The CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship is awarded annually to a Canadian individual who has served the profession with marked distinction and has made significant national and international contributions to research librarianship through their leadership and engagement.
This award is normally conferred at the CARL Spring Meeting. Nominations are welcome from the research library community and may be directed to the CARL Executive Director at any time. Nominations should include a description of the contributions and their impact and will normally be accompanied by a minimum of two letters of support.
The Award has a cash value of $2,500 sponsored by ProQuest LLC, part of Clarivate. ProQuest LLC, part of Clarivate, creates specialized information resources and technologies that propel successful research and lifelong learning. A global leader in serving libraries of all types, ProQuest LLC, part of Clarivate, offers the culmination of experience from many respected brands of information resources.
CARL is grateful to ProQuest LLC, part of Clarivate, for its generous support of this award.
Recipients
2024 - Gwen Bird
Gwen Bird Honoured with CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship
April 25, 2024 – The Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) was pleased to honor Gwen Bird as the recipient of the CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship during its 2024 Annual General Meeting. This award, which is generously sponsored by ProQuest, is conferred annually to a Canadian individual who has served the profession with marked distinction and has made significant national and international contributions to research librarianship through their leadership and engagement.
During her tenure as Dean of Libraries at Simon Fraser University (SFU) since October 2014, Gwen has overseen a period of remarkable growth and transformation. Leading a complex university library system with campuses in Vancouver, Burnaby, and Surrey, Gwen has implemented innovative programs and initiatives aimed at enhancing research, learning, and collaboration. Notable achievements include the establishment of an Open Access Policy, the initiation of an annual Dean’s Lecture Series on Information + Society, and the development of a master space plan to guide the library’s renewal process.
Gwen’s leadership extends beyond SFU, as she has been actively engaged in various national and international initiatives through CARL, CRKN, ARL and CRL. Gwen’s contributions to CARL have been substantial, including her leadership of the Canadian Scholarly Publishing Working Group, where she played a pivotal role in establishing a shared vision for sustainable scholarly publishing models in Canada. Furthermore, Gwen’s involvement in initiatives such as @Risk North exemplify her dedication to advancing collaborative solutions and preserving Canada’s rich research heritage. She co-chaired the CARL/LAC Canadian Collective Print Strategy Working Group, laying the groundwork for the enduring collective shared print program, North/Nord, across Canadian libraries.
Gwen served as the Vice-Chair of the Canadian Research Knowledge Network (CRKN) from 2017 to 2021, overseeing the successful implementation of key projects and advocating for collaborative solutions in scholarly communication. She also served as co-chair of the Coalition Publica Steering Committee, underscoring her commitment to ensuring equitable access to scholarly research in the humanities and social sciences.
Throughout her career, Gwen has been recognized for her outstanding interpersonal skills, her advocacy for diversity, equity, and inclusion, and her tireless efforts to foster a culture of collaboration and innovation within the research library community. Lesley Balcom (Dean of Libraries, University of New Brunswick) aptly describes Gwen as “a wonderful colleague – humble, friendly and fun, ready to share her strategic insights with a calm and always respectful approach.”
CARL congratulates Gwen Bird on this well-deserved recognition and expresses gratitude to all those who supported her nomination.
CARL is grateful to ProQuest LLC, part of Clarivate, for its generous support of this award.
2023 - Joy Kirchner
Joy Kirchner, winner of the 2023 CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship

2022 - Donna Bourne-Tyson
Donna Bourne-Tyson winner of the 2022 CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship
April 27, 2022 – The Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) honoured Donna Bourne-Tyson with the CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship during its Annual General Meeting. This award, which is generously sponsored by ProQuest, is conferred annually to a Canadian individual who has served the profession with marked distinction and has made significant national and international contributions to research librarianship through their leadership and engagement.
Ms. Bourne-Tyson has served as Dean of Libraries at Dalhousie University since 2011, where she provides leadership for Dalhousie’s network of five libraries
“Donna Bourne-Tyson is a remarkable leader with an exemplary record of accomplishment and engagement. She has been key to advancing the agenda of research librarianship at a national level, while also strategically focused on international and regional engagement. She has been highly successful at her own institution, Dalhousie University, leading the libraries with vision and commitment not diminished by her remarkable and consistent level of external engagement.” – Lesley Balcom, Dean of Libraries at the University of New Brunswick.
Ms. Bourne-Tyson was also awarded the 2019 Ken Haycock Award for her remarkable range of Board roles in regional, national and international associations and consortia, for founding and shepherding multiple new organizations, and for her leadership and dedication as an ambassador and role model for librarianship.
She served as Chair (2017-2019), Vice-Chair/Chair elect (2015-2017), and Treasurer (2009 – 2011) of the Council of Atlantic University Libraries, in addition to leading a diversity of initiatives and committees. The same is true at a provincial level within the Novanet consortium, within which she has served as Chair and Vice-Chair.
She was CARL President from 2017-2019, preceded by terms as Vice-President/President-Elect (2015-2017) and Treasurer (2012-2015), leading CARL through a period of dramatic evolution in the world of research libraries and preparing us well for the pandemic era
She served as Vice-Chair of the Canadian Research Knowledge Network (2011-2014) and most recently as an elected member on the inaugural Board of Directors of the Digital Research Alliance of Canada (2020 – 2022). This role has brought great strategic value to CARL members, ensuring visibility and advocacy for the role of research libraries as RDM evolves from the Portage era.
As a former President of CARL, she has continued to represent the Canadian perspective and to enhance international alignment as a Board member of the International Association of University Libraries (IATUL) serving as Treasurer (2019 – 2021) and Secretary (2022).
She was a founding member of the BlueSky Network, a partnership of public, academic and First Nations libraries in Northern Ontario. Representing the Atlantic Provinces Library Association (APLA), she was one of the original members of The Partnership, Canada’s national network of provincial and territorial library associations. She also co-chaired the Interim Board during the founding days of the Canadian Federation of Library Associations (CFLA).
“Donna believes and lives a philosophy that working together is much more effective than solo or siloed action. Through her collaborative view of the library world, Donna has brought together people, institutions, and even associations to effect consortial action. And through this, she has had long-reaching impact: Donna has quietly and pragmatically helped shape the library association landscape in this country.” – Jonathan Bengtson, University Librarian at the University of Victoria.
CARL would like to congratulate Ms. Bourne-Tyson on her receipt of this award and would like to thank ProQuest for their generous ongoing support to the CARL Award.
2021 - Larry Alford
Larry Alford winner of the 2021 CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship
May 18, 2021 – The Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) honoured Larry Alford with the CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship during its Annual General Meeting. This award, which is generously sponsored by ProQuest, is conferred annually to a Canadian individual who has served the profession with marked distinction and has made significant national and international contributions to research librarianship through their leadership and engagement.
As University Chief Librarian at the University of Toronto Libraries (UTL) Mr. Alford introduced the Chief Librarian’s Innovation Awards, championing initiatives related to linked data, digital preservation, entrepreneurship, research data management, digital scholarship, scholarly communications, and new approaches to public service and outreach. He also invested in capital projects to improve the student experience through the revitalization of library spaces, including the 1,200 seat Robarts Common addition.
“Larry leads the University of Toronto Libraries with skill, balancing tradition with innovation and transformation, leveraging an approach of evolution rather than revolution. He is a leader that encourages risk taking, developing a culture of innovation and creativity.” – Leslie Weir, Librarian and Archivist of Canada.
Mr. Alford also acted as a mentor in the ARL Leadership Fellows Program, the Northern Exposure to Leadership Initiative (NELI), and the UCLA Library Senior Fellows Program, of which he is a graduate. He championed the Toronto Academic Library interns (TALInt) program, in partnership with the University of Toronto iSchool, and is working to diversify the profession by reserving some TALInt positions for Black and Indigenous students.
“His strong work ethic and ingrained sense of service have made him a respected colleague whose council is frequently sought by peers. He is a tireless advocate and enthusiast for research libraries, holding a deep sense of purpose and belief that our work has inherent value and importance, that research libraries underpin academic pursuit and knowledge creation, and that it is our continued objective to meet the current needs of faculty and students while keeping a steady eye on the future.” – Julie Hannaford, Deputy Chief Librarian, University of Toronto Libraries.
He has made substantive contributions through his service and leadership on boards and committees within CARL, CRKN, OCUL, OCLC and Canadiana.org, and served as President of ARL. He has also been an invited speaker at numerous local, national, and international events.
“In his five years serving on the Board of CRKN, Larry brought the perspective of Canada’s largest academic research library to all deliberations while never losing sight of the mission to serve all CRKN member institutions. Recognizing the changing nature of research libraries, Larry has been a champion of bold approaches grounded in realistic and sustainable delivery within the CRKN community.” – Clare Appavoo, Executive Director, Canadian Research Knowledge Network.
