Yesterday, the Dalhousie Libraries staff bade a fond farewell to Helen Powell after a long and successful career at the Sexton Library. A gathering of colleagues in the Alumni Lounge on the Sexton campus, complete with delicious hors d’oeuvres, a beautiful lemon cake (Helen’s favourite) and greetings from colleagues in other provinces, made the afternoon complete.

A Dalhousie graduate, Helen started her career in school libraries. In 1987, she started working at the TUNS Library (the Technical University of Nova Scotia, which would become the Sexton Campus of Dalhousie University in 1997). She was Head of Technical Services. 

From 1993-1997, Helen served as the Head of Public Services for the TUNS Library. When the TUNS Library became the Sexton Library, she continued in this capacity for another ten years, adding Assistant Design & Technology Librarian to her public service duties. 

In 2008, Helen became the Head of the Sexton Library. In this capacity, Helen guided the Sexton Library staff through the transition from a full-service library to a primarily public-service library. In addition to her work at the Sexton Library, Helen had a number of other roles and tackled other related projects as well. She was a member of the Dalhousie Libraries’ Senior Management Team, she served as Chair of the Novanet Task Force on Document Delivery, she established the fee-based Technical Library Research service, she was the subject specialist for Architecture & Planning and Mechanical Engineering, she served as an elected senator for Dal and she was president of the Dalhousie Faculty Association, to name just a few accomplishments.

Helen brought a wealth of experience and knowledge to everything she did. She is well known and respected in both the Faculty of Engineering and the Faculty of Architecture & Planning. Donna Bourne-Tyson, the University Librarian of Dalhousie, said, “Helen will be missed. She always had a valuable perspective and upmost concern for staff. She was a great advocate for the Sexton Library and for the Dalhousie Libraries.”

Please join us in congratulating Helen on a successful career and wishing her the very best in her retirement.