Here is a copy of the letter Toni Ziegler, a member of the American Society of Primatology, read from Jeffrey A. French, president of the American Society of Primatologists:

Dear Larry,

On behalf of the Board of Directors of the American Society of Primatologists, I would like to add our voices to the chorus of congratulations that you are receiving today. The primatological community is a richer and more productive one because of all your efforts. The Primate Center Library, the Primate Information Network, PrimateLit, and Audiovisual Archives are but a sampling of the resources you have been instrumental in making available to students, researchers, and the general public. These will serve as longstanding legacies of your distinguished career. In addition, I count myself among the thousands of students and scientists whose careers have been directly affected by your selfless efforts on our behalf. There have been many occasions when you have chased down a critical article in an obscure journal for me, more often than not at a grant deadline. Thank you for all your help.

In recognition of your years of service, the Board of Directors has made a donation to the American Society of Primatologists in your name. Some of these funds will be directed toward the Society's Conservation Funds, which provide grants-in-aid for young researchers working on critical conservation issues. The balance of the funds will be used to provide you with five years of membership in the American Society of Primatologists. We feel fortunate to count you among our members, and we look forward to your continuing involvement and participation in the ASP.

Again, thank you for all your efforts on behalf of primates and primatology, and congratulations on your retirement.

Sincerely,

Jeffrey A. French

Jo Ann Carr, director of the Center for Instructional Materials and Computing. .

"I've written two very different books that concerned primate research and neither of them would have been possible without Larry Jacobsen. When I was working on my first, The Monkey Wars, which concerned ethical issues in primate research, he was tireless in helping me track down and evaluate sources. He was the kind of librarian who not only could help find a book but had read it and could help you understand what was worthwhile in it. When I worked on my second and most recent, Love at Goon Park, about Harry Harlow, he not only helped me find information and people, but he acted as a diplomatic in my behalf, encouraging people to meet and talk with me. He wanted the book to be good and to be fair and he went out of his way to persuade people to help me. And they talked to me not because they liked and trusted me--but because they liked and trusted Larry, as I do. He represents everything that a good librarian can be--a partner in research, a resource of integrity, a friend."

--Deborah Blum, a UW-Madison journalism professor and freelance science writer. Her book, The Monkey Wars, won a Pulitzer Prize in 1992 in the beat reporting category.

Here is a letter from Chancellor John Wiley that Steve Shelton, a researcher with UW-Madison's Psychiatric Institute, read during the reception.

Dear Larry:

Congratulations on you upcoming retirement as one of the most successful science librarians of your generation! Although I am unable to attend the party, please permit me to take a few moments to remark upon some highlights of your very successful career.

During your thirty years as Director of the Primate Center Library, you have developed the premier information service in your discipline. The Primate Center Library, and you, personally, has been recognized nationally and internationally for creation of the PrimateLit database. This free, online database of more than 200,000 references to primate studies literature from 1940 to the present has emerged as an indispensable resource in the field of primatology and related disciplines.

In 1995, the Primate Center Library was the recipient of the Wisconsin Library Association Library of the Year Award, one of the few special libraries in the state ever to achieve this distinction. In 1998, you received the Distinguished Service Award from the American Society of Primatologists, recognizing your exceptional accomplishments as librarian and information manager.

Your achievements also extend beyond your professional endeavors in librarianship and primatology. You are a respected and contributing member of the university community. You are an engaged citizen who works diligently for continual improvement of your neighborhood and the wider Madison community. And you are esteemed and appreciated for your knowledgeable interest in historic preservation and the decorative arts.

You should be very proud of your accomplishments over the years. On behalf of the entire University of Wisconsin-Madison, let me convey sincere thanks and appreciation for your service and dedication. We wish you a very long, happy and enjoyable retirement.

Sincerely,

John D. Wiley
Chancellor