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Janet Axelrod


1/25/2022 • 2 years ago

caution sign The information on this page may be outdated as it was published 2 years ago.

Janet Axelrod and Director McCauley

On December 26, Janet Axelrod, one of our longstanding Library champions, passed away. Janet was the Chair of the Board of Library Trustees through December 2021. She was also one of the founders of the Cambridge Public Library Foundation. Janet was an outstanding Chair. She cared deeply about accessible library services, the freedom to read, and the privacy rights of users. Janet understood the complexities of a public library. She was unwavering in her commitment to social justice, civil rights, and equity and inclusion, and she greatly appreciated the staff of the Library and its volunteers.

Janet was first appointed to the Board in 1994. In September 1999, she was elected Chair and, in that capacity, led the Board and served as a thoughtful adviser to the Director of Libraries. I was honored to serve with Janet and to call her my friend. The Cambridge City Council adopted a resolution during its January 10 meeting in honor of Janet Axelrod.

While we dearly miss her, we are happy to report that the Board of Trustees selected the Children's book author and development professional Kaija Langley as its new Chair. Kaija has been serving on the Board of Trustees since 2020. Read Janet Axelrod's obituary in the Cambridge Chronicle.