Former state Librarian Bart Kane, known as a risk-taker for Hawaii’s library system, died May 11 of liver cancer at his home in Seal Beach, Calif. He was 69.

His 16-year term as the state’s top librarian was marked by a controversy over outsourcing book-buying for public libraries to a private company.

In January 1998, Kane was recognized in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin’s "Ten Who Made A Difference" where he was described as a "risk-taker, an innovator, a visionary, a leader with integrity who deeply cares for Hawaii’s libraries. He has been praised for doing more with less and taking the heat for unpopular decisions, notably the Baker & Taylor outsourcing contract to select and acquire books for Hawaii’s libraries."

The contract marked the first time any state or library system had attempted to fully outsource selection and purchase of books for its libraries. Kane terminated the contract after the company sent too many duplicate and low-interest books and too few books were arriving in the libraries.

Though commended for his many contributions, the board voted not to retain Kane as state librarian in February 1998 after he faced criticism of his management style and financial accountability. Criticism arose after problems with the Baker & Taylor contract.

The Board of Education unanimously voted for Kane as state librarian in 1982.

On Tuesday, state Rep. Calvin Say, who served as House Finance Committee chairman in 1998, described Kane as a strong advocate for libraries who pushed for more resources and funding for the library system.

"He was dedicated to the people, to the state of Hawaii, both in the school level and the public at large," he said.

Kane’s wife, Elaine Murphy, described him as generous, intelligent and hard-working. "His contributions to the Hawaii state library system were quite impactful and pretty far-ranging," she said Monday.

Among his accomplishments were implementation of a fully automated library database system and providing free public access to computers and the Internet at libraries, Murphy said.

Murphy said Kane will be best remembered for how he went out of his way to help children.

After the Hawaii job, Kane moved to Maryland where he was head of the Prince George’s County Memorial Library System before he retired in 2000.

Born and raised in Pittsburgh, he earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Pennsylvania State University.

In 1967, when Kane first arrived in Hawaii, he worked as a substitute teacher for three years before beginning work as a library technician. He was awarded a scholarship from the Friends of the Library to pursue graduate work in library science. After Kane earned a master’s degree in library information and science from the University of Pittsburgh, he became director of the Bradford Memorial Library in Eldorado, Kan.

He returned to Hawaii, where he served as children’s librarian of the Liliha Library and headed the Lanai Community School Library, according to a Star-Bulletin story.

Kane is also survived by daughter Leah; two stepsons, Kevin Murphy and Erin Murphy; sisters Kacey Obremski and Kerry Ellis; four grandchildren; and a nephew and nieces.

Those interested in making a donation in remembrance of Kane may do so with the American Cancer Society.

Services are pending.