Sheila Dowd began her 35-year career at the UC Berkeley Library in 1953 after serving as a librarian for two years for the U.S. Army in Heidelberg, Germany and two more years with the U.S. Information Service in Marseille, France. For two decades Sheila developed Berkeley’s map collection and her passion for maps would lead to her being forever remembered as the “Mother of WAML (the Western Association of Map Libraries).”
In 1974 she was named Assistant University Librarian of the Department of Collection Development and Reference Services. During her tenure as head of collections Sheila shaped the library's overall collections, oversaw 65 librarians and built a national reputation for the collection. From the CU News, “Sheila’s intelligence, dedication, and humor made her a gifted leader. She embraced the chance to serve the world’s best researchers by building a collection that met their needs. Her national reputation encompassed roles in ALA, ARL, and the Research Libraries Groups.” When Sheila retired in 1988 she was awarded the university’s highest honor, the Berkeley citation, for distinguished service.
Contributed by Dana Gordon, Library Gifts Officer
Read more:
The Sheila Dowd Memorial
Interview of Sheila Dowd on WAML