Mary Donaldson (1908-1966)

Mary Donaldson, 1955. Photo courtesy Saskatchewan Archives Board. #55-446-01

Mary Elizabeth Donaldson was born in Brandon, Manitoba in 1908. She received a B.A.
from the University of Alberta in 1928 and a B.Sc. in Library Science from the University of Toronto in 1929. She started her professional career as a cataloguer in Toronto and Edmonton Public Libraries, and the University of Saskatchewan, where she served briefly as chief cataloguer before transferring to Saskatoon Public Library as chief assistant librarian in 1945.

In 1948, she headed a group of Canadian librarians attending the International Summer School for Librarians in Manchester, England. Thereafter, she maintained a keen interest in library development throughout the world and was an active participant in library association affairs at all levels. From 1951 until her death in 1966, she held the position of Provincial Librarian for Saskatchewan.

She also served as President of the Canadian Library Association from 1956 to 1957.
To honour her memory, the Saskatchewan Library Association established the Mary Donaldson Trust. In May 1967, the Trust began providing a public Memorial Lecture Series to honour her memory. Ten years later, the Mary Donaldson Award of Merit was established to recognize library support workers and the essential services that they perform in Saskatchewan libraries.