Mr. Alford also played a key role in creating the Keep@Downsview shared print partnership, the first repository-based shared print program in Canada, and collaborated with LAC on the designation of the Marshall McLuhan Archives as one of UNESCO’s six Memory of the World Collections in Canada.
Mr. Alford is the recipient of the 2018 American Library Association’s Hugh Atkinson Memorial Award and the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the School of Information and Library Science and SILS Alumni Association at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He was also elected as a Senior Fellow of Massey College of the University of Toronto in 2012.
CARL would like to congratulate Mr. Alford on his receipt of this award and would like to thank ProQuest for their generous ongoing support to the CARL Award.
2020 - Dr. Kathleen DeLong
Dr. Kathleen DeLong winner of the 2020 CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship
November 17, 2020 – The Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) honoured Dr. Kathleen DeLong with the CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship during its Fall General Meeting. This award is conferred annually to a Canadian individual who has served the profession with marked distinction and has made significant national and international contributions to research librarianship through their leadership and engagement.
Dr. DeLong, Executive Director (Library and Museums) and Deputy Chief Librarian at the University of Alberta, has a long record of distinguished service to research librarianship with over four decades of experience in this area. She is recognized nationally and internationally for her outstanding contributions to the collective understanding of the Canadian library workforce and ongoing leadership in its development.
Achievements in this area include her contributions to the 8Rs Canadian Library Human Resources Study (the single largest national study of library workers in the world), and subsequent 8Rs projects. She also co-authored the 2010 report Core Competencies for 21st Century CARL Librarians, and more recently chaired the CARL Competencies Working Group—struck in 2017—to refresh the 2010 publication, resulting in the 2020 publication Competencies for Librarians in Canadian Research Libraries.
Other CARL committees and working groups which have benefited from her participation include the Strengthening Capacity Committee (previously the Library Education Working Group) and the Leadership Program for Senior Library Leaders Working Group.
Dr. DeLong is also Interim Chair of the School of Library and Information Studies at the University of Alberta and actively participates in the education of future librarians. She conducts research on many aspects of library education and organizational development, frequently publishing in a wide range of journals, and actively contributes to addressing the challenges of equity and inclusion at the University of Alberta.
Dale Askey, Vice-Provost (Library and Museums) and Chief Librarian at the University of Alberta, expressed that “Kathleen’s contributions to her institution, to CARL and other organizations, and to libraries and librarianship illustrate a career exemplified by focus, engagement, contribution, and a sincere desire to serve the profession and our organizations. Moreover, she does all of this with grace, humility, and generosity.”
In reference to her participation on CARL’s Strengthening Capacity Committee, Vivian Lewis, University Librarian at McMaster University, stated that Dr. DeLong “is a dedicated and generous member of the group – always ready to contribute her knowledge to improve our working relationship with the Deans and Directors of Canadian library schools and to enhance the lived experience of the CARL library workforce. She brings a focus on evidence and professional values to all conversations.”
Her engagement extends well beyond Canada onto the international stage. Over her long career, she has served on a number of international committees, boards, and special interest groups, including the ALA Committee on Accreditation, the ALA Committee on the Status of Women in Libraries, the ALA Council, the ALA Library Leadership & Management Editorial Board, the ARL Academy Advisory Committee and Position Description Advisory Board, the International Federation of Library Association’s Education & Training Section, the ASIS&T Thomson Reuters Doctoral Dissertation Proposal Scholarship Committee, and the Executive Committee of the Association for Library & Information School Education. While volunteering extensively, she is also a much sought-after speaker at numerous international conferences including ACRL, ALA, ARL, ALISE and the International Evidence Based Library and Information Practice Conference.
CARL would like to congratulate Dr. DeLong on her receipt of this award and would like to thank ProQuest for their generous ongoing support to the CARL Award.
2019 - Martha Whitehead
Martha Whitehead winner of the 2019 CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship
Victoria, May 2, 2019 – The Canadian Association of Research Libraries honoured Martha Whitehead with its Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship. This award is conferred annually to an individual at a CARL member institution who has made a substantial national or international contribution to research librarianship.
Ms. Whitehead has a long record of distinguished service to research librarianship. She began her career at University of British Columbia, before joining Queen’s University as Associate University Librarian. She was appointed Vice-Provost and University Librarian at Queen’s in 2011. As Vice-Provost, Ms. Whitehead laid the foundation for the university’s digital strategy. She also had the vision to create and staff library services focused on advancing research data management, scholarly communications and open education resources.
Beyond this, she is recognized nationally and internationally for her leadership in research library matters, having served on the Leadership Council for Digital Research Infrastructure (LCDRI), the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), the Canadian Research Knowledge Network (CRKN), the National Heritage Digitization Strategy Steering Committee (NHDS), the Ontario Council of University Libraries (OCUL), the Confederation of Open Access Repositories (COAR), Research Data Canada (RDC), and others.
Ms. Whitehead has been a lynchpin in the formation and continuing success of the Portage Network, CARL’s national research data management initiative. She spearheaded the formation of a pilot project which forged a partnership among Canadian library and research organisations committed to research data management. As the President of CARL from 2014-2016, her vision for collaboration in this area led to the transformation of this pilot into Portage, which in turn has allowed libraries to become recognised as valued and significant players in this field. Through her involvement with the LCDRI, she helped shape two major reports on research data management that buttressed the Government’s decision to invest over $575 million dollars on digital research infrastructure in the 2018 Federal budget.
Michael Vandenburg, Associate University Librarian at Queen’s University, expressed that Ms. Whitehead “has a remarkable ability to coordinate work across the many groups she participates in. […] Martha has shown great leadership in her ability to both develop a shared vision for the future of research libraries with other library leaders and to translate that vision into action with the creation of infrastructure and services.”
In her nomination letter, Vivian Lewis, University Librarian at McMaster University, stated that “Martha is the University Librarian we all aspire to be. She is smart, determined and fearless. She is technologically savvy, but keenly attuned to the needs of the broad spectrum of users that cross our doorways, physically and virtually. She is deeply collaborative, always ready to pitch on a good idea if it will advance the collective needs of Canadian Scholars.”
Most recently Ms. Whitehead was appointed Vice President for the Harvard Library and University Librarian and the Roy E. Larsen Librarian for the Faculty of Arts and Science at Harvard University. Although this represents a great loss to Canadian librarianship and Ms. Whitehead will be greatly missed by the CARL team and members, we are confident that she will champion Canadian library values well in her new environment and we are pleased to have the opportunity to recognize her remarkable contributions with the 2019 CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship.
We thank ProQuest for their generous ongoing support to the CARL Award.
2018 - Leslie Weir
Leslie Weir winner of the 2018 CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship
Montreal, November 7, 2018 – The Canadian Association of Research Libraries honoured Leslie Weir today with its Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship. This award is conferred annually to an individual at a CARL member institution who has made a substantial local, national or international contribution to research librarianship.
Ms. Weir has been widely recognized in a number of contexts for her substantial and lasting impact on Canadian and international librarianship over her more than three decades as a professional librarian. Following her early career at the National Library of Canada and the Statistics Canada Library, she joined the University of Ottawa library as Associate University Librarian prior to serving as University Librarian for three terms.
As University Librarian, Weir oversaw the first strategic plan for the library and used that plan to help position the library as a strategic partner within the larger research ecosystem. Weir was recently named as the first University Librarian to chair the Dean’s table at the University of Ottawa, a testament to how well respected she is by the university leaders who are most engaged in fostering research. She also played an instrumental role in establishing the University of Ottawa’s bilingual School of Information Studies, where she teaches.
In his nomination letter, Larry Alford, Chief Librarian at the University of Toronto, described how Weir’s “colleagues in the library at Ottawa say that she has transformed the culture of the library from a more process and rules-focused organization to an engaged, forward-thinking and service-oriented unit. I believe she has done the same for many higher education and library organizations in Canada.”
Ms. Weir has made many provincial and national contributions to research libraries as well. She played a seminal role in the establishment of Scholars Portal in 2002, serving as Chair of the Scholars Portal Operations and Development Committee (SPOD) from its inception until 2010. She was elected Chair of OCUL from 2010 to 2012, President of Canadiana.org from 2012 to 2016 (overseeing the introduction of the Heritage Project, in collaboration with Library and Archives Canada), and was President of the Ontario Library Association in 2017.
One of the founders of the Canadian Research Knowledge Network (CRKN), she was a Board member from 2001-2009, and again from 2011-2015, and was the principal investigator on the CRKN CFI-funded project, the Digital Content Initiative. She also served on the original CNSLP Steering Committee and on the Boards of the Centre for Research Libraries, the Council on Library and Information Services, the Association of Research Libraries, and the International Federation of Library Associations.
Ms. Weir served as President of CARL from 2007 to 2009 and has been an active member of the CARL Copyright Committee, the CARL Policy Committee and many other committees over the years.
