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Historical Overview
Past Presidents
Honorary Lifetime Members of the LAA

Historical Overview

On March 1, 1930, Mr. D.E. Cameron, Librarian of the University of Alberta, sent out a circular letter to a selected list of people informing them that on February 26th of that year, Miss Montgomery of the Library of the Department of Extension of the University of Alberta, Mr. E.L. Hill of the Edmonton Library Board, Mr. J.A. Jaffary of the Provincial library, and himself met to "talk over the present standing of library service in Alberta and to consider whether steps should now be taken towards the formation of an association for the promotion of library service in the Province."

The response was so favorable that a conference was held in December of 1930 and it lasted for three days. It was held in the Senate Chamber of the University of Alberta . Included among the delegates were librarians from various libraries of the province; Mr. John Ridington of the Carnegie Library Survey; Mr. G.F. McNally of the Department of Education; Mr. L.B. Yule representing School Inspectors; and representatives from such organizations as Alberta Teachers' Alliance, Provincial Women's Institutes, Provincial Executive, Local Council of Women, International Order of Daughters of the Empire, Women's University Club, Catholic Women's League, Swift Canadian Co. Ltd., Provincial Trustees' Association, Trades and Labour Council, Alumni Association of the University of Alberta, United Farmers of Alberta and United Farm Women of Alberta.

One of the resolutions passed at this Conference formed the Alberta Library Association and another gave a directive that the Conference urge the Provincial Government to designate a Minister to whom the promotion and direction of library service be entrusted. Resolutions were passed urging a complete revision of the Public Libraries Act providing for representation of Provincial organizations in the Councils of the Alberta Library Association; urging the immediate restoration of Government aid for school library purposes, and the desirability of administering Government aid to school libraries in accordance with modern practice and needs; requesting that a course in library work be included in the curriculum of all Provincial Teacher Training institutions; directing the Executive Committee of the new Association to approach the Federal Government in regard to a general reduction in postal rates on books circulated by libraries and between libraries; deciding that the Alberta Library Association hold a conference annually and that the Executive Committee make representations to the Provincial Government for the purpose of having the proceedings of this First Provincial Conference on Library Service published by the Government as a public document. A Constitution for the Association was drafted. Mr. D.E. Cameron was elected President for the year 1931 and Mr. Alexander Calhoun of the Calgary Public Library became Vice-President.

In March of 1931, the Alberta Library Association issued an annotated list of books on mental hygiene and allied subjects. At this hopeful point, the Association went into a coma for eleven years.

In 1942, it was revived for a very brief period.

In 1944, the members of the staff of the Calgary Public Library felt troubled because Alberta had no functioning library association. They called a reorganization meeting of the Association at the Calgary Public Library for November 29, 1944.

At this meeting, a committee was appointed to draw up a new constitution. Mr. Calhoun became President of the Alberta Library Association.

From this time, the progress of the Association, although not rapid, has been steady and solid.

* taken from Norma Frifield's write-up in the Christmas issue of the Bulletin , 1955.

Past Presidents

2022-2023 Jessica Knoch
2021-2022 Kirk Macleod (double term due to pandemic)
2020-2021 Kirk MacLeod

2019-2020 Briana Ehnes
2018-2019 Norene Erickson
2017-2018 Deborah Cryderman
2016-2017 Peter Bailey
2015-2016 Jason Openo
2014-2015 Karen Hildebrandt
2013-2014 Lisa Hardy
2012-2013 Diane Clark
2011-2012 Pat Sandercock
2010-2011 Mary Jane Bilsland
 
2009-2010 Renee Reaume
2008-2009 Karla Palichuk
2007-2008 Della Paradis
2006-2007 Anne Carr-Wiggin
2005-2006 Judy Moore
2004-2005 Pam Ryan
2003-2004 Michael Perry
2002-2003 Pat Cavill
2001-2002 Rick Leech
2000-2001 Andrew Waller

1999-2000 Alvin Schrader
1999-June 99 Alison Nussbaumer
1998-99 Barbara Bulat
 Dec.96-98 Pilar Martinez
1996-Dec.96 Peg Hofmann
1995-96 Margaret Law
1994-95 Linda Cook
1993-94 Keith Turnbull
1992-93 Pat Jobb
1991-92 Nora Robinson
1990-91 Marg Anderson

1989-90 Rowena Lunn
1988-89 Ann Curry
1987-88 Peter Freeman
1986-87 Duncan Rand
1985-86 Ron Peters
1984-85 Vince Richards
1983-84 Nora Robinson
1982-83 John Gishler
1981-82 B. J. Busch
1980-81 Heather-Belle Dowling  

1979-80 Robert Block
1978-79 Robert Block
1977-78 Aileen Wright
1976-77 Bill Manson
1975-76 Peter Colebrook
1974-75 Nita Cook
1973-74 Sheila Bertram
1972-73 Joseph A Siqueira
1971-72 John G. Wright
1970-71 C. David Emery  

1969-70 Iain Bates
1968-69 Peter Basnett
1967-68 Phyllis Russell
1966-67 William Bale
1965-66 George Dew
1964-65 Macdonald Coleman
1963-64 Eric Holmgren
1962-63 Phyllis Lapworth
1961-62 John Dutton
1960-61 Bruce Peel

1959-60 Flora Macleod
1958-59 Morton Coburn
1957-58 Kathleen Taylor
1956-57 Aleta Vikse
1955-56 Miss Phillis Bowlby
1954-55 Miss Norma Frefield
1953-54 Miss Dorothy Rogers
1952-53 Miss Alma Webster
1951-52 Miss Kathleen Allen
1950-51 Mrs. Frank Gostick

1949-50 Miss Flora Macleod
1948-49 Miss Louise Riley
1947-48 Miss Marjorie Sherlock
1946-47 Mr. W. R. Castell
1944-45 Mr. Alexander Calhoun
1942 Mr. Hugh Gourlay
1931 Mr. D. E. Cameron

Past Lifetime Honorary Members of the LAA

Sheila Bertram
Heather Belle-Dowling
John Dutton
Norma Friefield
Betty Henderson
Ernie Ingles
Pat Jobb
Nina Kencis
Bill Manson
Alan MacDonald
Bruce Peel