Remembering Grace Hale

This year we were deeply saddened to lose one of our own. 

Grace Hale, Reference and Instruction Librarian in the Small Special Collections Library, passed away in February 2026 after bravely facing a rare cancer.

Grace graduated Phi Beta Kappa in History from the University of Virginia and pursued her passion for Medieval Studies at the University of Toronto, followed by a second master’s in Library Science at the University of Maryland. 

A vivacious and joyful personality, Grace was also soft-spoken and kind. She joined the Small Special Collections Library in 2021 and brought colorful style, her wonderful wild hair, and the steadiness of being the oldest of three very close Hale sisters to our organization. 

If you recently interacted with Special Collections — in the Reading Room, through a reference question online, or in a class session — you may have met Grace. She loved medieval books and tapestries, feminist pedagogy, and the ethics of care. She also loved working with student researchers and designing hands-on experiences with primary sources with faculty. Grace provided excellent mentorship as a student supervisor, and was loved in turn by all at UVA lucky enough to work with her. 

Grace will long be remembered by our University community for her commitment to teaching, research support, and ethical professional practice, and by her Library colleagues for the care, warmth, and joy she brought to her work as a librarian. 

This remembrance is credited in part to the dedication posted on @rareUVA social media on April 17, 2026 — Grace’s birthday.