The Ontario Council of University Libraries (OCUL) is pleased to announce the appointment of John Barnett as its new Executive Director, effective July 1, 2015.
John brings to the position an extensive background in academic libraries, including experience with the administration of a 75-member academic library consortium, and a strong understanding of the opportunities of the evolving information environment.
Working closely with OCUL Directors, John will support OCUL’s vision and strategic directions, and manage and engage actively in its administration and operations. Established in 1967, OCUL has a long history of being at the forefront of initiatives that maximize collective expertise and resources. OCUL enhances information services in Ontario and beyond through collective purchasing and shared digital information infrastructure, collaborative planning, advocacy, assessment, research, partnerships, communications, and professional development. OCUL is a consortium of Ontario’s 21 university libraries and an affiliate of the Council of Ontario Universities.
John will represent OCUL in many different arenas. As one of four regional academic library consortia in Canada, OCUL engages actively in national and international dialogues and developments in scholarly communication and other matters affecting academic libraries.
“We are delighted that John is our next Executive Director,” says Rebecca Graham, Chair of the OCUL Executive Committee and CIO and Chief Librarian of the University of Guelph. “With his collaborative qualities and experience, we are well positioned to continue to build on our success.”
John is currently Scholarly Communications Librarian at the University of Pittsburgh, a position he has held since 2011. Prior to that role, he was Assistant Director of the Pennsylvania Academic Library Consortium, Inc (PALCI) for four years. He has also held leadership positions in collection development at Gettysburg College and the University of Texas at San Antonio, and has experience managing and delivering reference and instruction services. John has a Bachelor of Arts from East Carolina University and a Master of Library and Information Studies from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
John will succeed Kathy Scardellato, OCUL’s first Executive Director. Kathy has provided outstanding leadership in this role since 2007 and is retiring, after serving two terms, at the end of July.
For further information contact Kathy Scardellato, OCUL Executive Director
E: kathy.scardellato@ocul.on.ca P: 416-946-0578