Skip to main content

Transform Laurier Library

Image of a group of students in the Waterloo campus library listening to a librarian

Overview of a Library project to lead a university-wide consultation process to imagine the next stages of the Laurier Library's evolution.

Vision and Charge

The University Senior Leadership has charged the University Librarian with a task to organize and convene a university-wide “Transform Laurier Library” committee and to lead a process that will imagine the next stages of the Laurier Library evolution.

The charge is to go through a comprehensive and wide-ranging consultative process and to think deeply about the role of the Laurier Library within the context of the University, provincially and nationally with an aim to align with Laurier’s Strategic Academic Plan, Strategic Research Plan, Strategic Mandate Agreement and and Laurier’s mission of Inspiring Lives of Leadership and Purpose.

The Laurier Library aims to continue its growth as a robust, multidimensional platform that supports and enables:

  • Strategic Academic Plan, Strategic Research Plan, Strategic Mandate Agreement;
  • Excellent student experience;
  • Academic research and generation of published scholarly information;
  • Digital transformation and new modalities for teaching, learning and research;
  • Online learning and new pedagogies;
  • Knowledge generation, management and dissemination, research data curation, e-science and digital humanities;
  • Digital and physical environments essential for interdisciplinary learning and collaborative research within multi-campus context;
  • Active, experiential, engaged learning with innovative tools and methodologies, art and culture by featuring collaborative spaces and environments to bring students and faculty from various disciplines together to engage with resources, expertise, artistic expression and technology;
  • External partnerships and community outreach.

Library Strategic Plan

The Library is the intellectual and cultural heart of Laurier.

It is the place where the university community comes together to access and interact with information and people, generate new ideas, and engage with the great questions of our time. We will provide exceptional resources, services, expertise, and spaces that inspire our users to achieve excellence in their work and lives. In doing so, we will become known as an innovative leader at Laurier and beyond.

Library Strategic Plan 2020

Timeline

TLLC process and timelines

Event Timeline Status
TLLC Committee – Meeting 1 Sept. 11, 2018 Complete
TLLC Steering Committee (TLLC-SC) - Meeting 1 Sept. 18, 2018 Complete
Background documents made available to all TLLC committees on OneDrive Oct. 15, 2018 Complete
Identification of moderators for subcommittees Before October 22 Complete

Engagement and Education Event

Academic Research Libraries: Recent Transformative Ideas and Developments. What’s Possible?

This event is the kick-off for sub-committee work. The audience will include the TLLC, TLLC Sub-committees and Library staff.

Oct. 22, 2018 Complete

Subcommittees participate in a World Café exercise to generate ideas, develop and draft questions for ideation/community engagement process.

(Facilitated by TLL sub-committee moderators and Melanie Will, HR)

November 20, 2018 Complete
The output from Sub-Committee work is consolidated and provided to TLLC Steering Committee. December 2018 Complete
University Librarian Presents the TLLC Process to Senate (process goals, layout/overview, timelines) January 10, 2019  
Survey instrument is created and submitted for REB approval (administrative review). Need to ensure that survey instrument offers several opportunities to collect comments in narrative form. Early January, 2019  
Distribution of survey on-line January 2019  

Subcommittees meet to start working on formulating draft recommendations (multiple meetings, before and after survey results).

Transformative ideas for the Laurier Library based on what we have learned so far - working through the lenses of Teaching and Learning; Student Experience and Success; Research and Scholarship; Community, Diversity and Outreach.

January/February 2019  
Consolidation of survey results. A small group of TLLC-SC will consolidate the results of the survey and will communicate to TLLC Sub-Committees. February 2019  
Subcommittees meet to work on preparing draft recommendations for the Draft Interim Report based on all information, resources and feedback gathered, preliminary discussions and survey results. February/March 2019  
TLLC-SC drafts the Interim Report and prepares it for the Town Hall discussion and feedback from the community. March 2019  
Town Hall Event (feedback from committee work, surveys and doc review presented); attendees have opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback. Mid March 2019 (Date TBA)  
Draft report generated by Steering committee End of March 2019  
Final report issued by TLLC April 2019  
Committees and Collaborators

