Biographies of Current Board Members, 2022-23
Deb Thomas, New Westminster, British Columbia
President
Education:
BA in Creative Writing and English Literature, Binghamton University
MLIS, School of Library, Archival and Information Studies, University of British Columbia
Professional Experience:
Media resources, Vancouver Community College, 1974-76 & 1978-80
Media Resources, Selkirk College, 1981-88
Chief Librarian, Nelson Municipal Library, 1988-2006
Branch Manager, Burnaby Public Library, 2006-08
Deputy Chief Librarian, Burnaby Public Library, 2008-18
Professional volunteer work:
1981-2007
Chair, West Kootenay Library Association
A founder of the Kootenay Library Federation
Chair, Association of BC Public Library Directors
President-elect, President, Past President – BC Library Association
2019 to the present
Co-chair, BC Library Association Intellectual Freedom Committee
Secretary, CFLA-FCAB Intellectual Freedom Committee
President, Ex Libris Association
Awards:
President’s Award, BC Library Association
Current volunteer work:
Secretary/treasurer, Massey Victory Heights Residents Association
Informal mentoring of prospective librarians
Interests:
Bird watching, gardening, nature photography, Canadian literature, folk & blues music
Tom Eadie, Ontario
Past President
Education:
M.L.S., University of Western Ontario, 1972.
M.A. Queen's University, 1971
B.A. (Hon.) Queen’s University, 1968
Professional Experience:
University of Western Ontario. Faculty of Information and Media Studies. Sessional lecturer. 2009 – 2013.
Mount Allison University. University Librarian. 2011-12
Trent University. University Librarian 1997 - 2006. Director of Information Services 1998 – 2003.
University of Calgary. Director of Libraries, 1992-97.
Mount Allison University. University Librarian, 1987-92.
University of Waterloo. Head, Reference & Collections, Porter Library, 1974-87.
University of British Columbia. Librarian, Information and Orientation, 1972-74.
Queen's University. Philosophy Department, Tutor 1968-70; McArthur College of Education, Instructor, 1968.
Professional volunteer and other work:
Victoria University in the University of Toronto. E.J. Pratt Library. Public Service Review. 2007.
Ontario Geospatial Data Exchange. Governing Board. 2003 - 06.
Advanced Book Exchange. Library Advisory Group. 2001 - 03.
University of Toronto. Faculty of Information Studies. Visiting Scholar. 2001.
Canadian Research Knowledge Network (formerly CNSLP). Trent representative. 1999 -
ECONet (Peterborough Community Network). Board of Directors, 1998 -
Alberta Library Board. Member. 1996-97.
Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. Advisory Committee, Library and I.T. Program. 1995-97. Chair, 1996-7.
Health Knowledge Network. (Alberta) Director. 1994-97.
University of Prince Edward Island. External Assessor. Library Review, 1992.
Binkley Communication Services. Director of Marketing. 1990-92.
Brandon University. Consultant. Library External Review. 1989.
National Library of Canada. Document Delivery Working Group. 1989-90.
Professional Publications:
“New wine in old bottles”, ELAN, 2011.
“”Extreme librarianship”, ELAN, 2010.
“Trial by jury”, ELAN, 2010.
“Wha’s like us”, Feliciter, 2010.
“Bring out your dead”, ELAN, 2009.
“How I became a librarian”, ELAN, 2008.
“Humanizing the cyber revolution at Trent”, View From Trent, Peterborough Examiner. 14 December, 2001.
“Remembrances of Things Past”, in Critical Issues in Library Management: Organizing for Leadership and Decision-Making. Papers from the Thirty-Fifth Allerton Institute. Edited by Bryce L. Allen, and Terry L. Weech. Occasional Papers Nos. 198/199. Graduate School of Library and Information Science, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1995.
— with Frances K. Groen. “Information Technology, Libraries, and Lifelong Learning,” in Proceedings of the International Conference on Information Technology and People Part II, edited by Gornostaev, Juri & Thomas, Ray (pp. 136-145). Moscow: International Centre for Scientific and Technical Information, 1993.
“Beyond Immodesty: Questioning the Benefits of BI”, Research Strategies, vol.10, no.3 (Summer, 1992).
“Northern Networks: Canadian Initiatives”, Research & Education Networking, vol.1, no.2 (1990), pp.11-13.
“Immodest proposals”, Library Journal, 15 October 1990.
— with Dave Binkley. “Wisconsin-Ohio reference evaluation at the University of Waterloo”, CACUL Occasional Paper Series No.3, 1989.
“Evaluation of reference service at the University of Waterloo: 1985”, CACUL Occasional Paper Series No.1, 1988.
“Christian Enslin”, Dictionary of Canadian Biography VIII. (1851-60). Toronto, University of Toronto Press, 1985.
“Librarians and collective bargaining”, CAUT Bulletin, 24 (7) Feb. 1978.
Frances Davidson-Arnott, Toronto, Ontario
Ex Libris Association Newsletter Committee, Chair. Board member, ELA President (2006), Committee membership.
Education:
BA, U of T, ’69; BLS U of T, ’70; MLS U of T, ’74; PhD University of Sheffield, England ’93.
Professional Experience:
Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, 1970-72: cataloguer, head order department.
Canadian Association in Support of Native Peoples, 1973, Librarian.
1973–74 Centennial College, Technical Services Librarian
1974–86 Director, Centennial College, Resource Centre (libraries and audio-visual services on 5 campuses; College archives)
Seneca College, 1986–2003, Professor and Co-ordinator, Library & Information Technician Program.
