Chief Librarian, Victoria University Library

Chief Librarian, Victoria University Library

Victoria University, 73 Queens Park Crescent, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Req #304

Tuesday, January 28, 2025

POSITION: Chief Librarian, Victoria University Library
CLOSING DATE: February 28, 2025

THE OPPORTUNITY

Victoria University, federated with the University of Toronto, seeks a visionary, knowledgeable, and experienced library leader for the position of Chief Librarian. The Chief Librarian, Victoria University, will lead a staff complement that includes twenty-four FTE, including seven librarians, eleven library and systems technicians, and a conservator.

Inclusive, innovative, and collegial, Victoria University’s Chief Librarian will set library-specific objectives; shape campus-wide strategy; and create data-informed plans for budget, space, and human resources. They will promote a user-centered approach to library services; cultivate a culture of metric-based assessment and continuous improvement; and coordinate the delivery of outstanding programs and resources that advance Victoria University’s teaching, research, and student engagement goals, including Vic U’s commitments to equity and truth and reconciliation.

The Chief Librarian will also build strong, reciprocal relationships, including with donors, alumni, and community members; represent the campus and university on major professional associations; and practice a form of generous, collaborative leadership, which encourages staff to take chances, develop professionally, and experiment with new ideas.

The Chief Librarian serves on both the senior administrative management team at Victoria University and various committees of University of Toronto Libraries. They report directly to the President of Victoria University and collaborate with appropriate campus libraries in the wider University of Toronto to serve the research and instructional mission of the University building on the strong foundation of past library leaders.

THE LIBRARY

Victoria University Library includes E.J. Pratt Library (serving Victoria College in the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Arts and Science) and Emmanuel College Library (serving Emmanuel College in the Toronto School of Theology). Both libraries provide a range of services and resources to students, faculty, and staff. Together, they have approximately 300,000 volumes including internationally significant collections of rare books, manuscripts, archives, and art. E.J. Pratt and Emmanuel College Libraries are frequently cited by students as the best places to study on campus, where staff are friendly and helpful.

Victoria University Library stewards numerous distinguished collections. Highlights from our special collections include, materials by and about E.J. Pratt, Northrop Frye, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, William Blake, Virginia Woolf /Hogarth Press/ Bloomsbury, John Wesley, and Peter Jones/Kahkewaquonaby.

In addition to special collections, Victoria’s library is also home to the Victoria University Archives. With holdings that date back to the 1830s, the archive is focused on acquiring, preserving, and making available the University’s administrative records that document Victoria’s long history of educating, as well as providing records management services to Victoria staff and faculty.

The current art collection numbers roughly 1000 works, partially displayed in public and office spaces across the Victoria University campus. The art collection supports both the history and teaching goals of Victoria University, and includes important pieces by Group of Seven artists, historical portraits, and a growing collection of work by Indigenous artists.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provides a strategic vision and fosters innovative programs and services to ensure that the Victoria University Library meets the evolving research and teaching needs of its communities.
• Represents and advocates for the Victoria University Library in the University of Toronto Library system at campus, university, national and international levels on relevant issues and supports a leadership role for Victoria University with a wide range of associations and stakeholders.
• Leads collaboratively and communicates effectively while supporting and mentoring professional and paraprofessional staff who are based at both the E.J. Pratt Library and Emmanuel College Library to develop shared goals and objectives.
• Fosters successful cross-departmental collaboration within Victoria University Library's unique institutional set-up whereby key responsibilities are shared across departments.
• Fosters the provision of instructional services within the university’s academic and co-curricular programs to support information and other literacy goals.
• Facilitates use of the collections for university‐wide research and teaching at the graduate (Emmanuel College) and undergraduate (Victoria College) levels.
• Understands, acquires, promotes, and preserves the library’s collections of rare books and archival materials. Enables access for internal and external scholarly researchers including faculty, staff, students, and community researchers.
• Leads a user‐centered and subject based approach to the continuing acquisition, assessment, and accessibility of special collections and supports a strategic approach to digitization initiatives for special collections materials.
• Works collaboratively with other Victoria University academic services to provide integrated academic success support for students.
• Works with campus partners to ensure the health and safety of staff, library users, collections, and library and archival spaces.
• Guides policies for library services, collections and infrastructure through oversight of:
  
  • the following departments, in collaboration with their respective managers/departmental heads: Systems, Bibliographic Services, Reader/Public Services and the Emmanuel Library.
  • Victoria University Archives and Records Management programs and policies through supervision of the Archivist/Records Manager
  • the Victoria University art collection, though supervision of the art curator
• Prepares and is responsible for the library budget and leads the library planning processes.
• Engages in advancement initiatives and seeks to build strong donor relations.
• Compiles and selects data for reports to various stakeholders at regular intervals.
• May serve as a selector for general collections, commensurate with interests and education.
• At the request of the President and other colleagues, assists in other university projects and activities as needed.

