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EX LIBRIS NEWS

Newsletter of the Ex Libris Association

Fall 1990 (Number 8) ISSN 0833-4278****************************************************************************************

CONTENTSPage Page

From the President 2 In Memoriam 17Reginald (Reg) Bradley

Editor's Notes 2 Kathleen Mennie de VarennesDoris Pauline Fennell

Constitution and By-laws 3 Marjorie C.HolmesConstantine (Tim) Hotimsky

Nominations for the Board 4 Morton JordanJean Isabel Ross MacMillan

All of It Came Easily: On Sources of the David RhydwenHistory of the Hamilton Public Library Carin Somersby Katharine Greenfield 5 Margaret Tocque

The Galt Flood by Mollie Cameron 8 Membership List 19

Book Review: Sherlock Holmes Amongthe Pirates by Donald A. Redmond

Examination Day from Honor Buttars

Joys of Retirement by Jim Pilton

Plus ca Change... by C Deane Kent

Miscellaneous News and Notes aboutMargaret BanksGrace Crooks LeighAlice KaneJessie MifflenElizabeth BrewsterBeryl AndersonSheila EgoffFrances Morrison

Awards

Retirements

9 ENCLOSURES

10 Program for 5th AGM, 1990Minutes of the 4th AGM, 1989

11 1991 Membership FormConference Registration Form

12 Elizabeth H. Morton Fund Form

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EX LIBRIS NEWS is published twicea year by the Ex Libris Association,

c/o The School of Library andInformation Science,The University of Western Ontario

16 London, Ontario, N6G 1H1

16 Editor: John F Macpherson, London

FROM THE PRESIDENT

This is our pre-annual meeting newsletter and I would like to use it to encourage as many of you aspossible to attend what promises to be a most interesting meeting. We will have two excellent speakersand an opportunity to meet and catch up on news with former colleagues at our informal lunch. Nonmembers are welcome and an additional registration form is enclosed.

Also included with this mailing is a flyer about the E.H. Morton Fund. Many of you have alreadycontributed and helped to bring it close to our initial target of $15,000. A little more and theCanadian Library Association can begin to consider how best to use it to recognize Elizabeth Morton'sgreat contribution to the Association.

Although we have had to increase the fee for our meeting, since we no longer have any supportfrom New Horizons, we are happy to note that it appears that our membership fees will be exemptfrom the G.S.T. (which at the time of writing has not been passed).

Last year approval was given to a life membership category of $200.00 to develop a capital fund. Itis encouraging to note that ten members have so far shown sufficient faith to take out lifememberships.

These and other matters will be reported at the annual meeting following our programme. I lookforward to seeing you there.

Betty D. Hardie, President

EDITOR'S NOTES

The Constitution and By-laws of the Association appear on pp 3-4. Ammendments (indicated by"Strikeout" and "Insert") are being proposed by the Board for approval at the A.G.M. in Toronto.Those members who can not attend the A.G.M. but wish to comment on the changes should contactthe President, Betty Hardy, directly.

You will see that this issue is less bulky than those of the past. This may be the result of summerlethargy, and the Editor certainly did not do too much digging to find contributors or contributions.

He is therefore all the more grateful to those who gathered and sent to the Toronto office thenewsy items which appear, and exhorts again members to contribute what they can from their localscene.

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Please note that the mailing address of the Association is:

Ex Libris AssociationPO Box 536, Station QToronto, ONM4T 2M5

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CONSTITUTIONof the

EX LIBRIS ASSOCIATION

I. Name1. The name shall be Ex Libris Association.

iI. Objects1. To provide a forum for interested individuals to come together to stimulate memories of library

history, publishing and consulting in Canada for the development of archival collections.

2. To provide a vehicle for the collection of oral histories related to library history in Canada notcurrently being taped.

3. To identify and ensure collection of materials related to library history in Canada which are not atpresent collected, organized, or preserved by any other organization.

4. To encourage persons and institutions possessing archival materials related to library history inCanada to preserve and publicize their holdings.

5. To provide a focus for the ongoing intellectual and social activities of retired members of thelibrary community.

III. Members1. Any person whose career has been chiefly in libraries or in the field of publishing, or in books or

related fields is eligible for membership.

IV. MeetingsAn annual meeting shall be held at a time and place to be decided by the Board.

2. The Board shall meet at least twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall.

V. Board1. The Board shall consist of: three officers - Past-President, President, and Secretary.-Treasurer strikeout

rnsertANDEIGHT OTHER MEMBERS TO BE ELECTED BY THE MEMBERSHIP AT THE ANNUALMEETING. strikeoutMeffibeshi the Beard shall be fer twe years. Initially feur Beard members

ballet,shall serve fer ene year enly. The Beard shall decide by secret if reguired >members shall retire at the end ef the first year. The efficers shall be elected an which BeardnuallyinsertA. THE THREE OFFICERS SHALL BE ELECTED ANNUALLY AND SHALL BE ELIGIBLEFOR RE-ELECTION.B. THE EIGHT OTHER MEMBERS SHALL SERVE FOR A TERM OF TWO YEARS IN ANOVERLAPPING SEQUENCE, WITH FOUR MEMBERS RETIRING ANNUALLY. THEYSHALL BE ELIGIBLE FOR RE-ELECTION ONCE.

2. If a vacancy occurs on the Board, the Board may appoint a member of the Association to fill thevacancy for the unexpired term. A MEMBER OF THE BOARD WHO HAS BEEN APPOINTEDTO FILL A VACANCY SHALL BE ELIGIBLE FOR NOMINATION AT THE COMPLETION OFTHE UNEXPIRED TERM.

Approved: November 6, 1986Ammended: November 19, 1987Ammended:

BY-LAWS

(a) There shall be three categories of personal membership fees:Regular membership $ 10.00Sustaining membership $ 20.00Life membership $200.00

(b) There shall be an annual subscription fee for persons, organizations or institutions that

insert wish to support the Association and receive the Ex Libris News at $20.00.

(c) THE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF LIFE MEMBERSHIP FEES IS TO BE INVESTEDIN TERM DEPOSITS OR OTHER APPROPRIATE INSTRUMENTS. THE INTEREST IS TO GOINTO THE GENERAL FUND FOR OPERATING EXPENSES. IF THE EX LIBRIS ASSOCIATIONSHOULD CEASE TO EXIST, THIS SPECIAL FUND SHALL BE TRANSFERRED TO THECANADIAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION TO BE USED IN A SCHOLARSHIP FUND.