Transform Laurier Library Committee Composition

  1. Gohar Ashoughian, University Librarian – Co-Chair;
  2. Maureen Mancuso, Interim VP: Academic and Provost – Co-Chair;
  3. Jonathan Newman, VP Research;
  4. John Fraser, Director Strategic Academic Initiatives;
  5. Bridget McMahon, Assistant Vice-President, Alumni Relations, Annual Giving and Stewardship
  6. Scott Gillies, Associate University Librarian;
  7. Jennifer Knechtel, Senior Administrative Officer
  8. David McMurray, VP: Student Affairs;
  9. Antonio Araujo, Acting VP Finance and Administration;
  10. Jason Coolman, VP Development and Alumni Relations;
  11. Melissa Heaman, Manager, Executive Support and Special Projects
  12. Carleen Carroll, Associate Vice President, External Relations;
  13. Heidi Northwood, SEO Brantford;
  14. Lisa Quinn, Director WLU Press;
  15. Suzanne Luke, Curator Robert Langen Art Gallery;
  16. Kristine Lougas, Director Web Services;
  17. Glen Carruthers, Dean of Music, Dean from Waterloo;
  18. Lauren Eisler, Dean from Brantford;
  19. Kathryn Carter, Dean from Brantford;
  20. Nela Petkovic, CIO;
  21. Ulrike Gross, AVP: Facilities and Asset Management;
  22. Kristiina Montero, Acting Associate VP: Teaching and Learning;
  23. Melissa Ireland, Director Indigenous Initiatives;
  24. Jennifer Casey, AVP Enrollment Services and Registrar;
  25. Pam Cant, AVP Human Resources;
  26. Jennifer Dufton, Library Staff representative;
  27. Greg Sennema, Librarian Waterloo;
  28. Charlotte Innerd, Librarian Waterloo;
  29. Irene Tencinger, Librarian Brantford;
  30. Zemar Hakim, President WLUSA,
  31. Kathy Bazinet, President GSA, Graduate Students’ Representative;
  32. Ryan Smith, President WLUAA, Alumni Representative;
  33. Kalyani Menon (Lazaridis), Faculty: Waterloo;
  34. Pamela Bryden (Science), Faculty: Waterloo;
  35. Ken Paradis (FLA Brantford), Faculty: Brantford;

Steering Committee

  1. Maureen Mancuso, VP: Academic and Provost;
  2. Gohar Ashoughian, University Librarian;
  3. Jonathan Newman, VP Research;
  4. John Fraser, Director, Strategic and Academic Initiatives, Office of VPA
  5. Scott Gillies, Associate University Librarian;
  6. Jennifer Knechtel, Senior Administrative Officer;
  7. Greg Sennema, Librarian Waterloo;
  8. Nela Petkovic, CIO;
  9. Ulrike Gross, AVP: Facilities and Asset Management;
  10. Kathy Bazinet, President GSA
  11. Zemar Hakim, President WLUSU

Teaching & Learning

Moderator: Joanne Oud

  1. Joanne Oud, Library;
  2. Joe Beer, Director: Teaching, Learning, and Development;
  3. David Smith, Faculty of Arts;
  4. Mercedes Rowinsky-Geurts, Faculty of Arts;
  5. Bruce Gillespie, FLA Brantford;
  6. Abby Goodrum, FLA Brantford;
  7. Gwen Page, Associate Director Accessible Learning Services;
  8. Louise Dawe, Faculty of Science
  9. Antony Christensen, FHSS Brantford
  10. Julie Topic, Director, ICT Support

Student Experience & Success

Moderator: Scott Gillies

  1. Helene LeBlanc, Library
  2. Matthew Rohweder, Library;
  3. Gail Forsyth, Director: Teaching, Learning and Retention;
  4. Kate McCrae Bristol, Dean of Students, Waterloo;
  5. Adam Lawrence, Dean of Students, Brantford;
  6. Zemar Hakim, Undergrad Student Rep;
  7. Kathy Bazinet, Grad Student Rep;
  8. Mercedes Rowinsky-Geurts, Faculty of Arts;
  9. Melissa Ireland, Indigenous Student Services;
  10. Gwen Page, Associate Director Accessible Learning Services
  11. Ken Paradis, FLA Brantford
  12. Tim Didier, Web Manager

Research & Scholarship

Moderator: Michael Steeleworthy

  1. Michael Steeleworthy, Library;
  2. Charlotte Innerd, Library;
  3. Charity Parr-Vasquez, Director ORS;
  4. Lisa Quinn, WLU Press;
  5. David Smith, Faculty of Arts;
  6. Christina Han, FLA Brantford;
  7. Jennifer Baltzer, Faculty of Science
  8. James Popham, FHSS Brantford

Outreach, Community & Diversity

Moderator: John Fraser

  1. Bridget McMahon, Assistant Vice-President, Alumni Relations, Annual Giving and Stewardship
  2. Darin White, Library;
  3. Suzanne Luke, Library/RLAG;
  4. Michelle Goodridge, Library;
  5. Sharon Whittle, Library;
  6. Clare Hitchens, WLU Press
  7. Sheldon Pereira, Director Office of the President and Vice-Chancellor
  8. Ben Yang, Laurier International;
  9. Melissa Ireland, Indigenous Student Services;
  10. Beth Gurney, Associate Director of Communications and Public Affairs for the Brantford campus
  11. Mark Gray, Director Development, Strategic Initiatives;
  12. Irene Tencinger, Librarian Brantford;
  13. Pam Cant, AVP Human Resources
  14. Kristine Lougas, Director Web Services
Supporting Documents