Jonathan Bengtson, University Librarian at the University of Victoria, noted that Ms. Weir “has a refined ability to network, which she often uses to gently guide and mentor numerous colleagues – connecting individuals together. CARL is one of the organizations that has benefited from her beneficent machinations.”
In the numerous letters received in support of her nomination, Weir’s colleagues were also quick to point out her many personal qualities. Dr. Colleen Cook, Trenholme Dean of Libraries at McGill, reflected on her first encounters with Ms. Weir, and how struck she initially was by Leslie’s intellect, warmth, and trustworthiness, noting that “when she talks, people listen because they trust what she says.”
In reference to her longstanding mentorship at the Northern Exposure to Leadership Institute (NELI), Mary-Jo Romaniuk, University Librarian at the University of Manitoba, noted, “Leslie has given her time freely, providing wise counsel, sage advice, empathy and ongoing professional support to hundreds of aspiring leaders and in doing so no doubt positively influenced the careers of all those who were fortunate to have come in contact with her.” She adds that, “Leslie has truly exemplified all of the characteristics and behaviours that we associate with a true leader: visioning, identifying opportunities, leading change, communicating and motivating, channeling influence, professional networking, and being engaged in professional service.”
During the presentation, Dalhousie University Librarian and CARL President Donna Bourne-Tyson noted that Weir has also been awarded the Canadian Library Association Ken Haycock Award for Promoting Librarianship, the CRKN Ron MacDonald Distinguished Service Award and the Ontario Council of University Libraries’ Lifetime achievement award.
In recognition of her many contributions, CARL is very pleased to give Leslie Weir the 2018 CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship.
We thank ProQuest for their generous ongoing support to the CARL Award.
2017 - Guy Berthiaume
Dr. Guy Berthiaume winner of the 2017 CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship

HAMILTON, May 17, 2017 – The Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) honoured Dr. Guy Berthiaume, Librarian and Archivist of Canada, today with its Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship. This award is conferred annually to an individual at a CARL member institution who has made a substantial local, national or international contribution to research librarianship.
Dr. Berthiaume has been with Library and Archives Canada since June 2014, and in a brief three years has had a remarkable, positive impact on the profile, collections, services and staff of Canada’s national library and archives. Prior to taking on the leadership of Library and Archives Canada (LAC), Dr. Berthiaume served as the President and Chief Executive Officer at Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (2009-2014), and previous to that served in many senior strategic and administrative roles within the Québec university network.
“Guy has been a leader in the Canadian landscape in the way he brings the community together, inspires colleagues, and builds networks at both a national and international level,” stated Donna Bourne-Tyson, incoming CARL President. “Libraries and archives across Canada have benefitted from the increased profile, reinvigorated programming, and strategic activities at LAC as well as the development of world-class collections, facilities, and services, at a caliber superior to anything previously contemplated.”
Dr. Berthiaume is currently Chair of the National Libraries Section of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. He served as Secretary General of the Réseau francophone numérique between 2010 and 2014, and he continues to be an active member of the network. Dr. Berthiaume also contributes to the work of the International Council on Archives, serving as a member of the association’s Evaluation Commission. He set a priority to increase LAC’s work with memory institutions across Canada by establishing a Stakeholders Forum, and by advancing dialogue on collaboration among galleries, libraries, archives and museums. Dr. Berthiaume is a Knight of the Ordre des Palmes académiques of the French Republic (2005), and he served as a Mentor for the Trudeau Foundation in 2010-2011. In November 2012, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Université Jean Monnet (Saint-Étienne, France), and in December 2012, he received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.
In recognition of his many contributions, CARL is very pleased to give Dr. Guy Berthiaume the 2017 CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship.
We thank ProQuest for their generous ongoing support to the CARL Award.
2016 – Richard Dumont
Richard Dumont winner of the 2016 CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship
VANCOUVER, April 25 2016 – Richard Dumont, Director General of the Libraries Branch of the Université de Montréal, was honoured today by the Canadian Association of Research Libraries for his considerable contribution to the development of research libraries.
Considering that the takeover of knowledge by commercial publishing firms is an increasingly considerable hindrance to the advancement of knowledge and ultimately of society, Mr. Dumont actively argues for universities to regain control over the knowledge they produce.
“Knowledge is imprisoned behind increasingly high fee barriers and subjected to rules that greatly limit it from being shared and re-used. I’m concerned about the fact that five multi-nationals control more than 50% of the scholarly publishing market, and it makes me angry to see the outrageous profits they are making off universities and taxpayers. Recall that Elsevier, the largest commercial publishing company, reports profits exceeding $1.5 billion per year,” states Mr. Dumont.
In 2013, Mr. Dumont challenged the status quo and suggested rebuilding the large sets of periodicals. The team of libraries was joined by the Université’s management, deans, professors’ union and student associations in order to show a united front. This high degree of mobilization was facilitated through an exemplary communication campaign and the considerable support from a number of influential members of the UdeM community.
This bold decision then led Mr. Dumont and his team to suggest holding a consultation within the community to scientifically determine the periodicals that are essential to research and teaching at the UdeM, rather than assume what their needs are. Right from the outset, collegiality coloured the effort because the professors and students helped develop the methodology, assisted by Professor Vincent Larivière, a bibliometrics expert. Note that the approach chosen combines a quantitative component based on usage statistics and citation indexes and a qualitative component based on the opinions of the people consulted. The outcome of that consultation resulted in a paradigm shift in the UdeM’s negotiations with the commercial publishing firms, whereby only the titles actually meeting the needs of the UdeM community are considered when the time comes for determining the amount to put out for a large set of periodicals. That consultation will soon be undertaken by 23 Canadian universities under the auspices of the Canada Research Knowledge Network (CRKN).
Aware that the scope of rebuilding a large set is still local and, therefore, in no way resolves the funding problem, the Libraries/UdeM were hoping to take action on a more large-scale basis. In 2015, Mr. Dumont submitted a resolution at the CARL’s General Meeting, which led to the forming of an Institutional Mobilization Task Group. The mandate is to make widely know the issues in connection with scholarly publishing, both within and outside of Canada’s university communities, and to propose potential actions.
Also, as a member of the CARL’s and the CRKN’s Boards of Directors, Mr. Dumont plans to draw on the vertical integration approach advocated by the company Apple in order to consider the future from a holistic perspective in terms of knowledge management and dissemination in Canada. As such, it was in 2013 that the Integrated Digital Scholarship Ecosystem (IDSE) concept came to be. The primary objective is to identify and explore potential synergies among the many Canadian players contributing to digital knowledge.
The partnership between the CRKN and Érudit, a scholarly journal dissemination platform, aligns perfectly with the IDSE philosophy. Formerly considered just a commercial relationship, these two organizations joined forces to transform scholarly publishing in Canada in order to make it a sustainable activity for everyone. As a member of Érudit’s Board of Directors, Mr. Dumont helped facilitate the evolution of that relationship.
“I am very honoured to receive this honour today. It was made possible because I have the tremendous privilege of working with people who trust me, which is even more crucial when the issue is uncertain. My contribution that you are acknowledging today is actually the result of team work. This award provides me with a perfect opportunity to publicly acknowledge that,” said Mr. Dumont.
In recognition of his many contributions, the CARL is very pleased to give Richard Dumont the 2016 CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship.
We thank ProQuest for their generous ongoing support to the CARL Award.
2014 – John Teskey
John Teskey winner of the 2014 CARL Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship Award
FREDERICTON – The Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) today honoured John Teskey with its Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship in recognition of his numerous achievements and contributions to the Canadian research library community. This award is conferred annually to an individual at a CARL institution who has made a substantial contribution to research librarianship at the local, national or international level.
CARL President Gerald Beasley, Vice Provost and Chief Librarian, University of Alberta, said “John has been a visionary leader in adapting Canadian research libraries to meet new needs in a transformed landscape. I am especially delighted that this well-deserved Award was presented to John at a CARL meeting in his home institution. ”
John Teskey is the Director of Libraries at the University of New Brunswick since 1991. During his tenure, UNB’s library collections, services, and facilities have been greatly transformed. John’s conviction that the University of New Brunswick should be at the forefront nationally has driven his leadership style.
UNB was one of the first Canadian institutions to have a library website and a library-based humanities computing centre in Canada. Another example of John’s vision is the Electronic Text Centre, created in 1996 and based at UNB Libraries. This centre is recognized as a leader in digital scholarship, humanities computing, and digital libraries. It has played a key role in national interdisciplinary initiatives, as the Atlantic hub for federally-funded projects such as Synergies and the Text Analysis Portal for Research.
John was the 2009 recipient of the UNB President’s Medal. Prior to his role at UNB, he held administrative positions at the University of Saskatchewan and the University of Alberta Libraries. He has also served the research library community in several other ways: as CARL and CLA President, Chair of the Council of Atlantic University Libraries, and as President of Canadiana.org. He has been on the Board of the Canadian Research Knowledge Network, and was also on the OCLC Canadian Advisory Board from 2001 to 2013. Finally, John is Chair of CARL’s Public Affairs Committee since May 2013.