2. Membership shall be for the calendar year.

3. A Nominating Committee shall be appointed by the Board at its spring meeting to bring in aslate of proposed officers and Board members, to be presented to the annual meeting.

insert Nominations may be made from the floor. All nominees must give their consent orally.

4. NEWLY ELECTED OFFICERS AND OTHER BOARD MEMBERS SHALL ASSUMEOFFICE ON JANUARY 1 OF THE NEXT CALENDAR YEAR.

5. For meetings of the Board: a majority shall constitute a quorum.

6. For the annual meeting: fifteen percent of the membership shall constitute a quorum.

7. The Constitution may be amended at the annual meeting provided notice of such proposedamendment is sent out one month before the annual meeting.

8. By-laws may be amended at the annual meeting without prior notice.

Approved: November 6, 1986Ammended: November 9, 1989Ammended:

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NOMINATIONS FOR THE BOARDJohn Snell, Chairman of the Nominations Committee, will present the following list at the Annual

General Meeting:President: Betty D. HardiePast Pres.: E. Stanley BeacockSec.-Treas.: Shirley E. Wigmore

Continuing for a second year:Dr. Robert BlackburnSue BonsteelMarian E. CookeKathleen R. Mathews

Nominated for a two year term:Albert W. BowronGrace BullerGeraldine HughesClara G. Miller

Members whose terms are completed:David C. AppeltJohn Macpherson

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ALL OF IT CAME EASILY: On Sources of the History of the Hamilton Public Libraryby Katharine Greenfield

When I retired in 1983 - three years early,and I cannot now remember why - I wascommissioned to write the history of theHamilton Public Library. No serious deadlinewas set, but the book was to be ready for theLibrary's 100th birthday in 1989. 1 was givenfew guidelines, and those which I did receivecame only after I requested them. I thoughtMrs. McAnanama was very trusting. I alsothought the sum I was offered was verygenerous, but when five years had passed and Iwas still working at the project I figured thatmy earnings averaged out to about 25 cents anhour or less, but that did not matter at all. Myproject eased me nicely into retirement and Iloved doing it.

Part of the commission was to arrange thearchives of the Hamilton Public Library andcreate a finding aid of some sort. There wereboxes and boxes and more boxes of materialincluding photographs which had been storedin the administration offices and sent toSpecial Collections when we moved into thenew building in 1980. I made up aclassification and numbering system, arrangeda multitude of papers, reports, letters, etc., etc.Later the work was completed by StuartMcCuaig who turned out a beautiful job oftyping and tidying up. When my part of thework was finished I was steeped in thelibrary's past and had far more informationthan I needed - so the editors thought whenthey were faced with a mammoth manuscript. Ithought they were brutal in their editing, butnow that I see the finished result I know theywere right.

The minutes of Library Board meetingswere a great source of information as were themonthly and annual reports. Board Minutesand annual reports exist from 1889 on with anotable exception in the case of Board minutes.

Our first librarian, Richard ThomasLancefield, while a good librarian, was a poorgambler. His addiction to gambling got himinto deep financial trouble, the Library Board

was far too trusting, and in February, 1902, heburned some papers in the furnace, told thejanitor to give a message to the Chairman ofthe Board that he would not attend the annualmeeting scheduled for that day, anddisappeared. The papers burned were probablythe minute book for that period and somefinancial records. The newspapers of the dayyield as accurate a story as we are going to getat this late date. The Library made the frontpages for a week, was demoted to the insidepages for another two days, and then wasreferred to occasionally.

The accountant called in to audit the bookscould only estimate the amount of moneywhich had been embezzled, but he reported itto be upwards of $6000.

Policies were changed so that Lancefield'stricks could not be tried again. Lancefield hadbeen secretary-treasurer of the Board. Now thetreasurer would be the City Treasurer. Bookswere not to be ordered without authorizationfrom the Board, and when they were delivereda board member or his deputy would bepresent when the parcels were opened. Thedeficit was reduced considerably in the yearafter the 'trouble'. One economy was made inthe Librarian's salary. A member of the Board,John Kenrick, served in that capacity for oneyear without salary. (He was retired and awidower without family so I suppose that wasacceptable.) He was appointed in 1903 andpaid a salary of $900., $300. less thanLancefield had been paid. He died in 1904 of'pneumonia and nervous prostration'.

Adam Hunter, aged 51, a bookseller, wasselected from among numerous candidates, tobe the third City Librarian. He began well,making some popular changes - the pursestrings were loosened a little by then - and heworked with the Board, led by Senator JohnMilne, to replace the original building with aCarnegie building. There is a fascinating fileabout negotiations with Carnegie and about thechoice of an architect for the building. That

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building, opened in 1913, has recently beenrenovated and enlarged very successfully tohouse the provincial family courts. Later, asHunter approached and passed normalretirement age, the drive and administrativeskills which he once had seemed to desert himand he was faced with an unhappy staff and aboard member who was determined to bringunsatisfactory conditions to public attention.She was Ella Julia Reynolds, the first womanto sit on the Library Board, and a reporterwith the Spectator and then the Herald .

Correspondence with the Minister ofEducation and the Inspector of PublicLibraries has been preserved, and it is obviousthat no one wanted to tangle with MissReynolds. Still authorities accepted thatsomething should be done and a reluctantInspector spent considerable time at HPL andwrote a report - the Carson Report of 1921.Not only was Miss Reynolds indiscreet, butMr. Carson went around the province sayingthat Hamilton was the worst run library he hadever known. The Library Board was moved togive Mr. Hunter sick leave. Apparently he wasreally sick for he died not long after.

