Remembering John...	Obituary

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From colleagues, friends, students and alumni:

I remember attending an ALISE convention just about the time Sarah was due to make her appearance in the world. John was scheduled to report on some of his research at ALISE, so he attended instead of staying home as he would have preferred. That was before the days of cell phones, so John was trying hard to stay cool and calm at the same time he was anxiously awaiting a call to fly home. He really deeply loved his family and took great pride in Sarah and Neal.
There were two things I knew would always happen when I was with John. First, he would make me laugh. Second, if asked he would give me wise advice. We spent many hours together in stressful and/or boring meetings over the years. Having him in attendance made things easier.
I could say "Ooftah" to him and tell him North Dakota jokes and know I'd be understood! I will miss him greatly.
He showed us how to live and die with love and grace. Even during my visits with him at Heartland, he made me chuckle and shared his wisdom.

Linda Lucas Walling, Distinguished Professor Emeritus, SLIS

The first time I met Dr. Olsgaard was when I was a student worker at Thomas Cooper, and he came in to visit his wife Jane, who was in the same office as my supervisor.  They were just so affectionate and funny together that I remember wishing I could go hang out at their house, because you just knew it would be a relaxed, fun time. They complemented each other perfectly.
 
I had the honor of taking three different courses from Dr. Olsgaard in my time at USC, including what turned out to be his last class, and I am still so impressed by the way he soldiered on through that course, even though he was so sick.  It became very, very important to make him proud with our project.  It was a priceless experience for me, getting to learn how to make an impact in my field through research and good management, and I use it all every single day in my job.  He was an incredibly bright light in the world.

Rae Kammerer Lovvorn 

John was our school's secret agent--007 Olsgaard. When I arrived at the university in 2002, John was long ensconced in the office of the provost. I was new to academe, but John guided me and our newly formed college through many of the minefields, traps and blind alleys of administration. He was the best kind of mole, because everyone came out ahead for his knowledge.

Then, like the spy who came in from the cold, John returned to the warmth of Davis College. It was good to have him back in the classroom. He brought knowledge, humor and just a touch of that clandestine experience to his students.

I can't help but think of those dual personas wrapped up in the amiable professor we love and remember.

Charles Bierbauer, Dean, CMCIS

I'll always remember John as a mentor and friend from the first time I set foot on campus (during my interview) and he gave me some good advice about selecting a suitable faculty position. No doubt he was a strong advocate and good friend to the SLIS - he will be sorely missed. We were all lucky to benefit from his steady demeanor and decisive action -- he never expressed any doubt or reservation about what to do or how to do it. Particularly after he returned to the School, he was a father figure to all of us (even those of you who were older than he!).

Stephen Bajjaly, former SLIS associate professor, current Director of LIS Program at Wayne State University

Dr. Olsgaard eased so many of our fears about that dreaded statistics 705 course and we actually came out having learned something. Great men pass but truly great men are remembered and live on through their teachings. Dr. Olsgaard is the only teacher who ever sent a note after class was over. It meant so much to me that I kept it, "Before time gets away from us, I wanted to thank you for your continuous diligence and hard work during this semester. Your efforts were noticed and appreciated." That made quite an impression!

Sandra Doehler

Dr. Olsgaard is the first professor I ever had that made math (eeek!) fun and exciting. Instead of doing problem after problem, we learned what the equations were for, and how numbers impacted what we as librarians did. Dr. Olsgaard was patient with those of us who were
slow to pick up the math, and was always there for students who needed help. I will always be grateful to Dr. Olsgaard for putting math in terms I could understand!

Jennifer Quier

When it was announced that John's illness was indeed terminal, I told him that I refused to remember him sick – that I would only remember him in the years before his cancer. These things come to mind:
John and Jane came for his campus interview in 1984 just a couple of weeks after I was hired. He seemed pleasant, very focused, and nervous. Being new to the College, I was still pretty nervous myself. I remember thinking that we “clicked,” that he had a nice sense of humor, and that hiring him might be a good idea.

The Olsgaards came from the Dakotas, so John had never seen an ocean. I was thrilled to be able to introduce him to the Atlantic soon after they arrived in SC. OK, it was really just the bay at Seabrook Island, but it connected to the ocean.

Bill Summers was the Dean who hired me as Assistant to the Dean and John as Assistant Dean. Bill was a wonderful administrator and a world-class procrastination. Everything was done well, just not always on time. When Bill left and John took over for a year as Interim Dean, it became perfectly clear that John had never heard of procrastination. I think we accomplished about three years of work that year. John didn't just switch gears, he ran everybody else off the track. Winston Churchill said, “I am ready to meet my Maker. Whether my Maker is prepared for the great ordeal of meeting me is another matter.” I don't think meeting John will be an ordeal for our Maker, but it sure will streamline the workflow up in Heaven.

