Head Librarians

For the first nearly 60 years of its existence, the library was not managed by a professional librarian, but rather a faculty member who would oversee its operations and library staff. The head librarians, from 1898 to the present (with two honourable mentions) are: 

  • Dr. W. G. L. Spaulding, 1898-1906 
  • Dr. W. E. Cummer, 1906-1910 
  • Dr. C. A. Kennedy, 1910-1912, 1913-1915, 1917-1937 
  • Dr. A. D. A. Mason, 1912-1913 
  • Dr. Wallace Seccombe, 1915-1917 
  • Dr. E. W. Paul, 1937-1948 
  • Dr. J. H. Johnson, 1948-1954 
  • Phyllis M. Smith, 1954-1978 
  • Susan Goddard, 1978-1997 
  • Stephanie Walker, 1997-2003 
  • Margaret Fulford, 2003-2007 
  • Helen He, 2007 to present 
  • Honourable mentions: Dr. D.W. Gullett and Dr. Jack Dale, who were not officially appointed librarians but were deeply dedicated to the library (4). 

For more information on the faculty librarians, please see the exhibit on faculty librarians created for the library's 125th anniversary.

Phyllis Smith.jpg

Photo of Phyllis Smith from the shoulders up, an older woman with short hair. Photo courtesy Jeff Comber.

Ms. Phyllis Smith

Phyllis Smith was the first professional librarian to oversee the library as Head Librarian from 1954 until her retirement in 1978. She contributed greatly to the organization of the library’s collection. Under her leadership, the library’s vertical file was assembled and an extensive bibliography on the history of dentistry in Canada was created. She also catalogued the library’s rare book collection (4).