Donald L. Bosseau, former ARL member representative from the University of Miami, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, and Emory University, died on March 23, 2023, at the age of 86.
Bosseau’s more than 35-year career in library management, operations, and development focused on the future of libraries and systems automation. He led the libraries at the University of Miami (1997–2003), San Diego State University (1983–1997), the University of Hawaiʻi (1977–1982), Emory University (1973–1977), and The University of Texas at El Paso (1972–1973). Previously he was assistant university librarian (1970–1972) and head of the Systems Department (1966–1969) at the University of California San Diego.
Prior to his career in libraries, Bosseau was a nuclear engineer. He was awarded the US Atomic Energy Commission Graduate Fellowship in Radiological Physics. His nuclear engineering profession began in 1961 at General Atomic in La Jolla, California.
Bosseau earned an undergraduate degree in nuclear engineering from Kansas State University, a graduate degree in nuclear engineering with a minor in radiological physics from The University of Kansas, and a graduate degree in library and information studies from the University of Hawaiʻi at Honolulu.
Bosseau was active in ARL, serving on the Statistics and Measurement Committee (2001–2003), the Information Policies Committee (1998–2000), and the Task Force on ARL Membership (1977–1978). He was director of libraries at Emory University when Emory became an ARL member in 1975.
The family suggests memorial donations be given to Pittsburg State University Foundation. Memorial donations can be mailed to the Pittsburg State University Foundation, PO Box 4005, Pittsburg KS 66762, or can be given online at www.pittstate.edu/givenow.
To learn more about Bosseau’s life and career, see his obituary from the San Diego Union-Tribune.
