Excerpted from CCARE Newsletter, August 2022

Suz Bagstad: Four Decades

of Service in Camosun’s Ever-
Evolving Library

In the summer of 1980, I made my way to

Victoria, after living in the east Kootenays
(originally from Alberta). I was very lucky
to find a little two room oceanside cottage
in Otter Point with my partner at the time.
The cottage was rather rustic. It had
electricity, an airtight stove, a kitchen/wash
area and outhouse, but no phone service
or running water The constant rain
sounded like thunder on the corrugated
fibreglass roof. It was my initiation to the
west coast!
I started my job search with a copy of the
Victoria phone book and my resume which
I had typed on a clunky typewriter at the UVIC Library. I was keen to work at the
college but Camosun was on strike, so I had to wait several weeks before I could
apply.
The first job I applied for at Camosun was filled but HR did a wonderful thing -
they submitted my application for another job. I was thrilled and, before I knew it,
I was being interviewed by Catherine Winter (Library) and Betty Webb (Student
Services). I was offered a clerical job in the Director of Student Service’s office
with Al Fraser. So exciting!
After I had been working for a few weeks, I was told the real story of how I got
the job. The selection committee had a hard time deciding between me and a
former student aide. So, they actually tossed a coin. Interesting, as I lost the
coin toss bit was selected anyway. Such good fortune!
I started in the Ewing Building helping Betty with clerical duties and worked in
several other departments such as the Library and Student Affairs. It was fun
meeting so many amazing people, including: Marg MacLean, Rae Smith, Coby
Harrington, Ed Fougner, Patti McKnight, Catherine Winter, Phil Chiddell, Joyce
Parsons, Blake Handley, and Janet King.
 Excerpted from CCARE Newsletter, August 2022

After six months, my position became redundant but luck was in my favour, as a
position in the Library became available. Soon I was working full-time in the
Young Building Library. We had four Librarians - Phil Chiddell, Catherine Winter,
Sheila Howard and Richard Baer - plus one Library Technician, Sherry Burke,
and a secretary, Beryl Donaldson. Susan Friesen was the Library Supervisor
and the Library Assistants or clerks were: Joyce Parsons, Jean Johnston, Janet
King, Blake Handley (Carey Road) and myself. We also had several student
aides. At that time, student aides worked along side the Library Assistants on the
Loans Desk (circulation desk), something Student Aides no longer do.
It was amazing to work in the Young Building with the stained-glass windows and
the effigies. The Library was very compact - the book stacks were under the
balcony while the overflow were in the basement of the Ewing building. The
journals and magazines took over the stage. There were a few study tables with
the old-style library table lamps along with a few reference books at the
Research Help and Loans desks. The Library was always very busy and often
the study carrells on the balcony were full. Students had to access this area from
one floor above.

Young Building Library

 Excerpted from CCARE Newsletter, August 2022

Our Technical Services Assistant was the only person in the Library who had a
computer. Our catalogue was on microfiche which was fairly modern for the
time. Research was conducted using numerous books and directories - a very
cumbersome task, especially doing journal research. We had a multitudinous,
labour intensive, filing system that worked surprisingly well to track materials and
display holdings. Such things are now relics of the past, of course.

Library Personnel, 1982

L to R, Front: Diana Reeves, Susan Friesen, Rochelle Termehr, Ybo Plante
L to R, Back: Blake Handley, Suz Bagstad, Joyce Parsons, Phil Chiddell, Unknown,
Richard Baer, Al Fraser, Jean Johnston, Sheila Howard, Sherry Burke

When I started in the library, I was fairly green and excited to be surrounded by
so many resources and so much information. I loved the psychology books and
would often read course reserve articles on my breaks. Barb Latham’s women’s
studies reserves and Margorie Mitchell’s anthropology readings were of particular
interest. I was lucky to participate in several classes, including: Psychology with
John Conklin; Anthropology with Margorie Mitchell; and one of Patty Beatty-
 Excerpted from CCARE Newsletter, August 2022

Guenter’s Sociology classes. I also took several Library Technician courses that
were offered in conjunction with Vancouver Community College.
In 1982, the Library relocated to the Ewing Building and Ron Driedger was one of
the first new staff members to join the Library team. Eventually, I became
responsible for serials, which meant hand-receiving each periodical issued
documenting it on a special card. Each title had its own card and the cards were
filed in narrow drawers inside a metal cabinet that took up most of my desk.
I always thought that the Camosun Library was the best Library in Victoria to
work at as the staff were amazing and it was small enough to allow for variety in
the work. The Loans Desk was my favourite part of the job as I loved interacting
with students.
Over time, Catherine Winter and Richard Baer alternated at being Library Chair.
Marion Davidson became the Library Supervisor while the Library was still in the
Ewing Building. Around that time, I took over running the Carey Road Library
from Blake Handley. I was there for almost a decade (1986-1994).

