The Board, Management and Staff of the Belize National Library Service and Information System would like to extend our sincere sympathies to the family of Miss Alice Gibson, past Chief Librarian from 1976-1978. Miss Gibson passed away on January 16, 2021.

Alice Gibson was born on September 3, 1923, in Belize City, Belize. Her subsequent life spanned a broad and varied career in the public service. With firm family roots in the Anglican Church, her early education was at St. John’s Primary School.

In addition to her chosen career as a librarian, Alice earlier participated in social work activities intended to help the poorer class of Belizeans, gathering information concerning poverty levels, teenage pregnancy and unemployment in south side Belize City.

Becoming involved with library development in Belize, she worked at the Jubilee Public Library, the forerunner of today’s Belize National Library Service. As Assistant Librarian in 1955, Alice Gibson became actively involved in establishing a reader’s group for girls; planning training courses for library personnel countrywide; contributing to rural library development, and assisting organizations in setting up libraries.

She became a qualified librarian in 1961 and was conferred with the degree of Associate of the Library Association by the British Library Association. Acting as Chief Librarian on several occasions, she herself was officially appointed to that position in 1976, until her retirement in 1978.

Alice Gibson, in subsequent years, became the librarian at Pallotti High School in Belize City, where she also taught Music Theory. As a prominent woman in Belizean society, she feels that more mothers should ensure that their children’s needs are met at home, at school, and through the Church. She was the mother of one male child, who preceded her in death.

May she rest in peace and rise in glory.

Ms. Alice Gibson – September 3, 1923 – January 16, 2021

First published by the Belize National Library Service and Information System