Thank you for those heartfelt words, Ruth. I'd like to add my own note about Paul. We met in the mid-90s, when I was Librarian at the Bureau of Jewish Education (now Jewish Learning Works). At that time Paul was a 2nd-career MLS student at UC Berkeley, working at the Holocaust Center in our building. He then moved to Southern California, where he worked with Adaire Klein (Z''L) at the Holocaust Museum.
One of his passions was Jewish literature. He spoke several languages and read a dozen or more. I was always appreciative of his ability to range widely in Jewish literature, a field he loved. As co-Chairs of the 2005 AJL Conference, Paul and I met weekly during the year between the 04 meeting in Brooklyn and our gathering here in Oakland. I found him a full participant. Along with Zachary Baker, we created a Bay Area program that included full participation of both UC Berkeley and Stanford. (Those of you in the academic world will appreciate that this was a significant feat. The program also included several leaders in the online world, in addition to our usual wide-ranging panels. It remains a notable achievement in my life, and it sealed our dedication to each other. Fred Isaac On Thu, Apr 18, 2024 at 3:17 PM Ruth E Haber via Hasafran < hasafran@lists.osu.edu> wrote: > It is with deep sadness that I must inform the AJL community of the death > (on Monday, April 15) of Paul Hamburg, esteemed and beloved UCB Judaica > Librarian. As UCB Judaica Librarian from 2002-2015, Paul worked closely > with the (then) Doctoral > > It is with deep sadness that I must inform the AJL community of the death > (on Monday, April 15) of Paul Hamburg, esteemed and beloved UCB Judaica > Librarian. > > As UCB Judaica Librarian from 2002-2015, Paul worked closely with the > (then) Doctoral Program in Jewish Studies, devoting great care and > seemingly boundless energy to building collections to sustain and enrich > Berkeley’s thriving Jewish Studies scholarship in the key fields of > Comparative Literature, History and Near Eastern Studies, as well as across > the disciplines. > > For Paul, the Library was not confined to a particular building or place, > but was everywhere that ideas and scholarship happen: in the classroom and > at home, at cultural events and in conversations on campus, in cafes and on > the streets of Berkeley. And he helped make it so through his class and > library workshops, the rich array of public lectures and events he > organized, as well as the Hebrew literary salon held in his own home -- to > name just a few. > > In his work, Paul was dynamic and tenacious, seeking always to enrich and > protect library collections. And his approach was also warmly personal: we > who were graduate students during his tenure always felt his keen interest > in our research, while our faculty noted Paul’s tireless pursuit of > hard-to-find materials they needed. Moreover, the substantial benefits UCB > scholars reaped from Paul’s work had roots in the rich network of > connections he sustained with scholars, librarians and booksellers > throughout the world. > > I’ve noticed that, while writing this short (and insufficient) tribute, > I’ve had to repeatedly edit for overuse of the word “warm” – and that is > very telling. Although Paul was certainly serious, dogged and scholarly in > his work, and could certainly be a tough customer when defending a worthy > cause, the first and lasting impression he gave was always of hearty > enthusiasm. And while most of Paul’s hard work was not visible to the > scholars he served, that warmth spoke volumes about the values that drove > him: a deep devotion to learning and teaching, and to the growth of a > library not only of books but of ideas, not only of this time and place, > but also of the past and future. > > Ruth Haber > > To honor Paul’s memory, please consider supporting National Library of > Israel > <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.nli.org.il/en__;!!KGKeukY!xHp0VhkaVg7HYUhuI4Zw0i-oRqngGhYT7SBWydTuubQBsZ0GvRuTbKr6vw9koJstXPu9_ljQhGP10ICYw0cZJ2UtCxawx00$> > , Neuro Challenge Foundation for Parkinson's > <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.neurochallenge.org/__;!!KGKeukY!xHp0VhkaVg7HYUhuI4Zw0i-oRqngGhYT7SBWydTuubQBsZ0GvRuTbKr6vw9koJstXPu9_ljQhGP10ICYw0cZJ2Utn_Wci0U$>, > or Aviva Senior Living > <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.avivaseniorlife.org/__;!!KGKeukY!xHp0VhkaVg7HYUhuI4Zw0i-oRqngGhYT7SBWydTuubQBsZ0GvRuTbKr6vw9koJstXPu9_ljQhGP10ICYw0cZJ2UtXwWRyO8$> > . > -- > > Ruth Haber > Librarian for Jewish Studies, Religious Studies, Philosophy and Rhetoric > Make an appointment with me > <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://berkeley.libcal.com/appointments/reh__;!!KGKeukY!xHp0VhkaVg7HYUhuI4Zw0i-oRqngGhYT7SBWydTuubQBsZ0GvRuTbKr6vw9koJstXPu9_ljQhGP10ICYw0cZJ2UtKrk26tE$> > Explore the > <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://guides.lib.berkeley.edu/Judaic__;!!KGKeukY!xHp0VhkaVg7HYUhuI4Zw0i-oRqngGhYT7SBWydTuubQBsZ0GvRuTbKr6vw9koJstXPu9_ljQhGP10ICYw0cZJ2UtgsVHs2M$>Jewish > Studies Collection > <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://guides.lib.berkeley.edu/Judaic__;!!KGKeukY!xHp0VhkaVg7HYUhuI4Zw0i-oRqngGhYT7SBWydTuubQBsZ0GvRuTbKr6vw9koJstXPu9_ljQhGP10ICYw0cZJ2UtgsVHs2M$> > UC Library Search: How to > <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://guides.lib.berkeley.edu/uclibrarysearch/start__;!!KGKeukY!xHp0VhkaVg7HYUhuI4Zw0i-oRqngGhYT7SBWydTuubQBsZ0GvRuTbKr6vw9koJstXPu9_ljQhGP10ICYw0cZJ2UtBJ2BYLI$> > > > > __ > Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual > author > and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries > (AJL) > ================================== > Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: > Hasafran@lists.osu.edu > To join Ha-Safran, update or change your subscription, etc. - click here: > https://lists.osu.edu/mailman/listinfo/hasafran > Questions, problems, complaints, compliments send to: galro...@osu.edu > Ha-Safran Archives: > Current: > https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran*40lists.osu.edu/maillist.html__;JQ!!KGKeukY!2cJ291uysyYCC80RTBXJlX6gky6r6HOziuENEC4p4rIfimz-P2c69nuC4eXzdoQa3DXmS-iivPey6kKQUhZMYLyco_vPNSYI$ > > Earlier Listserver: > https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran*40lists.osu.edu/maillist.html__;JQ!!KGKeukY!2cJ291uysyYCC80RTBXJlX6gky6r6HOziuENEC4p4rIfimz-P2c69nuC4eXzdoQa3DXmS-iivPey6kKQUhZMYLyco_vPNSYI$ > > AJL HomePage > https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.JewishLibraries.org__;!!KGKeukY!2cJ291uysyYCC80RTBXJlX6gky6r6HOziuENEC4p4rIfimz-P2c69nuC4eXzdoQa3DXmS-iivPey6kKQUhZMYLyco9KixlEr$ > > -- > Hasafran mailing list > Hasafran@lists.osu.edu > https://lists.osu.edu/mailman/listinfo/hasafran >
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