Remembering Ella Verkaik-Steenvoorden (1959-2024)

Last May we bid farewell to our colleague Ella Verkaik-Steenvoorden. She had worked at the Library of the ASCL for more than 40 years, and went into early retirement as she was moving to the eastern part of the Netherlands. We hoped that a new house in new surroundings would be a stimulus and a new challenge for her. Sadly, life took a different turn. Ella passed away in her new house in Delden on 14 July.

The ASCL, which Ella saw as her home, has a library with 100,000 books, films and other material about Africa. The small scale and accessibility of the library fitted her hospitable character. Her observational skills and excellent memory added to that. If a young PhD candidate returned to the ASCL library after 10 years, Ella not only knew their name, but also the subject of their dissertation. In many books Ella was thanked for her assistance. Ella was good in maintaining contacts, and her cheerful nature helped the smooth interaction at the library desk,

In the last decades automation and digitisation changed library work, and when the library moved to a new library system, Ella cheerfully went along. She patiently helped students and researchers finding access to digital journals and bibliographic databases, though her heart was with the paper collection. When a book got lost, she took it personally. For her it felt like a personal loss, and when a book that was borrowed wasn’t returned, she did everything to bring it home.

Ella herself was as an open book. She wore her heart on her sleeve, and was never afraid to speak about tricky problems. She also listened attentively to the arguments from colleagues – just to end up stubbornly like Galilei. Ella was the one who took care of every colleague getting coffee or tea, kept the birthday dates and was worried when one of the colleagues came to work half an hour later than usual – and she always sent sweet messages if a colleague was ill.

Ella saw 4 heads of the library and 8 directors of the ASCL pass through. She saw dozens of library colleagues come and go, and kept in contact with many of them. Thousands of students passed by her desk. For many people she was the face of the ASCL.

Her death was a shock to many. At the ASCL we received many phone calls and emails. Colleagues and visitors are shaken by her death. “It can’t be. It shouldn’t be. It isn’t.” Unfortunately, it is as it is. In the novel Warlight by Michael Ondaatje the main character Nathaniel exclaims: “No one really understands another’s life or even death.”

We make a humble bow to Ella. We wish her husband Cees, her mother and all family members, friends and acquaintances the strength they need in this time. Rest in peace, dear Ella.

Jos Damen & Elvire Eijkman