As a long time UBC Library employee, Suzanne Cates Dodson was keenly aware of the impact that Library staff have on the success of UBC students, researchers and faculty. Indeed, along with the Library’s collections and innovative spaces, staff are a vital resource for all Library users.
Suzanne, who passed away in March, left a lasting legacy for UBC Library in the form of a professional development fund (the Suzanne Dodson Award) for library assistants to advance their careers and expand their knowledge. First awarded in 2008, the annual prize gives UBC Library staff the opportunity to rise to the top of their fields and emerge as leaders within the library community.
“Every bit of professional development knowledge that I can acquire may be of use to myself, a colleague or a patron,” says Ivan Idzan, Library Technician at UBC Okanagan Library and a recipient of the Suzanne Dodson Award.
Since its inception, the Suzanne Dodson Award has provided a total of $8,285 for eight library assistants who have used the funding towards library science degrees and certifications, and to attend conferences on emerging technology trends. Recipients have gone on to provide exemplary service to Library users, to develop inventive new solutions within their departments and to take on challenging leadership roles.
As a result, they have accelerated their career progression and inspired excellence in others. One award recipient used the funds towards her Master of Library and Information Studies, and was then awarded the Diana Lukin Johnston Award— another UBC Library professional development fund specifically dedicated for librarians or those studying to become librarians.
As a world-class research and teaching university, UBC serves as an incubator for future leaders whose entrepreneurial work will change the world. UBC Library ensures that these innovators have the resources necessary to excel, thanks in part to the generosity of supporters such as Suzanne Dodson and her husband Earl.
This story originally appeared in the 2014 summer issue of the Friends newsletter.