CARL’s members include Canada’s twenty-nine largest university libraries and two federal government institutions, including Library and Archives Canada. Enhancing research and higher education is at the heart of our mission. CARL promotes effective and sustainable scholarly communication, and public policy that enables broad access to scholarly information.
2013 – Pam Bjornson
Pam Bjornson winner of the 2013 CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship
Pam Bjornson, MBA, who was most recently appointed in August 2011 as Director General of the National Research Council of Canada’s Knowledge Management group, which includes NRC Foresight and the Canada Institute for Scientific and Technical Information (NRC-CISTI), deserves the recognition of CARL for her very strong national and international contributions to research librarianship over many years.
In 2012 Ms. Bjornson was responsible for the formation of Research Data Canada (RDC), which continues, with a higher profile and more ambitious goals, the work of the Research Data Strategy Working Group (RDSWG), which with small resources accomplished several important projects that kept a national focus on the need to responsibly manage the data produced in the course of publicly-funded Canadian research.
Ms. Bjornson was Chair of the RDSWG, which she brought together in 2008. It was in the context of the RDSWG that she coordinated the national Research Data Summit in September 2011 in Ottawa, bringing together leaders from government, universities, research institutions and private enterprise to develop a national strategy for the preservation and sharing of research data.
Ms. Bjornson has been an active and constant contributor to the work of both CARL and ARL, especially in discussions and projects touching on scholarly communication, research data management, and e-science. CARL, as an association, has benefitted considerably from her wise and discreet advice on the management of its own data-related projects in recent years. She has contributed much as a member of CARL’s Scholarly Communication Committee and the CARL Data Management Working Group (then Subcommittee) since becoming the director of a CARL member library institution in 2007.
As Director General of the Canada Institute for Scientific and Technical Information (NRC-CISTI) in 2009 and 2010, Ms. Bjornson led the organization through extensive and difficult change, which included the spin-off of NRC Science Press into a non-profit corporation and the creation of a successful partnership with a private-sector company for delivery of scientific information nationally. She gracefully and ably managed the survival of NRC-CISTI as Canada’s National Science Library through this period that entailed the loss of over half of CISTI’s annual operating budget from 2010.
Prior to her appointment as Director General of NRC-CISTI in 2007, Ms. Bjornson was for five years the Director of Business Affairs at NRC-CISTI, responsible for client and stakeholder communications, marketing, and partnership development. She also managed the critical challenges of financial planning, risk management and overall business strategy development.
For nine years before going to the NRC, she served as Executive Director of the original Canadiana.org, the not-for-profit organization established to preserve Canada’s printed heritage and make the resulting collection accessible to research libraries in Canada and around the world. As the successor organization to the Canadian Institute of Historical Microreproduction (CIHM), Canadiana.org, under Ms. Bjornson’s leadership, was responsible for the development in the 1990s of the ground-breaking Early Canadiana Online digital collection, which remains a cornerstone Canadian digital historical document resource.
Ms. Bjornson has worked with Canada’s research community for 20 years and has focused on providing online access to Canadian and global cultural/historical, scientific, technical and medical information, all the while managing the challenges presented by technological change and budgetary conditions. In spite of NRC-CISTI’s reduced funding, she championed the creation of the open access repository PubMed Central Canada and provided crucial support for the development of the Canadian Virtual Health Library. She also oversaw the establishment at NRC-CISTI of the DataCite service in Canada.
At the international level, Ms. Bjornson has recently completed terms as Deputy Chair of the World Wide Science Alliance and as Vice President of DataCite International, and was Chair of the International Council for Scientific and Technical Information’s 2009 Annual Conference. She has been a compelling speaker internationally, including within the Washington-based Association of Research Libraries, on e-science and research data.
Although not a librarian by training, Ms. Bjornson has made a point of working closely with the research library community. Under her leadership, NRC-CISTI, in its changing forms, has remained a valued member and partner of the Canadian and North American research library community. Most recently, Ms. Bjornson is serving on the Expert Panel of the Royal Society of Canada, which is currently examining the status and future of Canada’s libraries and archives.
In recognition of her numerous contributions, especially her constant and effective promotion of research data management in Canada and her crucial role in the enduring of NRC-CISTI as Canada’s National Science Library, CARL is very pleased to confer the 2013 CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship on Pam Bjornson.
CARL thanks ProQuest for its generous support of the CARL Award again this year.
2012 – Peter Clinton
Peter Clinton winner of the 2012 CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship
CALGARY, May 15, 2012 – The Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) recognized Mr. Marshall (Peter) Clinton, recently retired Director, Information Technology Services, University of Toronto Libraries, as the winner of the CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship.
The award is presented annually to an individual at a CARL member institution who has made a substantial local, national, or international contribution to research librarianship. Mr. Clinton received the award in recognition of numerous substantial local, provincial, national and international contributions to academic librarianship over the course of a lengthy and consequential career. CARL President Thomas Hickerson said, “Peter’s vision of library IT as supporting the academic mission of libraries has given him a much broader perspective on the kind of talent and experience that brings value to the work of library IT staff. He has been a pioneer in moving away from the narrow view of IT as the domain of technologists by successfully integrating dozens of people with a broad range of skills and backgrounds into the IT department at University of Toronto Libraries.” Mr. Hickerson added, “He has modelled the way to optimally blend technology with library workflows, services and resources. We are absolutely pleased to be able to offer Peter this award in recognition of a long and brilliant career.”
Mr. Clinton’s reputation for innovation in the use of technology to serve the research needs of faculty and students is legendary in the international research library community. His point of view was that the academic library’s proper role is to be actively engaged in the research and teaching activities of the university. He led the team of librarians that developed the Ontario Council of University Libraries’ nationally and internationally recognized Scholars Portal. In 1996 Mr. Clinton pioneered the concept of local journal hosting at the University of Toronto which he then successfully transformed from a local repository to the Scholars Portal platform serving all of Ontario.
The concept for Scholars Portal was developed with the inception of the CFI-funded Canadian National Site Licensing Project (CNSLP) in 1999 for which Peter was the lead in the grant application. The project created the opportunity for the Ontario Council of University Libraries to leverage funding from the Ontario Innovation Fund to build an infrastructure that has revolutionized the way faculty and students make use of library resources. Up until his retirement in December 2011, Mr. Clinton played a leadership role in the continuing development of Scholars Portal, which is a world leader in in providing access to scholarly resources and services.
ProQuest has generously sponsored the CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship. ProQuest creates specialized information resources and technologies that propel successful research and lifelong learning. A global leader in serving libraries of all types, ProQuest offers the culmination of experience from many respected brands of information resources.
CARL is the leadership organization for the Canadian research library community. The Association’s members are the 29 major academic research libraries across Canada together with the Canada Institute for Scientific and Technical Information (CISTI), Library and Archives Canada, and the Library of Parliament. CARL strives to enhance the capacity of member libraries to partner in research and higher education, and to seek effective and sustainable scholarly communication and public policy encouraging of research and broad access to scholarly information.
2011 – Marnie Swanson
Marnie Swanson winner of the 2011 CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship
MONTREAL, May 5, 2011 – The Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) recognized Marnie Swanson, University Librarian, University of Victoria, as the winner of the 2011 CARL award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship.
The award is presented annually to an individual at a CARL member institution who has made a substantial local, national, or international contribution to research librarianship. Ms. Swanson received the award most importantly for her outstanding contributions to libraries and to the library profession in Canada.
CARL President Ernie Ingles said, “Marnie is well regarded within the library profession and is a model for leadership and service to our community. Her career is marked by high achievement and solid dedication to libraries and librarianship. Her contributions are provincial, regional and national; she has facilitated new and important initiatives that have helped shape today’s Canadian research library landscape.”
As CARL President (1997-1999) she was instrumental in the development of the charter that formed the genesis of the Canadian National Site Licensing Project (CNSLP) that evolved into the Canadian Research Knowledge Network (CRKN) that leverages the power of consortial licensing. This breakthrough event is regarded as a turning point in Canadian academic librarianship, and has been recognized as a model for other countries.
The same dedication to leadership and service to higher education has earned Marnie Swanson high regard from the entire campus community at the University of Victoria as an able administrator and a key member of the university’s senior management team, serving on numerous high-level administrative and appointment committees. She is a long-term member of the Senate and has been appointed Vice-Chair on numerous occasions.
As University Librarian at the University of Victoria, Ms. Swanson has overseen a fifteen-year planning and development project that culminated in the expanded and renovated McPherson Library, featuring the William C. Mearns Centre for Learning. The latter expansion is a vibrant, service-oriented space that brings together a Media Commons as well as a Learning Commons with embedded academic support services. The McPherson Library’s unique archives and special collections are now housed in a state-of-the-art preservation and access facility.
