In memoriam
It is with the deepest regret that we announce the sad death on 18 October 2004, after a short illness, of Dr John Michael Smethurst, Chairman of the Consortium of European Research Libraries from 1994 to 2000. Michael Smethurst, or ‘Mike’as he was known to many of us, was the initiator, with Dr Franz Georg Kaltwasser, of the conference on European co-operation on the online cataloguing of historical collections held in Munich in 1990 that led ultimately to the formal inauguration of the Consortium in 1994. He led the Consortium purposefully and deftly through its early years, and continued to be actively interested in its progress after he stepped down as Chairman.
Michael Smethurst had a long and distinguished career in UK librarianship. He studied at the University of Manchester, and then worked in Lancaster College, Bede College Durham and theUniversity of Newcastle before coming to Scotland, first to Glasgow University Library in 1969, and then as University Librarian in the University of Aberdeen from 1972 to 1986. In that year, he joined the staff of the British Library as Director-General for London Services, and from 1995 until his retirement he was Deputy Chief Executive. Among his many public offices, he was President of LIBER from 1990 to 1995, and Chairman of the International ESTC Committee from 1986 to 1995.
Professionally, Mike Smethurst was meticulous, deeply collaboratively minded, and early aware that research libraries could achieve very much more for their users by working constructively together than any library could alone. He was both a European and an internationalist in his outlook.Personally, he was a man of great kindness and integrity, convivial and humorous, and he was at all times the most congenial of companions.
The deep sympathy of the Consortium and all its members is extended to Mrs Mary Smethurst, their son Matthew and daughter Laura, and to other family members.
Ann Matheson, Chairman
