Doreen Cowlin Memorial Library

Digital catalogue

How to Borrow Books or Equipment

To borrow equipment or books for the first time, send your request to librarian@islandmountainramblers.com. The librarian will arrange the loan and provide instructions for pickup and dropoff. They will also create an account in the club library system, allowing you to log in for future loans.
 

Location of the library books and equipment

Equipment is held at the librarian’s house near Tenth Street in Nanaimo
 

Pickup and Drop Off

The club uses a dropbox outside the librarian’s house for easy, all-hours pickup and dropoff. The librarian will email you the instructions, address, and combination for the box. After pickup or dropoff, please email or text the librarian to confirm. Note that the dropbox is not used for storage.

Joining the Library

The librarian will create an account for you in the library system. Alternatively, you can create an account at librarika.com and request to join the library. Step-by-step instructions are available at the bottom of this page.

 

Creating a Librarika Account and Joining the Club Library

click on “Sign Up”
    • Click Request Member Access
click “Request Member Access”
    • Enter the URL: https://imr.librarika.com/

    • Click Submit and you will be joined to the club library

On The Dedication of the Library

A letter from former president Bob Tustin supporting the naming of our Library after Dorreen Cowling:
 
Hi Matthew
 
I joined the Ramblers in 1965. Although I previously told you I had donated all records I had about the Ramblers from 1959 to 1980 ( schedules, newsletters, Timberline Tails, many letters and replies from BC government about Strathcona Park, such as building Marble Meadows trail, issues over mining, and many other trails.)
 
While looking up some info for Lindsay Elms, I discovered a few items which you may find interesting. So I do have some old stuff about the Ramblers.
And I do have thousands of photos of trips from 1965 onward. Some I have on digital files.
 
The Ramble book collection was originally about 100 books about mountaineering around the world. A few were classics. They were part of an estate that were going
to The Alpine Club of Canada library in Banff. Ralph Hutchinson was involved somehow and executors decided to give collection to the Ramblers. I know that in the 1980’s and 1990’s a lot of the books were sold for $1 each. (I think the Ramblers agreed to keep the collection together.)  I can’t remember the man who owned the collection originally. I do remember that the oldest book was 1865 and there were about six others from the late 1800’s.
 
I remember for the 30 years or so that Doreen Cowlin looked after the books, she would bring a dozen books to each Rambler meeting and keep track of who had which book and make sure they returned at the next meeting. Doreen was one of the original members in1959. Over the years, she only missed 3 meetings because she was trekking, with John, in some remote place in the world!  Doreen held many Rambler executive positions over the years but she was Rambler Historian for about forty years. That has to be a record in any club.
 
So, since we never knew the original person who collected all these books over 50 years ago, Doreen was the keeper of the collection and every Rambler knew it.
 
I would support you.
 
I will send you some old stuff about the Ramblers.
 
Bob