Browsing by Author "Luyk, Sean"
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Item Library councils and governance in Canadian university libraries: a critical review(2016) Revitt, Eva; Luyk, SeanDespite the nearly 40-year history of library councils in Canadian academic libraries, scholarly literature regarding library governance and decision-making processes within the context of Canadian university libraries is almost non-existent. Nevertheless, there is evidence of a general disenfranchisement of librarians from significant decisions affecting library operations, resources, services, and the appointment and evaluation of senior administrative positions. Furthermore, it is evident that library councils in Canadian academic libraries, where they do exist, function primarily as information-sharing forums rather than as the collegial decision-making bodies they were originally intended to be. Through a close examination of the CAUT Bulletin, this paper traces the development of library councils in Canadian academic libraries. Within the framework of institutional theory and drawing from librarianship, management, and educational administration literature, the paper proceeds to critically discuss systematic barriers to collegial governance in academic libraries. Historical and anecdotal evidence suggests that administrative resistance is a continued and key obstacle to the democratization of decision-making processes in Canadian academic libraries.Item The role of library councils in Canadian higher education: an exploratory study(2019) Revitt, Eva; Luyk, SeanScholarship exploring the makeup, function, and efficacy of collegial governance structures within the context of Canadian higher education is limited and primarily focused on the board or the senate. This paper expands that scholarship by focusing on the governance structures of the university library. The objective of this study was to determine the extent of library councils in Canadian universities and to examine their composition, role, and function as evidenced in their governing documents. Using Karl Mannheim’s document method to analyze the terms of reference of 23 library councils, findings reveal that, overwhelmingly, library councils function as information-sharing and discussion forums rather than decision-making bodies. The paper concludes with a review of progressive language and governance practice as gathered from the document analysis.