I have been delighted to serve another year as Chair of the Librarians Committee. My librarian colleagues are an engaged segment of the UTFA membership, and they contribute their time generously to the librarian community’s shared interests.

A highlight of the year was a lunch hour session on academic freedom for librarians at the University of Toronto in relation to professional practice, scholarship, and service. Hosted by UTFA on February 14, 2022, the event featured a presentation by Emma Phillips, labour lawyer and partner at Goldblatt Partners. This important educational event provided members with a deeper understanding of their academic freedom rights as librarians.

Over the course of 2021–2022, librarians have served on a number of UTFA committees, working on behalf of members: 

• Librarians Committee
• UTFA Council: Whitney Kemble, James Mason, Kathleen Scheaffer,
• Barriers to Research Working Group: Kathryn Barrett, Harriet Sonne de Torrens
• Academic Continuity Policy: Harriet Sonne de Torrens
• COVID LOU negotiations: Harriet Sonne de Torrens
• Gender Bias Working Group: Kyla Everall
• Salary, Benefits, Pensions, and Workload negotiations: Harriet Sonne de Torrens
• Librarians Systemic Bias Working Group: Whitney Kemble (Co-Chair), H. Sonne de Torrens
• UTFA Pension Committee: James Mason
• Sexual Violence LOU negotiations: Kyla Everall

Each of these librarians has made important contributions. UTFA appreciates their service.

With Gratitude

I would like to thank all UTFA members who have served on this year’s Librarians Committee, members of the UTFA Executive, Council, staff, lawyers, and colleagues in the various negotiating committees who have consistently supported the rights of academic librarianship at the University of Toronto. A special thanks to Jun Nogami and Terezia Zorić for their on-going support.

Harriet Sonne de Torrens
Chair, Librarians Committee