Freda Otchere Staff Recognition Award

About the award

The Freda Otchere Staff Recognition Award is established to encourage and reward staff currently working for the Concordia Library whose commitment and professionalism reflect the values exemplified by Freda Otchere.

This award is made possible through the generous gift of Dr. Dan Otchere, Associate Professor of Economics at Concordia University, who created the Freda Otchere Endowment Fund in 2010 in honour of his wife. From 1970 to 2004, Freda Otchere served the Concordia University Library as cataloguer and Head of Database Maintenance. Her exemplary service to the Concordia community is warmly remembered, and provides the model by which nominees are identified.

The award, which carries with it a single lump sum payment, is made annually by the University Librarian on the recommendation of the Staff Recognition Award Committee. It is made to any current employee (full-time or part-time, permanent or temporary) who, in the course of the previous year, performed an outstanding service that bears witness to individual honesty, courage, perseverance and integrity.

The Staff Recognition Award Committee is established to set guidelines for the award process as necessary, to solicit nominations for the award, and to recommend recipients to the University Librarian, with all determinations on the basis of consensus. Members of the Committee are the Manager, Office of the University Librarian, as chairperson (ex officio), along with a representative from the University’s Human Resources, a representative from Advancement and Alumni Relations, and two Library staff members at large. Current members of the Committee are Lina Guerra, Anna Michetti, Sandra Biron, Frank Rizzo and Jennifer Gold.

Anyone may nominate a library employee for this award. The call for nominations for the 2024 award is expected to be issued in November 2024