The Ontario Council of University Libraries (OCUL) is proud to share that Catherine Davidson has been presented with the Excellence in Leadership Award in recognition of her exceptional contributions as part of the consortium’s Executive Committee.
Catherine is the university librarian at Ontario Tech University and has served on the OCUL Council as a director for nearly a decade , most recently as treasurer – an Executive Committee portfolio requiring particular attention to mindful, sustainable financial decision-making and planning. “Catherine’s tenure on the Executive Committee was led by her capacity for strategic, innovative thinking and a remarkable ability to distill complex financial information into messages that help Council better understand the foundations of our work together,” explained Mark Asberg, past OCUL Chair and Vice Provost & University Librarian, Queen’s University.
As a long-standing member of the academic library community, Catherine has consistently demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the collective goals of Ontario's post-secondary libraries. During her time on the Executive Committee, Davidson played a pivotal role on several additional governance groups, including chairing the Scholars Portal Operations and Development Committee as well as being the executive representative on the OCUL Truth and Reconciliation Committee.
“Catherine infuses conversations with principles and values that cannot be too infrequently resurfaced in OCUL settings,” said Amy Greenberg, OCUL Executive Director. “She is a passionate and continuous voice for advancing reconciliation and accessibility in member libraries, areas of benefit to everyone who uses and works in these academic spaces.”
The OCUL Excellence in Leadership Award is a testament to the vital role that strong leadership plays in fostering a collaborative and innovative library consortium. Catherine Davidson's exemplary contributions will continue to inspire her colleagues, helping shape the future of academic libraries in Ontario. All of OCUL is incredibly grateful for her outstanding service.