Consulting, post-retirement
Professional volunteer work:
Committees/Executive positions at various library associations: CLA (CACUL, CTCL); OLA; U of T library science alumni.
Professional interests:
Library education; professionalism; library history; library management; library technology.
Bob Henderson, Ontario
Treasurer, Membership secretary
Education:
MLS, Faculty of Information, U of T
Professional Experience:
1975-1976: International TeleFilm - Film Librarian
1976-1986: Richmond Hill PL - Branch Coordinator, responsible for 2 smaller branches, system collection development coordinator
1987-2007: Markham PL - various supervisory positions, including Cataloguing Supervisor, Technical Services Manager, Branch Manager, Director of Strategic Planning & Service Support, Deputy CEO
Awards:
U of T Arbor Award for volunteer work with Faculty of Information Alumni Association
Professional volunteer work:
Faculty of Information Alumni Association (2000-2017) – Board member, Treasurer
Other interests or volunteer work:
Markham Stamp Club – President
North Toronto Stamp Club – Director at Large
Lorne Bruce, Ontario
Webmaster, Biographies Project, ELA board (ex officio)
Education:
Studied history at McMaster University (1972) and library science (1975) at the Western University in London.
Professional Experience:
Lorne worked as the chief librarian in two smaller Ontario public libraries at Hanover and King City for several years after graduation. After 1982, he has been at the University of Guelph Library in various public service roles, most recently as Head of Archival and Special Collections. In 1993–94, he served as President of the University of Guelph Faculty Association.
Professional associations:
In 2012–13 he was President of the Ex Libris Association.
Publications:
Author of numerous articles and books on library history such as Free Books for All: The Public Library Movement in Ontario, 1850–1930 (Dundurn, 1994) which complements his Places to Grow: Public Libraries and Communities in Ontario, 1930–2000 (rev. 2020). Recently published a biography of George Locke (2021). He is currently researching and publishing on various aspects of library history across Canada.
His current internet site, Library History Today Blog at https://libraries-today.blogspot.com, discusses many issues, events, and writings in library history.
Donna Burton, Niagara area of Ontario
ELA Board member-at-large. Editor of the ELA Facebook Page and member of W.K. Lamb Award selection committee.
Education:
Master of Library Science degree, University of Toronto, 1980. BA 1978.
Professional Experience:
1980-2012 – Legislative Library of Ontario. Started as a Collections librarian on a 3-month contract and retired in 2012 as Director of the Legislative Library Branch. Provided leadership and direction for staff and activities of the Library, ensuring that Members were well informed for their roles as legislators.
Participated in the Association of Parliamentary Libraries of Canada (APLIC), attending conferences in capitals across Canada including Edmonton, St. John’s, and Iqaluit.
Volunteer and other library experience:
2013-14 - Member of the Town of Lincoln’s Library Fundraising Committee to help raise funds for a new library/community complex in Beamsville.
2015-21 – Lincoln Public Library Board. Vice Chair 2016-2018. Chair 2019-21.
2022 onward – Lincoln Pelham Public Library Board. Co-chair 2022.
Member Ontario Library Association.
Additional volunteer and recreational activities:
Chosen by the Town of Lincoln as one of the 50 Faces of Lincoln for volunteer contribution, to celebrate Lincoln’s 50th anniversary in 2020.
Volunteer at the 2015 Toronto Pan Am Games, 2017 Toronto Invictus Games, and Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games.
Active committee member of Trinity United Church, Beamsville.
Interest in genealogy and family history:
Love to travel! Visited all 13 provinces and territories. Taken the train across Canada four times.
Share care of a feral cat named Zeke.
Christina Wilson, Ontario
Chair of the W. Kaye Lamb Award Committee and co-lead for ELA’s Community Archives project.
Education:
Christina’s interest in Canadian history and architectural preservation began at Brock University where she received a Bachelor of Arts in History and Politics and continued at Western, where she achieved master degrees in Political Science and Library and Information Science.
Professional experience:
The recently retired CEO of Red Deer Public Library has worked for public and post-secondary libraries in Ontario and Alberta. She has a keen interest in library technology, specifically digitization, serving as Director of The Alberta Library’s Campus Alberta’s Digital Library.
Professional and other volunteer experience:
Christina has served on several, non-profit boards in Edmonton, Red Deer, Lethbridge and Beaumont. She recently joined the Edmonton Historical Board in May, 2018 and is a member of EHB’s Plaques and Awards Committee. Christina is a member of OLA’s Evergreen Book Awards committee as a reader.
Interests:
She enjoys golf, tennis, cycling, birding and rallying her vintage MGB.
Vivienne James, Toronto, Ontario
ELA Library Tours Ad Hoc Committee, Chair
Education:
BA (History), University of the West Indies (UWI)
MLS (Pratt Institute, New York)
Professional Experience:
Young Peoples’ Librarian, Toronto Public Library, 1973-74 &1977-79
Special Collections Librarian & Cataloguer, West Indies Collection (UWI)1974-77
Branch Head, Queen Salter Library, TPL, 1979-81
Branch Head, St. Lawrence/LOW Library, TPL, 1981-96
Branch Head, Spadina Road Library, 1996-2003
Professional Volunteer Work:
Ex Libris Association, Board Member & Newsletter Committee member
Church Library Association of Ontario, Board Member and Church Librarian
Established a new school library in the Caribbean
Assisted in collection development for a community library in the Caribbean
Additional Interests:
Library and Collection development; Library history; Sports activities, esp. Track, Hockey and soccer.