I remember John saying the secret to being so productive was to only touch things that landed on your desk one time. As soon as something came in, he would deal with it, so he never had piles of “to do” work sitting around. Try as I might, I can't master that one.

I learned everything I know about assessment from John. The most important Olsgaard principle of assessment was that it must be done every day – you can't expect to go back and recreate a year's worth of data and expect it to be accurate. During his term as Assistant Dean and Interim Dean, John put in place a series of regularly updated reports and spreadsheets that made our several annual reports a breeze. When it was time to do the ALISE statistical report every fall, he and I would divide up the sections and race to see who could finish first. Every now and then I won.

In the world of academe, decisions are often endlessly debated. Bill Summers used to say that there was nothing so complex that a faculty could not talk it to death. John had a talent for making good solid choices, and he made them quickly, firmly, and most of all, fairly. With his acute sense of right and wrong, John made decisions that guided our students, the College, the University, his family, his life, and now his death.

John taught me some personal things that have been especially important in my life. In the late 80's, at the height of her rebellious stage, my daughter Ellan was determined to drive me crazy - hippie clothes, extreme makeup, radical friends, etc. I'd come to work frazzled over her latest outrageousness, and John would always remind me that there would never be another time in her life when Ellan would be able to experiment like that and get away with it. Thanks to that advice, my daughter and I both survived her teenage years, and as John predicted she would, Ellan has turned out to be a remarkably accomplished young woman.

The second personal lesson came about when I dropped in on John in the Provost's Office one day around noon. His door was closed, so I knocked and he said come on in. I found him eating his lunch – a peanut butter sandwich – and playing Mahjjong on the computer. We both laughed and I accused him of goofing off. He explained his theory of the importance of taking a few minutes for yourself sometime during the work day. Then he taught me how tp play Mahjjong. Take it from me, just ten or fifteen minutes of closing the door and not thinking about work or anything makes all the difference in what gets accomplished the rest of the afternoon. The Mahjjong and peanut butter are optional.

Finally, I regret telling John I would not remember him while he was sick, because it was during these past months that he taught me the most important lessons of all. John lived a life of no regrets. His devotion to his family will sustain them always, his dedication to the Library School and USC have made them better places, and his generous, loving friendship touched so very many of us. John taught us by example how to live, and as his final gift, he taught us by example how to die.

Gayle Douglas, Associate Dean, College of Mass Communications and Information Studies

Janet Blood

Dr. Olsgaard will be sorely missed. I took SLIS 705 with him, and I have never been more confident I understood at least the basics of statistics than I was after having heard his very patient explanations. He was great at really putting a class at ease. He used to post pictures that students sent in to him. He would post them on the wall behind him in the camera
shot. They could be of new babies, cute pets, or lovely garden scenes. He didn't care, but just enjoyed sharing a little of each of us with the whole class. He was a class act, and I'm lucky to have had him as a professor.
Thanks, and God Bless to his family.

Blair Hinson

I was greatly saddened to hear of Dr. O's passing. My cousin and I started the MLIS program back in January of 2005. We both had Dr. Olsgaard and loved him. Who knew someone as mathmatically challenged as me could understand statistics, but he made it easy and fun to learn. I later had the pleasure of having Dr. O for one more class after that, and was his "advisee" for a short time. He was a great teacher. It is terrible to think of all the new SLIS students who will never have the honor and pleasure of being taught by him. SLIS and USC have indeed suffered a huge loss.

Mary Catherine Carroll

December 11, 2007

Remembering John Olsgaard, colleague, mentor, and dear friend:

M anagement Style - One of my first favorite memories of John was his management style. In 1988, I was a doctoral candidate and newly-hired instructor working for the College of Library and Information Science. One afternoon I was asked to come to the Assistant Dean's office. Imagine my pleasant surprise when John sat me down and simply wanted to know how I was doing . Something so simple and so kind put him high on my list of new friends in academia.

K indred spirits –I began my doctoral program in 1985, finishing in 1991 with a dissertation entitled “State Library Youth Services Consultants: Their Potential as Agents of Change.” In my research, I was quite excited to find an article by John N. Olsgaard. It was “Automation as a Socio-Organizational Agent of Change: An Evaluative Literature Review published in Information and Technology and Libraries in March, 1985. “Great minds….” I thought.  

