CARL Honours Julie Hannaford and Dr. Maha Kumaran with Award of Merit

November 22, 2024

Ottawa, Ontario, November 21, 2024 – The Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) is delighted to announce that Julie Hannaford and Dr. Mahalakshmi (Maha) A. Kumaran have both been awarded the prestigious CARL Award of Merit during its Fall General Meeting in Ottawa, Ontario.

The CARL Award of Merit is presented to individuals who have made outstanding local, regional, or national contributions to research librarianship, with a lasting and beneficial impact on the CARL community. Established in 2001, this award has recognized distinguished individuals whose efforts have advanced the mission of research libraries in Canada.

Julie Hannaford, Deputy Chief Librarian at the University of Toronto, receives the award in recognition of her significant contributions to professional growth, mentorship, and leadership development within the research library workforce and Dr. Maha Kumaran, Acting Assistant Dean, Collections and Discovery and Liaison librarian for the College of Education at the University of Saskatchewan, in recognition of her leadership and contributions in advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion in Canadian research libraries.

Julie Hannaford

Julie Hannaford is celebrated for her exceptional leadership, vision, and dedication to strengthening Canada’s research library workforce and leadership capacity. Throughout her career, she has consistently demonstrated high ethical standards, empathy, and a commitment to fostering an inclusive research library environment.

As Deputy Chief Librarian of University of Toronto Libraries, Julie is responsible for an incredibly complex portfolio, overseeing budget, strategic planning, collective bargaining and librarian policies – and all within the context of the largest research library system in Canada.

Among her many accomplishments, Julie played a pivotal role in shaping CARL’s Core Competencies framework, which provides a comprehensive foundation for future-focused and agile workforce planning. She has also been a driving force behind the CARL Academic Libraries Leadership Institute (ALLI), co-leading its development and delivery. Her work ensured the success of both the inaugural offering in 2022 and its continuation in 2024, making ALLI a cornerstone of CARL’s professional development offerings.

Beyond CARL, Julie has contributed significantly to the Association of Research Libraries’ Leadership and Career Development Program, Kaleidoscope Program, Leadership Fellows Program, and Learning Network Committee. Her leadership was also instrumental in organizing the successful bid for Toronto to co-host the IDEAL 2024 Conference, showcasing her commitment to advancing diversity and inclusion in academic libraries.

“Julie is a trusted and generous colleague. She cares deeply about the professional experiences of all library workers, both locally and across the country. She has been actively involved in mentoring, both at the University of Toronto and through the Ontario Library Association. She is a strong and respected spokesperson for her colleagues in a variety of forums.” – Vivian Lewis, University Librarian, McMaster University

Dr. Maha Kumaran

Dr. Maha Kumaran has made a significant impact in the library and information science field through her innovative initiatives and extensive research, particularly in the areas of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) and leadership in libraries.

Among her many achievements, Dr. Kumaran is the founding member of the Visible Minority Librarians of Canada (ViMLoC) Network, established in 2012. This national network for culturally and racially diverse librarians was the first of its kind in Canada, empowering librarians of color to create community, find mentors, engage in programming, and undertake important research projects that have resulted in presentations and peer-reviewed publications. Her leadership has also extended to mentoring contributors to an anthology amplifying the voices and experiences of Indigenous and diverse librarians in Canada.

As the inaugural Visiting Program Officer for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at CARL from 2019 to 2021, Dr. Kumaran laid a solid foundation for knowledge building around EDI within CARL member libraries. Her work included foundational documents such as the CARL Definitions of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, and Strategies and Practices for Hiring and Retaining Diverse Talent. She was also a key contributor to the CARL Diversity and Inclusion Study and helped launch the Inclusion Perspectives Webinar Series, creating opportunities for underrepresented library workers to share their experiences and perspectives.

Dr. Kumaran’s dedication to advancing EDI-related initiatives and research in the LIS field is evident in her numerous publications, including highly cited books such as Leadership in Libraries: A Focus on Ethnic Minority Librarians (2013), her PhD thesis, Canadian Academic Library Leadership (CALL): The State of Equity (2023), and her mentorship of researchers across Canada.

“She is a respected leader and mentor, always willing to share her knowledge and support her colleagues, especially in their research endeavours.” – Norda Bell, Associate Librarian, York University.

Congratulations to Julie Hannaford and Maha Kumaran on this well-deserved recognition!

(Via Canadian Association of Research Libraries)