A trouble shooter, W.N.C. Carleton, wasthen brought in and his report was fairlydevastating, but not without hope for theultimate recovery of the HPL. The Library'scopy of his report and of his recommendationsfor good library administration have beenpreserved. He stayed for four months and inthe meantime the Board looked for a librarianwith professional training, experience indealing with difficult situations, and apersonality which would make him popular inthe community and thus improve the library'simage. For this they had to go to the States andEarl W. Browning was hired in 1922. Hedelivered everything that was expected of him,especially a good public relations job. He spokeon public platforms, wrote articles for thenewspapers, and took part in Hamilton's socialwhirl. Unfortunately Mr. Browning wasanxious to return to the U.S. and he resigned in1925. For publication he said that he found thecity council's financial support of the Library

too stingy and that he had received the offer ofa better job in Peoria, Ill., which city wasmuch more generous to its Library. In 1946 Dr.Waldon wrote to him (he was still in Peoria)and asked him the real reason. He replied thatGeorge Locke had told him that there wereonly two better library jobs in Ontario and thathe would never get either of them because hewas an American.

His successor, Lurene Macdonald, aCanadian born in St. Thomas, came from NewYork in 1926 to take up the position of ChiefLibrarian. She married Norman Lyle in 1928and I could find nothing about that in librarysources or in the newspapers. One month themonthly report was signed 'LureneMacdonald', the next month 'Lurene Lyle'.(Remember that in those days married womenusually resigned after marriage.) Mrs. Lyle wasinterested in library history and more recordswere preserved in her time than formerly,although some items disappeared later. I knowthat her successor, Freda Waldon, foundreferences to some items which she could notfind after careful search. Miss. Waldon didrecord that Mrs. Lyle had indexed the BoardMinutes and that she was going to bring theindex up to date - but no one can find theindex now. Mrs. Lyle wrote a few articles onlibrary history, and continued Mr. Browning'swork in the community with talks, exhibits,visits to schools, etc. She was ill with anunspecified ailment for much of the laterThirties, but she was a popular and successfullibrarian and her staff was willing to accepther absences for longer than they might havedone otherwise. Those pinch-hitting for hermay not have had the time or the inclination tofile papers for long time preservation, orlimited space may have led them to dispose ofthem. Whatever the reason there is littlecorrespondence left from her time.

Really comprehensive HPL archives beginin 1940 when Freda Waldon became ChiefLibrarian after Mrs Lyle's resignation. MissWaldon loved to write; she wrote letters,reports, articles for publication, memos tostaff, scripts for radio broadcasts, papers to be

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given at meetings, and copies of most suchitems still exist. Fortunately she had anefficient and willing secretary in Olive Hill.Carbon copies of her letters sent all over thecountry and abroad were neatly filed withreplies and they make delightful reading. Theyalso provide background for decisions taken bythe Board, for personnel policies, the thingsaffecting other librarians education forlibrarianship, certification of librarians, andnew developments in the library field in theU.S., Britain and Canada. Her belief in thepower of literature to improve the lot of thereader is clear. (We who are retired canremember the fervour of the missionary spiritwhich permeated the profession in the Fortiesand Fifties but how much later?)

Dr. Waldon carried on regularcorrespondence with Anne Hume of theWindsor Public Library and with AngusMowat, Inspector of Public Libraries. There isone letter to Angus Mowat that I would like totell you about. In 1947 she wrote to him abouta young man who had been doing some workat the HPL. He had made a favourableimpression and she wrote that she would liketo hire him, but she could not offer him morethan she could a girl just out of Library Schooland that would mean that his wife would haveto continue working. She concluded,

"I think that you [Angus] are very wise topay particular attention to these young menand really try to direct them for their bestdevelopment. i am hoping we will get realleadership five or ten years from now fromat least a few of the men who are startingnow. That is what we want."The young man in this letter was Stan

Beacock.

All the material I used to tell of the HPLand bookmobiles, branch libraries, relationswith school, automation, cataloguing, referencework, work with children - everything - is inthe HPL archives. I did make a search ofLibrary Literature and the Canadian PeriodicalIndex, and I talked to librarians who had beenon the staff before 1944 when I started. Butstill the HPL archives also served the purpose

of providing personal memories. Miss. Waldonhad asked some of here retired and senior staffto write of their earliest recollections of theLibrary. One of them had worked for Mr.Lancefield and remembered him as a goodreference librarian and a man who gave hisstaff excellent training. Another was not quiteas impressed by Mr. Browning as some others,but her only real complaint was that he waslike a college professor and examined the staffabout the books they had read just as aprofessor would.

Dr. Waldon wrote articles on the history ofthe HPL and it was from one of hers that Iadopted the idea of going back to earlylending libraries in Hamilton - the literarysocieties, the booksellers lending libraries, theMechanics Institutes, etc. Our Hamilton andCanadiana collections yielded plenty ofmaterial and Miss. Waldon had kept her ownfile on Mechanics Institutes.

It was when i got past Dr. Waldon's timethat the going got really tough. I nearly had acomplete breakdown over the yards of materialabout the planning, the site and the building ofthe new library. After I got that materialsorted and listed I went to Mrs. McAnanamaand asked if the history could be written onlyto the end of Dr. Waldon's regime and ifsomeone else, maybe fifty years from now - ortwenty-five, I didn't care - could write therest. She agreed, because she thought we wereperhaps too close to the events surrounding thefinal placing of the library in the site in theCivic Square, sharing it with the farmers'market. There was a lot of heat generated inthe library's relations with City Hall for a fewyears, and it would be better to let thememories cool down a little longer.

So I wrote a ridiculously detailed account ofthe years from beginnings to 1963; Mrs.McAnanama found an editor who cut it downto size; Mary Park of our Public Relationsdepartment produced the book, dealing withStirling Printers who designed and printed thefinished product; and lo and behold here it is.I'm glad I did it. Even if nobody reads it and itdoesn't sell I have expressed my feelings about

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the HPL - I think they come through. (This is an edited text of KatharineSomewhere up there I hope Freda Waldon is Greenfield's talk at the Fourth Annual Generalpleased - it was her legacy, to the HPL which meeting of the Ex Libris Association,paid for most of it. It really was easy! Hamilton, November 9, 1989.

Copies of The Hamilton Public Librar y 1889-1963 are available from the Hamilton PublicLibrary Gift Shoppe)

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GALT PUBLIC LIBRARY 1948

THE GALT FLOOD by Mollie Cameron

During my stay in Galt (now Cambridge)the Grand River flood was an annualoccurrence. The only variable was the heightof the crest. The Galt Public Library could notescape the yearly excitement since its rear wallactually formed one bank of the river as didmost of the establishments on the appropriatelyname Water Street.

