizs to be York's seventh Chief Librarian, effective Jan. 1, 2009. Professor Drobnicki had joined the York College Library faculty in 1995, starting as the Evening & Weekend Librarian-in-Charge, and then becoming Head of Reference Services, Library Webmaster, and Electronic Resources Librarian. He holds Master's degrees in History from St. John's University and Library Science from Queens College/CUNY. Among Professor Drobnicki's publications are articles contributed to Public & Access Services Quarterly, Bulletin of Bibliography, Polish Review, College & Research Libraries News, ERIC, Biographical Dictionary of American and Canadian Naturalists and Environmentalists, The Reference Librarian, OAH Magazine of History, and the Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives. |
 Prof. John Drobnicki Acting Chief Librarian, 2007-2008 Chief Librarian, 2009-Present |
Part II: The Full-Time Library Faculty
| Name |
Years of Service |
Positions Held |
|---|---|---|
| Bailey, George M. | 1968-1971 | Chief Librarian |
| Barry, J. Kevin | 1974-2001 | Head of Acquisitions; Head of Periodicals & Microforms; Deputy Chief Librarian (twice); Acting Chief Librarian; Chief Librarian |
| Bartlett, Judith G. | 1967-1983 | Acquisitions Librarian; Head, Biblio-Searching Unit; Head of Curriculum Materials Center; Head of Serials |
| Bradford, J. Edward | 1968-1974 | Head of Technical Processing; Co-Acting Chief Librarian; Acting Head of Acquisitions |
| Burg, Jayson H. | 1986-1988 | Evening/Weekend Librarian |
| Clark, Arnold | 1989-1990 | Substitute Evening/Weekend Librarian |
| Cleary, Daniel E. | 2006-Present | Substitute Reference Librarian; Acting Head of Cataloging; Science Librarian |
| Dasgupta, Anamika | 2007-Present | Evening/Weekend Librarian; Library Webmaster; Coordinator of Electronic Resources |
| DiRusso, Benedetto | 1967-1991 | Reference Librarian; Head of Reference; Head of Circulation & Reserve; Deputy Chief Librarian; Acting Chief Librarian; Chief Librarian; Acting Head of Cataloging; Substitute Reference Librarian (1996) |
| Drobnicki, John A. | 1995-Present | Evening/Weekend Librarian-in-Charge; Reference Librarian; Head of Reference; Head of Electronic Resources; Library Webmaster; Acting Chief Librarian; Chief Librarian |
| Dunkley, Joy | 2002-2004 | Head of Circulation & Reserve |
| Engel, Kenneth M. | 1989-1990 | Substitute Evening/Weekend Librarian |
| Franco, Marta G. | 1970-1999 | Head of Serials |
| Harsaghy, Fred J., Jr. | 1972-1974 | Chief Librarian; Acting Head of Technical Services |
| Jarrett, Gladys W. | 1967-1985 | Cataloger; Head of Cataloging; Head of Public Services; Co-Acting Chief Librarian; Acting Chief Librarian; Chief Librarian |
| Kinyatti, Njoki-wa- | 1990-Present | Evening/Weekend Librarian-in-Charge; Head of Circulation & Reserve; Head of Collection Development |
| McPhillips, John | 2001-2002 | Evening/Weekend Librarian; Head of Circulation & Reserve |
| Machalow, Robert A. | 1982-Present | Head of Curriculum Materials Center; Interlibrary Loan Librarian; Head of Bibliographic Instruction; Systems Librarian; Head of Public Services; Head of Cataloging; Chief Librarian; Head of Circulation & Reserve |
| Maillet, Lucienne | 1970-1975 | Head of Audiovisual Center; Head of Curriculum Materials Center |
| Margolis, Michael | 2003-2006 | Evening/Weekend Librarian-in-Charge |
| Miller, Christina | 2008-Present | Instructor, School Library Media Specialist |
| Nash, Madeleine | 1999-2000 | Evening/Weekend Librarian; Head of Circulation & Reserve |
