´óÏó´«Ã½

The Opportunity

´óÏó´«Ã½ (´óÏó´«Ã½) invites applications for an innovative, experienced library leader to serve as inaugural Head of the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Medical Library, based at ´óÏó´«Ã½â€™s Surrey Campus. The new ´óÏó´«Ã½ School of Medicine (SoM) is redefining primary care medical education, moving beyond traditional models to create an innovative, community-based approach that will improve community health outcomes across British Columbia by anticipating healthcare needs in 2030 and beyond. With a focus on community-engaged medical education, Indigenous ways of knowing, equity, and innovation, ´óÏó´«Ã½â€™s School of Medicine will train physicians with a deep commitment to family medicine, primary care, and interprofessional collaboration. The Head, Medical Library will play a pivotal role in reimagining what a medical library can and should be based on a strong understanding of the vision for the SoM. The successful candidate will champion a transformative approach to medical librarianship, including an innovative use of emerging technologies, and will work closely with the Dean of Libraries and the SoM leadership to develop a hub designed to foster knowledge mobilization, interdisciplinary collaboration, and digital innovation in support of the ´óÏó´«Ã½ SoM’s vision. Reporting to the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Dean of Libraries and working in close relationship with the Associate Dean, Medical Education Programs in the SoM, the incumbent will collaborate with the the SoM and Library leadership teams and other library colleagues and be responsible for developing the vision, plans, and implementation of the Medical Library, a new library branch of ´óÏó´«Ã½ Library that will serve the SoM.

The Head, Medical Library, will be hired prior to the SoM opening to ensure seamless continuation of planning and to lead recruitment of medical librarians and staff who will be instrumental in preparing for the arrival of students and faculty. Plans for the SoM include a new building for delivery of the program by 2030. Until that time, Library services for the SoM will be provided by the existing ´óÏó´«Ã½ Library system and locally by Fraser Library at ´óÏó´«Ã½ Surrey.

The position responsibilities will include creating service and staffing plans, participating in physical space planning for the Medical Library, and developing a robust collection of information resources to meet the unique teaching, learning, and research needs of the SoM. The incumbent will ensure ongoing accreditation support, as well as support for new courses and evolving pedagogies. They will be involved in strategic planning processes for ´óÏó´«Ã½ Libraries and the SoM, and in close collaboration with the Dean of Libraries, Library Manager of Finance, with the Executive Director of Operations and Director of Finance for the School of Medicine, will work on financial planning and budgeting for the Medical Library.

The Head, Medical Library will collaborate closely with campus and community partners to ensure that Indigenous ways of knowing are meaningfully embedded in the design and delivery of library services, ensuring that the Medical Library supports culturally responsive medical education. The incumbent will ensure that clinical and research faculty members of the SOM have the resources, services, and support they need to advance and mobilize their research.

Building and leading a team of librarians and staff and managing programming and new services that support unique needs of the SoM, the Head, Medical Library will be a key partner and collaborator with other university units and as well as provincial health authorities to ensure students and faculty receive seamless access to services, whether located on campus or embedded in community.

Setting

´óÏó´«Ã½

´óÏó´«Ã½ is grateful to be located on the lands of the xÊ·məθkÊ·É™yÌ“É™m (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), sÉ™lilwÌ“É™taʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), q̓ícə̓ yÌ“ (Katzie), kÊ·ikʷəƛ̓ É™m (Kwikwetlem), qiqéyt (Qayqayt), qʼʷa:n̓ƛʼənÌ“ (Kwantlen), SÉ™myámÉ™ (Semiahmoo), and scə̓ waθən (Tsawwassen) Nations. Acknowledging the benefits of occupying this land, ´óÏó´«Ã½ Library commits to becoming a more welcoming space for Indigenous Peoples by centering Indigenous voices in our collections, services, and programs.

Guided by What’s Next: The ´óÏó´«Ã½ Strategy, ´óÏó´«Ã½ is committed to creating and connecting knowledge, learning and community for deeper understanding and impact, in pursuit of its goal to be a leading research university that advances an inclusive and sustainable future. Consistently ranked as Canada’s #1 comprehensive university, ´óÏó´«Ã½ is recognized globally for its cutting-edge research, innovative education, and community outreach and teaching. ´óÏó´«Ã½ has also been consistently named one of British Columbia’s Top Employers in recent years, as well as one of Canada’s Top 100 employers. With more than 100 undergraduate major and joint major programs and more than 75 graduate offerings, ´óÏó´«Ã½ has an international reputation for its innovative interdisciplinary and professional programs.

´óÏó´«Ã½ Libraries

The W.A.C. Bennett Library is located on the Burnaby campus, while the Samuel and Frances Belzberg Library is on the Vancouver campus, and the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board Library is on the Surrey campus.

