As we remember it : interviews with pioneering librarians of British Columbia

Summary: "Dr. Helen GOrdon Stewart, Miss Margaret Clay, Mr. Charles Keith Morison, and Mrs. Page Ffoulkes here describe what they did to help build public libraries in British Columnbia, and, perhaps, more important, they indicate what it felt like to be doing it. As We Remember It is, then, autobiography as well as history, and given the sad fact that the literature of Canadian librarianship offers scarely a single account of the personal side of library practice, the former may be even more valuable than the latter. The interviews recorded here by and large stand quite well by themselves, and it has not been felt that an extensive editorial commentary was needed. However, since the interviewers did not wish to force the conversation into too rigid a pattern of chronological rendering or subject categorization, there are some gaps which need coverage. There are also some aspects of factual background which would help to provide a context for those who are unfamiliar with the subject. The introduction which follows attempts to meet those needs. In Appgendix I, C. K. Morrison tells you what it was like to work with Dr. Stewart. Appendix II is a bibliography of works by and about the the four pioneer librarians, and of studies and surveys that have a bearing upon the period covered. This book reproduces, by and large, the full text of taped interviews conducted by Marion Gilroy. Th editors believe that a principal feature of interest in these accounts is that they retain the flavour of conversation and reflect accurately the personality of the four vivid, forthright, good-humoured people whome they represent. Some deletions have been made, however, when these consisted of material not pertinent to the subject, unintentional repetitions of phrase, or 'false starts' in wording. In the case of Dr. Stewart, the length of the original text prevented publication in toto, and only a selection is presented here. The tapes and the complete transcriptions for each interivew are on file in the School of Librarianship and those interested in examining the original materials may consult them there. We thank R. L. Davison and the Library Development Commision of British Columbia for the co-operation and assistance which made publication possible"--taken from the preface.