In memoriam ~ Lisa Mackinder

On March 19, 2025, CDL lost a beloved colleague and dear friend when Lisa Mackinder died after an extended illness. Lisa was the Assistant Director for Systemwide Licensing in the Shared Collections Program, a position she assumed in 2022 after starting her CDL career as Licensing Analyst in 2021. During her time at CDL, Lisa earned the respect of her colleagues within and beyond UC through her deep knowledge of electronic resources, her excellent negotiation skills, and her thoughtful, empathetic approach to management. She was a vital member of the CDL team responsible for stewardship of the systemwide collections budget, a role to which she brought intelligence and integrity, and the contributions she made to Shared Collections, CDL, UC, and the library profession stand as the proud legacy of an outstanding career that ended far too soon.

CDL Shared Collections grieves Lisa’s loss and remembers her with love and appreciation. We are pleased to share these recollections and reflections with our community.

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Lisa and I both loved the New Zealand murder mystery series, Brokenwood. Now my memory is fuzzy on what exactly we would talk about when we each gushed about our appreciation for this series, but it was warm and peaceful to reflect on it together. My recollection is that she would watch it with her mom and daughter – three generations of enthusiasts cozied up to enjoy those beloved landscapes and characters. I didn’t have a chance to work closely with Lisa, but the opportunities I did have to see her in action impressed on me the blend of pragmatism and compassion with which she carried herself and led. I will miss her presence. 

-Alison W. 

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Lisa was known for her warmth and steadfast support of her colleagues. Her kindness was exemplary, and her courage was truly remarkable. I feel lucky to have known her, even if only for a short time.

-Jason C.

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Lisa was a wonderful manager, who had experience and knowledge of all areas of electronic resource librarianship. She started at CDL during a time of significant change (new ILS, staffing, etc) and was able to jump in and help whenever needed, provide advice, and show tremendous support for the team. Her passion for the work was evident through her actions and leadership. On top of all of this, she was a lovely person to be around, and I am very fortunate to have known her. We thank all of our colleagues for the kindness that has been shared, and our hearts go out to Lisa’s family and friends. 

-Sherry L.

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I was often in Zoom meetings (with Lisa facilitating) when we were migrating to a new library system—definitely a time of change.  She was routinely so cheerful and optimistic, and when we were trying to figure things out, she kept us on track and made sure everyone’s opinion was included.  Her leadership and thoughtfulness will be missed and remembered.

—Kate G-C.

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I knew Lisa first by reputation and then as a fellow member of a systemwide team during my time at UC Irvine. Even in those brief interactions, she exuded so much warmth, good humor, and intelligence that I sought the opportunity to work at CDL in part because I knew that she would be wonderful to work with. After I started, our regular check-ins often meandered from my training material to anecdotes about our kids to discussions about deeply held beliefs related to Excel. We could be intensely productive in an hour’s time while regularly dissolving into laughter and I miss those conversations fiercely. I’ll always think of her as an example to follow, as a librarian, as a supervisor, and as a human.

-Laura F.

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Lisa was an extraordinary human being. She was a collaborator whose enduring connections will remain strong for years to come. Knowing Lisa was to experience compassion, thoughtfulness, brilliance, and talent. Through her actions and being she defied all of the boxes we draw around the concept of leadership; she was a natural. In daily work, I hear her voice and feel her spirit, and I miss her every day.

Always, “The Lisas.” 

– Lisa M.

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Lisa was such a warm, dedicated, and supportive colleague.  She started at CDL in a time of significant staff change, and she quickly made an impact not only in her specific role but also by taking on expanding responsibilities to support her colleagues and the work of the Shared Collections Program and maintain the continuity of our services to the UC community.  She was very skilled at recognizing what needed to be done, and how to do it, and it was no surprise to see her promoted to lead the Systemwide Licensing group.

I have many memories that reflect the warmth and generosity that Lisa brought to all of her colleagues, but one in particular that stays with me was her enthusiasm to act as an interviewee for a new manager training I was taking a few years ago.  I needed to ask a predefined set of questions to another manager, and I was not excited for the assignment.  But Lisa took on the role with enthusiasm – we went well beyond the allotted time and I gained far more than I could have ever hoped from such a conversation.  Looking back it feels very representative of how giving Lisa was in all that she did.  She will be deeply missed.

– Mat W.

