MaijaLast Easter we got sad news when our colleague Maija Jussilainen passed away due to cancer. As information management professional, she was very active in IFLA’s Government Libraries and Government Information and Official Publications Sections.

Maija started her career as a librarian in the beginning of 1970’s. She graduated from the University of Tampere in 1980 and worked as a research assistant at the University of Tampere. In the 1990’s she worked as an information specialist at the library of University of Vaasa and at the Parliament library in Helsinki. In 1997 she started working in the Prime Minister Office and later worked as a knowledge specialist in the Ministry of Finance and in the State Treasure. Maija retired in 2010.

She was a multi-talented, very soft spoken and a pioneer in the field of information management. In this sense, she was developing a network of information management professionals aiming to have high-quality information services for the Ministries, Departments, Parliament library and National Archives. In the 1990’s she participated in the Nordic cooperation via NORDICOM network.

Regarding activities related to the work of IFLA, she was a key person during 2005 Pre-Conference of Government Libraries Section in Stockholm.

Maija was making a better world by inspiring people. Friends and colleagues remember her as a peaceful and warm person who loved the beauty and music.