Left:

Library at Carey
Road Campus

Carey Road
had its own
unique
character
being a small
campus with
just four main
programs: ESL; Office Administration; Access; Nautical. I worked with a part-time
staff member. Maureen Laughton, Elizabeth Peebles, and Helen Gray all took
turns in that position. Some of my new tasks were setting up the old 16mm film
projector and conducting library tours. At first, I was nervous about the tours but,
after taking a CES Public Speaking Class, I was on my way.
 Excerpted from CCARE Newsletter, August 2022

Some of the Carey Road Folks, 1994

Front row: Toni Burton, Helen Gray , Suz Bagstad, Rae Smith, Patty Beatty-Guenter, Wendy
Stevenson, Helen Baker, Laureen O'Dowd, Pat Hughes
Middle row: Susan Smedley, John Evans, Carole Oliver, Cindy Shields,
Ann Brix, Elizabeth Peebles.
Back row: Vito Marzovilla, Jack Crane, Graham Haig, Mark Bissley,
Jamie Baird

Since Carey was so small and had little student space, we set up a lounge area
where students could eat and read. Students were also resourceful in finding
ways to meet their needs - once I found a student cutting hair in the meeting
area. I also served as the campus First Aide Attendant and, a few years later, I
became the campus Harassment Advisor.
To me, the mid-80’s to mid-90’s, was the golden era of the College as there was
a lot of cohesion, a real sense of community and, as always, students were our
priority. Carey Road was the location of the famous slow pitch league that was
the brainchild of Graham Matthews. The league was focused more on having
fun than being particularly skilled, so it was perfect for me, being as how I am not
exceptionally athletically inclined. Blake Handley, Richard Baer and I were the
Library/AV employees that played on the league. It brought all employee groups
 Excerpted from CCARE Newsletter, August 2022

Interurban Campus Library Personnel, 1995

L to R: Louise Oetting, Suz Bagstad, Patrice Palmerino, Sheila Cooper, Claire Dolsen,
Marion Davidson

and campuses together

Halloween, 2012 and was bonding for the
L to R: Peggy Chorney, Cindy Feher, Suz, Debbie Webb. College community. It was
a very happy, creative,
and productive time at the
College
At the end of 1994, Carey
Road closed and most of
the students and
employees moved to
Interurban. We had a
brand-new building
(Campus Centre) and
Library waiting for us.
Helen Gray went to AV
and I was joined by Sheila
Howard (Librarian), Sheila
Cooper, Claire Dolsen, Louise Oetting and Patrice Palmerino in the new library.
Margie Clarke soon joined the team. It was wonderful being in a bigger library.
 Excerpted from CCARE Newsletter, August 2022

We had multiple shelves for expansion for many years moving forward. Little did
we know that we would replace many of the shelves with computers and no
longer need ‘directory type’ reference books. A year or so later, I returned to
Lansdowne after being away from that campus for over a decade, it was fun
seeing old faces and the many new faces. Then, in 2006, I went back to
Interurban and, at that time, I also worked on the Health and Safety Committee.
In 2013, I officially retired
but, later that fall, I returned
as a casual employee
working mostly on the
Loans Desks at both
campuses. I was instantly
back to doing what I
enjoyed most. My thanks
to Sybil Harrison, Donna
Blair, Debbie Webb, and
Megan Nelson for making
this possible.
When the College shut Suz Bagstad (far right) at the CCARE Reunion in 2015 with
Jackie Eddy, Jan Martin and Eileen Green
down in early 2020, I was
suddenly no longer
working. After several months of being off, I decided that it was time to fully retire
after almost four decades. It was the right time as I was keen to continue
focusing on my new
interest in life
coaching.
During the last
couple of years, I’ve
been working from
home as a life
coach, both with
individuals and
groups in short and
longer trainings.
Becoming a coach
Suz (second from left) with life coach colleagues began with my love
of learning and self-
development. About
 Excerpted from CCARE Newsletter, August 2022

12 years ago, I discovered a new course via my email inbox on how to live your
life fully, from the inside out. It was a deep dive into the subtle ways that I had
been showing up and the meaning that I had
been making about myself and life. Through the
training, I experienced new insights and tools to
live a happier, richer, and more empowering life.
I was hungry for more, so I continued taking
courses. Eventually, I was invited to become a
coach which was a bit scary and a big stretch. A
few years after being certified, I decided to more
deeply embody the work by auditing a new class
of coaches. Soon, I was on my way to LA where
I connected with the body of mentor coaches
and all the fresh new coaches. My auditing plan,
quickly morphed into mentoring my own small
group of coaches-in-training and I’ve been
coaching and mentor coaches ever since. It’s
been a lot of stretching and growing which has
been fun and rewarding. Right now, I’m taking a
break from mentoring, and work with only a few
clients, so that I have more space in my life. Suz in the winter forest

These days, you can find me wandering through the

parks and the forest identifying the local flora and fauna. I’m more of a
homebody so I haven’t ventured further than Alberta, though I travel to Quadra
and Cortes Islands, and to Coombs to visit the Medicine Horses. I’m usually at
the Esquimalt Markets, doing yoga at the park when it’s sunny, and hiking in
Thetis Lake Park regardless of the weather.
It’s always fun to bump into Camosunites! I feel so lucky to have worked at
Camosun. It really was an amazing and special time. I’m forever grateful for all
my years at Camosun and all the wonderful people that I worked with there.