The Council of Prairie and Pacific University Libraries (COPPUL), which Marnie chaired (2004 – 2006), has also benefitted from her approach to cooperative collection and service development in libraries. Once established in the University of Victoria, she advocated for the inclusion of British Columbia’s academic libraries in this regional association. Until the late 1980s COPPUL’s members were drawn from Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. The inclusion of the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, and University of Victoria libraries in COPPUL in 1990 strengthened its vendor negotiations, enabled it to play a significant role in supporting innovative library software development, and bolstered COPPUL’s development as an innovative and strategic organization.
She continues to contribute to collaboration and service innovation in the library world as the Chair of the CARL Data Management Sub-committee which has an important role in developing strategies to ensure the permanent viability and stewardship of essential Canadian research data resources. Most recently, Marnie chairs the CARL steering committee that is leading the project to envision and achieve national partnerships and funding to support a national collaborative research data management infrastructure project.
During the presentation of the award at a reception hosted by Université de Montreal, Karen Adams, Director of Libraries, University of Manitoba, said, “Through solid dedication to libraries and librarianship, Marnie Swanson has made ongoing and significant contributions to Canadian research libraries. It’s hard to imagine a more worthy recipient of the CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship.”
ProQuest has generously sponsored the CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship. ProQuest creates specialized information resources and technologies that propel successful research and lifelong learning. A global leader in serving libraries of all types, ProQuest offers the culmination of experience from many respected brands of information resources.
CARL is the leadership organization for the Canadian research library community. The Association’s members are the 29 major academic research libraries across Canada together with the Canada Institute for Scientific and Technical Information (CISTI), Library and Archives Canada, and the Library of Parliament. CARL strives to enhance the capacity of member libraries to partner in research and higher education, and to seek effective and sustainable scholarly communication and public policy encouraging of research and broad access to scholarly information.
2010 – Lynn Copeland
Lynn Copeland winner of the 2010 CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship
OTTAWA May 19, 2010 – The Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) recognized Lynn Copeland, University Librarian and Dean of Library Services, Simon Fraser University, as the winner of the 2010 CARL award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship.
The award is presented annually to an individual at a CARL member institution who has made a substantial local, national, or international contribution to research librarianship. Ms. Copeland received the award most importantly for her outstanding contributions to libraries and to the library profession in Canada.
Lynn Copeland was also honored, very recently, with the Helen Gordon Stewart Award at the 2010 Conference of the BC Library Association on April 24, 2010. This award is given in recognition of an outstanding career in librarianship involving visible or readily identifiable achievements that bring honor to the entire profession.
Combining vision, creativity, technical expertise, political acumen, and collaborative leadership Ms. Copeland has been instrumental in creating a vibrant, well-connected, and nimble Canadian academic library community. The results of her many contributions to the research library profession for over thirty years are not only evident in library infrastructure, digital tools and collections but in an expanded vision of what libraries can be and contribute to society.
Ms. Copeland’s work in moving libraries online started in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s during the era of library catalog retrospective conversions, establishing what would become a consistent theme throughout her career – collaboration among all types of libraries in the innovative application of technology to library facilities, collections, and services. The appointment as Systems Librarian for the BC Union Catalogue Project in 1977, the subsequent position as UBC RECON Librarian, and a secondment to the BC Library Network Project in 1981 exploring the feasibility of a shared provincial online library cataloguing system, paved the way for the creation of the BC Electronic Library Network in 1990. Ms Copeland was the first Director of the BC ELN, and she played a key role developing it into one of Canada’s most successful and innovative library consortiums.
As the Simon Fraser University Library’s Manager of Systems in the 1990’s, Ms. Copeland led the development of groundbreaking library software. The reSearcher software suite, which includes the OJAC/GODOT online requesting and linking tools, is widely used across Canada and internationally.
In the realm of digitization, She has made major contributions over the years as information environments and technologies have evolved. In 2004, SFU was one of the first Canadian universities to digitize its dissertations and theses, helping to lead the way for similar projects across the country. Ms. Copeland led the SFU Library into the Our Roots project, the first of many multi-institutional/community collaborative endeavours to place Canadian historical material online, and her leadership of the Canadian Heritage-funded Multicultural Canada project has helped to bring a wealth of free internet resources highlighting Canada’s diverse communities. She continues the work of diligently preserving and disseminating Canadian cultural heritage through continued national leadership as the current President of Canadiana.org.
The positioning of the SFU Library as a partner in the Public Knowledge Project speaks clearly to the depth of Ms. Copeland’s understanding of the opportunities the changing scholarly communication landscape presents for libraries. She has led the country in demonstrating that research libraries can occupy a crucial place as key publishing partners for digital scholarship. The SFU Library and the PKP are both acknowledged internationally for providing a gold standard in Open Access publishing tools that benefit over 5000 scholarly journals across six continents. Ms. Copeland has also served on the Steering Committee for the Synergies project which is developing a national software platform to bring Canadian social sciences and humanities journals, most of which are in print, online. Lynn Copeland brought the vision and persistent input to help develop a successful proposal to the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) for a $12 million grant to make Synergies a reality.
In Presenting the award, CARL President Ernie Ingles stated, “Over the past thirty years Lynn has helped us first to imagine and then to create the digital library in Canada. Her achievements are the result of a rare combination of vision, creativity, technical expertise, political know-how, and collaborative leadership. Without her contributions, the Canadian academic library scene would be less vibrant, less connected, and less nimble. On many occasions, Lynn has had the foresight to move ahead with innovations that were widely adopted later by others.”
ProQuest has generously sponsored the CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship. ProQuest creates specialized information resources and technologies that propel successful research and lifelong learning. A global leader in serving libraries of all types, ProQuest offers the culmination of experience from many respected brands of information resources.
CARL is the leadership organization for the Canadian research library community. The Association’s members are the 28 major academic research libraries across Canada together with Library and Archives Canada, the Canada Institute for Scientific and Technical Information (CISTI) and the Library of Parliament. CARL strives to enhance the capacity of member libraries to partner in research and higher education, and to seek effective and sustainable scholarly communication and public policy encouraging of research and broad access to scholarly information.
2009 – Ingrid Parent
Ingrid Parent winner of the 2009 CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship
OTTAWA May 27, 2009 – The Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) recognized Ingrid Parent, Assistant Deputy Minister, Library and Archives Canada, as the winner of the 2009 CARL award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship.
The award is presented annually to an individual at a CARL member institution who has made a substantial local, national, or international contribution to research librarianship. Ms. Parent received the award most importantly for her outstanding contributions to libraries and to the library profession in the international realm.
Ms. Parent has been an advocate for libraries for many years, and has played an active role in the development of policies and best practices both nationally and internationally, especially in matters of bibliographic control. In her time on the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) Governing Board specifically, she has been a strong advocate for freedom of information and the diversity of voices in the world of information. Ms. Parent has been very active in the governance of IFLA for the last 14 years without a pause.
Among many IFLA involvements, Ms. Parent has been a member of the IFLA Governing Board for much of the last decade (1999-2005 and from 2007 to present). While on the Governing Board, she served as Treasurer and member of the Executive Committee (2003-2005). She has been Vice-Chair of the Professional Committee since 2007. Ms. Parent has also been Chair of the IFLA Standing Committee of the National Libraries Section since 2005. She has been Co-Chair of the IFLA/International Publishers Association Steering Committee from 2007, earlier serving in that capacity also 1999-2003. In addition, she served as Chair of the Cataloguing Section Standing Committee (1995-1999). InCanadafor IFLA, Ms. Parent was a member of the National Advisory Committee for the 2008 IFLA conference inQuebec City.
Outside of IFLA, but still internationally, Ms. Parent has served on the Governing Board of the International ISSN Network, the Committee of Principals for the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules (RDA), and the Canadian Commission for UNESCO.
Ms. Parent’s leadership around technical advancements in library and information science has been recognized not only nationally, but also internationally, with speaking engagements at library and archival events inArgentina,Italy,Malaysia,Portugal,Russia,Slovenia,Sweden,Switzerland, and theUnited States.
She has served on a number of advisory committees, including the Advisory Board for CISTI, the Canadian Advisory Committee for OCLC, and the Editorial Advisory Board of Information Development for Sage Publications. Ms. Parent also served on the AlouetteCanada Steering Committee and was Chair of the AlouetteCanada Technical Committee.
In presenting the Award, CARL President Leslie Weir stated, “There are few individuals with the constant dedication that Ingrid has shown to the advancement of libraries and the freedom to read around the world. She has been a wonderful ambassador ofCanadato the international library community.”
ProQuest has generously sponsored the CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship. ProQuest creates specialized information resources and technologies that propel successful research and lifelong learning. A global leader in serving libraries of all types, ProQuest offers the culmination of experience from many respected brands of information resources.
