Harry Sandford Weeks, Executive Director Emeritus of the Bucks County Free Library, died Sunday, March 12 at his home in Plumstead Township. He was 92.
Born in Middletown, New York, he was the son of the late Lucy Kendall Sandford and Harry Calvin Weeks.
Mr. Weeks graduated from The City College and Columbia University in New York City with degrees in Social Science and Library Service.
For ten years he held professional positions with The New York Public Library as an assistant branch librarian, readers’ advisor at the main building on 42nd Street, and assistant head of the Donnell Library Center on West 53rd Street. For five years he was Chief Librarian of the Insurance Society of New York. ln 1963 he joined the staff of the Bucks County Free Library in Doylestown as General Services Librarian. ln 1967 he became Assistant Director and later Executive Director. He served in the latter position until his retirement in 1991 .
During his tenure from 1967 to 1991, four independent community libraries: Langhorne- Middletown, Samuel Pierce, Yardley-Makefield and Melinda Cox in Doylestown – merged with the County Library to insure their future growth. ln 1981 a completely new branch was established in Bensalem. Also that year, due to the improvement of the local library service throughout the County, the County Library was able to discontinue scattered bookmobile service. Mr. Weeks supervised the construction of new libraries for Quakertown, Langhorne, Bensalem, Perkasie, Lower Makefield, and the headquarters in Doylestown. ln 1975 the County Library began computerized cataloging and by 1988 was almost completely automated.
He was a member of the Doylestown United Methodist Church, Pennsylvania Library Association, Center for Learning in Retirement at Delaware Valley College, Ellen Glasgow Society, Greene County (New York) Historical Society, and James A. Michener Art Museum.
Mr. Weeks was preceded in death by his partner, John W.W. Rheuby. He is survived by Diane and Mark Malecki, Jeff and Diane Sparks, Ron and Karen Sparks, Ray and Lynne Sparks and their families.
Services and interment will be private.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Mr. Weeks’ name, for books, may be made to: Bucks County Free Library, 150 South Pine Street, Doylestown, PA 18901.