Virginia (Ginny) DuPont, 1948–2009

Virginia L. (Ginny) DuPont, a widely respected leader in the federal and medical library communities, died May 21, 2009, of ovarian cancer, at Community Hospice, Washington, DC. Ginny had recently retired from her position as director of the Department of Veterans Affairs Library Network (VALNET). She began her federal career in 1981 as the medical librarian at the Washington, DC, VA Medical Center. In 1989, Ginny joined the National Library of Medicine (NLM) staff in the MEDLARS Management Section, where she served as the AIDSLINE coordinator and coordinated MEDLARS Management exhibits.

Ginny returned to VALNET in 1992 as the chief of the VA Central Office Library. In 2002, she was selected as the VALNET director. In this capacity, Ginny provided guidance, advice, and program coordination to VA librarians nationwide and was an advocate for library values and interests with VA leaders throughout the nation. In the VA, Ginny greatly expanded access to online and web-based information, including evidence-based, point-of-care resources. By organizing these resources in a user-friendly, web-based manner, she made clinical decision support, drug, and health and disease information available nationally to VA health care providers and staff. Ginny served as the VA's representative to the greater library community, including the Library of Congress, NLM, and the Medical Library Association (MLA).

Ginny was a very active MLA member, serving on the MLANET Editorial Board from 1999–2001, as web editor for the MLA Chapter Council from 1997–2002, as a member of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of MLA from 1978–2008, and as their Chapter Council representative from 1997–2002. Ginny received her master's in library science from Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, in 1980. She returned to Catholic University as a lecturer on health sciences information sources and taught many graduate students about basic health sciences print and online resources.

In addition to serving as director of the Library Network Office, Ginny successfully promoted the program known as “My HealtheVet” (MHV) to VA librarians nationwide and effectively inspired them to take on additional duties as MHV champions. MHV is the Internet-based personal health record for veterans that allows them to refill prescriptions and will eventually allow them to view their medical records. As a result of Ginny's exceptional leadership, the VALNET community is among the most innovative and prolific groups of MHV stakeholders. She was a consistently exceptional MHV ambassador.

Ginny is survived by her husband Paul Fulenwider; her sister, Mary DuPont of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; two nieces, Sara Mrljak of New York City and Rebecca Mrljak of Copenhagen, Denmark; and a wide-ranging network of colleagues and friends.