Librarians, Policies for [July 1, 1991]

Policies for Librarians

Preamble

The University of Toronto Library System is an administratively complex component of the academic community. At present consisting of some 50 library units of varying size and with various relationships and reporting structures, it has grown in apparent response to the information needs of the University.

Librarians, in fulfilling their roles as contributors in the academic process, have a responsibility to provide leadership, initiative and expertise in realizing the goals and objectives of the Library. For those librarians who work in the many different units across the Library System, the need for a well-defined University- wide personnel policy has become apparent. Equitable opportunity and the same procedures, working conditions, and rank and salary structure should apply to all librarians employed by the University of Toronto regardless of the reporting structure within which they fulfil their responsibilities.

The policies and procedures proposed recognize and encourage the concept of a University Library, in that they provide equal access to opportunities for staff development and allow greater mobility and flexibility in staffing across the system. A librarian who is appointed to the University should be made fully aware of the conditions of employment, opportunities for advancement, and specific conditions of the position held. Review and evaluation procedures are prescribed at regular intervals, with substantial review prior to a change in rank or status. The review mechanisms developed emphasize consultation at all appropriate levels, including the concept of peer evaluation.

The autonomy of local Library units with regard to personnel selection and administration is acknowledged. At the same time, however, the Library Personnel Office, acting on behalf of the Chief Librarian, will take responsibility for co-ordinating and interpreting personnel policies and procedures for librarians across the system.

The term department head used in this document is appropriate only in the Central Library, and shall be understood to mean for a librarian outside the Central Library, the Principal, Dean, Director or other administrative officer to whom that librarian is responsible.

Rank and Permanent Status

1.    Librarians in the University of Toronto are appointed to one of the four ranks defined in paragraph (2). Independently of rank, a librarian may be granted permanent status, which is the holding by a librarian of the University of a continuing full-time appointment which the University has relinquished the freedom to terminate before the normal age of retirement except under the conditions specified in paragraphs (46) and (47). Permanent status shall be granted only by a definite act under the conditions stipulated herein, on the basis of merit.

Ranks

2.    Librarians in the University of Toronto are appointed to one of the four ranks (Librarian I, II, III, IV).
 

3.    Advancement through these ranks should reflect increased individual levels of professional achievement, which may be demonstrated either by increased responsibility in an area of specialization or by the discharge of administrative responsibilities.
 

4.    To qualify for appointment to any rank, the candidate shall have the minimum of an undergraduate degree plus either a library degree from an accredited institution 1, or equivalent professional education. A person lacking equivalent professional library education may be appointed to work in the library, but not be appointed as a librarian subject to the terms of this document.

5.    The basic quality which must be evident for appointment or promotion to a rank is the ability to perform at a high professional level in areas which contribute to the teaching and research objectives of the University, such as the selection, acquisition and preservation of Library materials, the bibliographic control of those materials, the accessibility of the collections to users, the provision of instruction in using the Library' s resources and the planning and development of Library systems.

6.    Five criteria form the basis for appointment or promotion to a rank: effective performance in the area of the candidate's responsibility; academic achievement and activities; professional achievement and activities; effectiveness of service to the Library and the University; promise of continuing growth in overall performance as a librarian.

7.    Effective performance will be considered the primary criterion at the lower ranks. It will also be considered significant at the higher ranks, but the weighting of the other criteria will increase proportionately.

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¹ Accredited by the joint Canadian Library Association/American Library Association Committee on Accreditation.

Librarian I

8.    Librarian I is the rank at which a professional career normally begins. To qualify for an appointment to this rank the candidate shall have met the minimum educational requirement, and show both potential for successful performance and promise of future professional and academic activity. Librarian I is a probationary appointment, the term of which shall not be less than one year or more than two years.

Librarian II

9.    To qualify for appointment or promotion to the rank of Librarian II, the candidate shall have met the minimum educational requirement and shall have at least one year's professional experience or equivalent. As a primary criterion for appointment or promotion to this rank, a candidate shall have a record of successful performance as a librarian. A librarian promoted to this rank shall receive a three-year contract. A librarian appointed to this rank may receive a contract for a shorter period where previous experience warrants this, but in no case shall the contract be for less than one year.
 

10.    When performance is judged, the nature of the candidate's assignment is to be considered, e.g. supervisory responsibility, subject, area, or language specialization, instructional duties, preparation of reports, etc. It is expected that successful candidates will have demonstrated the ability to use effectively their professional education and will have shown the capacity to develop and extend their professional and academic expertise.

Librarian III

11.    In being considered for appointment or promotion to the rank of Librarian III, the candidate must submit evidence of continuing effective performance. There should be clear promise of continuing professional development and demonstrated ability to handle increased responsibilities in areas of specialization and/or in an administrative capacity. With less weighting one or more of the following criteria should also be considered: academic achievement and activities, including additional formal degrees, programmes of continuing education, teaching, research, publication; involvement in professional activities and participation in professional organizations, including serving on committees, the presentation of papers, organization and participation in conferences, seminars, workshops; service to the Library and the University. This rank is the normal career rank for librarians.
 

