Linda Winkler, a longtime University of Regina librarian responsible for rare books collection in the Archer Library, has won CAUT’s Acade­mic Librarians’ Distinguished Service Award.

The national award recognizes academic librarians or other academic staff whose contributions have advanced the status and/or working conditions of librarians at Canadian universities and colleges. Since its inception in 1994, only nine indivi­duals have received the award.

Winkler, described as an inspiration for academic librarians, was awarded based on her sustained contributions to the status of librarians — ranging from local projects to those of national scope — in a career spanning almost 40 years in a Canadian university library.

In addition to her librarian duties, Winkler was active in the Univer­sity of Regina Faculty Association from its earliest days and was involved in the successful effort to ensure librarians were included in the faculty association’s original certification order in 1977. Since then, she has worked with URFA in many capacities: as a long-serving member and chair of the grievance committee; as an even longer-term member of the executive; and twice as a member of the negotiating team. Moreover, she wrote the criteria for promotion and tenure for librarians, which were passed by the university’s library council — a council she was active in shaping.

Winkler also served for many years on the board of the Saskat­che­wan Library Association, including five as the director for academic libraries, and has given numerous presentations at professional conferences across the country on issues related to collective bargaining and academic librarians.

She was also active throughout CAUT, serving as a member and then chair of the librarians’ committee, responsible for monitoring and reporting on current labour issues of relevance to academic librarians at the national level. As well as working away on committee tasks, she played a key role in drafting two of CAUT’s foremost documents representing the interests of academic librarians. She was also the driving force behind the establishment of the librarian’s award, given by CAUT.

Presenting the award, Erin Patterson, chair of CAUT’s librarians’ and archivists’ committee, described Winkler as a worthy recipient whose contributions are of lasting significance in improving the status and working conditions of academic librarians at the local, regional and national levels.

“Her longstanding commitment has led to a legacy of service, advo­cacy and accomplishments that make her superbly suited to receive the award that she was so instrumental in establishing nearly 20 years ago,” she said.

Winkler collected her award to a standing ovation at CAUT’s Council meeting in Ottawa Nov. 30.