Friday, April 20, 2018

Staff Notes: Farewell to Sharon Britton

Sharon Britton has retired from her position as Sawyer Library Director, and we wish her well in all her future kayaking, biking and family visiting pursuits!

Speech in honor of Sharon delivered May 30 2018:


Hello everyone! Thank you for coming to support Sharon Britton, the Mildred F. Sawyer Library Director until 5:00pm today when she might actually retire from Suffolk University and full time academic librarianship

We have all had an opportunity to work with Sharon as she engaged in events, projects and committees across campus. Sharon has probably attended every single community event held in this Poetry Center, and her commitment to the Employees Activity Council (EAC) programming ranges from regular First Friday SU spirit displays to last-second intensive decoration support for planned events. Sharon tirelessly advocates for the library’s interests at the Teaching Innovation Learning and Technology (TILT) Committee, Faculty and Professional Learning Community (FPLC), and at any “space meeting” she can politely muscle her way into. As Sharon has set the example for strong campus engagement, I believe you would agree that you are seeing librarians in more places across campus.

Within the library walls, Sharon has emphasized open communication, maintaining an open-door policy for staff to engage her in everything from feisty discussions about professional librarianship to compassionate (and confidential) personal conversations. Sharon has devoted much of her attention to increasing collaboration between departments on library-wide projects and enhancing library services for all users. As library director, Sharon oversaw the completion of the Sawyer Library Commons which grew seating and collaborative space for student use within the library. Sharon also supervised the integration of the former NESAD library’s collection with the Sawyer library collection, and welcomed the Moakley Archive and Institute as a new department of Sawyer library.
Sharon has led Sawyer library with sincerity and care for the past 5 years; please join me as we thank her tremendously for her service.