2024 Picard Trust Award Winners

Burnaby Public Library is pleased to announce that Yoonkyung Kim and Jaclyn Fong are the 2024 recipients of the Picard Trust Awards. Both Yoonkyung and Jaclyn will receive a scholarship of $2,500 each to apply toward their Master of Library and Information Studies.

Studying English literature in undergrad and Japanese literature in grad school, I was always fascinated with the sense of connectedness to all kinds of people in myriads of universes. But it was not until I was enrolled in the Master of Information program at the University of Toronto that I really came to think about being connected to the community that surrounds me. Through the courses I am taking and the work I am doing at the U of T Libraries, I have learned to think about how to give voices to the previously marginalized people. I came to think about how to work with the community to better represent them in the way they want to be represented in galleries, libraries, archives, and museums. Furthermore, this study made me realize that equity, diversity and inclusion as well as decolonization that we talk about at iSchool are indeed the same kind of issues that Korea, my home country, has to resolve with its neighbours. The realization that both societies face the same homework made me feel more included in this community! I am really grateful to be selected a recipient of the Picard Trust Award, which will help me continue learning about how to contribute to making a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive community.

-Yoonkyung Kim

It's a great honor to be a recipient of the Picard Trust Award this year. Two years ago, I relocated from Hong Kong to Canada to pursue my Librarianship degree. Since then, BPL has become one of my favorite places to visit as a book lover, and I truly appreciate BPL’s efforts in weaving equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility into their culture by developing a multilingual collection and fostering a diverse team. Receiving this award at the end of my master’s studies is truly meaningful, and I aspire to work in the library industry after graduation to ensure the voices of BIPOC individuals are heard. Thank you very much for this recognition and the encouragement it brings.

-Jaclyn Fong

Congratulations to Yoonkyung and Jaclyn, and we’re wishing you the best as you complete your programs!