Alice Gibson

Alice Gibson (3 September 1923 – 16 January 2021) was a chief librarian from Belize active in development of the country's library system. Beginning her career as a social worker, she became interested in fostering libraries throughout the country. She earned a degree from the British Library Service and founded libraries throughout the country. She worked at Pallotti High School in Belize City.

Biography

Alice Gibson was born on 3 September 1923, in Belize City, British Honduras.^[1] She attended St. John’s Primary School. In her early career, she worked as a social worker and assisted in collecting data on poverty in Belize, including teenage pregnancy, and unemployment. She was a librarian and has been active in development of a library system for the country. She began as an assistant librarian in 1955 and founded reading groups for girls. She was qualified as a librarian in 1961 earning "Associate of the Library Association" degree from the British Library Association (as it was then known).^[1]

Gibson traveled the country training library personnel and developing rural libraries,^[1] helping to establish several dozen in the country.^[2] In 1976, she was appointed to Chief Librarian for the country and maintained that position until her retirement in 1978.^[1] After retirement, Gibson returned to work and in 1993, was serving as the principal librarian of the National Library Service.^[3] She later served as the head of the library at the Pallotti High School for girls of Belize City.^[2] In 2006, she was honored, along with other Chief Librarians, for contributions to the development of libraries in Belize.^[4]

She died in January 2021 at the age of 97.^[5]

References