Book launch - Jean Primrose Whyte biography

Biography of Jean Whyte launched

A book honouring the life of Jean Whyte, Monash University's Foundation Professor of Librarianship, was launched in March.

Jean Whyte was the foundation Professor of Librarianship in the Graduate School of Librarianship (now the School of Information Management Systems in the Faculty of Information Technology) established at Monash in 1975. She retired in 1988.  

Jean Primrose Whyte: A Professional Biography was written by the Rev Dr Coralie Jenkin, who was one of Jean Whyte's students.

Professor John Crossley, a colleague and friend of the late Jean Whyte was the event MC on behalf of the Faculty of Information Technology. The event's guest speaker was Emeritus Professor Ross H. Day - a close friend of Jean Whyte.

Writing in the biography's foreword, Neil A Radford paid tribute to Professor Whyte:

"Jean was a modest and self-effacing person. If she read Coralie Jenkin's book she would probably be both delighted and embarrassed, which shows what a good and balanced professional biography Dr Jenkin has produced."

The book launch was an opportunity for former students, colleagues and friends of Jean Whyte to reconnect and share stories while also supporting the bequest which bears her name.  Proceeds from the sale of the biography will go to the Jean Whyte Fund.

The Jean Whyte Fund supports and promotes a range of research activities in librarianship and archives and records. The Fund was established after Professor Whyte's death in 2003.  The Fund honours her enormous contribution to Monash and administers the bequests she and her sister Phyllis Whyte left to the University. To read more and donate, visit the Jean Whyte Fund website.

Jean Primrose Whyte: A Professional Biography can be purchased online as a hard copy book or electronic book from Monash University ePress. The book is also available by contacting the Faculty of Information Technology on +61 3 9903 1100.