The ´óÏó´«Ã½ Library is known for the development and implementation of innovative technology, leadership in Open Access, and excellent in-person and online user services. We serve an ethnically diverse student population, most of whom live off-campus and work part-time while attending university. ´óÏó´«Ã½ Library collaborates broadly with other institutions through membership in the Canadian Association of Research Libraries, the Association of Research Libraries, and regional consortia. For more information, see our web site at

The ´óÏó´«Ã½ Library commits to a continuous process of transformation to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion and to serve the cause of social justice. The provides more information.

´óÏó´«Ã½ School of Medicine

The mandate of the School of Medicine (SoM) is to prepare physicians who have the skills and commitment to provide community-based health care where it is most needed in British Columbia. Within the context of our mandate, the mission of the SoM is to advance community-based primary health care through education, scholarship (including research), innovation and service.

Our vision for the SoM is to advance equitable, community-based primary health care for all. With deep respect for Indigenous wisdom and diverse cultural perspectives, we educate physicians in, with, and for the community, preparing them to become integral parts of their communities and to deliver exceptionally skilled, holistic, and culturally safe team-based care. We are committed to fostering research and innovation in primary care, transforming community health and well-being for a better future.

There are 6 foundational pillars upon which we build our structures and enact our programs:

1. Primary care. Educate physicians to work in team-based primary care settings that are person-centred and socially accountable, through research and evidence informed curriculum and pedagogy.
2. BC’s diverse communities. Prepare graduates to meet the prevention and primary care needs of diverse communities and populations across B.C.
3. Community partnerships. Commit to reciprocal community partnerships in the development and implementation of the medical school, its academic programs, and research priorities.
4. Indigenous knowledge systems. Embed Indigenous knowledge systems in learning, research and practice.
5. Place-based learning. Provide community-based learning and research opportunities.
6. Emerging technologies. Harness the power of emerging technologies to enhance learning and care delivery.

The SoM is currently seeking accreditation to offer a Doctor of Medicine program and a limited number of primary-care focused residency programs in areas such as family medicine. The MD will be a 3-year program, featuring case and presentation-based learning, competency-based assessment, extensive and early clinical learning, all in a technology-enhanced environment.

Following accreditation, our enrollment plan would see a first cohort of 48 students admitted to the MD in August of 2026, followed by 64 students each year until 2029, and then growing to a steady state of 120 admissions each year after we move into the proposed new SoM building on the Surrey Campus in 2030. 

Assignment

• Establishing and delivering the vision, strategy, and operational plan for the Medical Library in support of teaching, learning, research, and innovation, in close collaboration with the Dean of Libraries, the Associate Dean, Medical Education Programs in the SoM, and with leadership teams and colleagues at the SoM and ´óÏó´«Ã½ Libraries
• Engaging in financial planning, budgeting, and evaluation of services in collaboration with ´óÏó´«Ã½ Library’ and the SoM leadership teams.
• Creating a staffing and services plan that reflects the unique needs of ´óÏó´«Ã½â€™s medical program, including hiring, training, mentoring and conducting annual reviews for medical librarians and support staff.
• Liaising with Human Resources, Payroll, Faculty Relations, Facilities Management and library and campus administration as needed.
• Participating in outreach and communication activities to help advance open education, open access, and scholarly communication.
• Developing knowledge synthesis services.
• Collaborating with medical faculty to lead the development and delivery of integrated, customized information literacy instructional programs that equip students with medical research skills, digital literacy, and evidence-based practice knowledge.
• Informed by the SoM expertise and in collaboration with other library leading collection development efforts for both electronic and traditional health sciences materials, ensuring access to essential resources for students, faculty, and researchers.
• Participating in the physical space planning process for the SoM new building and medical library and ensuring it is equipped with modern, accessible, and innovative technology and learning resources.
• Advocating for open access, scholarly communication initiatives, knowledge synthesis and knowledge mobilization efforts to support medical research and publication.
• Leading collaborative efforts to realize province-wide seamless library access for all medical learners, faculty members, clinical supervisors, and researchers.
• Ensuring that the Medical Library meets accreditation requirements and supports evolving pedagogies in medical education.
• Building community connections and outreach initiatives to advance partnerships, promote health equity, and support public health initiatives.
• Collaborating with campus and community partners to ensure that Indigenous ways of knowing are meaningfully embedded in the design and delivery of library services.
• Representing ´óÏó´«Ã½ Library and the SoM on issues relevant to medical librarianship in local, national, and international forums.
• Consulting and building relationships with First Nations Health Authority Library Information Management Services, Fraser Health Library Services, eHLBC and eHLBC member libraries.
• Participating in appropriate professional activities at the local, regional, or national level.
• Advancing the values and goals outlined in the respective Academic Plans of the Library and the SoM and contributing to advancing the profile and reputation of ´óÏó´«Ã½â€™s new SoM and the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Libraries.

