{"id":1130,"date":"2013-02-22T17:06:35","date_gmt":"2013-02-22T17:06:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.windsorpubliclibrary.com\/engine\/?page_id=1130"},"modified":"2013-03-07T21:07:01","modified_gmt":"2013-03-07T21:07:01","slug":"library-staff","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/www.windsorpubliclibrary.com\/engine\/?page_id=1130","title":{"rendered":"Library Staff"},"content":{"rendered":"

William Kay was the first librarian of the Windsor Public Library when the library and reading room opened in 1894.\u00a0 He took his job very seriously and reported to the board: \u201cIt has been said that a public library is the people\u2019s university.\u00a0 It is our wish that the people of Windsor may regard ours as such and may take increasing interest in it and make the fullest use of it.\u201d (William Kay, WPL Annual Report<\/i>, 1894)\u00a0 A trained teacher, Kay preferred to work as a librarian and remained in the post until his death in 1902.<\/p>\n

\"Mrs.<\/a>Marcelle Frebault was hired at Walkerville Library in 1918 and was succeeded by Anne Hume <\/a>the following year.\u00a0 At the Windsor library that year, Miss Agnes Lancefield was appointed librarian, the first trained professional to hold the position.\u00a0 In 1924, Helen Langford successfully completed studies at the Ontario Library School, bringing the library\u2019s number of professionally trained librarians to two.<\/p>\n

Angus Mowat, a veteran of the Battle of Vimy Ridge, was a Chief Librarian in Windsor from 1929 to 1932.\u00a0 Afterwards, he spent a short time as Head Librarian in Saskatoon, and was appointed Inspector of Public Libraries in Ontario in 1937.\u00a0 He was the author of two novels, but best known as the father of novelist Farley Mowat, who also began writing when the family lived in Windsor.<\/p>\n

Anne Hume was appointed Chief Librarian of the new City of Windsor after amalgamation in 1937.\u00a0 She was a passionate supporter of the raising of professional standards for both women and librarians serving as executive on the Local Council of Women, the Canadian Association of Adult Education, as a councillor and president of the Ontario Library Association, a charter member of the Canadian Library Association and was an active member of the American Library Association.<\/p>\n

At her gala retirement dinner, after 37 years of public service, colleagues heaped praise on Anne Hume\u2019s work, one even referring to her as the \u201c\u2019mother of Essex County library services\u2019\u201d (W.K. Sidey, quoted in Windsor Daily Star<\/i>, April 29, 1957).\u00a0\u00a0 Hume graduated from Queen\u2019s University in 1914 and earned her Library Science degree in 1919.\u00a0 As a fresh graduate, she joined the Walkerville library in 1920 and organized the first Arts and Letters Club, and was a founding member of the Windsor Art Association, and served on its executive.\u00a0 It was Hume who managed to persuade the National Gallery of Canada and the Royal Ontario Museum to share exhibits at the new Art Gallery section of the Walkerville library at Willistead.<\/p>\n

Hume undertook academic research on top of her other duties, and compiled histories of Windsor libraries, the art movement in Windsor and often wrote articles for book trade and library professional periodicals.\u00a0 She later received an honourary doctor of laws from Queen\u2019s University for her contribution to the profession of librarian. At Anne Hume\u2019s retirement in 1957, over 500 community leaders and librarians joined her at a dinner in her honour at the Prince Edward Hotel to recognize her work with the Windsor Public Library.<\/p>\n

Angus Mowat paid tribute to Miss Hume, calling her, \u201c\u2019a woman who is noted for the help she has given to libraries across Canada\u201d (Mowat, Windsor Daily Star, <\/i>April 26, 1957).<\/p>\n

Gladys Shepley succeeded Anne Hume as Chief Librarian in 1957.\u00a0 Appointed assistant chief librarian in October, 1955, she was also the head of the Carnegie Branch.\u00a0 Shepley was born in Essex County, raised in Amherstburg and attended Windsor Collegiate, also known as Patterson Collegiate.\"Gladys-Shepley-l-at-Bartlet-House-1957\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Shepley was another president of the Ontario Library Association and acted as the Ontario Library Association representative to the American Library Association and served on the executive of the Canadian Library Association.\u00a0 Shepley was a strong supporter of professional standards and frequently overcame severe staff shortages, praising her staff for their outreach and standards as their, \u201cservice has extended into many areas of community life as well as contributing much to the field of professional librarianship\u201d (Shepley, WPL Annual Report, <\/i>1959).\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 In 1964, she praised the quick detective work of librarians H. Ruger and L. Findlay who helped police recover stolen (music) records worth $2,800 from the Fine Arts Section, and ensured that the WPL Board recognized the two librarians with personal gifts.\u00a0 In September, 1986, a sculpture called \u201cShared Joy\u201d depicting a librarian and child reading by Chris Rees was commissioned in memory of Gladys Shepley and the dedication featured venerable CBC broadcaster Lister Sinclair.<\/p>\n

