Obituary: Gwendolyn S. Cruzat

It is with sadness that we share the passing of Gwendolyn S. Cruzat, PhD, AHIP, FMLA, on October 7, 2026. A longtime educator and leader in health sciences librarianship, Cruzat was Professor Emeritus at the University of Michigan School of Information, where she helped shape the education of generations of health sciences librarians.

Cruzat made history in 1979 as the first Black librarian to deliver MLA’s Janet Doe Lecture and was later recognized as one of “MLA’s Most Notables” in 1998, among numerous other distinctions throughout her career. Her legacy continues through the Gwendolyn S. Cruzat MLA Scholarship, named in her honor in 2023 to support the next generation of health sciences librarians.

A memorial service will be held November 20, 2026, in Dearborn, Michigan. MLA members can learn more about Cruzat through her oral history, and a fuller remembrance of her life and contributions is planned for JMLA.