CARL is the leadership organization for the Canadian research library community. The Association’s members are the 27 major academic research libraries across Canada, Library and Archives Canada, the Canada Institute for Scientific and Technical Information (CISTI) and the Library of Parliament.
2008 – Carole Moore
Carole Moore winner of the 2008 CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship
OTTAWA May 12, 2008 – The Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) recognized Carole Moore, Chief Librarian at the University of Toronto, as the winner of the 2008 CARL award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship.
The award is presented annually to an individual at a CARL member institution who has made a substantial local, national or international contribution to research librarianship. Ms. Moore received the award for her outstanding and dynamic contributions to the profession as a library leader in a vast digital expansion of access to research literature in Canadian universities. Ms. Moore has been a key promoter of the digital preservation and dissemination of Canadian heritage publications and other public domain materials. Through her leadership, the University of Toronto Libraries have digitized thousands of books for contribution to the Open Content Alliance and to the Internet Archives. She was also one of the originators of the groundbreaking Canadian digitization program, AlouetteCanada (now part of Canadiana.org).
Ms. Moore has been a major player in collaborations among Canadian universities to achieve regional or national licenses for access to scholarly and scientific literature collections for Canadian researchers. Her role was indispensable in the success of the Canadian National Site Licencing Program (CNSLP—now the Canadian Research Knowledge Network [CRKN]) and the Ontario ScholarsPortal project, both of which have been a boon to Canadian researchers and the envy of those elsewhere.
Ms. Moore has also been a leader in the creation of a national infrastructure for the open access publication of Canadian research outputs through the Synergies project, an initiative that has won funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation.
Highly engaged in the work of many library and publishing organizations, both in Canada and international, Ms. Moore has been President of the Canadian Association of Research Libraries and has served on the boards of such organizations as Library and Archives Canada, the (North American-wide) Association of Research Libraries, the Research Libraries Group, the University of Toronto Press, DSpace, and the Council on Library and Information Resources.
In presenting the Award, CARL President Leslie Weir stated, “The amazing contributions to Canadian research libraries and the Canadian research enterprise that Carole Moore has made owe much to her broad and generous vision and her strong collaborative instincts: we have all benefited from the projects that she has so skillfully championed and led.”
Micromedia ProQuest has generously sponsored the CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship. Micromedia ProQuest is Canada’s leading publisher and distributor of proprietary and third-party financial, bibliographic, and directory database products for the corporate and library markets.
CARL is the leadership organization for the Canadian research library community. The Association’s members are the 27 major academic research libraries across Canada, Library and Archives Canada, the Canada Institute for Scientific and Technical Information (CISTI) and the Library of Parliament.
2007 – Brian Owen
Brian Owen winner of the 2007 CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship
TORONTO, September 26, 2007 – The Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) recognized Mr. Brian Owen, Simon Fraser University, as the winner of the 2007 CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship. The Award was made to mark Mr. Owen’s technical and project leadership in a number of flagship projects that have benefited Canada’s research and library communities.
The Award is presented annually to an individual at a CARL-member institution who has made a substantial local, national and/or international contribution to research librarianship.
Mr. Owen was instrumental in developing the successful Synergies proposal that led to an award from the Canada Foundation of Innovation that will help establish a national online publishing system for Canadian scholarly journals in the humanities and social sciences.
He is actively involved in a three-way partnership between the University of British Columbia’s Public Knowledge Project (PKP), the Simon Fraser University Canadian Centre for Studies in Publishing, and the Simon Fraser University Library. This has resulted most recently in the release of a major new version of Open Journal Systems – now used by over 400 journals in six languages. Mr. Owen was conference director of the First International PKP Scholarly Publishing Conference held in July, 2007. He also led technical development of the Software @ SFU Library initiative
Brian Owen has served as a member of the Canadian Research Knowledge Network Negotiations Resource Team. This team gained international recognition for the development of a model licence for use in negotiations with publishers.
As a member of the Steering Committee for the B.C. Public Libraries Services Branch Gateway Project, Mr. Owen has helped design a province wide online public library services.
In presenting the Award CARL President Leslie Weir stated: “Brian Owen is a talented manager and administrator; a superb team player; an innovative problem solver; and he’s always quick to share his knowledge and expertise with his colleagues. It is in recognition of Mr. Owen’s diverse interests and talents that the research library community of Canada honours him today.”
Micromedia ProQuest sponsors the CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research
Librarianship. Micromedia ProQuest is Canada’s leading publisher and distributor of proprietary
and third-party financial, bibliographic, and directory database products for the corporate and
library markets.
CARL is the leadership organization for the Canadian research library community. The Association’s members are the 27 major academic research libraries across Canada, Library and Archives Canada, the Canada Institute for Scientific and Technical Information (CISTI) and the Library of Parliament.
2006 – Ernie Ingles
Ernie Ingles winner of the 2006 CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship
OTTAWA May 17, 2006 – The Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) recognized Ernie Ingles, Vice-Provost and Chief Librarian, University of Alberta, as the winner of the 2006 CARL award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship.
The award is presented annually to an individual at a CARL member institution who has made a substantial local, national or international contribution to research librarianship. Mr. Ingles received the award for his outstanding and dynamic contributions to the profession as a scholar and a library leader in many fields.
As a bibliographer Ernie Ingles has published widely, notably the Bibliography of Canadian Bibliographies / Bibliographie des bibliographies canadiennes and the revised Peel’s Bibliography of the Canadian Prairies to 1953. He was the founding Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut canadien de microreproductions historiques and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada (2001).
Mr. Ingles has helped develop and lead such collaborative ventures as the NEOS Library Consortium, the Health Knowledge Network (HKN), The Alberta Library and the Lois Hole Campus Alberta Digital Library. Most recently his commitment to the access and preservation of Canada’s documentary heritage has led to a leadership role in the founding of the AlouetteCanada Open Digitization Initiative. Mr. Ingles is the founder of the Northern Exposure to Leadership Institute (NELI) and the driving force behind The Future of Human Resources in Canadian Libraries (2005). A recipient of numerous honours, Ernie Ingles was awarded the Queen’s Jubilee Medal (2003). He is currently President Elect of the OCLC Members Council.
In presenting the Award CARL President John Teskey stated: “The breadth and depth of Ernie’s contributions to research librarianship are hard to summarize in a brief citation. He is a leader of great vision with an enormous capacity to create change. If you have worked with Ernie you will have been impressed by the warmth of his friendship.”
Micromedia ProQuest sponsors the CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship. Micromedia ProQuest is Canada’s leading publisher and distributor of proprietary and third-party financial, bibliographic, and directory database products for the corporate and library markets.
CARL is the leadership organization for the Canadian research library community. The Association’s members are the 27 major academic research libraries across Canada, Library and Archives Canada, the Canada Institute for Scientific and Technical Information (CISTI) and the Library of Parliament.
2005 – Howard Alper
Howard Alper winner of the 2005 CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship
HALIFAX, September 29, 2005 – The Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) recognized Dr. Howard Alper, Professor of Chemistry and Vice-President Research, University of Ottawa, as the winner of the 2005 CARL award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship.
The award is presented annually to an individual at a CARL-member institution who has made a substantial local, national and/or international contribution to academic research librarianship.
Dr. Alper received this year’s award in recognition of his outstanding leadership as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Research Knowledge Network (CRKN), formerly the Canadian National Site Licensing Project (CNSLP).
CRKN has revolutionized the research infrastructure in Canada by providing expanded, equitable and cost-effective access to digital forms of scholarly content for the benefit of the research community. As an internationally-recognized initiative, CRKN is an outstanding example of how vision, collaboration and investment on a national scale can ensure diverse research communities have the knowledge resources they need to fuel innovation in Canada. CRKN presently has 74 member universities and currently provides access to over $40 million of licensed digital materials.
In presenting the Award CARL President John Teskey stated: “Howard Alper has received numerous awards and honours from his professional colleagues and peers. These include the Chemical Institute of Canada (CIC) Medal (1997), its highest honour, and the first Gerhard Herzberg Canada Gold Medal in Science and Engineering (2000), the most prestigious award in Canada for science and engineering. In addition, Dr. Alper was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1999. It is recognition of Dr. Alper’s diverse interests and talents that the research library community of Canada recognizes him today.”
“CRKN has transformed the Canadian landscape by enabling new partnerships and positioning Canada to be globally competitive in research and innovation”, noted Dr. Alper. “I am honoured to accept this award and would like to affirm my continued commitment to the future success of the CRKN.”
Micromedia ProQuest sponsors the CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship. Micromedia ProQuest is Canada’s leading publisher and distributor of proprietary and third-party financial, bibliographic, and directory database products for the corporate and library markets. Founded in 1972, the products incorporate information from Canadian companies, media sources, regulatory bodies and government agencies. Micromedia ProQuest also acts as Canadian distributor for a number of international publishing groups.
