Ingrid Epp – University College Librarian – Laidlaw Library

“Passed peacefully on June 25, 2016. , after a short illness. Wife and partner of David Epp for 56 years. Mother of David William Epp, Theresa Melanie Ferrell and her husband, Robert John Ferrell. Oma of Elizabeth Louise Ferrell and Kathleen Iris Ferrell. Born in 1938 to Wilhelm and Louise Neufeld in Winnipeg, Ingrid spent her early years in Winnipeg, Chilliwack, BC and Gretna, MB. A devoted mother and homemaker, Ingrid was also a lifelong learner. She earned a BA in History from the University of Manitoba, married and completed a Bachelor of Library Science at the University of Toronto. After some years spent at home with her young family, Ingrid earned her Master of Library Science and become the founding librarian of the Laidlaw Library at University College, U of T. Completing a MA in History just prior to her retirement in 1993, Ingrid embarked on a new project to catalog the Peter J. Braun Russian Mennonite Archive, publishing a finding guide and book of translations. She leaves a legacy of love and knowledge for her family and community. A celebration of Ingrid’s life will be held at a date to be announced. Expressions of sympathy may be made to Trillium Health Partners.” GLOBE AND MAIL http://v1.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/Deaths.20160629.93376381/BDAStory/BDA/deaths

Prof. Homa Hoodfar’s (Concordia University) Imprisonment in Iran – UTFA’s response

CAUT, OCUFA and faculty associations respond to the situation, http://www.caut.ca/news/2016/06/09/caut-urges-release-of-canadian-academic-detained-in-iran 

UTFA Letter:  UTFA letter re Professor Dr. Homa Hoodfar in Iran June 2016 (2)

OCUFA Letters: Letter – Homa Hoodfar Iran – June 15 2016 – PM   and   Letter – Homa Hoodfar Iran – June 15 2016 MR

Town Hall: Academic Librarians’ Policies – Guests from Queens and McGill

Town Hall featuring guest speakers from Queen’s University and McGill University Libraries

Where: Room 147, Rotman School of Management, 105 St. George St.

When: Wednesday May 4, 2016 at 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm – leaving lots of time for questions and discussion

Join us for this opportunity to discuss how policies for librarians at comparable universities are developed and negotiated.

Constance Adamson is a Research and Instruction Librarian at Queen’s University, a past president of Queen’s University Faculty Association (QUFA) and the past president of OCUFA.  She will look at how policies that mirror faculty processes, consistency and basic principles of equity and fairness in hiring and evaluation are important and how practices and language at other universities across Canada can be consulted.

Marc Richard is an Associate Librarian who has worked in the McGill University Libraries since 1985.  He has served as Vice-President (External) of the McGill Association of University Teachers, as Chair of the MAUT Librarians’ Section, and is currently a member of MAUT Council.  He has been an elected librarian member of the McGill Senate since 2006 and was involved in the revision of several McGill governance instruments, including service as a member of the committee which undertook a major review of McGill’s librarian employment regulations from 2005 to 2007. Marc will look at how the employment conditions of librarians at McGill are governed; how these governance instruments get revised from a procedural (and to some extent political) point of view; what kinds of major revisions have been done to them over the past ten to fifteen years; and what kinds of major problems over the past ten to fifteen years provide the background context of these revisions.

If you missed these speakers at the TRY Conference or you attended the session but there was not enough time to ask questions or discuss issues – this is your chance.  We hope to see you there.

UTFA Annual General Meeting – Tomorrow! Join Us!

The UTFA Annual General Meeting (AGM) is taking place on Wednesday, April 20, 2016 in Koffler House Room 108 from 3:30 to 6:00 p.m. For the agenda and 2016 AGM Newsletter click here. We need quorum for changes to our constitution and bylaws! Bring a colleague!

Annual Activity Reports & Workload Planning

There are two documents which will help librarians at UofT to plan their workload for the coming year. The first, negotiated policy is referred to as the WLPP (Workload Policy and Procedures) which applies to librarians, faculty and teaching stream. The second, is what we call the individual unit workload, the Library Workload Policy. The latter is collegially determined or discussed at least every 3 years as per the WLPP in a workload review committee. Our current Library Workload Policy notes that at the time of the annual review, workloads (professional practice, service and scholarship) are planned and discussed for the coming year. UofT Librarians have an option of 80-90% professional practice, 10-20% a combination of service and scholarship (as defined for librarians). The emphasis is on a collegial process – supervisors must reach a collegial agreement that works for both the Library and for the individual. The workload goals should be incorporated into your projections for the coming year. And if for some reason, mid-way through the coming year, you believe that reaching those goals will not be possible – request a meeting with your supervisor to review the situation.

A Priority in the Next Round of Negotiations: Modernizing the ‘Policies for Librarians’

In the joint statement issued by the Provost’s office on behalf of the University of Toronto Administration and the University of Toronto Faculty Association (UTFA) on October 27, 2014, the community was informed that: “…the parties have committed to making a review of the Policies for Librarians a priority under the new arrangement [Fact-Finder Process approved in 2015], once approved.”  http://www.utfa.org/category/tags/sjac  This joint statement was sent to all UTFA members.

University of St. Michael’s Collective Agreement – A Good Resource for UofT Librarians

Please see the University of St. Michael’s collective agreements, 2012-2014,St. Michael’s College  . A new agreement has been negotiated but updates are not yet ready for release. This is a good resource to examine if you are interested in seeing how UTFA has negotiated concise, organized language for promotions and appointments for librarians. It is easy to read and to find the information needed. This kind of clarity is needed in the policies for librarians at UofT. It is one example of terms of employment are being defined for academic librarians.

Ranks and Nomenclature in the Profession of Academic Librarianship

There has been a steady move on the part of Canadian post-secondary educational institutions to negotiate ranks and nomenclature of professional librarians as they do for teaching stream and faculty.  The following chart gives you an idea of what is transpiring in the profession:

University	# ranks
Queens’	4	General Librarian	Assistant Librarian	Associate Librarian	Librarian
Western	4	General Librarian	Assistant Librarian	Associate Librarian	Senior Librarian
McGill	3	Assistant Librarian	Associate Librarian	Full Librarian
Saskatchewan	3	Assistant Librarian	Associate Librarian	Librarian
Manitoba	4	General Librarian	Assistant Librarian	Associate Librarian	Librarian
Calgary	3	Assistant Librarian	Associate Librarian	Librarian
York	3	Assistant Librarian	Associate Librarian	Senior Librarian

Town Halls on St. George Campus: April 4 and April 6, 2016

Join members of ACALP and the UTFA Librarians’ committee to discuss what needs to be done to update our Policies for Librarians. We are holding these meetings to ensure you have a forum to express your views. If you would like to send in your thoughts or comments in an email to members of the ACALP committee, please do so. You can use this email address: policies:@utfa.org.

Monday, April 4, 12-1pm, Robert Blackburn Room, 4th Floor, Robarts Library. The focus is on Librarians I and Librarians II issues.

Wednesday, April 6, 12-1pm, Media Commons, 3rd floor, Screening room, Robarts Library. The focus is on Librarian III and IV issues.

UTFA Seeks Nominations for the Presidency

Prof. Scott Prudham is stepping down as his six year term is finished June 30, 2016. Two candidates have stepped forward: Cynthia Messenger, Vice-President of Grievances at UTFA Petition of Support and Paul Hamel, Treasurer, UTFA. The position of President is the only elected official in UTFA, see more information here: http://www.utfa.org/president.