About

Hi, I am Eric, a retired librarian. I was born in St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto and raised in the downtown area north of the Art Gallery, south of the University of Toronto.  I went to Orde Street Public School, Harbord C.I., University College at the UofT and the UofT’s Faculty of Library and Information Science. I meet my wife Patricia at FLIS; our first date was on November 15, 1968.  We were engaged February 14, 1969 and married on June 21, 1969. Our family includes son, James; daughter-in-law, Erin; (both writers), granddaughters, Vivian and Eleanor; and Sonic, a very friendly ginger tabby. My beloved Patricia died January 7, 2017 and our 19 year old cat died January 8, 2017.

My first professional librarian position was with the Ontario Department of University Affairs.  I soon moved on to a position with the Provincial Library Service.  I have more than 35 years’ experience (includes 22 as a professional librarian and 6 as a trustee) working with public libraries  in Ontario. My time in the Ontario Ministry Of Citizenship, Culture and Recreation gave me extensive experience with computer applications in libraries. Since leaving the Ministry, I have completed the NRI Schools’ Computer Programming course with highest honours.

I retired to Kitchener in 1991.  I have served on the Kitchener Public Library Board and the SOLS Saugeen Trustees’ Council, on Kitchener’s LACAC (now Heritage Kitchener), on the Mayor’s Advisory Council for Kitchener Seniors (MACKS), and the Breithaupt Seniors Advisory Council. For a number of years, I tutored for the Southern Ontario Library Service’s  Excel: a certificate programme in managing a small public library.

I would like to hear from any other class of ’63 alumni of Harbord C.I. and class of ’67 alumni of UofT’s University College.

You can send me an e-mail at ecbow@gto.net