Each year, authors from all disciplines at SFU publish hundreds of works, including articles, books, and research papers, as well as contributions to anthologies, journals, and textbooks. These authors are faculty academics, administrative staff, alumni, and even students. On March 26 the SFU Library will host the sixth annual Celebration of SFU Authors to recognize university-affiliated authors.
The event began in an effort to draw attention to books authored or co-authored by SFU members, which had a lower degree of discoverability compared to journal articles. The SFU Library hosts and supports peer-reviewed journal databases, which are then accessible through an open system independent from their source material.
However, there was no system in place to ensure bookrelated publications were also catalogued and added to the SFU Library Collection. The first annual Celebration of SFU Authors was in 2007.
That first year, more than 80 authors were included in the celebration, including literary bigwigs George Bowering and poet Roy Miki. The event honours any “faculty, students, staff, alumni and retired university community members who authored or co-authored a book, or its equivalent, within the past year.” This year includes 113 authors who have published more than 120 works, including Gail S. Anderson, associate professor and undergraduate program director in the School of Criminology, who also participated in 2007.
“It’s nice to be appreciated and to be recognized by the university,” says Anderson, who was the first full-time forensic entomologist in Canada. Her research has been used to identify victims, suspects, determining the cause of death, and recently, to help convict Robert Pickton. When she participated in the first Celebration of SFU Authors, “it was the first time I’d published a book, so it was neat for me to be involved.”
Her new publication is a textbook intended for police officers-in-training, and is coauthored by a retired police officer and a lawyer.
Over the past six years, the criteria for submissions to the celebration has changed as they have “redefined the parameters, updating and including new types of works” explains Chuck Eckman, dean of library services since 2010.
“Our default is inclusive rather than exclusive.” Works submitted now include “authored, co-authored, or edited books or chapters; illustrated books; musical compositions; art exhibit catalogs; and audio or video recordings.”
Last year was the first year they included an original translation: David Scott Hamilton was a finalist for the 75th annual Governor General Award for French to English translation of Nelly Arcan’s Coups de tete (English title: Exit). The submission form now inquires about any award nominations or accolades.
“Catherine [Louie] and Angela [Raasch] are the stars behind the project,” credits Eckman. They send out calls for submissions, obtain qualifying works, catalogue the submissions, prepare bibliographic data, coordinate the reception, and prepare marketing materials for the reception. Both individuals work for the SFU Library in the department of management and administration; Catherine is the library assistant and Angela is the manager of administrative services.
The bookstore is a quiet partner of the event. Most of these books will be added to the SFU Library Collection following the event, except in rare cases, such as children’s books or very specialized publications.
The event helps build relationships within the university community and celebrates faculty, staff, and alumni. All SFU-affiliated individuals are welcome to send in submissions, provided they are recent publications.
A book display will be placed in the WAC Bennet Library on the Burnaby campus in the third floor foyer. The Celebration for SFU Authors reception will take place on March 26, 2013 at 3:00 pm on the 7th floor of the WAC Bennett Library in the Wosk Room–Special Collections.