The Canadian Research Knowledge Network is a program of Canadian universities aimed at bolstering the research and innovation of Canada’s universities. CRKN’s mission is to expand the universe of digital research information available to Canada’s academic community, through the coordinated services and expertise of academic libraries.
CARL is the leadership organization for the Canadian research library community. The Association’s members are the 27 major academic research libraries across Canada, Library and Archives Canada, the Canada Institute for Scientific and Technical Information (CISTI) and the Library of Parliament.
2004 – Frances K. Groen
Frances K. Groen winner of the 2004 CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship
VICTORIA – June 15, 2004 – The Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) today recognized Frances K. Groen, Trenholme Director of Libraries, McGill University, as the winner of the CARL national award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship.
The award is presented annually to an individual at a CARL member institution who has made a substantial local, national and/or international contribution to academic research librarianship.
Mrs. Groen has held the position of Director of the McGill University Libraries since 1996. From 1990 to 1995, she was Deputy Director and Associate Director of Libraries at McGill. Prior to this she held a number of progressively responsible library positions at McGill University, University of Pittsburgh, Stanford University and the University of Toronto.
Over the years Mrs. Groen has held office in a number of library associations. She served as President of the Medical Library Association; as a member of the American Library Association Committee on Accreditation of Graduate Programs; as Chair of the CISTI’s Advisory Committee on Health Sciences Resource Centres; as an Officer of the IFLA’s Section on University and Research Libraries; and as a grant evaluator for the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. From 1999-2001 Mrs. Groen served as President of CARL
In making the presentation CARL President Joyce C. Garnett noted “Fran has been the recipient of numerous honours and awards: the ALA Blackwell Award for best published paper (2001), the MLA recognition as one of the “100 Most Notables” the CACUL Outstanding Academic Librarian award and the China Medical University Honorary Consultant Librarian (1991, 1994 and 1996). In this context Fran is a most deserving recipient of the CARL Award, as showing the recognition of her peers.”
Frances Groen has published over 40 articles in refereed journals and 4 chapters of books. She has also published over 80 book reviews in the Library Journal, the Bulletin of the Medical Library Association, in the Canadian Library Journal and in Quill and Quire. She taught at the McGill University Graduate School of Library and Information Studies from 1975 to 1995.
Micromedia ProQuest sponsors the CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship. Micromedia ProQuest is Canada’s leading publisher and distributor of proprietary and third-party financial, bibliographic, and directory database products for the corporate and library markets. Founded in 1972, the products incorporate information from Canadian companies, media sources, regulatory bodies and government agencies. Micromedia ProQuest also acts as Canadian distributor for a number of international publishing groups.
The Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) was established in 1976. Its members are Canada’s 27 major academic research libraries, CISTI (Canada Institute for Scientific and Technical Information) Library and Archives Canada and the Library of Parliament. CARL provides leadership to the Canadian research library community through initiatives to enhance scholarly communication and assisting members to provide full support for teaching and research.
2003 – Alan H. MacDonald
Alan H. MacDonald winner of the 2003 CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship
HALIFAX – May 31, 2003 – The Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) today recognized former University of Calgary and Dalhousie University librarian Alan H. MacDonald with the CARL national award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship.
The award is presented annually to an individual at a CARL member institution who has made a substantial local, national and/or international contribution to academic research librarianship. Mr. MacDonald received this year’s Award for his exemplary leadership at Dalhousie University, the University of Calgary and through numerous professional associations.
Alan MacDonald recently retired from his position as Special Assistant to the Vice President (Academic) and Provost, and Senior Advisor to the Directors of Information Resources and Information Technologies at the University of Calgary. He had an extensive career in senior management positions in Calgary and Halifax. At the University of Calgary he was also the Director of Information Resources, Director of Libraries, and Director of the University of Calgary Press. Prior to assuming responsibilities at the University of Calgary he held several positions at Dalhousie including Government Publications Librarian, Health Sciences Librarian, Assistant University Librarian, Law Librarian, and Lecturer in the School of Library Service.
A number of themes are evident in Alan MacDonald’s career which serve to illustrate why he has been such an influential figure in the research library community. These include: scholarly communication, resource sharing, copyright (achieving balance between the rights of creators and users), information and learning technologies, leadership development and mentoring, collaboration, and libraries as service organizations.
“Alan was a mentor to many University of Calgary librarians, encouraging them to take on more senior positions at other institutions”, states Marnie Swanson, University Librarian at the University of Victoria. “I particularly remember his lunch time discussions with staff where he led lively conversations about library issues, often inspiring us to find creative solutions to the daily challenges we were facing”… Alan was a passionate believer in the value libraries provide to society”.
Throughout his career, Alan MacDonald maintained a high profile in professional organizations in Canada. He held senior executive positions in numerous associations and organizations including President of the Canadian Library Association, President of the Atlantic Provinces Library Association, President of the Canadian Association for Information Science, President of the Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions, Chair of the Council of Prairie University Librarians, Chair of the Calgary Community Network Association, and Chair of the CLA Writing the Future Commission.
As a member of CARL for 15 years Alan made significant contributions to the organization, serving a number of terms as Western Representative and as Vice President in 1985/86. He was instrumental in writing the CARL constitution and by-laws and in developing CARL’s initial position on copyright. Alan was also a member of the AUCC/CARL /CASUL Joint Task Force on Academic Libraries and Scholarly Communication and their Impact on Higher Education which resulted in the Task Force report The Changing World of Scholarly Communication: Challenges and Choices for Canada.
Alan is a noted speaker and author and he served as the University of Calgary Orator from 1989 – 2002 writing citations for honorary degree recipients such as Mikhail Gorbachev, Carol Shields, Sir Brian Follett and Preston Manning. Among the awards he has received in recognition for his many contributions to Canadian librarianship are: University of Toronto Faculty of Information Studies Alumni Association Jubilee Award (1999), Member of the Order of the University of Calgary (1999), Canadian Library Association R.R. Bowker Outstanding Service to Librarianship Award (1997), the first Lorne MacRae Intellectual Freedom Lectureship, Alberta Teachers’ Association (1996), the Bertha Bassam Open Lectureship, Faculty of Information Studies, University of Toronto (1994), the first President’s Award, Library Association of Alberta (1992), Blackwell’s Award for Distinguished Canadian Academic Librarian, and Canadian Association of College and University Libraries (1988). In addition, Mr. MacDonald’s published biography appears in Canadian Who’s Who, Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in the World, and Who’s Who in Library and Information Services.
Micromedia Proquest sponsors the CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship. Micromedia ProQuest is Canada’s leading publisher and distributor of proprietary and third-party financial, bibliographic, and directory database products for the corporate and library markets. Founded in 1972, the products incorporate information from Canadian companies, media sources, regulatory bodies and government agencies. Micromedia ProQuest also acts as Canadian distributor for a number of international publishing groups.
The Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) was established in 1976. Its members are Canada’s 27 major academic research libraries, CISTI (Canada Institute for Scientific and Technical Information) and the National Library of Canada. CARL provides leadership to the Canadian research library community through initiatives to enhance scholarly communication and assisting members to provide full support for teaching and research.
2002 – Michel Fournier
Michel Fournier winner of the 2002 CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship
HALIFAX – June 17, 2002 – The Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) today recognized former Université Laval librarian, Michel Fournier with the Association’s national award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship.
This award is presented annually to an individual at a CARL member institution who has made a substantial local, national and/or international contribution to academic research librarianship. Mr. Fournier received this year’s Award for the development of the Répertoire des vedettes-matiPre, the subject-heading index that is an indispensable French-language tool in national and international librarianship
First published in 1962 by Université Laval, the Répertoire was adopted in 1974 by the National Library of Canada as its French-language indexing standard. In 1990 it was adopted by the BibliothPque nationale de France. Development since then has been guided by these two institutions plus the MinistPre de l’Education nationale (on behalf of all French University libraries).
The Répertoire includes the Library of Congress Subject Headings, the Canadian Subject Headings, the French-language headings from the Getty Foundation of Art and Architecture Thesaurus and links to the (US) National Library of Medicine MESH ( Medical Subject Headings).
Michel Fournier joined Université Laval in 1968 and was deeply involved in developing the Répertoire. He saw always the potential for standardization, and cooperation between libraries and these were objectives he worked ardently to advance throughout his career. His excellent management of the Répertoire team contributed greatly to its high standards and influence.
“Canadians should be extremely proud of this remarkable tool for research libraries, developed at Laval and adopted by the world,” stated CARL President Mr. Bill Maes. “Mr. Fournier’s key role in developing the Répertoire and ensuring its widespread and well-deserved international recognition, is a credit to Canadian, and especially to Quebec librarianship.”
The CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship is kindly sponsored by Micromedia-Proquest. Micromedia ProQuest is Canada’s leading publisher and distributor of proprietary and third-party financial, bibliographic, and directory database products for the corporate and library markets. Founded in 1972, the products incorporate information from Canadian companies, media sources, regulatory bodies and government agencies. Micromedia ProQuest also acts as Canadian distributor for a number of international publishing groups.
The Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) was established in 1976. Its members are Canada’s 27 major academic research libraries, CISTI (Canada Institute for Scientific and Technical Information) and the National Library of Canada. CARL provides leadership to the Canadian research library community through initiatives to enhance scholarly communication and assisting members to provide full support for research.
2001 – Bernard Dumouchel
Bernard Dumouchel winner of the 2001 CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship
Ottawa, June 6, 2001 – Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) President Frances Groen announced Mr. Bernard Dumouchel, Director General, Canadian Institute for Scientific and Technological Information (CISTI) as the winner of the CARL/ABRC Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship.
The presentation was made at the CARL/ABRC Annual General Meeting held May 26, 2001 in Toronto. The Award carries a prize of $1,000 US.
The CARL/ABRC Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship is made to an individual at a CARL member institution who has made a substantial local, national and/or international contribution to research librarianship. The person may have planned and implemented an exemplary library program, actively promoted research libraries and/or librarianship or otherwise served the profession with marked distinction.
In presenting the Award, Mrs. Groen stated that under the leadership of Bernard Dumouchel CISTI has introduced many innovative products and services: these are of great and continuing benefit to Canada’s research community and Canada’s research libraries.
CISTI provides an invaluable information infrastructure in the areas of science, technology and medicine and has developed guaranteed access to critically important scholarly information resources. The Relais International document delivery management system developed by CISTI to manage and support document delivery of these resources is now used by libraries in Canada, the US, the UK and Australia.
Bernard Dumouchel has also worked to produce a model CISTI virtual library. The plan to create a virtual document storage and distribution facility at the NRC Institute for Marine Dynamics in St. John’s, Newfoundland, through the Atlantic Innovation Fund, lays the groundwork for a secure Canadian digital archive.
“These and other achievements are directly due to the vision and direction of Bernard Dumouchel” noted Mrs. Groen.
ProQuest Information and Learning is the sponsor of the CARL/ABRC Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship. Through the many products and services that it offers, ProQuest is proud to be part of the international scholarly community.
ProQuest Information and Learning is ProQuest Company’s premier online information service, providing powerful, convenient search and retrieval, right from the desktop, to one of the world’s largest collections of information, including summaries of articles from over 8,000 publications, with many in full text, full image format.
The Canadian Association of Research Libraries/Association des bibliothèques de recherche du Canada (CARL/ABRC) was established in 1976. Its members are Canada’s 27 major academic research libraries, CISTI (Canada Institute for Scientific and Technical Information) and the National Library of Canada. CARL/ABRC provides leadership to the Canadian research library community through initiatives to enhance scholarly communication and assisting members to provide full support for research.
2000 – Charles ('Chuck') Humphrey
Charles Humphrey winner of the 2000 CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship
Edmonton, June 19, 2000 – Canadian Association of Research Libraries’ (CARL) President Frances Groen announced Mr. Charles (“Chuck”) Humphrey, Data Library Coordinator, University of Alberta, as the winner of the CARL/ABRC Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship.
The presentation was made by Mr. Vince Price, Vice-President, ProQuest Marketing, Bell & Howell Information and Learning, the sponsor of the Award. It carries with it a cash prize of $1,000 US.
The CARL/ABRC Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship is made to an individual at a CARL member institution who has made a substantial local, national and/or international contribution to research librarianship. The person may have planned and implemented an exemplary library program, actively promoted research libraries and/or librarianship or otherwise served the profession with marked distinction.
In citing Mr. Humphrey’s many impressive contributions to data librarianship, Mrs. Groen stated that “Mr. Humphrey possesses an expert knowledge of data formats, data access and preservation. His knowledge of the scholarly research process enables him to create the vital links between the data needs of researchers and the data products available. He demonstrates an unfailing commitment to the cause of data librarianship and to his colleagues in this field.”
Mr. Humphrey has served as Data Library Coordinator at the University of Alberta since 1992. He was instrumental in organizing a federated membership in the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) in which the University of Alberta serves as the hub for the ten member libraries involved.
He served from 1991 to 1995 as the President of the International Association for Social Science Information Services and Technology (IASSIST) and was also a member of the governing board of ICPSR during this time. He served from 1990 to 1996 on the Data Information Systems Panel of the Canadian Global Change Project and was co-author of the report, Data Policy and Barriers to Data Access in Canada: Issues for Global Change Research.
He is a founding member of the Canadian Association of Public Data Users (CAPDU) and was a leading proponent of the successful Data Liberation Initiative (DLI). He is currently co-chair of the DLI External Advisory Committee, a member of the National Data Committee of the Metropolis Project and sits on the Prairie Centre’s Data Committee.
Mr. Humphrey is a committed teacher and trainer. He has designed and taught many training sessions on behalf of the DLI, has taught in the (ICPSR) Summer Program for nine years and has advised on the design and provision of data services.
In making the presentation, Mr. Vince Price expressed his pleasure at Bell & Howell’s continuing sponsorship of the CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship. Through the many goods and services that it offers, Bell & Howell is proud to be part of the international scholarly community. He congratulated Mr. Humphrey on the award.
ProQuest is Bell & Howell Information and Learning’s premier online information service, providing powerful, convenient search and retrieval, right from the desktop, to one of the world’s largest collections of information, including summaries of articles from over 8,000 publications, with many in full text, full image format.
The Canadian Association of Research Libraries/Association des bibliothèques de recherche du Canada (CARL/ABRC) was established in 1976. Its members are Canada’s 27 major academic research libraries, CISTI (Canada Institute for Scientific and Technical Information) and the National Library of Canada. CARL provides leadership to the Canadian research library community through initiatives to enhance scholarly communication and assisting members to provide full support for postgraduate research.
1998 – Graham R. Hill
Graham R. Hill First winner of the CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship
Ottawa, November 9, 1998 – Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) President Marnie Swanson announced Mr. Graham R. Hill, University Librarian, McMaster University (Hamilton, Ontario) as the first winner of the CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship.
The presentation was made by Mr. Stephen Rhind-Tutt, President of Chadwyck-Healey Inc. the sponsors of the new award. It carries with it a cash prize of $1,000.
The CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship will be made annually to an individual at a CARL member institution who has made a substantial local, national and/or international contribution to research librarianship. The person may have planned and implemented an exemplary library program, actively promoted research libraries and/or librarianship or otherwise served the profession with marked distinction.
In citing Mr. Hill’s many contributions to research librarianship Ms. Swanson singled out in particular his longstanding commitment in the areas of copyright reform and education.
Mr. Hill was born and educated in England and received his M.L.S. degree from the University of Western Ontario in 1970. He joined McMaster University in 1971 and has served as University Librarian since 1979.
He served on the CARL Board of Directors from 1981-87 (President 1985-87) and has been Chair of the CARL Standing Committee on Copyright since its inception in April 1997.
He has been a member of the Association of Colleges and Canada (AUCC) Copyright Advisory Group since 1991. In 1996 he wrote the CARL Brief on Bill C-32 (An Act to amend the Copyright Act) for submission to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage and later appeared as a witness before the Committee. Most recently he was largely responsible for drafting the Statement of Principles for the Management of Copyright in the Digital Environment (October 1998). This document is expected to shape copyright policy for CARL and other copyright user groups as they approach the next round of Canadian and international copyright reform.
Mr. Hill was a member of the AUCC University Model Licence re-negotiation team with CANCOPY (the Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency) in 1995-96 and has been re-appointed for the current negotiations (November 1998).
In all of these endeavours Mr. Hill has been a tireless and effective advocate on behalf of the University research library community, defending the principle of unimpeded access to scholarly research materials in whatever form and in whatever medium they are published.
In making the presentation Mr. Rhind-Tutt expressed his pleasure that Chadwyck-Healey had been invited to sponsor the CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship. Chadwyck -Healey was proud through its publishing programme to be part of the international scholarly community. He congratulated Mr. Hill as first recipient of the Award.
Chadwyck-Healey, Inc., is a leading publisher of innovative scholarly references and full-text databases. For twenty-five years, its has provided libraries with reference resources and bibliographies in literature, history, the arts, social and political sciences, economics and statistics. These products are available either through the Internet or on CD-ROM and microfilm. Chadwyck-Healey has offices in Alexandria, Virginia; Cambridge, England; and Madrid, Spain.
The Canadian Association of Research Libraries/Association des bibliothèques de recherche du Canada (CARL/ABRC)was established in 1976. Its members are Canada’s 27 major academic research libraries, CISTI (Canada Institute for Scientific and Technical Information) and the National Library of Canada. CARL provides leadership to the Canadian research library community through initiatives to enhance scholarly communication and assisting members to provide full support for postgraduate research.