| Pratt, Priscilla | 1986-1987 | Head of Cataloging |
| Rakofsky, Larry | 1983-1985 | Evening/Weekend Librarian; Serials Librarian |
| Schlesinger, Kenneth | 2007-2007 | Acting Chief Librarian |
| Sheidlower, Scott A. | 2004-Present | Evening/Weekend Librarian-in-Charge; Head of Information Literacy |
| Soltesz, Kathryn M. | 1968-1978 | Cataloger; Head of Cataloging |
| Stiegelbauer, Alyce A. | 1978-1988 | Evening Librarian; Head of Cataloging; Head of Circulation; Head of Public Services; Systems Coordinator; Deputy Chief Librarian |
| Su, Di | 1997-Present | Evening/Weekend Librarian-in-Charge; Head of Information Literacy; Head of Circulation & Reserve; Head of Reference |
| Tilyou, Elizabeth M. | 1987-1995 | Reference Librarian; Head of Circulation & Reserve |
| Urban, Sandra G. | 2008-Present | Head of Cataloging; Acting Head of Reference |
| Winchester, Shiela B. | 1986-1996 | Reference Librarian; Head of Acquisitions; Head of Cataloging; Head of Reference |
| Wondolowski, Christine R. | 1986-1988 | Evening/Weekend Librarian-in-Charge |
| Young, Hope E. | 1986-Present | Reference Librarian; Head of Current Periodicals & Microforms; Head of Interlibrary Loan; Head of Serials |
Part III: The Part-Time Library Faculty
| Name |
Years of Service |
Positions Held |
|---|---|---|
| Bissainthe, Max | 1973-1974 | Adjunct Lecturer, Cataloging |
| Branner, Shirley P. | 1972-1973 | Adjunct Lecturer, Cataloging |
| Callinan, Mary L. | 1973-1974 | Adjunct Lecturer, Cataloging |
| Cleary, Daniel E. | 2002-2005 | Adjunct Lecturer, Evening Reference Librarian |
| Corson, Cornelia | 1971-1975 | Adjunct Lecturer, Cataloging |
| Fischer, Theodore | 1980 | College Assistant, Evening Librarian |
| Fusaro, John | 1973-1975 | Adjunct Lecturer, Evening Reference Librarian |
| Gallo, Lory | 1994-1998 | College Assistant, Evening/Weekend Librarian |
| Handler, Roberta | 1971 | Adjunct Lecturer |
| Hossain, Mahmuda A. | 1999 | College Assistant, Reference Librarian |
| Jin, Xudong | 1994 | College Assistant, Reference Librarian |
| Karakov, Yelena | 1973-1974 | Adjunct Lecturer, Cataloging |
| Krepp, Kenneth | 2006-Present | Adjunct Assistant Professor, Evening Reference Librarian |
| Lal, Shail | 1973-1974 | Adjunct Lecturer, Reference, Periodicals & Microforms |
| Liss, Cynthia Rosen | 1972-1975 | Adjunct Lecturer, Head of Circulation |
| Lucas, Pamela | 1991-Present | College Assistant, Evening & Weekend Librarian; Adjunct Lecturer, Reference Librarian |
| McPhillips, John | 2000-2001 | College Assistant, Evening & Weekend Librarian |
| Mahant, Sushma | 1974-1975 | Adjunct Lecturer, Reference & Circulation |
| Miller, Christina | 2003-2008 | Adjunct Lecturer, High School Librarian |
| Palcewski, Barbara | 1972-1973 | Adjunct Lecturer, Acquisitions |
| Pappalardo, Charles | 1967-1968 | Adjunct Lecturer |
| Pollak, Vera | 1972-1974 | Adjunct Lecturer, Cataloging |
| Rakofsky, Larry | 1980-1983 | College Assistant, Evening Librarian |
| Schneider, Patricia | 1971-1972 | Adjunct Lecturer, Head of Periodicals & Microforms |
| Seif, Morton | 1974-1974 | Adjunct Lecturer, Cataloging |
| Sun, Hongyi (Sue) | 1992-1993 | College Assistant, Reference Librarian |
| Trinkoff, Elaine | 1972-1975 | Adjunct Lecturer, Reference & Interlibrary Loan |
| Tunney, Debra | 1991-1992 | College Assistant, Reference Librarian |
| Willemin, Julia L. | 1971-1971 | Adjunct Lecturer |
| Zekov, Thomas | 1972-1973; 1975-1977 | College Assistant, Reference Librarian; Adjunct Lecturer, Reference Librarian |
