It is with great sadness that we inform you that Sylvia Crooks, Professor Emerita of the School of Information, passed away peacefully in Vancouver on May 26, 2022. Born in Nelson, BC, Sylvia arrived in Vancouver in 1954 to pursue a BA degree in English and History at the University of British Columbia. After graduation, Sylvia and her husband, Michael, moved to New Haven, Connecticut, where Michael completed his doctorate at Yale University. Sylvia developed a lifelong interest in librarianship while working at the Yale University Library.
After returning to Vancouver, Sylvia returned to UBC to pursue a Master’s degree in Library Science, graduating with top honours in 1983. Sylvia then joined the faculty of the School of Library, Archival and Information Studies, as we were then called. She was one of our faculty members for 16 years and taught in our School until retiring in 2002.
Sylvia was nationally recognized as an authority in Library Science. She was an active member of the BC Library Association (BCLA) and the BC library community for many years. She served as President of BCLA from 1992 to 1993. She was also awarded a BCLA Honourary Membership in 1996 and the BCLA President’s Award in 2000-2001 in recognition of her service to the association and to libraries in the province.
Sylvia will be remembered fondly as an endlessly selfless and compassionate influence on the lives of everybody who knew her. A celebration of life will be held at the Jack Poole Hall, at the UBC Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre, on Friday, July 8, at 1:00 p.m. You may click here to RSVP for this ceremony.