Fred and Callie Israel, both qualified librarians who had met at Kitchener Public Library came to Windsor in 1968.\u00a0 Fred Israel was appointed Chief Librarian \u2013 later Director.\u00a0\u00a0 He was tasked not only with building a new Main Library building, but finding a suitable location for it.\u00a0 Israel successfully guided the Board in the construction of the new building, and also dealt with a sudden downfall in budget afterwards.\u00a0 Callie Israel worked at the WPL branches specializing in children\u2019s programming.\u00a0\u00a0They retired in 1992, and the auditorium in the Main\/ Central Branch is named in Fred Israel\u2019s honour.\"Fred-Israel-1969\"<\/a><\/p>\n

In recent years, others have served as directors or chief executive officers of the WPL.\u00a0 Under their leadership, the library has made great strides in technological advances, developing programs such as the Children\u2019s Learning Centres at Riverside, Central and Budimir Libraries, developed the Windsor Public Library Foundation for fundraising and oversaw the opening of the Bridgeview (2002) and Fontainebleau (2005) libraries.<\/p>\n

It is important to mention the many Windsor Public Library staff members, too.\u00a0 As in the past and still today, many WPL staff have begun working with the organization after completing their education, and have remained dedicated to their customers and work of the library for their careers. The WPL staff have shared their love of books and learning with their customers, becoming a second family to many.<\/p>\n

William Kay, Chief Librarian: 1894 \u2013 1902<\/p>\n

Anne Hume, Chief Librarian: 1936 -1956<\/p>\n

Gladys Shepley, Chief Librarian: 1956 -1968<\/p>\n

Fred Israel, Director: 1968 \u2013 1992<\/p>\n

Jean Dirksen, Director: 1992 \u2013 1997\"Jean-Foster\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Steve Salmons, Chief Executive Officer: 1997 \u2013 2004<\/p>\n

Brian Bell, Chief Executive Officer: 2004 \u2013 2008<\/p>\n

Jean Foster, Acting Chief Executive Officer: 2008 \u2013 2010<\/p>\n

Barry Holmes, Chief Executive Officer: 2010 \u2013 2012<\/p>\n

Chris Woodrow, Acting Chief Executive Officer: 2012 –<\/p>\n

\u00a0Professional Accreditation<\/b><\/p>\n

The first librarian of the Windsor Public Library was William Kay, a teacher by training.\u00a0 The first professionally-trained librarian of Walkerville Library, Marcelle Frebault, was hired in 1918.\u00a0 Frebault was replaced by Anne Hume, also professionally-trained, and by 1924 two professional librarians were on staff.<\/p>\n

\"Windsor-Public-Library-Board\"<\/a>The library board, concerned with getting and keeping experienced staff throughout the 1930s, reported the need for adequate pay to maintain high quality of service to meet the needs of customers.\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>By 1940, of the 26 full-time librarians, 13 were professionally trained.\u00a0 The scarcity of suitable librarians forced the board to make the decision to reduce hours at the Main library and branches.<\/p>\n

With the advancement of professional standards, and with the leadership of Anne Hume, the Essex County Library system began in 1940.\u00a0 The County Library system was headquartered at Willistead Library with Hume as County Librarian and selection, buying, cataloguing and distribution was performed by the Windsor Staff.\u00a0 In 1944 the County Library Board was financially able to support a trained librarian.\u00a0 WPL staff also took offices in the Ontario Library Association, the organization that supports all libraries in the province.<\/p>\n

In 1946, new Regulations for public libraries were introduced which provided grants based on certification of librarians and municipal appropriations.\u00a0 This allowed the WPL Board to raise salaries and reverse the shortage of librarians.\u00a0 In 1965, the WPL participated in career fairs together with the University of Windsor librarians at the Chamber of Commerce and Board of Education.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

William Kay was the first librarian of the Windsor Public Library when the library and reading room opened in 1894.\u00a0 He took his job very seriously and reported to the board: \u201cIt has been said that a public library is the people\u2019s university.\u00a0 It is our wish that the people of Windsor may regard ours as such and may take Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.windsorpubliclibrary.com\/engine\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1130"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.windsorpubliclibrary.com\/engine\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.windsorpubliclibrary.com\/engine\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.windsorpubliclibrary.com\/engine\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.windsorpubliclibrary.com\/engine\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1130"}],"version-history":[{"count":24,"href":"http:\/\/www.windsorpubliclibrary.com\/engine\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1130\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1781,"href":"http:\/\/www.windsorpubliclibrary.com\/engine\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1130\/revisions\/1781"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.windsorpubliclibrary.com\/engine\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1130"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}