Qualifications

The successful candidate must hold a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science (MLIS) from an ALA-accredited program or an equivalent recognized qualification. Additionally, the candidate must present the following:

• Demonstrated leadership and management skills. Candidates with a minimum of three years administrative, managerial and supervisory experience in an academic library setting are strongly preferred.
• Experience working in an academic health sciences context.
• A broad understanding of issues in medical education, research, and scholarly communication.
• Experience developing and delivering information literacy instruction tailored for medical and health sciences students.
• Strong knowledge of emerging trends in health sciences libraries, including digital and open educational resources, information technology trends and AI, systematic reviews, knowledge synthesis and research impact measurement.
• Expertise in collection development, including medical databases, journal subscriptions, and e-resources.
• Familiarity with accreditation standards for medical education and the role of libraries in supporting these requirements.
• Proven ability to foster a collaborative, inclusive, and innovative work environment.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and Indigenization in academic librarianship and medical education.
• A strong service orientation with the ability to support clinical faculty, researchers, and medical students in their scholarly activities.
• Excellent relationship-building, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Experience with financial and strategic planning in an academic or medical library context.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated research experience and contributions to the field of health sciences librarianship.
• Knowledge of team-based medical education and interprofessional learning models.

Terms of Appointment

This is a full-time continuing Division Head Librarian appointment, with an anticipated start date in January 2026 or as soon as the successful candidate is available. Librarians are members of the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Faculty Association. Terms, conditions and benefits of employment are outlined in the Collective Agreement: /faculty-relations/collectiveagreement.html

The successful applicant will be appointed at a rank and salary level commensurate with their experience and qualifications. Faculty salaries at ´óÏó´«Ã½ are based on the salary scales bargained between the University and the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Faculty Association. A reasonable estimate of the salary range for this role is $123,782 to $161,946. Current salary scales are available from: /faculty-relations/salary.html

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. ´óÏó´«Ã½ is an equity employer and strongly encourages applications from all qualified individuals including women, Indigenous peoples, racialized persons, people of all sexual orientations and gender identities, persons with disabilities, and others who may contribute to the further diversification of the University.

Personal information that forms part of an application is collected under the general authority of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, applicable University Policies, and the ´óÏó´«Ã½FA/´óÏó´«Ã½ Collective Agreement. For further details see the full Collection Notice.

Information about what to expect when you apply for a librarian position at ´óÏó´«Ã½ is available here: 

TO APPLY

To be given assured consideration, applications must be submitted by email in one consolidated PDF document with cover letter and curriculum vitae by 9:00 AM PDT on September 15, 2025. Screening of applications will commence on September 16, 2025 but will remain open until the position is filled.

Applications should be submitted to:

Gohar Ashoughian
Dean of Libraries and University Librarian
W.A.C. Bennet Library
´óÏó´«Ã½
Phone: 778.782.3265
Email: libdean@sfu.ca

The British Columbia Electronic Library Network (BC ELN) invites applications for a continuing Librarian position.

Reporting to the BC ELN Executive Director, the Librarian works as part of a team responsible for planning, developing, and implementing innovative projects in support of BC ELN and its service areas. The Librarian’s primary responsibility is to support BC ELN’s service areas, operations, and projects, such as BC ELN’s provincial chat reference, interlibrary loan, and digital repository services.

The Librarian is a highly motivated, resourceful individual, with a demonstrated ability to support core library services, work in a team environment, use and adapt to new technologies, and foster collaboration among diverse organizations and stakeholders.

SETTING

We acknowledge the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), q̓íc̓əy̓ (Katzie), and kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem) peoples, on whose traditional territories BC Electronic Library Network (BC ELN) offices stand. By recognizing the Unceded Traditional Coast Salish territories, we aspire to create space for reconciliation through dialogue and decolonizing practices.

BC ELN is hosted at ´óÏó´«Ã½ (´óÏó´«Ã½). Ranked by respected national surveys as one of Canada’s top three comprehensive universities for the past 20 years, ´óÏó´«Ã½ has also been consistently named one of British Columbia’s Top Employers in recent years, as well as one of Canada’s Top 100 employers, and one of Canada's top family-friendly employers. ´óÏó´«Ã½ offers more than 100 undergraduate major and joint major programs and more than 75 graduate offerings, spanning many disciplines in eight faculties, and has an international reputation for its innovative interdisciplinary and professional programs. BC ELN offices are located at the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Burnaby Mountain campus. For more information, visit: /

