The Donald Hamilton School Library Advocacy Award
Donald Hamilton (1938 – 2023) was a leader in the field of school libraries and teacher-librarianship throughout his long career, and a strong advocate for the crucial role of school libraries in student learning. The Donald Hamilton School Library Advocacy Award was established in 2023 in honour of Donald’s outstanding legacy.
This award will be presented bi-annually to an individual, group or organization who have publicly and successfully promoted school libraries and/or teacher-librarians, in a significant way, through the media, organized events, presentations, or other forms of public advocacy. This advocacy may have involved a single major accomplishment or a long-term contribution to supporting school libraries and/or teacher-librarians. Advocacy goals must be aligned with the vision of the school library learning commons captured in CSL’s Leading Learning: Standards of Practice for School Library Learning Commons in Canada, and Foundations for School Library Learning Commons in Canada: A Framework for Success.
The CSL Donald Hamilton Advoacy Award will be presented bi-annually at the CSL Treasure Mountain Canada Research Symposium dinner with an engraved plaque and complementary registration to TMC.
More information about the award nomination procedure will be posted on this webpage when CSL opens nominations.
Donald Hamilton, School Library Advocate
Donald Hamilton was a leader in the field of school libraries and teacher-librarianship for over three decades. In his role as Adjunct Professor in the Curriculum Laboratory at the University of Victoria he organized and taught in the University of Victoria’s Diploma Program for School Librarianship, organized summer institutes for practicing teacher-librarians and delivered workshops for teacher-librarians in every province in Canada. He also collaborated with the Ministry of Education in B.C. and school administrators on providing access to appropriate learning resources for school libraries and in developing curriculum that included the importance of the role of school libraries and teacher-librarians.
Don was President of the Canadian School Library Association for eight years and was Managing Editor of its journal, School Libraries in Canada, which was offered free to every school in Canada and had a circulation of up to 12,000 copies. His support for libraries went beyond those in schools and universities. He was on the Public Library Board for Greater Victoria and was a B.C. Public Library Trustee.
Don wrote numerous articles for a variety of journals and was best known for his sometimes-controversial opinions on accepted practices. His regular column in the journal School Libraries in Canada, “On the Other Hand” gave sometimes humorous, but always practical suggestion for improving school library programs and best practices. Don was also notable for his many letters to the editor that advocated for societal recognition and financial support for public libraries, school libraries and teacher-librarians. These many articles and letters and all of Don’s presentations were presented in a professional, humorous and common-sense manner.
Donald Hamilton was not only a leader in the field of school librarianship but a mentor to many of those who attended his courses and workshops. He is well deserving of this award which is intended to continue Don’s legacy of promoting and supporting school libraries in Canada through both advocacy and financial support.