Candidate Profile

Victoria University seeks a dynamic, collaborative Chief Librarian with a Master’s degree in library, archival, or information science (minimum) from an accredited institution and a professional record of excellence. The successful candidate must qualify for at least the rank of Librarian III as defined in the MoA between Victoria University and the Victoria Chapter of the University of Toronto Faculty Association (see section 13.2) with permanent status on hire, and for a fixed administrative term of normally 5 years with subsequent renewals upon review, as stipulated in The Victoria University Board of Regents Bylaw No. One. Candidates must also have the following characteristics, recognizing that no candidate will have all in equal measure:

Required Qualifications:

• Significant experience in increasingly senior academic library positions, especially those involving comprehensive administrative, supervisory, and resource management responsibilities.
• Knowledge of and experience with best practices and emerging developments in special collections and archives.
• Knowledge of existing and emerging library fields such as open access publishing, research data management, citation management, knowledge synthesis and/or metrics literacy.
• A practical understanding of the complexities of managing diverse groups of staff governed by different collective agreements.
• Experience in the use of digital resources, and leading digitization initiatives related to special collections and archives.
• Experience managing exhibitions.
• Awareness of emerging technologies to support digital research and demonstrated understanding of the role of libraries in collecting and preserving non-traditional scholarship for future generations.
• Outstanding communication and leadership skills, including the ability to:
  
  • listen openly, welcome challenging conversations, and solve problems collaboratively;
  • engender confidence, co-operation, and consensus and inspire trust and respect;
  • build strong teams, mentor staff effectively, and foster a positive work culture;
  • thrive in an environment of change and nurture that capacity in others.
• Proven ability to:
  • incorporate equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility, and truth and reconciliation into library initiatives and relationships;
  • advance excellence in research, teaching, and learning, as aligned with large-scale strategic plans;
  • succeed in a complex institution that balances diverse priorities and invites continuous learning;
  • develop plans for user-centered library services and inclusive student and faculty outreach and support;
  • think strategically, introduce evidence-based innovations, and make sound judgements;
  • create reciprocal partnerships connecting diverse faculty, librarians, staff, students and other library stakeholders (e.g., donors, alumni, etc.).
• Knowledge of:
  • higher education trends impacting universities and libraries;
  • the power and purpose of library special collections, archives, and art;
  • the importance of curriculum-integrated library spaces;
  • best practices in library-based teaching;
  • best practices in knowledge preservation, scholarly communications, copyright, and open access initiatives;
  • relevant current and emerging technologies.
• Experience serving on relevant professional library associations.
• Initiative to connect library-based university programs with communities beyond the university.
• Initiative and ideas to support collaborations on major fundraising campaigns.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

We also welcome candidates who have:

• Demonstrated capacity to reimagine library workflows, practices, and services to meet the needs of faculty, students, and staff.
• Skills in project management, financial and space planning, and sustainable, operational efficiency.
• Ability to strengthen cultures of continuous improvement, data-informed planning and assessment.
• Understanding of the issues of conservation and preservation, both traditional and contemporary, facing the library of the 21st century.
• Contributions to the field of academic librarianship, such as peer-reviewed publications, conference or workshop presentations, research collaboration projects, professional engagement or service, and/or other related activities.
• Demonstrated deep understanding of research, teaching, learning and collections, particularly in the areas of the college’s academic programs.
• Demonstrated commitment to mentorship and staff development and growth. Capacity to thrive in an environment of change, and to nurture that capacity in others.

MINIMUM SALARY: LIB III: $ 102,023; LIB IV $120,209. Salary and rank based on experience and qualifications.

ADMINISTRATIVE TERM: This position has a five-year administrative term with subsequent renewals upon review.

NOTE: Librarians, including the Chief Librarian, at Victoria University are members of the University of Toronto Faculty Association (UTFA) and the Vic Chapter of UTFA.

HOW TO APPLY: Please submit your cover letter and C.V. as a single electronic file (MS Word or pdf) by February 28, 2025.

Victoria University is committed to equity in access to employment and a diverse and inclusive workplace. The University encourages applications from racialized persons/persons of colour, women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, 2SLGBTQI+ persons, and others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas. If you require accessibility accommodation, please contact the Human Resources Departmentvic.hr@utoronto.ca