Senior Photo Librarian to Receive the Badge of Honour for Long and Faithful Service

Senior Photo Librarian, Maxine Juliet Shrouder, is being honoured by the Government for four decades of sterling work in the field of communication and media through the Jamaica Information Service (JIS).

On National Heroes Day (October 21), Ms. Shrouder is to receive the Badge of Honour for Long and Faithful Service, during the annual investiture ceremony at King’s House.

“I feel so excited about this award. I didn’t see it coming at all. I received a call from Julie Clarke at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) on Tuesday (August 6) saying that I have been awarded for my work with the Badge of Honour,” Ms. Shrouder told JIS News.

“I asked her if she was sure she had called the right person, and she said, ‘Yes, aren’t you Maxine Shrouder?’. I told her thank you; you have made my day!” she recounted.

Ms. Shrouder’s entry into the field was an unexpected one, as she was thinking about going to a teachers’ college.

“I didn’t have maths, and so when I saw an advertisement in the newspaper for a course in library studies, I decided to apply for that as well. I got a Certificate in Librarianship from Excelsior Community College, after which I graduated with a Degree in Library Studies,” she stated.

“In those days, things weren’t as sophisticated, and the records were not digitised. We had to do our work manually using catalogue cards, marking them with a pen and recording them in filing cabinets. It was really time-consuming,” explained the veteran librarian.

“Today, we have gone high-tech, and everything is online. Research can be done expeditiously, leaving our internal and external customers more satisfied,” she added.

With this level of advancement, Miss Shrouder is ensuring that the knowledge is being passed on.

“I believe in sharing the know-how with my assistants; I hold nothing back. I literally pour into them. I don’t just show them what to do, I walk them through the process, imparting vital information,” she said.

“One could say that is the formula for my success – learning from those who were the gurus when I was a neophyte, building on it, and sharing it. This is what has kept the department progressing seamlessly. Also, my people here are so happy for me,” she added.

Ms. Shrouder shared with JIS News that her close friends and family are very proud of her.

“They are even more thrilled than I am. They all want to be at the awards ceremony, but I tell them I am only allowed to take my three children and my mom,” the Senior Photo Librarian said.

The dedicated librarian is no stranger to awards, having been officially acknowledged by the Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ), the Jamaica Civil Service Association (JCSA), as well as the JIS.

“I greatly cherish the accolades I have garnered over the years, but I must say that this award is very special. I am heartened by it. I don’t work for fame or popularity but for the joy I get in helping others,” Ms. Shrouder stated.