Awards totalling $1,800 have been made available through an endowment established by Barb Hart Harris (B.A. 1957, M.Ed.), in memory of her daughter Gayle J. E. Harris (B.A., M.L.I.S. 1999), for domestic M.L.I.S. students who have encountered social and/or economic barriers to accessing a graduate-level education. Preference will be given to students who demonstrate a commitment to public and/or community service.
Eligibility
- Continuing in MLIS or Dual program
After graduating from UBC, Gayle worked as the Children’s Librarian at the Whalley Branch and its replacement, the Surrey City Centre Library, for 20 years. Gayle was passionate about serving the literacy development needs of the diverse Whalley community and was instrumental in bringing early literacy programming to Surrey Libraries. She was particularly proud of her role as the organizer of the Surrey Libraries’ Young Adult Writing Contest, which she expanded over 14 years.
During her time at UBC, Gayle received a number of bursaries and awards that supported her education and rewarded her for academic achievement. The bursary that Gayle received as she transitioned into the second-year of the M.L.I.S. program is the specific motivation for Barb to establish this award in Gayles memory, in order to support students who have experienced their own barriers to accessing education. The awards are made on the recommendation of the School of Information, in consultation with the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.