by Anne Matthewman, Sarah Stevenson, and Marlo MacKay

We would like to wish Learning & Instruction Librarian Deborah Hemming the very best as she leaves Dalhousie to take a position at Acadia University.

Deborah joined the Dal Libraries in January 2020, initially for a 12-month contract to cover a parental leave. We extended her contract into 2021 to cover a special leave, providing much-needed continuity of service through the unique circumstances posed by COVID-19.

Deborah quickly established herself as a valued colleague at the Dalhousie Libraries and is known for being an engaged, innovative, and hard-working team player. During her time at Dalhousie she has worked on several projects, most notably Research Bootcamp, which she successfully transitioned from a suite of in-person sessions to a completely virtual experience in 2020, just after her first few months with us.

Deborah participated in an online presentation with Associate Dean Learning & Teaching Anne Matthewman about the role the library plays in academic integrity. She also worked on a number of tutorials and other presentations. Deborah co-chaired the Dalhousie Libraries Literary Committee and assisted with hosting and production duties on virtual literary events with McCulloch Emeritus Professor in English J.A. Wainwright, Raddall Award winner Michael Crummy and the other Raddall Award nominees, and the Atlantic Canada book launch for a novel by Bonita Lawrence.

In addition to her Learning & Instruction and liaison librarian duties, Deborah co-supervised the Killam-based SIM interns, making her Dalhousie Libraries journey come full-circle, having worked as a SIM intern herself in the Killam Library in 2016. While with us, Deborah also celebrated a significant personal achievement with the launch of her first novel, Throw Down Your Shadows.

Deborah is leaving Dalhousie a few months early to take a librarian position at Acadia University, which is much closer to where she lives! We wish her every success at Acadia.