[Sigiii-l] Prof. William Z. Nasri passed away

[M.J. Menou]

It's onl last nite that I learned of the sad event.
I am copying below the obituary from the University of Pittsburgh 
Pittsburgh University Times 40/13 of March 6, 2008
I have known Bill Nasri for many other interests beyond copyright, in 
particular agricultural information services and international issues.
Michel Menou

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>       OBITUARY: William Z. Nasri
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> William Z. Nasri, professor emeritus in the School of Information 
> Sciences (SIS), died Feb. 22, 2008, of natural causes. He was 82.
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> Nasri was a member of the SIS community for more than 30 years, 
> beginning in 1964 as a research associate while he was enrolled in the 
> PhD program.
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> In addition to his doctorate in library science, awarded in 1975, 
> Nasri earned a Master of Library Science degree in 1965 and a 
> certificate in advanced study in library administration in 1967, both 
> at Pitt. He retired from Pitt in 1996.
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> Nasri taught courses in legal, international and management issues. In 
> the 1970s, he introduced a course in legal aspects of management and 
> information handling, a first-of-its-kind graduate course in a library 
> science school.
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> Nasri also was an expert in copyright and intellectual property law, 
> helping to rewrite federal laws to take into account the burgeoning 
> field of information technology.
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> He studied the impact of copy machines on copyrighted material, 
> culminating in his 1976 dissertation, “The impact of reprography on 
> the commercial publication of scientific and technical periodicals: 
> with particular reference to the case of the Williams and Wilkins 
> Company v. the United States.”
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> In addition to numerous journal articles, Nasri wrote two books, 
> “Crisis in Copyright” (1976) and “Legal Issues for Library and 
> Information Managers” (1987). He also served as special counsel for 
> copyright and University copyright consultant in Pitt’s Office of the 
> General Counsel in the 1970s and ’80s.
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> During his Pitt career, Nasri served on a numerous University Senate 
> and other committees.
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> Outside the University, Nasri was on a number of editorial boards, 
> including serving as assistant editor of the Encyclopedia of Library 
> and Information Science from 1968 to 1983.
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> In 1975 he was elected to membership in Beta Phi Mu, the library 
> science honorary society.
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> In 1988, he was awarded a Fulbright senior fellowship to teach and 
> conduct research in Rabat, Morocco.
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> According to “Tradition in Transition: A History of the School of 
> Information Sciences,” Nasri spoke five languages and taught in 28 
> countries.
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> Born in Tanta, Egypt, of Lebanese parents who met in Egypt and lived 
> there when he was born, Nasri earned a bachelor’s degree in 1952 and a 
> law degree in 1957 from the University of Alexandria. Prior to coming 
> to the United States, he practiced law in Egypt from 1960 to 1964.
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> He left Egypt in 1964 with his wife, Eunice, a nurse who had been 
> working in Tanta, and came to Pittsburgh, her hometown.
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> Nasri was past president of the Oakland Rotary Club, a member of the 
> William D. McIlroy #269 Masonic Lodge and a life member emeritus of 
> the Green Tree Library Board.
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> He was an elder at the Wallace Memorial Presbyterian Church, and was 
> instrumental in founding the Pittsburgh service organization Brother’s 
> Brother Foundation, which works toward the advancement of developing 
> countries.
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> Students at SIS and Pitt’s School of Law established the annual 
> William Z. Nasri Award for Legal Issues in Information Handling to 
> honor Nasri for his contributions to the field and his 30-plus years 
> of service to the University.
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> In addition to his wife, Nasri is survived by his daughter, Nadine 
> Mancini; two sisters, Elaine Azmy and Nadia Issa; a brother, Fares 
> Nasri, and four grandchildren.
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> Memorial contributions may be made in Nasri’s name to the American 
> Respiratory Alliance (Smooth Sailing), 201 Smith Dr., Suite E, 
> Cranberry Township, 16066; Green Tree Public Library, 10 W. Manilla 
> Ave., Pittsburgh 15220, or St. Clair Hospital Intermediate Care Unit, 
> Nursing Department, 1000 Bower Hill Rd., Pittsburgh 15243.
>
> —Peter Hart
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Dr. Michel J. Menou
Visiting Professor, SLAIS, University College London, U.K.
Consultant in ICT policies and Knowledge & Information Management
Adviser of Somos at Telecentros board http://www.tele-centros.org
Member of the founding steering committee of 
Telecenters of the Americas Partnership http://www.tele-centers.net/
B.P. 15
F-49350 Les Rosiers sur Loire, France
Email: micheljmenou[at]gmail[dot]com
michel[dot]menou[at]orange[dot]fr
Phone: +33 (0)2 41511043
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/ciber/peoplemenou.php
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