The law librarian community recognizes the innumerable contributions that Jim Hart made to our profession as a scholar, teacher, mentor, colleague, and promoter of human rights.
Originally from Peoria, Illinois, Jim attended Lawrence University and obtained master's degrees from the University of Southern California. After transitioning from a career in Classics, Jim served with distinction as a librarian and professor for over thirty years at the Robert S. Marx Law Library at the University of Cincinnati. He was a stalwart member of the international law librarian community dedicated to promoting foreign and international legal research, supporting fellow librarians and championing human rights scholarship.
Jim was an enthusiastic delegate to many Annual Courses of the International Association of Law Libraries (IALL). He could be counted on to participate in the formal sessions and enjoyed bringing together librarians from different countries and institutions. Jim's conviviality, sense of humor, and love of foreign languages made everyone feel welcome and comfortable.
In recognition of Jim's many contributions to international and foreign law librarianship, he received several American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) awards: the Spirit of the Foreign, Comparative & International Law Special Interest Section (FCIL-SIS) Award in 2014, and the Daniel L. Wade Outstanding Service Award in 2016. Jim contributed to the success of many AALL committees and groups, such as the FCIL Schaffer Grant Fundraising Committee and the FCIL Electronic Research Interest Group. Jim authored numerous articles for the Law Library Journal, AALL Spectrum, and the FCIL-SIS Newsletter. He also published an influential guide to the European human rights system on the GlobaLex platform.
Perhaps Jim's greatest legacy is the strong sense of collegiality with which he approached his work. He could always be counted on to contribute to projects with enthusiasm and creativity. He helped build a sense of community among FCIL librarians by proposing conference panel sessions that included a wide range of speakers and viewpoints. Jim excelled at bringing people together and sharing his expertise with colleagues.
All of us who had the privilege of working with Jim miss his devotion to FCIL librarianship, collaborative spirit, and good cheer.
Atque in perpetuum frater ave atque vale.
