From: Trevor Young, Vice-President & Provost
Date: March 5, 2025
Re: Extension of Larry Alford as University Chief Librarian, University of Toronto Libraries (PDAD&C #25)

I am pleased to announce that the Agenda Committee of the Academic Board has approved an extension of Larry Alford’s appointment as University Chief Librarian until June 30, 2026.

As University Chief Librarian, Larry Alford continues to lead the University of Toronto Libraries with vision and foresight, developing new services for students and researchers and collaborating across all three campuses and all forty libraries at the University. The University of Toronto Libraries is the largest academic library in Canada and is consistently ranked in the top ten among peer institutions in North America. During his leadership, Alford oversaw the construction of Robarts Common, a 1,200-seat expansion of Robarts Library to accommodate the need for library study space for students, and the renovation of additional quality learning environments on the St. George campus. Alford is a thought leader at U of T and beyond when it comes to the impact of AI on research activities and library services; a champion of open access publishing – including a deal with Wiley in 2023 – so that our scholars’ stellar research can reach more people faster; and a sought-after advisor and reviewer of other globally ranked libraries around the world.

Larry Alford has been involved in many professional organizations including serving as President of the Association of Research Libraries and as board member of both the Canadian Association of Research Libraries and the Canadian Research Knowledge Network. He is a current member of the board of the Digital Research Alliance of Canada. Prior to his appointment as Chief Librarian, Alford was the Dean of University Libraries at Temple University. He holds a BA and MLS from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of North Carolina School of Information and Library Science in May 2005. Larry Alford has also received the Hugh C. Atkinson Memorial Award (2018), the CARL Award for Distinguished Service to Research Librarianship (2021) and the Ron MacDonald Distinguished Service Award (2022).

Please join me in thanking Larry for continuing his exceptional service as University Chief Librarian.