BC ELN, through its affiliation with ´óÏó´«Ã½ and the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Library, commits to a continuous process of transformation to advance equity, diversity, and inclusion and to serve the cause of social justice. For more information, visit the Library’s Statement on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion:

About BC ELN

BC ELN is a partnership between the Province of British Columbia and its post-secondary libraries. It develops, promotes, and maintains system-wide mechanisms that provide equitable, cost-effective access to information resources and learning support services, helping post-secondary libraries meet the expanding information needs of the province's learners, educators, and researchers, regardless of their location in the province. BC ELN core services include:

• negotiating and managing electronic resource licenses on behalf of partner libraries;
• facilitating resource sharing among partner libraries through the Illume service; 
• coordinating virtual learning support services AskAway and WriteAway; and 
• enhancing access to digitized primary content through the Arca collaborative digital repository.

For more information, visit:

The BC ELN office also serves as the Administrative Centre for the Electronic Health Library of BC (eHLbc). eHLbc provides the academic and health care community of BC with easy access to online health library resources that support and improve practice, education, and research.

For more information visit:

ASSIGNMENT

Working closely with the Executive Director and consortium team, the Librarian will:

• Support BC ELN service areas as needed, including:
  • Illume provincial interlibrary loan service.
  • Arca provincial digital repository service.
  • AskAway provincial chat reference service.
• Under the direction of service coordinators, develop communications targeting users, resource teams, committees, vendors, and stakeholders, including the creation and administration of online surveys/questionnaires, and short, online training videos for various BC ELN services.
• Assist with member engagement such as events, communities of practice, orientation/training, etc.
• Provide frontline support and technical troubleshooting to partner library staff.
• Support the ongoing content updates on the BC ELN and eHLbc Drupal websites.
• Serve on internal BC ELN committees and working groups.
• Advance the values and goals outlined in the BC ELN Strategic Plan: .

QUALIFICATIONS

Required:

• Master's degree in Library or Information Studies from an ALA accredited program, or its equivalent.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively in a collegial team environment.
• Ability to recognize, respect and work effectively with individuals and groups with diverse perspectives and backgrounds.
• Excellent interpersonal and intercultural communication skills, both oral and written.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Strong assessment, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Strong time management and organizational skills.
• Demonstrated commitment to customer service.
• Solid technology skills, with a proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (particularly Excel) and web content management systems, such as Drupal.

Desired:

• Demonstrated ability to adapt to changing environments, meet deadlines, and work well under pressure with discretion, tact, and good judgement.
• Experience working in or with BC post-secondary libraries and public libraries.
• Capable of fostering relationships and supporting partnerships between diverse groups.
• Understanding of conflict dynamics and collaboration strategies.
• Experience with writing documentation.
• Strong project management skills.
• Familiarity with content development tools, including graphic design tools (e.g. InDesign), marketing communications (e.g. Constant Contact), and video editing (e.g. Adobe Premier).
• Experience delivering training or instruction.
• Knowledge and understanding of current and emerging library and information systems, educational tools, and databases.

TERMS OF APPOINTMENT

This is a full-time continuing Librarian position, available immediately. The position is hybrid, primarily working out of the BC ELN offices at ´óÏó´«Ã½ Burnaby Campus.

BC ELN employees are appointed under appropriate ´óÏó´«Ã½ employee agreements.

Librarians are members of the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Faculty Association. Terms, conditions and benefits of employment are outlined in the Collective Agreement: /faculty-relations/collectiveagreement.html

We anticipate appointment at the Librarian 1 level (less than 2 years’ experience). ´óÏó´«Ã½ Librarian salary scales can be viewed here: /faculty-relations/salary.html

In accordance with B.C.’s Pay Transparency Act, the expected base salary range for this role (exclusive of pension and benefits) is $85,619 to $91,979 CAD per year.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. ´óÏó´«Ã½ is committed to employment equity and encourages applications from qualified candidates of all genders, racialized persons, persons of First Nations, Inuit, or Métis heritage, persons with disabilities, and persons who identify as LGBTQ2SIA+.

Information about what to expect when you apply for a librarian position at ´óÏó´«Ã½ is available here:

TO APPLY

To be given assured consideration applications must be submitted by email in one consolidated PDF document with cover letter and curriculum vitae by 5:00 pm PST on Monday, June 17^th, 2024 to: office@bceln.ca.

For questions, please contact:

Sunni Nishimura
BC Electronic Library Network
W.A.C. Bennett Library
´óÏó´«Ã½
Phone: 778.237.6276
Email: sunnin@bceln.ca

Personal information that forms part of an application is collected under the general authority of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, applicable University Policies, and the ´óÏó´«Ã½FA/´óÏó´«Ã½ Collective Agreement. For further details see the full Collection Notice.