Remembering Sid Verba

Political science lost one of its most respected—and beloved—colleagues on March 4, 2019. Sidney Verba of Harvard University made lasting contributions to several fields within political science at the same time that, as head of the Harvard’s library system, he pioneered the application of emerging digital technologies to the way information is accessed, stored, and used by libraries. Sid is remembered for his foundational contributions to political science; for his generous good citizenship in each of the many venues in which he operated; and for his warmth, humor, generosity, decency, fairness, and inclusivity to all who had the good fortune to encounter him.

Formal obituaries: Harvard Gazette / New York Times / Boston Globe / Harvard Crimson

A memorial video by Margy Verba can be seen here.

By Kay Lehman Schlozman & Henry E. Brady: Remembering Sidney Verba

Joseph Nye

Joseph Nye Sid was a brilliant political scientist, but more important he was brilliant human being. He could be the smartest person in the room but somehow make everyone else think they were. His humor and low key style and genuine interest in others...

John Petrocik

John Petrocik Let me note three items that were classic SV quips that I repeated—with all credit to him—to generations of graduate students, which is evidence again of Sidney’s long multi-generation influence because I know they convey these ideas to...

Remembrance Lia Poorvu

Lia Poorvu Humanist, scholar and mensch – Sid had it all. As we despair about man’s darker instincts, Sid is an example of hope and goodness.

Robert Putnam

Robert Putnam We all know about Sid’s scholarship (one of the most important social scientists of the 20th century) and administrative leadership (repeatedly taking on the most difficult issues at Harvard, from sexual harassment to curriculum reform to...

Liz Salazar

Liz Salazar When I was Sid's faculty assistant, I often found that this renowned librarian needed considerable reminding when a book was due back at the library. There were times when I'd visit him in his office to ask about some book or other, and he'd...

Stuart Scheiber

Stuart Scheiber In the early days of our efforts to promote open access to Harvard's scholarly output, it's fair to say that skepticism was the primary reaction. Sid Verba's participation in the project opened doors and assuaged concerns. It is in great...

Daniel Schlozman

Daniel Schlozman For decades, Sidney was a source of inspiration. When I was born, he composed a poem: Who was the bravest in the lion's den? Who was the boldest of the frontier men? Who was the nineteenth-century speaker? Who was the Pentagon Papers...

Shauna Shames

Shauna Shames When I was an impressionable undergraduate, Sid was my living proof that someone could be both a brilliant political scientist and a kind, loving, compassionate, and funny human being. He put a human face for me on a whole discipline, all...

Kenneth Shepsle

Kenneth Shepsle He always claimed that his family reproduced by re-Verbaration. At the long-standing poker game of Harvard and Brandeis faculty, in which Sid was an essential member, we used to joke that he would, while Harvard Librarian, cover his losses...

Nancy L. Rosenblum

Nancy L. Rosenblum Sid’s Daily Gift: Sid had the office two doors down from me on the 4 th circular tier of CGIS. When I walked by, his door was often ajar. I would look in, and we would smile at one another. There was the great comfort, the moral comfort...

Ganesh Sitaraman

Ganesh Sitaraman I am going to miss his quick wit and clever comments, his kindness and generosity, and of course, his brilliance. Sid was my professor in the spring of my freshman year, and he was so generous with his time when I went in to his office...

Remembrance Theda Skocpol

Theda Skocpol Of course I have a thousand memories of Sid as a teacher and colleague at Harvard, but Bill and I also have many fond memories of time with Sid and Cynthia on Mount Desert, Maine, where they rented a place in August for many years. We would...

Megan Sniffin-Marinoff

Megan Sniffin-Marinoff I was, along with Barbara, co-director of the Harvard Library’s Open Collections Program, established by Sid, to open a new digital window onto Harvard’s vast collection of unique materials. Sid’s goal was for us to develop subject...

Richard Valelly

Richard Valelly Sid's passing has brought back so many of his admirable qualities that it would take a long page to list them all. But as a former graduate student what I remember most was his engaged patience. I always knew that he was on my side, and...

Carole Uhlaner

Carole Uhlaner I was Sid’s doctoral student at Harvard. He arrived from Chicago for the spring semester of my first year, and I will always be grateful to the faculty graduate advisor (Stephen Krasner) for suggesting I take Sid’s class that spring (on the...

Sherry Zaks

Sherry Zaks After I made this cake of KKV, Sid Verba emailed me the following: "You know, Sherry, even after a career as long and varied as mine, one never really knows if one's work really has an impact. This is the most tangible evidence of impact I've...

Frankie Hoff

Frankie Hoff I had the pleasure of first working with Sid when he was Director of the University Library. When I was interviewing for the position, he and I met in the first- floor conference room of Wadsworth House which served as George Washington’s...

Ellis S Krauss

Ellis S Krauss Sid Verba was at Stanford when I was in graduate school there for my PhD 1964-68. He was my idol—a full Professor at Stanford at age 31 and from where I was from: Flatbush area of Brooklyn, NYC. I think where he grew up was just a few...

Gary Orren

Gary Orren In my pantheon of people who stand on pedestals, Sid stands tallest. He was a brilliant and original thinker. His cognitive powers were eclipsed only by his clever wit and sparkling sense of humor. Sid had an amazing head. But I think he...