This evening I am trying to decide whether or not I am happy there is no horizontal rain. Ultimately, I decide, I am happy. The reason for my concern is that this, the evening of Nov. 29th, 2010, is the night that two of my peers, Deirdre O’Reilly and Amy Paterson, and I are to give CLA president Keith Walker a tour of Studley Campus. Keith Walker works from Medicine Hat Alberta and I am keen to have him experience the Atlantic Coast in all its glory. Since the skies are clear I am glad that the three hosts Mr. Walker will soon meet have enough hospitality and character to compensate for the lack of local weather systems.
So, I introduce myself to Keith Walker, he puts his Blackberry away and does the same, and I have barely ensured his well being before my fellow tour guides arrive and all four of us set off for a whirlwind tour of Dalhousie’s history.
Did you know that Studley Campus is the third tract of land purchased by the university, rather than the place of origin? Did you know that some of the original buildings on Studley Campus had their windows, doors and a roof blown out during the Halifax explosion, an event that occurred on the opposite side of the Halifax peninsula? Did you know that the Henry Hicks building, the architecture of which has become a symbolic fixture of Dalhousie university was not constructed until the 1950’s, more than 100 years after the university was established!?! Well, neither did I until a week before Nov. 29th. Just like a proper report, or job interview, so to you can’t give a good tour without doing the proper research.
Might I suggest that if any of you have to give a tour of campus to a visiting official, dignitary, or family member that you check out the website The Buildings of Dalhousie before they arrive. Otherwise you might have to rely on some creative story telling and an arbitrary date, such as 1832, as a certain president of CLA once had to do.
All in all the tour was a blast. Keith Walker assured us that he had enjoyed our company and conversations. In return I too was very glad to have had the opportunity to walk and talk with him. Keith Walker is very in touch with the necessity of physical library space, as much as he is aware of the need for technological change within these spaces.
Of course these are my own personal observations and reflections. I strongly urge you to meet the man himself and form your own opinions when he returns to Halifax for this years CLA conference May 25 – 28th at the World trade Convention Center. The call for volunteers will be posted on the conference website in early April 2011. Hopefully you can come and together we can all bring enough character and hospitality to the conference to overshadow the need for extravagant weather during those days as well.