Freda Farrell Waldon

Freda Farrell Waldon (1898-1973) was the first president of the Canadian Library Association; she held that position in the year 1947. She also contributed to the writing of the brief which led to the establishment of the National Library of Canada.

In 1919 she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Toronto. In 1931 she earned a Master of Arts degree in English from Columbia University, and in 1931-32 she pursued a Carnegie Fellowship. She also earned a diploma from the School of Librarianship at the University of London.

In 1926 she began working as a substitute in the Circulation Department of the Hamilton Public Library, and in 1927 she was appointed as head of their Cataloging Department. In June 1940 she became the acting chief librarian of the Hamilton Public Library and later that year her position as such was made permanent. In 1942 she organized the first adult education conference in Hamilton. In 1950 she began the first Programme Planners Institute in Canada. In 1954 she received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from McMaster University for her contribution to Canadian librarianship. She also received the United Nations Award for Meritorious Service.

She was one of the founding members of the Head-of-the-Lake Historical Society and the Women's Committee of the Art Gallery of Hamilton.

She wrote Bibliography of Canadiana Published in Great Britain, 1519-1763, which was published in 1990 after being revised and expanded by another.

She was inducted into the Hamilton Gallery of Distinction in 1992.

Greenfield, J. Katherine. Hamilton Public Library 1889-1963 : a celebration of vision and leadership., Hamilton, Ont.:Hamilton Public Library, 1989. 139 p.
Mathews, Kathleen R. "Freda Farrell Waldon,1898-1973". Ex libris news. No.10 (Fall 1991). Pgs. 5-11
Skelly, Isabelle J. "Freda F Waldon". Feliciter. Vol. 19, no.8 (Dec. 1973). Pgs. 19-20

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