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Lisa was a wonderful manager, colleague, and friend. She was a steady force in a time when our department was going through a sea of change with staffing and system migration. She’s the one you could count on when things got tough, when answers seemed far away, or when you just needed someone to listen.With her deep knowledge of the electronic resources lifecycle, she methodically and calmly guided us through many difficult challenges. We will miss her dearly in every kind gesture, every thoughtful act, every laughter we shared, and every life she has touched.

-Nga O.

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Lisa has proven to be an exceptional leader throughout my time working with her. She embodies the qualities of a natural leader, particularly during times of crisis. One of my most memorable experiences was when she, as a CDL licensing analyst, stepped up during the SILS migration. At that critical juncture, we faced the loss of several key staff members, and Lisa took the initiative to guide us through this challenging transition. 

She played a crucial role in leading and collaborating with our team to redesign a vital work routine within a completely new system environment. Her ability to identify the most pressing tasks was invaluable, enabling us to prioritize effectively and actively seek solutions to address needs from campuses. During this challenging time, her cheerful optimism and practical effectiveness were infectious, cultivating a strong sense of camaraderie within our Electronic Resource Team. Together, we supported each other and worked collaboratively to successfully tackle many challenges we encountered.

I also greatly appreciated her strong commitment to support our staff. For instance, she devoted her time to meet quarterly with the Shared Cataloging Program team, attentively listening to them and asking about their needs and concerns. Through these meetings, I truly felt her compassionate empathy and dedication to fostering connections with our staff.

The passing of such a remarkable and gifted leader, as well as a cherished colleague, is profoundly heartbreaking. I extend my deepest sympathies to her family during this difficult time. 

-Shi D.

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After Adriana’s departure, Lisa and I worked closely on the budget. She had a big warm smile, and was always ready to help whenever she was needed. Lisa proved to be more than a great supervisor, I also considered her a friend. I will cherish our time as colleagues, and her memory will continually have a place in my heart.

-Angie F.

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​​I remember distinctly Lisa’s welcoming presence when I first joined CDL. It immediately felt like we had been colleagues for years. Lisa joined us for weekly meetings on Monday mornings, as part of our transformative agreements team, and it felt like a family as we connected after the weekend and shared about our lives and families. Lisa and I connected on a lot of things — I was living in Ohio at that time, we talked about a lot about our contempt for Ohio weather and its gray skies, as well as a shared love for southern California despite living far from it. When I moved to Arizona to escape the Ohio weather, I thought frequently about Lisa and felt like I was personally betraying her when leaving. We also connected on our love for licensing work — there are few of us in the library profession who really, thoroughly enjoy digging into licenses — and I remember a certain moment when Ellen Finnie, Lisa and I were engaged in a license review and took a moment to outwardly acknowledge that we are “licensing nerds” who mutually felt a calling to that particular work. Lisa was a dearly beloved colleague and we miss her tremendously. I felt privileged to have her as a colleague.

-Mark C.

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My joining CDL in 2022 coincided with Lisa’s first round of treatment, and I will always regret that I didn’t have a chance to know her earlier in her career. Even as she fought fiercely for her health, she remained committed to her work and, especially, to her colleagues. She was a deeply caring manager and deftly balanced the needs and interests of the team she supervised with the goals and ambitions of Shared Collections, CDL, and UC Libraries. I valued in particular her contributions to the Shared Collections Leadership Team, and working with the dream team of her, Mat Willmott, and Alison Wohlers was a high point of my career.

During her illness and after her death, I was also touched by the way our vendor and publisher colleagues asked after her and acknowledged her loss with heartfelt messages and beautiful floral arrangements. I happened to attend the Electronic Resources & Libraries conference shortly after Lisa died, and it meant a lot to me that so many people shared warm memories of working with Lisa. While relationships between vendors and librarians working in acquisitions and licensing can be fraught, Lisa navigated those tricky waters with confidence and grace, and many in the vendor/publisher community considered her not just a colleague but also a friend.

-Miranda B.

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Nahā ke kanaka, ka hale o ke aloha

Broken is man, the house of love

Lomia a wali i ka wali lima ʻole e ke aloha 

Squeezed and crushed by love, who does it without hands

Kulu ka waimaka, uwē ka ʻōpua.

The tears fall; the clouds weep. 

Pūʻolo waimaka a ke aloha.

Tears [which contain] bundles of love. 

-Jade Y.