ElIzabeth E. Davis
SASKATCHEWAN LIBRARY TRUSTEES' ASSOCIATION
Honorary Life Membership
In Recognition of
Elizabeth E. Davis
In the year 1911, a fair young lass accompanied her parents to the City of Regina - a city she was to serve faithfully and diligently in many areas of public service and a city on which she was to leave her indelible mark.
As she grew up in the Queen City, she learned much about public service from her parents. Her father, the first president of Regina College, was the chairman of the Regina Public Library Board and her mother, who fought for the franchise for women, was the first woman member of the Regina Collegiate Board. It is not surprising, then, that Betty Andrews, her name in those days, should follow a similar life of service.
After completing her education at Strathcona Public School and the Regina Collegiate Institute (now Central Collegiate), Betty Andrews enrolled in the University of Alberta where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1924. While earning her degree she worked as a student assistant in the University of Alberta library. After graduation she joined the staff of the Open Shelf Library as Reference Librarian and later became Chief Librarian holding that position until 1929. A brilliant library career was interrupted by a natural phenomenon - she fell in love. A budding, young journalist by the name of Davis, swept her off her feet, married her and carried her off to Prince Albert. This was Regina's loss but Prince Albert's gain. By now you have put the names together and realize that we are honouring our beloved friend and fellow worker, Betty Davis.
Betty did not let love interfere with her lifelong interest in community affairs. She joined the Prince Albert University Women's Club and soon became its president; she was active during the war years in the Canadian Red Cross and the Victoria and Albert Chapter of the I.O.D.E.
During those years in Prince Albert, she and her husband were blessed with two daughters, Elinor and Marnie.
Betty moved back to Regina in 1946 and continued her community activities. Some of her involvements were as president of the Regina University Women's Club, executive member of the Canadian Federation of University Women, charter member of the Norman Mackenzie Art Gallery, member of the Women's Canadian Club and a member of the United Church Women.
Was there time for anything else? Yes. She worked for libraries. And how she worked!
In addition to the library activities already mentioned, she served eight years as a trustee of the Prince Albert Library Board, and since 1951 as trustee of the Regina Public Library Board. In her capacity as trustee in Regina, she initiated booktrailer service, located all the early trailer sites, worked on the Building Committee for the Central Library, and more recently the Glen Elm Branch and the Sherwood Village Branch.
Betty Davis has always had a broad perspective of library service and as a trustee has represented Regina's Board on the executive of the Saskatchewan Library Trustees' Association, has served as past president of the Canadian Library Trustees' Association, and has also received its Award of Merit. For five years she was a member of the Saskatchewan Library Advisory Council and the Saskatchewan Library Development Board,
Her interest in and support of a one-province library system is long standing. As early as 1945 she met and corresponded with the Legislative Librarian and members of the Legislature promoting the idea of regional libraries for Saskatchewan This initiation along with the efforts of others led to the formation of the Library Advisory Council and the establishment of the regional library, with headquarters in Prince Albert.
Betty, we salute you - public servant, wife and mother, librarian trustee, counselor, and dear friend. Thank you for your sacrificial efforts on our behalf.
We pay tribute to you and honour you this evening as the 1980 recipient of the Saskatchewan Library Trustees' Association Honorary Life Membership Award.
Prepared and presented by Dr. Morris Anderson, 1980