It is with great sadness that the USF Libraries share the news of the passing of University Librarian Andy Huse. Andy was a longtime colleague and friend and a staple of the Tampa Bay history community. His loss is profoundly felt by us all.
Andy came to the Libraries in September 1998, bringing with him a passion for the rich cultural history of Tampa. His research into the historic Spanish, Cuban, Italian, and Caribbean immigrant communities that arrived with the boom of Ybor City’s cigar factories inspired much of his work. Andy co-authored his first book, Seabreeze by the Bay Cookbook, in 2001, followed by additional celebrated works including The Columbia Restaurant: Celebrating a Century of History, Culture, and Cuisine, From Saloons to Steakhouses: A History of Tampa, and The Cuban Sandwich: A History in Layers. Most recently, Andy completed a draft of the history of the Tampa Theatre.
At the USF Libraries, Andy oversaw the Florida Studies and University Archives collections. He was instrumental in the establishment of our Florida Environment and Natural History Collection and was also passionate about collecting oral histories, adding hundreds to the Libraries’ collections. He was a major collaborator on the Ybor City dwellings project, now part of the Libraries’ Tampa Through Time portal, and spearheaded the recent effort to resume publication of the Tampa Bay History Journal.
Andy was extremely active in the Florida history community, forging close ties with colleagues locally and statewide.
Andy earned a master’s degree in history from USF in 2000 and went on to complete his MLIS in 2005. He achieved archival certification, was an instructor at both the USF Honors College and Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, and presented frequently at local and state history and archives events and conferences.
Andy’s impact on his colleagues at USF and in the Tampa Bay and Florida history communities is immeasurable. He is greatly missed.