Tribute to Bill (Colin) Fraser, Medical Librarian and Mentor
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Introduction_Colin_Fraser,.jpg) William (Bill) Colin Fraser (1925 – 2005), medical librarian, founding member of library organizations, mentor and teacher, was born and educated in Matsqui, British Columbia. During his career, his friends, colleagues and former students called him Colin or Bill. Fraser earned his library sciences degree from McGill University in 1949 and initially worked in public libraries including a period as a reference librarian in the regional library system in Prince George, BC. By 1961, he had moved to Vancouver to become director of the BC Medical Library Service at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC. After thirty years at the helm, he retired in 1991. Fraser had a major influence in the Pacific Northwest and Canadian health library communities. Due to his participation in a 1964 Seattle symposium, his ideas helped to form the Regional Medical Library Program (now the National Network of Libraries of Medicine). For many years, Fraser taught the medical librarianship course at UBC's School of Library, Archival and Information Studies, and many of his former students fill library posts across the country. In 1976, Fraser was one of the founders of CHLA/ABSC (Canada) and remained one of its major advocates and leaders until his retirement. He also led the formation of the Health Libraries Association of British Columbia (HLABC) in 1978, and was elected to honorary life membership. Several awards are given to promising MLIS graduates in Bill's memory including the C. William Fraser Prize which is given to the graduating student at SLAIS who shows academic excellence and the most promise for a career in health librarianship. About the C. William Fraser PrizeThe C. William Fraser Prize is endowed by the College of Physicians & Surgeons, family, friends and colleagues in honour of C. William Fraser. The scholarship is awarded to a student in the School of Library, Archival and Information Studies and made on the recommendation of the School in consultation with the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Criteria: Graduating from the MLIS program and:
Personal reflectionsBill Fraser was one of my instructors in an introduction to medical libraries class I signed up for as a grad student at UBC's School of Library, Archival and Information Studies (SLAIS). For many aspiring medical librarians, Bill was a role model and inspiration. After I told him that I wanted to be a medical librarian, he said "Good choice; you'll be great". He might be surprised to see where I ended up (or, maybe just happy about it). Incidentally, I took on the medical libraries course at UBC teaching it for 20 years, and former students work across Canada as medical librarians. Pass it on, he would say. — Dean Giustini See also
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