C o-Teachers – After John went to the Provost's office he wanted to keep teaching in CLIS – but he was a very busy Associate Provost. He asked if I would be willing to co-teach CLIS704 – Introduction to Management of Libraries, School Library Media Centers , and Information Agencies. I was honored to teach alongside John plus, we had fun! He had a great sense of humor and was a terrific storyteller!

I nterview for CLIS 757 – One of the things I loved about John was that he was such a great father. He would read books with Sarah and discuss them- sort of a little father-daughter book discussion club. I found it so charming.. I brought a camera crew over to Osborne one afternoon and filmed John in his office talking about books, reading, literacy, and his children. I used this in the class I taught on YA literature. Recently, I gave John a DVD of the interview. I hope Jane and Sarah and Neal were able to view it, if not it will be a gift that will keep on giving in the future.

Valuable L essons –There were many valuable lessons I learned from the master of short, substantive and succinct (that was John O.) How to run a meeting was one lesson. The other was a more personal lesson that I now pass on to students in the management classes: how to end a meeting. One afternoon in his office in Osborne as I was chatting away, he slowly rose to his feet, walked around his desk and opened his office door, all while smiling cheerfully. I realized that the meeting was over and though I never forgot it, I wasn't in the least bit offended. John was smooth.

B lues B rother – I will never forget the 25 th Anniversary Celebration of CLIS. Dan Barron, Bob Williams and John Olsgaard as…the Blues Brothers. A good sport, an entertainer, and light on his feet, he was definitely a brother!

The last time I saw John, Liz Q. and I paid him a visit at Heartland of Columbia. As we were leaving, he said he knew we loved him. I said “I do, I love you and blew him a kiss.” As we closed the door he blew a kiss back to us.

Hugs and kisses and tears and laughs, John. We do love you!

Pat Feehan, Associate Professor, SLIS

Those of us who were so blessed to have been in one of his classes know how distinguished he always looked in a suit and tie. One day I took a picture from a catalog to show him. It was of a black t-shirt with the words, "If I am speaking, you should be taking notes". He got a huge laugh out of it, because he often had to say, Hello", several times to get us to be quiet so he could start the lecture. He was an incredible person.

Alice Goodman

...I was apprehensive about the statistics course also, but Dr. Olsgaard not only simplified the course, but made it fun and interesting.  My only regret was that there were no more
courses on my track that I could take from him.

He dedicated a segment of time at an onsite once to discuss the job application process.  He described what a resume should and should not have on it.  I took careful notes, but I also memorized what he had said.

A year later my nephew told me he was job hunting, was very distraught that he had sent out resumes for the past 18 months and had received no response.  I told him about Dr. Olsgaards rules about resumes and asked if he wanted me to re-do his resume Dr. Olsgaard's way.  He agreed.   A few days later my nephew called and excitedly explained that he had received 5 calls in one day from companies about job interviews, and the calls kept coming. Within a month, my nephew landed his dream job, and he expressed his gratitude for my application of Dr. Olsgaard's rules to his resume.  He said he was positive that it had made the difference in the company's decision to call him or not.

Several weeks ago I got a chance to thank Dr. Olsgaard, on behalf of my nephew, (they've never met)  for his life changing advice.  Dr. Olsgaard told me that my nephew should have taken me out to dinner.  I told him that it was his advice that ultimately landed the job for my nephew. But he felt he deserved no credit or special recognition.  He said that it was his JOB to pass on to others the best knowledge and wisdom from his experiences, and that he was required by his commitment to life and his love for people to help them in every way that he could. ...  He said that the best thanks anyone could give to him was to follow his advice, if he/she thought that it was really good. 

Yes, we will all miss him greatly, and we express our condolences to his family that they will be comforted in this most difficult hour.

Thelma Cotton

I'm sure that there are words somewhere to express the deep emptiness that I feel with John's death. Then I think that there are words somewhere to express the deep appreciation that I feel for him as a friend, colleague, confidant, bad joke appreciator. But I doubt that words are sufficient. Even then, those words are for the living, reminders of the very special person who shared this world with us and will continue to influence our lives. Words to ease the hurting for his family who appeared with pride in every extended conversation with John. Words to celebrate the many conversations that ranged from insightful analysis of history and the profession to silly diversionary stress relievers. Those who never had the opportunity to hear John's version of "Kill da Wabbit" missed a masterpiece. Or words to detail the many contributions to CLIS/SLIS and the University that helped make us a strong academic program and institution. Words to describe the highest levels of teaching, scholarship, university service, professional ethics, and support that John gave us as a colleague.

When my dad died, John made the trek up the mountain to honor him. Seeing John walking along the street, we picked him up and took him with us to the church. From then on, he was family and my mom never ceased to ask about him and speak her appreciation. Hearing of his passing, her words were, "God bless him and his family, there are lots of things worse than death."