Prior to my coming to Galt in October 1944my predecessors had attempted to cope withthe usual library congestion by moving back

issues of periodicals to the basement. In a spaceadjoining the boiler room, where an amazinglyefficient hand fired furnace clanked its waythrough the winter months, our ever versatilejanitor (those were the days before BuildingSuperintendents) had built shelves fromvarious bits and pieces of wood. On theseshelves were stored years of magazines (useful)some government documents (possibly useful)and the inevitable gifts (useless) from thecitizens of Galt. The unsolicited gifts had beengiven the customary quick check for the one or

two prizes one always hopes may be includedwith the Ethel M. Dell and Stoddart Lectures.

As i recall, my first and second encounterswith the Grand River in flood wereuneventful. We had a few inches of water onthe concrete floor in the basement which waswell below the lowest shelves. I think it wasmy third spring (1948) that the river stagedone of its more spectacular shows - the worstof it overnight. Warnings of a higher thanusual crest had been issued in the evening, sowith feverish activity we had moved

everything above the three foot level. So muchfor our optimism and official forecasts; weended up with nearly five feet of water in thebasement.

Once the flood subsided sufficiently and thebasement became navigable we surveyed thedamage. The sodden mush of magazines andbooks under water inevitably expanded withabsorption. This resulted in the wooden shelvescracking and splitting so that many collapsed,dumping the contents of the "safe" upper rowsin to the water. There was no hope of salvage,so we shovelled the debris out into the now lessfearsome Grand.

Regrettably we lost useful runs ofperiodicals and subsequently we had problemsin many reference searches until we filled insome of the worst gaps. But even as wecounted our losses we became aware of theproverbial silver lining. Many of the gifts ofdubious value disappeared in the flood and thestaff with suitable expressions of regret couldappear blameless while murmuring banalitiesabout an act of God and circumstance beyondour control.

After I left Galt I believe the annualflooding became a thing of the past asimproved controls in the upper reaches of theGrand River were introduced. Also, the oldCarnegie building was abandoned and a newlibrary was built on a different site -- awayfrom the river!

As i recall some of my experiences as alibrarian i feel sure there are many of mycontemporaries who appreciate, as i do, WaltWhitman's words:

"... not for us the tame enjoyment,Pioneers! 0 pioneers!"

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BOOK REVIEW

Redmond, Donald A. Sherlock Homes among the pirates: copyright and Conan Doyle in America1890-1930. Westport, CT, Greenwood Press, 1990. (Contributions to the study of world literatureno. 36) 286p. $39.95 US.

Donald Redmond, former chief librarian at Queen's University, has achieved the publication of histhird book on Sherlock Holmes. He suggests that his three and two others by his son Christopherconstitute a Redmond cottage industry.

In this book the author himself plays detective by meticulous tracing of the origins and subsequentprintings of pirated Holmes manuscripts. He clarifies the murky copyright situations, or lack of same,in Britain and America before 1891, which gave rise to the piracy but at the same time were a factorin the lasting popularity of Conan Doyle's creation. Using "The Sign of the Four" and "A Study inScarlet" as examples, Redmond studies textual variations and bibliographical descriptions in editionsappearing from 1890 to 1930.

This impressive study will be useful not only to the Holmes/Doyle enthusiasts but also to studentsof copyright and of the influence of Victorian British literature upon North America. (Book reviewby Moira Cartwright)

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EXAMINATION DAY by Honor Buttars

- The Association has received for its archives the cover and some pages of the University ofToronto Library School Calendar 1935-36 and a set of the examination papers for that school year.They came from Honor Buttars who writes;

"I think our year (1935/36) was the first to require University degrees. Previously a 5th form(grade XIII certificate) allowed one entry into the course. This higher standard was in preparation forthe Library School to become a faculty of the University of Toronto and the graduates to receiveBachelor of Library Science Degrees which I think they did the following year. Our year (all women)received diplomas. We could obtain a B.L.S. by writing a thesis or attending a six-week summercourse at the school, which I did in 1941.

The Depression had some effects on our training. Many poorly funded libraries had no typewritersso we were taught "library hand" - a far cry from the computerized libraries of the present.

I was about 45 when I went back to work at the Oshawa Public Library, working as a referenceand youth librarian, ending up as reference head. I don't regret my choice of profession."

Re the preceding letter - How good is your memory?

How would you answer these questions today? (Selected from the 1936 finals.) Somewhatdifferently than in your student years I suspect, but the questions themselves haven't changed muchover time.

ADMINISTRATION OF LIBRARIES Examiner, G.H. Locke.1. Under our system of organization in the Province of Ontario how would you suggest the

responsibility be assumed in Public Libraries(a) for the choice of books?(b) for "censorship" of books?(c) for obtaining funds?(d) for reaching those who are beyond the borders of a municipality?

CLASSIFICATION Examiner, B. Bassam.4. State the rules for assigning subject headings to the following:

Collections EssaysCollective biography Books about a warDictionaries

COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES Examiner, W.S. Wallace.

3. What are the advantages of "exchanges" in a university or college library?7. Should the assistants in a university library be classed with the academic or administrative

staff? Give reasons for your answer.

HISTORY OF BOOKS AND LIBRARIES Examiner, W.G. Barnstead.1. Write a review of (a) The Philobiblon by Richard de Bury, or (b) Books in manuscipt byNadau.5. Trace the progress of library service in the United States from 1876 to the present day.

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JOYS OF RETIREMENT by Jim Pilton

[Jim Pilton of Vancouver gives an account below of his activities. Reading it I wonder how hefound time to write and I am pleased to share it with members. Ed.]

I am happy to say that all goes well with mehere in the land of the lotus. I live just twoblocks from Stanley Park and English Baybeach. From my sixth floor balcony garden Ihave an excellent view of the north shoremountains - well most of the time anyway.Visibility hasn't been too good in recentmonths.

My days follow a very predictable routinethat some people might find boring but suitsme just fine. I am on the Membership andMarketing Committee of our local centralYMCA and I am there every weekday from11:30 to 2:00 P.M. for a very strenuousworkout. During that period I am also thevolunteer supervisor/coach in the weighttraining room and in the stairmast, lifecycleand gauntlet among others. I always think thatthey sound like rides at the CNE.

