b. Jan. 7, 1938, Lincoln Nebraska; d. Oct. 7, 2007, Vancouver

1956 Lincoln High School, Lincoln, Nebraska.
1960 BA (University of Nebraska)
1962 MLS ( University of California at Berkeley)
1977 MBA (Simon Fraser University)

1956-1960 Library Assistant, University of Nebraska Library.
1960-1961 Library Assistant, Berkeley Public Library.
1961-1962 Library Assistant, University of California at Berkeley.
1962-1964 Head Cataloguer, San Francisco Theological Seminary, San Anselmo, California.
1965-1966 Head of Technical Services, Bibliographic Center, Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, California.
1966-1971 Head of Cataloguing, University of California, Santa Cruz.
1971-1977 Head, Cataloguing Division, Simon Fraser University Library.
1977-1982 Director, British Columbia Union Catalogue.
1983-1986 Head of Systems, Simon Fraser University Library.
1986-1990 Head, Systems and Monographs Division, Simon Fraser University Library.
1990-2002 Associate University Librarian, Simon Fraser University Library.

Baldwin, Paul (1976). Bibliographic control problems and organizational change: issues posed by the implementation of a computer based cooperative cataloguing support system. Burnaby: Simon Fraser University. ERIC Document ED 211 121.

Baldwin, Paul (1978). “The B.C. Union Catalogue Project: background and progress report.” BCLA Reporter 21 [March-April].

Baldwin, Paul (1978). “The B.C. Union Catalogue Project: achievements, problems, and prospects.” BCLA Reporter 21 [March-April].

Baldwin, Paul (1979). ““The B.C. Union Catalogue Project and the replication of the Washington Library Network System onto a B.C. Computing Centre Facility.” BCLA Reporter 22 [April-May 1979]

Baldwin, Paul, Leigh Swain, with the assistance of Marie McKee (1980). Recon alternatives for eight British Columbia public libraries, an ancillary report for the B.C. Library Network. Prepared at the Request of the Greater Vancouver Library Federation and Greater Victoria Public Library. Richmond, B.C.: B.C. Union Catalogue.

American Library Association
Canadian Library Association
British Columbia Library Association

Phi Beta Kappa,1960.
Regents’ Scholarship,1956-60.

From the beginning of his career at the University of California, Berkeley, Paul Baldwin was drawn toward the technical services, particularly as they affected users. In his own words he “…gained an abiding interest in making library catalogues more pragmatic and practical tools for providing improved access to library users.” By the time of his retirement he had achieved this goal through the exploitation of computer technology as it was constantly evolving over the roughly forty years of his career. Five of those years were spent in establishing the British Columbia Union Catalogue, involving twenty-three university, college and public libraries, an impressive feat of administration and coordination during which card catalogues were closed, their contents converted to machine readable form (RECON) and COM (computer output microform) catalogues were introduced, as an interim step to online catalogues. Although most of his career was spent at Simon Fraser University, where the scope of his responsibilities seemed always to be expanding, Paul remained involved in provincial and national library affairs. His legacy may be found every day in the ease with which libraries and their patrons can access bibliographical information and the published materials it describes.

Paul Baldwin’s personal career file.
“The Links 1956. 50th Reunion October 2006.” (Lincoln High School)