When Pat Feehan said she would like me to be a part of the 30th Anniversary Celebration by lip sinking a Blues Brothers song with John, I said "sure, but you'll have to get John to do it." Her response: It was his idea. And, by the way, Bob Williams really wants to be included. My first reaction was that I had momentarily entered into some reality warp—JOHN OLSGAARD—lip sinking a song in public!!!! I immediately called John and asked for a meeting in his "outer office" (the small courtyard beside the Admin Building where he could smoke as we talked.) Sure enough, he was gung-ho for it. During the rehearsals we started referring to each other as Jake and Elwood. From then on, when we needed to send a special code of support to the other or being in a particularly goofy mood, we would sign emails accordingly.

Thank you for being my friend. I love you, Jake.

Elwood--

Dan Barron - former SLIS director and distinguished professor emeritus

Dr. Olsgaard's patience and understanding with me, with all his students actually, was incredible, and was instrumental in my surviving few short semesters I knew him. It will be a very different campus without him.

Why is it that the most valuable people often leave us so quickly?

Jeremy Steadman, MLIS, Spring '07

Words for John Olsgaard's Memorial Service
Sam Hastings

Professor Emeritus John Olsgaard. And don't you know he is loving this! What a lovely celebration of his life and affirmation of his influence seeing you all here – thank you! And of course, this is exactly what John planned for his memorial service with the instructions that there should be no tears, no tears. . .only celebration of his life.

We didn't get to keep him long but he touched so many of us so deeply. . . John was my true good friend and I can tell you many tales of how precious our friendship was but today I want to take these brief moments to share with you the TEACHER side of John Olsgaard, Dr. O., the professor that students adore, the man that taught from his death bed.

Personally, John taught me most about grace – about being eloquent and refined and still be able to laugh out loud! One of his favorite sentiments is captured by T. H. White in this quote: “The most difficult thing in the world is to know how to do a thing and to watch someone else doing it wrong, without commenting. “ This made John the very best of teachers, a wonderful husband, father (and a dog gone good administrator!)

His students have sent hundreds of stories and remembrances. Each of them expressing that Dr. Olsgaard was the best professor and always encouraged them. Here are a few examples of what his students say:

“I would go to class, just to watch him teach. I even wrote a haiku Masterful teaching, Olsgaard labels diagram,  

I watched 705 at the Bangor , Maine site. After about 3 weeks, I turned to the people in my class and said, "Is it just me, or has he been wearing the same outfit every week?" The class looked at me a little strange (not an unusual occurrence) but it kind of became a game to me, "What was he gonna wear this week?" I swear, I don't think the outfit varied :)

Another student replied to this: He might have been doing it on purpose because Albert Einstein did that too- just had ten suits of identical clothing so he wouldn't have to waste the mental power on wondering what to wear!  

He also had a sense of humor about himself and the subjects he taught. For example, we were doing a problem set one time and while he was waiting for us to finish, the camera was focused on the notebook on his desk. He was doodling a stick figure of a student holding up a sign that said, "I Love Statistics!" and below that in parentheses was written, "yeah, right..." :) Another time, he started class by affecting the voice of a radio announcer and saying, "Live from the halls of Davis College , it's SLIS 705..."  

My strongest memory of Dr. Olsgaard was how he was the only teacher I EVER had who made me feel as though I understood - and did well with - statistics and research. His personal comments on my work and his reinforcing "pats on the back" when I got frustrated meant so much. He literally changed my academic self-image and allowed me to look into other areas of the profession I hadn't previously considered. I only wish I had told HIM this. OH HE KNOWS!  

Dr. Olsgaard was a jewel in the crown of the MLIS program. I am in utter shock and horribly saddened; the field of librarianship was so much the better with his humor, friendship, knowledge and wisdom. Anyone who could make statistics so exciting and interesting deserved a Nobel Prize.  

And one last student comment:

Dr. Olsgaard eased so many of our fears about that dreaded statistics course and we actually came out having learned something. Great men pass but truly great men are remembered and live on through their teachings.

I thank these students that have allowed me to share these comments today.

And so my beautiful friend Jane, smart Sarah and brave Neal please know that your husband and father live on in everyone he taught and touched! He wins THE prize for being a true gentle man, a scholar and our professor forever! As they say in North Dakota , “He was a regular guy!”

Dr. Samantha Hastings, SLIS Director

I graduated two years ago and haven't been able to stay too much in contact with the department. Dr. Olsgaard was a jewel in the crown of the MLIS program. I am in utter shock and horribly saddened; the field of librarianship was so much the better with his humor, friendship, knowledge and wisdom. Anyone who could make statistics so exciting and interesting deserved a Nobel Prize.

