1. Librarians as academics in the university environment
Jim Brett, Librarian / Manager,
Learning Commons
Ontario Veterinary College
“Scouting the Academic Library as a Workplace”
OLA Superconference Session 303, Thursday, February 1, 2007

2. Why academic status?
“Librarians are partners with faculty …contributing to… scholarly and intellectual functions of the University …”
(Savage, D A historical overview of academic status for librarians. CLJ, Oct. ’82.)
Academic status for Canadian librarians has been debated since the 1970’s.
Much more common in the US to see librarians with full faculty status.

3. Academic Status?
Academic status*:
”Recognition given by an institution of higher education that the librarians in its employ are considered members of the teaching or research staff but are not entitled to ranks, titles, rights, and benefits equivalent to those of faculty. The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) has published Guidelines for Academic Status for College and University Librarians (June 2002). Compare with faculty status.”
* From ODLIS: Online Dictionary for Library and Information Science (
Both the CAUT/CACUL document and the ACRL documents refer to ACADEMIC status
Don Savage comments on the difficulty defining academic status because it is a “psychological and political matter”
In Canada the phrase academic status is the norm; only at Laurentian where the librarians have full faculty rights
and responsibilities

4. Components of academic status
Nine conditions constitute academic status (ACRL)
Librarians are assigned professional responsibilities
Librarians have a governance structure similar to other faculties on campus
Librarians are eligible for membership in the faculty governing body
Librarians have salary scales that are equivalent to those for other academic faculty

5. Components … (cont’d)
Librarians are covered by the same tenure policies as other faculty
Librarians are promoted through the ranks via a peer review system
Librarians are eligible for leaves of absence or sabbaticals
Librarians have access to funding for research projects
Librarians have the same protections of academic freedom as other faculty

6. Benefits of academic status
Academic freedom
Continuing appointment (tenure)
Participation in University governance (collegiality)
Access to sabbatical or other leave provisions
Promotion and Tenure by peer review
More robust procedures, e.g. grievances
Balanced workload
Enhanced status
Better salary and benefits

7. University Librarian Academic Responsibilities
Four broad areas:
Professional performance
Research, scholarly, and other creative activities
Service to the University and society
Continuing professional growth
Compare to faculty; the latter three are exactly the same; the first is very hard to make a comparison
Faculty teach and do research (the mix varies); we do professional librarian stuff…
1. Professional performance in the context of academic librarianship in all areas relevant to the librarian's assigned responsibilities within the University Library system. This includes administrative / managerial performance for those librarians holding administrative appointments within the University Library system. Effectiveness of professional performance can be demonstrated through his/her professional knowledge, his/her management ability, and a knowledge of the librarian's subject discipline.
2. Research, scholarly and other creative activities. Due consideration is given to documented research-in-progress.
3. Effectiveness of service to the University as evidenced by successful service on university committees, participation in University government, participation in the administration of the University of Guelph Faculty Association, advisement of students and student groups, or by service on provincial university committees; and/or by service to society.
4. continuing growth as evidenced by active participation in appropriate professional and/or scholarly organizations, and/or by personal study and upgrading of qualifications. This includes participation in professional conferences, workshops, symposia, etc., as well as formal professional continuing education activities.

8. Other Resources
The Scholarship of Canadian Research University Librarians
David Fox’s web site -
Canadian Association of University Teachers (
AcademicWork.ca (
Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (
Chronicle of Higher Education (
Faculty-Librarian Relationships, by Paul O. Jenkins. Chandos Publishing, Oxford, 2005.

9. Ontario Council of University Libraries
Brock University
BUFA
Ryerson University
RUFA
Carleton University
CUASA
Toronto, University of
UTFA
Guelph, University of
UGFA
Trent University
TUFA
Lakehead University
LUFA
Waterloo, University of
LAUW**
Laurentian University
LUFAPUL*
Western Ontario, University of
UWOFA
McMaster University
MUFA
Wilfrid Laurier University
WLUFA
Nipissing University
OPSEU
Windsor, University of
WUFA
Ottawa , University of
York University
YUFA
Queen's University
QUFA
Ontario Universities and their local faculty associations
Note * LAUW is the librarians’ association not the faculty association
** Librarians at Laurentian have full faculty status