Mr. Luis Crespo as the interim Executive Secretariat

January 19, 2020

Dear Acurilians,

This is to advise that Mr. Luis Crespo, personal member currently serving on the Executive Council, has agreed to serve in an interim capacity as Executive Secretary. This service become effective immediately and will be in effect until a suitable replacement is identified. It is anticipated that an Executive Secretary will be identified and presented at the upcoming Annual General Assembly meeting next month.

The contact for the interim Executive Secretary is executivesecretariat@acuril.org.

Regards,

Berthamae Walker, PhD

Acuril President 2019-2020

Condolence Professor Fay Durrant

January 9, 2021

DearAcurileans, Friends and supporters of Acuril, it is with a heavy heart that I inform you of the passing of one of our most dedicated and faithful members, Professor Fay Durrant, former Head of the Department of Library and Information Studies at the University of The West Indies, Mona Campus, Jamaica. Word of her passing on January 8, 2021 was received this morning, and we are deeply sadden by the news.

My earliest memory of Professor Durrant was in 2008 when I attended an ACURIL conference in Jamaica. She approached be about an article that I  had written on technology application in libraries in the Bahamas, noting that she was able to refer her students to the article, and lamented that not much was readily available on the subject for the region. Ever since, I would seek her out at future conferences, even if just to say hello. Our last meeting was at the 2018 conference in the Dominican Republic. What a pleasure it was to be in her company.

There was always a sense of “unrushed serenity” when in her presence, accompanied by a warm and welcoming smile. She was not just an attendee at conferences, but a participant, sharing her research on various conference themes over the years. As a personal member and a past member of the Executive Council, she has contributed much to the shaping of the foundation of ACURIL, grounds upon which we now stand, and upon which we continue to build. We are forever indebted.

I looked for her at the ACURIL 2020 virtual conference in November, but could not find her. So I promised myself that I would send her an email saying that I missed her and would like to organize a virtual interview for her to share her experiences as an ACURIL member over the years. This was not to be.

On behalf of the officers of the Executive Council of ACURIL and all the other members of the association, I extend sincere condolences to the family, colleagues and friends of Professor Fay Durrant.  May her soul rest in eternal peace.

Berthamae Walker, PhD

President, ACURIL

Misa en memoria de la Dra. Luisa del Carmen Carolina Vigo Cepeda / Mass (religious service) in memory of Dr. Luisa del Carmen Carolina Vigo Cepeda

ACURIL y ACURIL, Capítulo de Puerto Rico invitan a la Misa en memoria de la Dra. Luisa del Carmen Carolina Vigo Cepeda, fundadora de la Asociación de Bibliotecas Universitarias, de Investigación e Institucionales del Caribe (ACURIL, por sus siglas en inglés) junto a otras dos líderes de la academia de Puerto Rico y Trinidad y Tobago.

La Misa se ofrecerá en la Iglesia San Jorge de San Juan el miércoles 9 de diciembre de 2020 a las 12:00pm. Debido a la pandemia, el cupo de asistentes presenciales es de 60 personas. Para asistir de forma presencial puede reservar su espacio en Eventbrite. Recuerde llevar mascarilla. Se le tomará la temperatura y se utilizará “hand sanitizer”.

La ceremonia se transmitirá en vivo a través de la plataforma de Fabook Live de Acurileans Community of Practice: https://www.facebook.com/acurileans

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ACURIL and ACURIL, Chapter of Puerto Rico invite to the Mass (religious service) in memory of Dr. Luisa del Carmen Carolina Vigo Cepeda, founder of the Association of University, Research and Institutional Libraries of the Caribbean (ACURIL, for its acronym in English) along with others two academy leaders from Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago.

The Mass (religious service) will be offered at Iglesia San Jorge de San Juan on Wednesday, December 9, 2020 at 12:00 pm. Due to the pandemic, the quota of face-to-face assistants is 60 people. To attend in person, you can reserve your space on Eventbrite. Remember to wear a mask. The temperature will be taken and a “hand sanitizer” will be used.

The ceremony will be broadcast live through the Acurileans Community of Practice Fabook Live platform: https://www.facebook.com/acurileans

IN MEMORIAM
DR. LUISA VIGO CEPEDA

Today, on November 26th, 2020, a stalwart of the Association of Caribbean University, Research and Institutional Libraries (ACURIL) has left us and gone on to her eternal rest. Though small in stature, she loomed larger than life in the association, the profession of librarianship, the region, and within her native country,Puerto Rico.

We will always remember  her for championing the cause of ACURIL. Her commitment was infectious, and she always looked forward to participating in our annual conferences.  ACURIL 2020 was different, the first she would miss in the history of the Association.

In our 50th conference anniversary celebration last week, we paid tribute to her  for her 50 plus years of committed work within the ACURIL; first as a founding member, then as president of ACURIL and finally, as Executive Secretary.

MAY HER SOUL REST IN PEACE

Dr. Berthamae Walker

ACURIL President 2019-2020