Bud Desenberg

Bernard “Bud” Desenberg, a longtime friend of the UCI Libraries and the campus, has died at the age of 91.

Bud's dedication and service to the Libraries through his active involvement with the former Friends of the Library group was well known. In particular, as the founding President of the Friends in 1966, he will be remembered for his foresight and leadership in creating and directing a vital community link to the UCI campus and its libraries. Bud's main goal as President was to generate interest and support for the collections, as he believed it was essential for the campus and the community to have a library of distinction.

Born in Monrovia, California, in 1914, Bud graduated from Stanford University and later obtained a doctorate in sociology from Ohio State University. He moved to Corona del Mar with his wife, Irmeli, in 1942, at the start of World War II. Bud taught at Long Beach State and Orange Coast College and published newspapers, including the Corona del Mar Ensign and Laguna Beach Post, before joining UCI in 1968 as the first director of the Department of Instructional Media. He is survived by his wife, Irmeli; son, Kim; daughters, Wendy Hecker and Katy Flamm; three grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.