Grace, May You Rest in Peace

Lu Yusheng 6/9/2012

Today, we are gathering here to have this memorial service, in celebrating Grace’s life.
As her friends and colleagues, we all know Grace.  We could describe Grace in many ways, many words. To me, she was always graceful, passionate, cheerful, and warmhearted.

As a librarian, Grace always took great pride in her works and collections. She carefully selected each title to enrich Library’s collections, especially the Chinese Collection. With her hard work, the Central Library Chinese Collection has been improved and expanded greatly. She was also conscientious and patiently to offer her help to customers and colleagues with their needs daily. Many customers had come to her supervisor and my office to commend her great job. I remember in one morning, I needed the statistics of circulation that books were sent from Shanghai Library, I asked her if she could completed the project within a week, she just gave me a smile, in the afternoon, those figures that I needed had been generated and organized and sent to my office.

As a friend, Grace would warm us whenever she was with us or not. Many of our Queens Library colleagues still clear remember those conversations during the lunch break that we were with Grace. It was enjoyable to hear her cheerful voice to talk about her favor books, movies, her trip and shopping experiences. When we saw the email that was sent by Grace, we would know that it much a funny story or a laughable joke. In the past a few year, Grace had been continuously recommended and sent me the Chinese DVDs because she knew that my in-laws like to watch those Chinese episodes.
That was our Grace. She had been enriched her life, my life, and our life.

On May 21, 2012, Grace unexpected changed her life journey into another phase. We lost our friend, Queens Library lost a valuable asset and our customer lost a great librarian. The world lost a fine lady.

However, her name will be remembered, her story will be spread, her legacy will be continued, and her spirits will be existed.

For doing so, with Michael’s permission and support, her friends and colleagues have started a memorial fund in her memory. Please allow me to share the information with you here:

“Grace Lin, International Languages Librarian at the Central Library, pass away suddenly on May 21st, but her legacy at Queens Library as a dedicated librarian and loving colleague will always be present. Grace began her career at Queens Library in May 1998. After working in several Queens community libraries, she joined the Central Library staff 10 years ago.  Grace was devoted to enhancing the Library’s International Collections, and the Chinese Collection was her special love. Throughout her career, her dedication, knowledge, smile and love touched so many lives, staff and customers alike. It is the wish of her family, friends and colleagues to commemorate her legacy with the creation of a memorial fund at Queens Library Foundation for the acquisition of Chinese books and materials for Central Library.  A commemorative bookplate will be placed in each new book to memorialize Grace, and we expect to raise sufficient funds to inscribe a memorial plaque to honor Grace.  Contributions to the Grace Lin Memorial Fund can be given through a check made payable and sent to: Queens Library Foundation, or online through the Buy-A-Book program at www.queenslibraryfoundation.org, and will be acknowledged, accordingly.  Thank you for your generous support in memory of a good friend and colleague.”

I would like to say that I will do my best to make sure the donated money will be utilized in Grace’s favor collection. And a Name plaque in honoring Grace will be presented in the Central Library.

Grace, we all miss you and may you rest in peace.

(Lu Yusheng is the assistant director of the Central Library, Queens Library)