At this time of day the clientele is veryelite, being mostly men and women from thebusiness and professional community. Forsome reason the majority seem to be lawyers -perhaps because we are so close to the lawcourts. But we also have several medicaldoctors and at least one psychiatrist who is atri-athlete. They are a great bunch to work outwith. As yet I am the only librarian.

In addition to this routine I do a 10K runaround Stanley Park three times a week. Thisis to compensate for all the ice cream andchocolate chip cookies to which i am addicted.

When I leave the YMCA every day, Igenerally go to The Bay for coffee and amuffin, then I drop off at the public library

for a browse or to look up subject headings inthe catalogue for my video library at home.

Yes, I am a videomaniac! I have acompulsion to tape things off air. At last countI had over six hundred tapes containing overeighteen hundred items. Among these areeighty-one operas. The last four are Wagner'sRing Cycle, taped a couple of weeks ago.Gotterdammerung almost didn't make it. Itlasted four hours and forty-five minutes andended with only ten seconds remaining on thetape. This was a real cliff hanger.

Cataloguing the library is my problem. i amabout three months behind. But what else isnew. I would hope some day to give thecollection to the U.B.C. Library where I thinkit belongs in the Special Collections Divisionwhere I began my library career so many yearsago. But because of copyright restrictions theymay not be able to accept it, or even want it. Ishall have to contact them some day about it.In any case by that time everything on thetapes may have faded from view. We don'tknow just how long they will last.

I always enjoy the Ex Libris Newsletter,especially reading all the familiar names. It isgood to know that so many are still here.Librarianship must be good for the health. Ishall keep on the alert for any news that maybe of interest out here. But I don't have anylibrarian contacts here, so I am not really onthe party-line.

Take care then, and keep up the good work.

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PLUS Ca CHANGE.., by C. Deane Kent

It is amazing how things keep repeatingthemselves. Vico was right ..."eternal return".Was it forty years ago that there was a livelydiscussion in Ontario about professionalism?Should we or should we not form aprofessional group? in the midst of all thediscussions and debates at conferences, articlesin journals, reports etc. there appeared a pieceby Philip McLeod, then with the LondonPublic Library and Art Museum, in theOntario Library Review , which was somethingof a bombshell. McLeod deflated the idea oflibrarianship as a profession, calling it "a smalltrade". It didn't take long for the heavy gunsof the profession to fire salvos at McLeod, thedenigrator of librarianship, who was foulinghis own nest so to speak.

Whether McLeod's article had any effect ornot on the formation of a professionalorganization in Ontario is open to question,but not long afterwards the Institute ofProfessional Librarians of Ontario (IPLO) wasformed and registered as a professional body.Librarians in Ontario could now proudly andlegally add R.P.L. after their names.

Early enthusiasm gradually gave way todisinterest and the IPLO, after more thantwenty years, relinquished its provincialcharter and ceased operation. The full story ofthe rise and fall of one of the world's firstprofessional librarians' organization will, Ihope, someday be written in full.

Perhaps a number of you may still peruseAmerican Libraries . If you do you will beinterested, I'm sure, in three articles that haveappeared recently (February, March and June,1990 with letters and statements in the Mayand July-August issues). Herbert White, alibrary school director, in the February andMarch issues, makes a strong plea forprofessional librarianship. White asks howlibrarians differ from the local supermarketmanager "whose job is to stock merchandisethat will move the shelves and who has noresponsibility for nutritional content?".

in the June issue Mark Plaiss, a medical

librarian, takes the opposite point of view:"Herb White, and those who think like him,never seem to tire of beating a dead horse. Thedead horse is `librarians and professionalism'."Plaiss goes on to say that the supermarketmanager and the librarian "don't differ. Wemerely peddle different merchandise."

Plaiss is hard hitting to say the least."Naivete" is a word used of those "those whodwell in libraryland" who have a "delusion thatyour job is some noble calling.., that enlargesthe mind and broadens the horizons of thepopulace". Librarians think that they possessknowledge because they "dispense bits ofknowledge". Librarians are "puzzled why.. .theworld just can't recognize" their worth.

Plaiss continues his diatribe by saying thatpay is low and respect is lacking because "anyschlemiel can be a librarian". The profession oflibrarianship is not on a par with law,medicine or engineering. And so on and so on.The article could have been written byMcLeod. Plus 9a change, plus c'est la memechose, indeed!

Controversies, such as those between Whiteand Plaiss, provide easy arguments forwidespread budget cuts in public libraries. Wecan hardly pick up a copy of AmericanLibraries without reading of servicereductions, of branch closings etc. in U.S.libraries. And now the School of LibraryService at Columbia University, founded byMelvin Dewey himself in 1887, is in danger ofbeing closed for a number of reasons, not theleast of which is "the absence of a strongscholarly orientation" as alleged in a report tothe Graduate School of Arts and Science.

It is to be hoped that the problems ofAmerican librarianship don't spill over intoCanada - we have enough problems of ourown- and we trust that the Ontario StrategicPlan and the new provincial organization oftwo service areas (SOLS and NOLS) willstrengthen not only library service andlibrarianship but also leadership and, perhaps,scholarship as well.

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One of the difficulties with library work isthe vast range of professional activities. Someprofessional librarians are choosing materialson subject matters, some are organizing peopleand materials in areas for better service whilestill others are dealing with communityrelations, budgets, municipal and provincialgovernments etc. All these levels of servicehave to be simpatico with librarianship andwith a deep understanding of the backgroundand needs of libraries. How is an individualeducated and developed in a library school tofit the requirements of each level? Mostlibrarians today seem to be trained for the firstlevel only. Probably new types and levels oflibrary education need to be instituted.

Library technicians for routine libraryactivities and professional librarians for -leadership at the idea and political level.Perhaps in that way Plaiss might be persuadedthat there are professional librarians aroundand that there could be more.

