Dear Barbara,    Doug was such a good guy. I had many nice chats with him. I  last saw him at JABA  where I was a volunteer. I wish you well and your children! Doug told me that Daniel is teacher at West Point. I hope that our paths cross.! Love, Jim

Dear Barbara,  
     We were on. the road yesterday so we could not be at the gathering  for  Doug. He was a good guy. I  knew him in Chapel Hill and then when I moved up here-probably to watch football! And ,then, to my great surprise and pleasure at the border collie trial!. Of course, then I could tell that it was struggling. Finally, we met up at  JABA where I had been a volunteer for years. I requested your phone  number but never got it. I had not seenDoug for a while.
      I would have appreciated seeing your now adult children!
Well. bless you. I know that you were a wonderful caretaker.
 Jim Barns  294-5809

I am so sorry to hear the news of Doug's passing.  I served as the statewide Director of the Virtual Library of Virginia (VIVA) from 1994-2015 and had the pleasure of working with him on many occasions.  He was, as several others have mentioned in their memories, a stellar member of the VIVA consortium.  In fact, his leadership in the InterLibrary Loan community was essential to  VIVA's overall success.  His mentorship and willingness to help everyone --  faculty and students as well as other librarians throughout the commonwealth -- set the tone for all of us.  Beyond all of that, his decency and big heart made him a joy to know.  
I will remember Doug with fondness, respect, and appreciation for a life well lived.  

I learned indirectly of the recent passing of Mr. Doug Hurd. It was back in the early 90’s when our library director at JMU, Mr. Dennis Robison and Sharon Gasser, head of tech services, wanted to move the ILL turnaround time from the average of two weeks receipt of books and articles to a mere 24-28 hours for articles from certain journals that we did not own. Our ILL staff named this project Document Express. We enlisted the support of the UVA and Va Tech ILL staff to make this quick turnaround happen and, a number of years later, VIVA was born in Virginia.
This was just the beginning of the internet, we received these articles via fax or mail. Our ILL staff met numerous times at UVA, at Va Tech, and their staffs came to JMU. It was a pleasure to get to know Doug and his colleagues and those folks from Va Tech as well.
At one meeting, in particular, before the assembled group, Doug stood, welcomed everyone and had such nice things to say about JMU as the initiator of this project. His words were much appreciated!
I moved from ILL to Metadata Strategies (cataloging) in Carrier almost twenty years ago, but when I read of Doug’s passing, those memories of the early years of VIVA returned, there were some stressful times, and of Doug’s support in making it all come together.
So, from the other side of the mountain, in the Shenandoah Valley, I offer my condolences to Doug’s family and UVA colleagues. He is remembered.


Like Jim, Gary, Anne (whiskey? in your office, I’m shocked), I well and fondly remember Doug’s laugh. I once told him a joke (which I’d best not repeat here), at which he laughed so hard he left the room, still laughing as he walked off down the hall. I’ve thought of the moment now and then, and it’s how I’ll remember him, walking away, with that bit of bounce in his gait, laughing. 





My brother Doug was an amazing man full of compassion, kindness, integrity and strength.  He looked after me and my sister Dani Lynn our whole lives but especially when we were young. He made sure we were always heading in the right direction.  He was honest and had a wonderful sense of humor.  We loved him very much and will miss him every day.  Cindy Pault and family

Although Doug had not been in good health for a few years, his passing is still a terrible shock. He was a colleague, friend, and neighbor for nearly forty years. We worked together at the U.Va. Library for three decades, and we played in a monthly poker game for fifteen years. Doug was active around town, working election day at our precinct, serving on the Jefferson-Madison library board, giving parental support to the CHS orchestra and other endeavors in the Charlottesville schools.


Doug was passionate and opinionated. He really cared about the library’s clientele, and he cared about doing things right. He was fun whether things were going well or not; his humor would break through. I remember a presentation attended by dozens of U.Va. library folks. While discussing some organizational topic, the speaker noted that everyone has a boss. Doug did not let that stand; he stated clearly for all to hear, “Bruce Springsteen does not have a boss!” The speaker conceded the point.


Doug was typically visible and vocal, but he was reticent as well. He did not talk about his accomplishments. Frank Moran’s piece in this section describes Doug’s leadership in bringing effective and efficient resource sharing to the academic libraries of Virginia. On the home front Doug organized and implemented the innovative document and book delivery system, called LEO. He successfully opened and operated the Ivy Stacks storage facility. As Warner Granade and Jeanne Hammer noted, Doug brought the Small Special Collections Library online. He did a lot of good and important things, and took pleasure in doing them.


Doug, we will miss you


So sorry to hear of Doug's passing. He was a kind and caring man, a wonderful colleague at the Library. Happy to run into him at the Miller Center after his retirement. Rest in peace Doug. My condolences to the family.

Doug  loved to learn and always worked to make the Library a better place for the dedicated team working there and the UVA community as a whole. He liked to remind me that William Faulkner's jacket was among the special collections. Just one example of the many treasures waiting there ... which also included his smile.

Years ago Doug and I worked in different College Libraries. His, UVA, one of the largest in Virginia, and I worked in a small Community College Library.  Through his supervision of the Inter Library Loan Department, he loaned out the incredible UVA Library collection to all  libraries in Virginia, as well as world wide.  One time after a meeting, a colleague referred to Doug as a "blue collar librarian". 
He wore that title as a badge of honor, as he was instrumental in developing methods that would share materials that used to take weeks to receive, to a matter of days. In addition, he was one of the founders of VIVA, the Virtual Library of Virginia. Through VIVA, my tiny Community College Library  
in Weyers Cave Virginia, had instant electronic access to materials previously only available in large
research Universities.  With little tolerance for drawn out philosophical discussions, or long tedious meetings, "Mr. Blue Collar Librarian" instead put his energy into improving the educational experiences of all students and faculty throughout the entire Commonwealth of Virginia. Thank you Doug!

Doug and I both served on the UVA General Faculty Council. Being the only two librarian members on the Council at that time and with me being new to UVA, I really relied on his experience and wise council for providing input to the University. I also enjoyed him personally. He had an excellent sense of humor and an energetic curiosity. I am so glad my world entwined with his - even if only for a few years!  Doug, you are a new star lighting up the sky.
Karen Knight

Doug at the Harrison-Small Library at UVA.  He was quite involved with bringing this building online.

I had the pleasure of working with Doug for several years before his retirement. With his ready smile, get-it-done attitude, and giant ring of keys to every lock, he was a good guy to know. He was a wonderful colleague at the Library and I know he impacted many many people in his long career. It makes me smile to think of him. 
Rest in peace, Doug. 

Doug and I were colleagues for many years at Alderman Library.  We shared a lot of laughs, and spent many lunch hours in the Colonnade Club garden, gossiping about the library and discussing politics.  He had a laugh so infectious that you had to join in.  He will be remembered and missed.

This is Doug at the Colonnade Club in 2009. He loved being a part of the Colonnade Club. We drank coffee there almost every day for many years.

So sorry to hear of Doug's passing. I have a lot of great memories of our time working together in Alderman, including drinking whiskey with colleagues in my office after hours. Doug always knew how to find some humor in any situation, and we found plenty to laugh about. My condolences to the family; he will be missed. 

I remember Doug so fondly from my time at the library. He was so kind and helpful and he always brought a smile to our faces. Rest In Peace Doug.

AVIS DE DÉCÈS

Douglas Paul Hurd

13 juin 1951 – 16 avril 2022

Teague Funeral Service

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