News Releases

The UWI community mourns loss of former Campus and University Librarian Dr Alma Jordan

For Release Upon Receipt - January 24, 2022

St. Augustine


“A leading light in the profession of Librarianship throughout the Caribbean” 

The University of the West Indies (UWI) St Augustine Campus, January 24, 2022. The St. Augustine Campus of The University of the West Indies (The UWI) mourns the passing of Dr Alma Jordan, Campus Librarian of its main library from 1960 to 1989, serving also as University Librarian from 1982 to her retirement in 1989. Indeed, as part of this Campus’s 50th Anniversary celebrations in 2010, the main library was renamed the Alma Jordan Library in her honour and in recognition of her contributions to this country and the region.

Dr Jordan graduated with honours with a BA in Spanish from London University and held a Doctorate in Library Science from Columbia University. She wrote extensively on Caribbean librarianship and recommended archival work for The UWI campuses. She also served as part of a body responsible for formulating plans for the creation of the National Library and Information System Authority (NALIS) and was a foundation member of the national library association and first president (1969-70) of the Association of Caribbean University Research and Institutional Libraries (ACURIL).

In 1989, the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago presented her with the Hummingbird Medal (Gold).

Campus Librarian Mr. Frank Soodeen reflected that the staff at the Alma Jordan Library had been faithful in maintaining and developing Dr. Jordan’s vision, ideals, and core values.

“I continue to respect and be in awe of the passion, dedicated duty, and energy of Dr. Jordan, who would have worked tirelessly, for example, to ensure that the Library building was constructed in the 1960’s when she herself was a young woman in her thirties, demonstrating that pioneering spirit that we would do well in the present to emulate.

She has been a leading light in the profession of Librarianship throughout the Caribbean and an inspiration to all of us who had the opportunity to interact or work with her during her career.” 

End 

About The UWI 

The UWI has been and continues to be a pivotal force in every aspect of Caribbean development; residing at the centre of all efforts to improve the well-being of people across the region. 

From a university college of London in Jamaica with 33 medical students in 1948, The UWI is today an internationally respected, global university with near 50,000 students and five campuses: Mona in Jamaica, St. Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago, Cave Hill in Barbados, Five Islands in Antigua and Barbuda and its Open Campus, and 10 global centres in partnership with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa and Europe. 

The UWI offers over 800 certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Culture, Creative and Performing Arts, Food and Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities and Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science and Technology, Social Sciences, and Sport. As the Caribbean’s leading university, it possesses the largest pool of Caribbean intellect and expertise committed to confronting the critical issues of our region and wider world. 

The UWI has been consistently ranked among the top universities globally by the most reputable ranking agency, Times Higher Education (THE). In the latest World University Rankings 2022, released in September 2021, The UWI moved up an impressive 94 places from last year. In the current global field of some 30,000 universities and elite research institutes, The UWI stands among the top 1.5%. 

The UWI is the only Caribbean-based university to make the prestigious lists since its debut in the rankings in 2018. In addition to its leading position in the Caribbean, it is also in the top 20 for Latin America and the Caribbean and the top 100 global Golden Age universities (between 50 and 80 years old).  The UWI is also featured among the leading universities on THE’s Impact Rankings for its response to the world’s biggest concerns, outlined in the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Good Health and Wellbeing; Gender Equality and Climate Action. 

For more, visit www.uwi.edu. 

(Please note that the proper name of the university is The University of the West Indies, inclusive of the “The”, hence The UWI.)

 

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