Arik Bjorn

When I think of John, I remember first his humor. I remember the woman who asked if she could bring a bag to class with her in case she started to hyperventilate. He graciously told her she could but added that he sincerely hoped she wouldn't need it. I also recall when John had us in stitches with the story of the time the bee flew up his pant leg while he was on the horseshoe and the details of his successful attempt to finally dislodge it without creating a scandal. (vice provost drops pants on horseshoe was the headline he most feared).

That he was a great scholar, wise counselor, generous and skillful teacher is undisputed. What I will always remember is the dignity, peace, and love I felt in his presence during his final illness.

Liz Qunell, SLIS Staff

Fred Roper's Memorial Service Remarks

There are always things that one regrets not doing. For the past few weeks I had been mentally composing a letter to John to express to him how much he has meant to me and the effect that he has had on so many people’s lives. This is the letter that I didn’t get written in time, and I would like to share it with you now.

Dear Friend,
I use the term advisedly because you have been both a professional colleague and a personal friend. When I arrived in Columbia almost 22 years ago, you had just finished a term as Interim Dean of Library and Information Science after only two years at USC. You demonstrated then the administrative abilities that so many people outside the College would come to admire and appreciate. As my assistant dean, you guided me through the intricacies of the University’s policies and procedures and made certain that I met the people I needed to know. As Interim Dean, you had left the College in great shape and smoothed the way for me then just as you did so many other times over the years. You, Gayle, and I made a great team.

Later, when you went to the Provost’s Office, I consoled the faculty and staff by telling them we hadn’t lost a faculty member, we had found a friend in high places! To your credit though, you were scrupulously fair and unbiased in dealing with the College when you were wearing your provostial hat…sometimes too fair to my way of thinking! Also to your credit was the involvement that you managed to maintain in the College. As a teacher your high evaluations set a standard that was hard for others to match, and you continued to produce scholarly research even with a full-time position in the Provost’s Office.

You also were a very important stability figure in the College, and I was so grateful for that. Yours was the voice of reason when discussions would get out of hand. You also were the person I could count on for sound advice, and I knew that our conversations would go no further. You helped me to work through many a sticky problem. Often just sharing the problem with you and thinking through your good questions would lead me to a decision. I feel certain that many, many people came into your office, closed the door, and said, “Can we talk?”

However, through the years, you have been so much more than a professional colleague. From the time I was an applicant we were good friends with shared interests in many areas. Your delight in Jane and Sarah and Neal and their accomplishments has enlivened so many of our conversations. I felt as if I had received that black belt in karate as you recounted your experiences with Neal and Sarah as they received their black belts. It is such a great privilege to be “Uncle Fred” to Sarah and Neal.

During these past few months, you have been an inspiration to everyone who has come in contact with you. You have given us comfort and helped us to deal with your situation by your grace, your acceptance, and your quiet calmness. I treasure our many conversations which have ranged from Harry Potter to sports to finance to politics. Yes, you and Sarah shamed me into reading the entire Harry Potter series this year, and I am glad you did!

There were two particularly high points in these past months. One was your trip to see Neal play football and your great delight in being there, even if it did rain! The other was attending the lunch for Cum Laude graduates when Sarah was honored. Sarah and Neal have done you and Jane proud!

Old friend, I am grateful for the many things I have learned from you through the years. Your wise counsel and sage advice have helped me with many a problem. Your dry sense of humor and quick wit have brightened many conversations and situations. Most of all, your friendship, to me and to all of your friends and colleagues, has been unfailing and steadfast. We are all so much the better for having known you and having been able to call you friend, colleague, or teacher. Thank you for being you!

With affection and respect,
Fred

I am sure that John knew and understood all the sentiments expressed in this letter and, indeed, those expressed by the other speakers and by the many tributes that have appeared on the School’s listserv. If he were here, however, he would just shake his head and give us his quizzical smile.

Fred Roper, Distinguished Dean Emeritus, SLIS

John was a dear friend and colleague for more than 20 years. The past year he and his family have endured what many of us fear most. Bearing witness to the grace and dignity that John and his family brought to their situation has been one of the most deeply moving experiences of my life. John approached his life and death in similar fashion – with wisdom, warmth, wit, conviction and decisiveness. While I deeply miss him, I know the lessons that he shared throughout his life and death will always be with me and everyone who knew him. May Jane, Sarah and Neal find strength and comfort from their own special memories of John as they move forward through this journey that is life.

Chris Billinsky, SLIS Senior Instructor