A final word - a personal note. Being alibrarian is like being a Canadian. I can't giveyou any reason why I am - I just know that Iam.[At the present time the archives of the IPLOare in the care of the Ex Libris Associationwhere they are being organized and a findinglist is being prepared. Anyone prepared to takeup Deane's challenge. Ed]

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MISCELLANEOUS NEWS AND NOTES

Margaret Banks , formerly Law Librarian atThe University of Western Ontario, has

prepared a fifth edition of her book, Usinga Law Library . It includes a new chapter onQuebec legal materials and is scheduled forpublication by Carswell in the early springof 1991.

Margaret has recently been appointedChairman of the Opinions Committee ofthe American Institute of Parliamentarians(AIP). This means that, with the assistanceof the other two members of thecommittee, she will be writing the"Parliamentary Opinions" column, publishedin each issue of AIP's quarterlyParliamentary Journal . The other membersof the committee are Virginia Scholtzhauerof Fort Washington, Maryland, who chairedthe committee for fifteen years, and FloydM. Riddick, Parliamentarian Emeritus ofthe United States Senate.

The Grace Crooks Leigh Children's Librar y inOrillia, Ont. was recently commemoratedby the Orillia Historical Society. A plaquewas presented by Jean Sarjeant, presidentof the historical society, to Shirley Bagley,

library board chair. Grace Crooks Leighwas chief librarian of the Orillia PublicLibrary for 15 years, as well as Orillia's1969 Citizen of the Year. She was an activeparticipant in many community clubs andorganizations. In addition, she waspresident of the Ontario LibraryAssociation in 1964. The October 1989ceremony recognized her long-standinginterest in children's works. Crooks Leighpassed away in 1987. (Orillia Packet &Times)

Alice Kane . As one of Canada's best-knownstory-tellers, 82 year old Alice Kane is oneof the winners of the Ontario Folks ArtsRecognition Fellowships for 1990.

Back in 1930 storytelling was part ofKane's first job as a children's librarianwith the Toronto Public Library, where sheworked for 43 years. After her retirementthe Belfast-born artist became aprofessional storyteller.

She has taken the art of storytelling fromchildren's libraries and made it an art foradults. She has become a one-woman elderfor storytellers across Canada and has told

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stories in Devon (England), Regina, SaintJohn, Fredericton and at the University ofBritish Columbia. Her otheraccomplishments are many and include:

Founder of the Storytellers School ofToronto,Author of Songs and Savings of an UlsterChildhood (McLelland and Stewart,1983),Performance and taping of a series ofconcerts and Irish stories set to harpaccompaniment.She is currently the subject of a

film/essay by Jesse Nishihata titled TheWondersmith still in progress. (Excerptedfrom the Toronto Star, March 26, 1990)

Jessie Mifflen . This much-honouredNewfoundland librarian and educator hascompiled a collection of her memories andhad it published in the Seventh WaveNewfoundland Writers Series in St. John's.(From Mount Allison Record, Winter 1990)

Elizabeth Brewster . After graduating fromhigh school in her native New BrunswickElizabeth worked part-time in libraries andearned several scholarships which allowedher to study at the University of NewBrunswick at Fredericton where shereceived a Bachelor of Arts in English andGreek and helped found the internationalpoetry magazine The Fiddlehead . She wenton to Harvard's Radcliffe College, TheUniversity of Toronto's Library School,King's College in .London, England andIndiana University where she earned aPh.D.

She moved to Edmonton in 1968 to workat the University of Alberta's library. Aftertwo year's cataloguing in the rare booksection, Brewster decided she needed moretime to write, but writer Margaret Atwood,a professor at the university persuadedBrewster to teach creative writing. In 1982she moved to Saskatoon and taught coursesin Canadian literature, Canadian poetry andintroductory English at the University of

Saskatchewan. Over the years she haswritten two novels, three books of shortstories and has just finished her 13th bookof poems entitled Spring Again , which willsoon hit book store shelves. (Excerptedfrom the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix , April 28,1990).

Beryl Anderson . On June 16, 1990 at itsannual meeting held in Ottawa theCanadian Library Association presented toBeryl L. Anderson its 1990 OutstandingService to Librarianship Award.

Dr. Anderson, who retired from herposition as Chief of the LibraryDocumentation Centre in 1987, was highlypraised by her colleagues in both the specialand library education communities for herdistinguished contributions to the field oflibrary science. Known to many of hercolleagues as "the librarian's librarian", Dr.Anderson is recognized for her leadershipin the establishment of the LibraryDocumentation Centre of the NationalLibrary of Canada. She is praised as wellfor her dedication to research in the fieldof library science and for her commitmentto library education. A colleague notes: "Sheis undoubtedly a chief architect in ourprofession's immense progress in publicimage and status, and in our ownmotivation and direction as professionals.

A native of Canso, Nova Scotia, Dr.Anderson holds Bachelor and Master ofArts Degrees from Dalhousie University , aBachelor of Library Science Degree fromMcGill University and a Ph.D. fromWalden University. She was the 1987recipient of the Award for SpecialLibrarianship in Canada, given by theCanadian Association of Special Librariesand Information Services, and washonoured by the Special LibrariesAssociation in 1988 with the John CottonDana Award in recognition of exceptionalservice to special librarianship.

Since her retirement in 1987, Dr.Anderson has served as a valued consultant

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to the National Library of Canada andother organizations, and has pursued herinterest in archaeology through extensivetravel.

Sheila Egoff. The New Republic of Childhood:a Critical Guide to Canadian Children'sLiterature in English by Sheila Egoff andJudith Saltman was reviewed by ElizabethMacCallum in the Globe and Mail , April21, 1990. She wrote "This is not merely arevision of Sheila Egoff's The Republic ofChildhood (the last edition was in 1975);nearly three quarters of the new versionconsiders works published in the eighties.

Egoff and Saltman successfully serve theneeds of both specialists and generalists byintroducing each chapter (such as TheOutdoor Survival Story, or Novels ForYoung Adults) with a general history of thefield, and then follow with a concentratedtreatment of Canadian examples. While theencyclopedic work sometimes dwindles intolists, for the most part there are thorough

and comprehensive descriptions. Criticaljudgments are sometimes overly kind, butthe authors present strong argument for thepeculiarities of Canadian literature.

The New Republic Of Childhood maynot be a book to take to bed, but it is anessential reference book for anyoneinterested in Canadian children's literature."

