Remembering Kay Poustie OAM

Colleagues and friends are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Kay Poustie OAM, ALIA Fellow, on 29 October 2009, after a brief illness.

Kay was a deeply respected and treasured colleague whose immense contribution and passion for public library services was recognised Australia wide, and in international circles. Kay will be sorely missed, but her legacy to the library profession and public library members will live on.

Kay Poustie. The person who changed the direction of my life. In 1997 I sat across a small table from Kay and described how I could relate to her vision of technology and its use in public libraries. She gave me the honour taking part in one of her most ambitious projects (at the time). And from the day I started working for her (later in 1997), I have never looked back and regretted one moment, taking me from a fairly normal life into a new world of information technology.

Kay, you were a my boss, my mentor, a visionary, and yet you were still a friend. You brought special people into my life and with that you will always be a part of it.

What made Kay so special? She cared.

You will be missed. We will feel sad but again, it will be your doing that rejoins us in a celebration of how you changed our lives and our world, and for that I am forever grateful.

Goodbye Kay.

Sylvestor
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