John T. Gillespie

Educator, author, and world traveler.

Born in Ft. William (now Thunder Bay), Canada. The youngest of five children of Irish immigrant parents. BA form the University of British Columbia. PHD in Library Science from Columbia University. Director of Libraries for the Roslyn, Long Island school system. Professor of Library Science and later Dean of the Library School at C.W. Post College (LIU). After retirement he became a private library consultant in Lahore, Pakistan.

Author of the Best Books series for school libraries. Compendiums of hundreds of titles with plot summaries and analysis. In all, over 40 volumes including Best Books for Children, Best Books for Middle Grades, Classic Teen Plots, and Junior Plots.

Expert in classical music, musical theater, and opera. Encyclopedic knowledge of films, both classic and obscure. World traveler with a particular fondness for South Asia. The kind of guy you'd want for your next cocktail party.

Longtime resident of Manhattan and Hartsville, Mass., and in 2016, moved to Lenox, Mass.

John is survived by his many nephews and friends both here in the U.S. and Canada.