Frances Morrison . Issue Number 4 (February)1990 of the Saskatoon History Reviewincludes an interesting, well-illustratedessay, "The Saskatoon Public Library 1913-1965", by Arlean McPherson, formerlyLocal History Librarian with the SaskatoonPublic Library.

The essay covers the development of thelibrary service from its inception "in 1913until the demise of the old 'Main' Libraryin 1965". Four librarians directed the courseof events during that time. The were -David Murray (1913-1932), Angus Mowat(1932-1937), James Wood (1937-1961) andFrances Morrison (1961-1980).

The Review is a publication of theSaskatoon Heritage Society andSaskatonians are to be considered fortunatethat such a vehicle is available to carry anddeliver the record of their cultural history.

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MEMBERSHIP ELIGIBILITY

Although the majority of our present members have retired from service in librarianship,membership is open to others interested in the program of the Association as it refers to libraryhistory.

Enquiries about membership should be directed to the Association's office.

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AWARDS

Miriam Tees , retired professor at the GraduateSchool of Library and Information Scienceof McGill University, has received the 1990Corporation of Professional Librarians ofQuebec's Annual Merit Award for heraccomplishments in the field of speciallibraries. Her contributions as a teacherwere honoured in 1988 by the School withthe establishment of a scholarship in hername. She continues to teach the course inspecial libraries at McGill. ( FeliciterJul/Aug '90 p.19)

Ron Yeo , retired Director of the ReginaPublic Library, is to be honoured by theUniversity of Regina at the FallConvocation, October 1990, when anhonourary degree will be conferred on him.The Ronald F. Yeo Library Bursary inadministration, established by the ReginaPublic Library, is being offered for thefirst time this year.

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RETIREMENTS

Nancy Hall , Chief Executive Officer andSecretary-Treasurer of the EtobicokePublic Library Board has taken an earlyretirement. She joined the Toronto PublicLibrary in 1954, moved from there to theScarborough Public Library and becamechief at Etobicoke in 1979. She recentlyreceived the 1990 Alumni Jubilee Awardfrom the Faculty of Library andInformation Science Alumni Association ofthe University of Toronto. (Feliciter June'90 p.10)

Betty McCamus , Professor at the School ofLibrary and Information Science, TheUniversity of Western Ontario, retired atthe end of June, 1990. Her association withSLIS began in 1967 when she enrolled as apart-time student in the first class of thenew program. Following graduation in 1971she was appointed to the Faculty andbecame the Administrative Officer of theSchool. In 1978 she enrolled in the Schoolof Business Administration where shereceived her MBA Degree in 1980. On herreturn to SLIS as a full time facultymember her specialties were PersonnelManagement, Administration, andConservation and Preservation in Archives.On her retirement she was honoured by TheUniversity by being designated ProfessorEmeritus.

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IN MEMORIAM

Reginald (Rea) Bradley , former ChiefLibrarian of the Sarnia Public Library andArt Gallery, died in Sarnia on August 20,1990 at the age of 78. Reg emigrated fromEngland in the early 1950s and after shortstints at Etobicoke and London PublicLibraries, went to Sarnia Public in 1953 tosucceed Dorothy Carlisle. A couple of yearsafter his arrival planning began to replacethe old Carnegie library and, as Reg said,he was able to develop a new building as apeople place that included both a smalltheatre and an Art Gallery. The library is amajor centre of activities for the people ofSarnia. He leaves behind his wife, Margery,three children and six grandchildren.Because of his great interest in the Arts theSarnia Public Library Board has decided toestablish an award to be given to the topgraduate in the Art FundamentalsProgramme at Lambton College. Anyoneinterested in making a memorial donationshould contact Howard Ford, Director,Sarnia Public Library and Art Gallery, 124Christina St. S., Sarnia, ON N7T 2M6.

Kathleen Mennie de Varennes , a well-knowlibrarian, bibliographer and genealogist,died on January 17, 1990. Among her manypublications is the six-volume work on thegenealogy of Canadian families - "TheAnnotated Bibliography of GenealogicalWorks in Canada" published in 1986 by theNational Library of Canada. (Feliciter May'90 p.15)

Doris Pauline Fennell , retired EducationOfficer with the Ontario Ministry ofEducation, died on April 12, 1990. Mrs.Fennell, well-known school librarian, wasSchool Library Co-ordinator of the TorontoTownship Board of Education from 1964-66 when she joined the then OntarioDepartment of Education as AssistantSuperintendent.

Mariorie C. Holmes , retired AssistantProvincial Librarian of British Columbia,died on January 17, 1990 at the age of 95.She formed the Provincial Library in 1920and served as Assistant Provincial Librarianfrom 1936 until her retirement in 1954. Shecompiled two major bibliographies ofgovernment publications, "Publications ofthe Government of British Columbia 1871-1947" and "Royal Commissions andCommissions of Inquiry Under the "PublicInquiries Act" in British Columbia, 1872-1942". In her retirement Ms. Holmesorganized a library for the Victoria Timesnewspaper and undertook a history oflibraries in B.C. for the Public LibraryCommission published as "Library Servicein British Columbia, a Brief History of itsDevelopment". In appreciation of hercontributions to the field and her activitiesin the profession she was made a lifemember of the British Columbia LibraryAssociation in 1954. (Feliciter May 1990p.15)

Constantine (Tim) Hotimsky was one of thefounding faculty members of SLIS, TheUniversity of Western Ontario, recruited bythe School's first dean, Andrew Osborn,from Australia in 1967. An avid bookcollector, Tim was instrumental in buildingthe SLIS Special Collections. He specializedin Slavic Librarianship and taught many ofthe courses related to book collecting. Heretired in 1980 and died in Paddington,New South Wales, Australia, on April 20,1990, after an illness of some months.

