b. Jan. 23, 1943, Ottawa, ON; d Sept. 12, 2017, Winchester, ON

1963 BA (Carleton University)

1963-1966 Teacher, North Dundas District High School, Chesterville, ON and Bell High School, Ottawa, ON
1966-2001 Library and Archives Canada
1966 Archivist, National Map Collection, Public Archives of Canada
1967 Head, Cataloguing Unit, National Map Collection
1972 Head, Canadian Section
1974-2001 Director, National Map Collection (Cartographic and Architectural Archives Division, Cartographic and Audio-Visual Archives Division)
2001 Director, Visual and Sound Archives

Betty Kidd published various reports, reviews and articles. The following is a selective list of her works.

Kidd, Betty (1970). County atlases of Canada: a descriptive catalogue. Ottawa: National Map Collection.

Kidd, Betty, with Karen Lochhead (1971). “The National Map Collection of Canada.” SLA Geography and Map Division Bulletin 85 (September): 2-12.

Kidd, Betty (1973). “International Conference on the History of Cartography [conference report.]” ACML Bulletin 13 (October): 32-33.

Kidd, Betty (1975). Using maps in tracing your family history. Ottawa: Ontario Genealogical Society, Ottawa Branch.

Kidd, Betty (1976). “Maps and atlases: a new world in rare book and manuscript collection [conference report].” ACML Bulletin 22 (October): 6-7.

Kidd, Betty and Louis Cardinal (1977). “Map user in libraries and archives.” ACML Bulletin 23 (January): 12-20.

Kidd, Betty (1979). “Information systems in the National Map Collection: a status report.” ACML Bulletin 30 (March): 41-44.

Kidd, Betty (1979). Map collections in Canada and conservation: a report based on responses to a questionnaire distributed by the Conservation Committee. Ottawa: Association of Canadian Map Libraries.

Kidd, Betty (1980). “Response from the National Map Collection concerning the National Librarian’s recent proposals.” ACML Bulletin 34 (March): 7-19.

Kidd, Betty (1980). “Preventative conservation for map collections.” Special Libraries 71 (December): 529-538.

Kidd, Betty (1981). “The administration of a large map collection.” Library Trends 29 (Winter): 473-481.

Kidd, Betty (1982). “A brief history of the National Map Collection at the Public Archives of Canada.” Archivaria 13 (Winter): 3-22.

Kidd, Betty (1982). “A selective bibliography of works by L.M. Sebert.” ACML Bulletin 42 (March): 16-19.

Kidd, Betty (1982). “Exhibiting a county map.” ACML Bulletin 42 (March): 53-54.

Kidd, Betty (2002). “ACMLA ‘founding fathers and mothers’: an interview with Betty (May) Kidd.” ACMLA Bulletin 113 (Winter): 21-25.

Kidd, Betty (2002). “Review of the ACMLA Monographic Publication Program, with recommendations for the future: Interim report.” ACMLA Bulletin 114 (Spring/Summer): 35-40.

Kidd, Betty (2003). “Digitization of cartographic materials: National Archives of Canada.” Microform & Imaging Review 32, no. 1: 27-36.

Association of Canadian Map Libraries and Archives (ACMLA) (formerly Association of Canadian Map Libraries [ACML])

1970-1971 Chair, National Union Catalogue Committee
1970-1971 Treasurer, ACMLA
1971-1973 Chair, Directory Revision Committee
1972-1973 Chair, Publications, Committee
1973-1974 President, ACMLA
1974-1975 Past President, ACMLA
1974-1975 Chair, Nominating Committee
1975-1985 Chair, Conservation Committee
2002-2006 Chair, Publications Committee

1986 Recipient, ACMLA Honours Award
2007 Honorary Member, ACMLA

Betty was one of the founding members of the Association of Canadian Map Libraries and Archives, and assumed an active role in the Association. When she was nominated as an Honorary Member of the Association in 2007 for her role and service, it was noted that Betty also gave “encouragement and opportunity to her staff to attend meetings, hold office, and participate in the work of the Association. She acted as counsel and supporter of Board members, providing a home for the Association during her tenure at the LAC [Library and Archives Canada].”

When Betty received the ACMLA Honours Award in 1986, Lou Sebert made these remarks about Betty: “In her work beyond the walls of the NMC [National Map Collection], Betty has been a contributing editor of Imago Mundi, Cartographica and the Bulletin of the Special Libraries Association (Geography and Map Division). She is a founding member of ACML and is a member of the Topographic Research Committee of the Canadian Permanent Committee on Geographic Names. Betty has long been aware of the value of the ACML, and it is no exaggeration to say that our Association would not be in its present strong position without her unfailing support.”

Betty also served on the boards of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and the Russell Historical Society / Keith M. Boyd Museum.

Betty retired in 2001 ending a career of thirty-five years. Throughout her years at Library and Archives Canada, “Betty was closely associated with the development of the departmental cartographic programs and that of the Canadian and international map preservation community.”

ACMLA Bulletins Accessed Jan. 15, 2018.
Betty Kidd Obituary Accessed Jan. 15, 2018.
WorldCat