Morton Jordan The death of Morton Jordan,Director of Vancouver Public Library from1970 through 1979, occurred on 13December 1989.In 1946, after discharge with the rank ofFlight Lieutenant and service overseas as apilot, Mort enrolled in Arts at theUniversity of Toronto. His interest in

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librarianship was generated by R.D. HiltonSmith and Martha Shepard for whom heworked part-time in the ReferenceDepartment, Toronto P.L. during hisundergraduate years. Subsequently hegraduated from McGill Library School in1949 and moved to Vancouver in the sameyear. He started in Acquisitions in theV.P.L. at that time- his wife, Margaret,went into the Boys and Girls department.Mort held a number of senior staffpositions before being appointed AssistantDirector in 1958 and then Director in 1970.Over the years he took part in many .professional activities with B.C.L.A. (tenyears on the Editorial Board of theB.C.L.A. Quarterly), C.L.A. committees onMembership, Finance, and Public LibraryStandards, and on the Administrators ofLarge Public Libraries Committee. He alsofound time to earn a Masters Degree inEnglish Literature (U.B.C., 1954) and ofcourse to play a leading role in thedevelopment of the Vancouver PublicLibrary services and the Greater VancouverLibrary Federation.

Jean Isabel Ross MacMillan , retired librarianof the Toronto Public Library, died on May5, 1990. She was, for many years, the Headof the Toronto Public Library ReferenceDivision.

David Rhydwen,former chief librarian of TheGlobe and Mail died on September 26, 1990at his home in Gormley, Ontario. He hadretired from The Globe in 1983 after 45years at the newspaper and 34 as its ChiefLibrarian. Although not a graduate of alibrary school he had taken on the libraryafter a few years as a reporter and hadbecome preeminent as a newspaperlibrarian as he grew with the job. Not onlyhad he developed a superior clipping-picture service into one of the best in theworld but his early development of an on-line electronic record of the paper'scontents is now InfoGlobe. He was apioneer in the evolution of full text storageand retrieval of printed stories. His wife,Joy, survives him.

Carin Somers , former Provincial Librarian ofNova Scotia, died suddenly on March 9,1990. After serving as Chief Librarian ofHalifax County Regional Library she wasappointed supervisor of public librarieswith the Nova Scotia Provincial Library in1973 and Provincial Librarian in 1974. In1988 the Atlantic Provinces LibraryAssociation honoured her with is MeritAward. (Feliciter May '90 p.15 & Jul/Aug'90 p.2)

Margaret Tocaue , retired Head of the Audio-Visual Department, St. Catharine's PublicLibrary, died on June 5, 1990. (Feliciter ,Sept `90)

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1990 MEMBERSHIP

* New members not listed previously

LIFE MEMBERS REGULAR MEMBERS

Beacock, E. Stanley Allwood, MadgeHardie, Betty D. Anderson, Dr. Beryl L.Henderson, Dr. M.E.P. (Betty) Appelt, David C.Hughes, Geraldine Baikie, KatharineMacRae, Lachlan F. *Banks, Dr. Margaret A.,Ryder, Dorothy E. Unit 9 - 231 Windsor Ave.,*Watson, Joyce N., London, Ont.,N6C 2A5.

R.R. #3, (519) 433-7736Uxbridge, Ont., LOC IKO. Beckman, Margaret

White, Janette H. Beerepoot, Sister EvelynWright, John G. Bishop, Dr. OlgaWright, Shirley E. Blackburn, Dr. Robert H.

Bonsteel, SueSUSTAINING MEMBERS Bowron, Albert Wilson

Buller, GraceBurness, Jean F. Buttars, HonorCoburn, Morton Cameron, Marion D.Fraser, Isabel Campbell, HarryHall, Dorothy Cartwright, MoiraHome, Margaret Cawley, InezMacPherson, John Clare, Edith L.Mathews, Kathleen R. Cobban, Audrey (Gray)Murray, Margaret Cooke, Marian E.Parkhill, John *Corkum, Connie,Schryver, Louise 1375 Strathy Ave.,Spicer, Elizabeth Mississauga, Ont.,L5E 2L3.Sylvestre, Dr. Guy (416) 278-7584Tovee, Lyn E. Coughlin, Dr. VioletWigmore, Shirley K. Cummings, Dr. Stephen

Davies, Margaret E.SUBSCRIBERS` Dawson, Barbara

Dixon, Dorothy L.Library, St. Catharines Pub. Dolan, Dr. FrankStubbs, Basil Stuart- Donnelly, Eleanore C.

Eckmier, JeanEdwards, RitaFyfe, Dr. JanetGalloway, Lucille

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George, Marjory Nyland, AnneGiles, Grace Overend, HowardGirey, Sara E. Parsons, RuthGreenfield, Katharine Partridge, Florence G.Hardisty, A. Pamela Peel, BruceHogan, Frances Pile, A.R. (Fred)Hughes, Margaret Pilton, James W.Jacobsen, R.C. (Esther) Prodrick, R. GeraldJamieson, Dr. Alexis Rankin, Reita A.Jarvi, Edith Reddy, Ida E.Johnston, Joan L. Redmond, Donald A.Jones, A. Kathleen (Kays) Repcyte, EugeniaKees, Stephen J. Roberts, Hazel J.Kent, Charles Deane Robinow, Beatrix H.Knight, Nancy Roedde, William A.Lampel, Joan Rothstein, Dr. SamuelLayton, Jr., Robert B. Scollard, Rev. Robert J.Lee, Dr. Robert Sexsmith, MargaretLocatelli, Anne Silverthorn, Mary E.Lochhead, Dr. Douglas G. Smith, Olive I.Lockett, Elizabeth M. Smith, W.R. (Evelyn M.)Lokk, Aksella Snell, John D.Lothian, Helen M. *Sowby, Joyce K.,Luoma, Lily 1193 Avenue Road,MacDonald, Prof. Bertrum Toronto, Ont,M5N 2G2.MacKellar, Verna (416) 482-3755MacLellan, Audrey St. John, ElizabethMcCallum, Heather St. John, JudithMcCamus, Betty St. Remy, Mac deMcFarland, Alice Turner Stewart, Laura F.McKnight, Nancy L. Talman, Dr. James J.McLean, Isabel Webster, AlmaMichell, Barbara Weihs, JeanMiller, Clara G. Weiner, Roberta WilsonMoorhouse, H.E. (Phyllis) *Wertheimer, Leonard,*Morley, William.F.E., INFOLIT,27 MacLean Ave.

4489 Bath Road, Toronto, Ont.,M4E 3V7.Kingston, Ont.,K7N 1A3. (416) 699-2797(613) 389-4980 Wilkinson, Dr. John

Morrison, Frances Wilson, Marion C.Munro, June E. Yeo, RonaldMurray, Florence B.

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