Librarian IV

12.    A librarian may not be considered for appointment or promotion to the rank of Librarian IV until he or she has had a minimum of five years' library experience as a Librarian III or has had equivalent experience. Appointment or promotion to this rank requires evidence of a record of excellent performance with demonstrated initiative, leadership and creativity. As well as making an outstanding contribution to the Library and to the University the candidate must submit evidence of substantial achievement in one or more of the following areas: academic activities including research, publication and teaching; professional endeavours including significant involvement in professional organizations; service to the Library and/or the University community. Besides having attained a high level of professional expertise, the candidate should be considered likely to continue to fulfil a vital role in the institution.

     

Committees on Permanent Status

32. A Committee on Permanent Status shall be named for each candidate by the Chief Librarian in consultation with the department head, and shall consist of the department head (as chair), the Chief Librarian or his or her designate, four professional librarians having permanent status and holding a rank at least equal to that of the candidate, and one member of the teaching staff. Whenever possible, at least one of the four professional librarians shall be from the department concerned. At least one shall be from outside the department, and at least one should be a librarian holding no administrative position. For a librarian outside the Central Library, the administrative head of the appropriate department or division shall serve as chair of the Committee. The membership of the Committee shall be made known to the candidate.

Documentation

33.    The responsibility for compiling and supplying documentation to the Committee on Permanent Status shall rest with the candidate and department head to whom the librarian is responsible. Documents for consideration shall include:
 

i.    The candidate's curriculum vitae, to be prepared by the candidate with the advice and assistance of the department head. This should include:
 

a.    The academic and professional history of the candidate giving name, degrees obtained with institutions and dates, any honours, prizes or awards obtained, reference to relevant specialist qualifications (e.g. language, subject or area competence), and a record of continuing educational activities in which the candidate may have engaged.
 

b.    The record of professional and other relevant employment of the candidate with a brief description of the duties of each position held.
 

c.    A list of committees and organizations within the Library, University and profession on which the candidate has served, with a brief description of the service given.
 

d.    A list of scholarly and professional work performed by the candidate, with sufficient detail to allow the committee to evaluate its relevance to the decision.
 

e.    A list of no fewer than three referees.
 

ii.    Assessment of the candidate's librarianship. This assessment should include:
 

a.    All performance reviews conducted at this University together with an evaluation of overall performance prepared by an appropriate departmental committee or, where this is impractical, by the department head. This must not, however, contain any recommendation for or against the awarding of permanent status.
 

b.    Evaluation of work performance from two referees, one selected from the candidate's list and one chosen by the chair.
 

c.    Where a librarian has significant previous service elsewhere, external evaluation of the quality of that service obtained from one or more referees agreed upon by the department head and the candidate.

Procedures

34.    Each department head shall ensure that librarians who must be considered for permanent status are identified, and that Committees are established and documentation prepared in order that a decision may be made not less than 90 days before the anniversary date of the appointment. Each candidate shall be informed of the place, time, and date of meeting of the Committee which considers his or her case, and shall be provided with a list of the materials, not identifying appraisers, provided to the Committee.
 

35.    The Committee on Permanent Status shall meet in camera and each person accepting appointment to the Committee shall agree to treat as confidential all information given to the Committee and all matters pertaining to its deliberations. The quorum of the Committee shall be its full membership. The Committee shall give the candidate the opportunity to appear and make a statement to it (or alternatively to submit a statement in writing), but the candidate shall be excluded from all other proceedings of the Committee.
 

36.    The Committee on Permanent Status shall have the power to take only one of two possible decisions: to recommend that appointment with permanent status be granted or that it be denied. The decision must be taken on the evidence before it: the Committee may, however, recess for a short period, normally no more than one month, to obtain additional evidence if this is considered advisable. Five votes out of seven are required to recommend appointment with permanent status.
 

37.    Reasons for a proposed negative recommendation shall be given to the candidate, who may respond to them orally or in writing, within fifteen days of notification of these reasons. Thereafter, the Committee shall make its final recommendation and shall forward it to the Chief Librarian, with its reasons therefor, and, in the case of a negative recommendation, a summary of the evidence. The summary should be sufficiently detailed to enable the candidate to make a particular response to all of the significant components if he or she appeals the decision.
 

38.    The Chief Librarian or his or her designate shall notify the department head of his or her decision, after he or she has obtained the approval of the Vice-President and Provost. The department head shall in turn notify the candidate, furnishing the summary of evidence to the candidate in the event of a negative decision. If permanent status has been denied, the Chief Librarian, in consultation with the appropriate division head, shall determine the duration of the candidate's terminal contract, which shall normally be for six months followed by automatic termination without further review.
 

39.    A Committee on Permanent Status shall act as a promotion committee in the case where a candidate is a Librarian II, simultaneously recommending promotion to Librarian III and the granting of permanent status.

Appeals Against Denial of Permanent Status

40.    A Librarians' Appeal Committee shall be established and shall consist of a chair and four members, appointed by the President after consultation with the Faculty Association, vacancies being filled by the same process. Members shall have a two-year term after one initial one-year term for half of the original appointees. The Chair shall have a two-year term.

Grounds for Appeal

41.    A librarian who has been denied permanent status shall have the right to appeal on one or more of the following grounds:
 

i.    a significant irregularity or unfairness in the procedure followed by the Committee or in the selection of its members;
ii.    improper bias or motive on the part of any member of the Committee;
iii.    improper bias or motive on the part of any person whose opinion may have materially influenced the decision of the Committee;
iv.    absence of relevant material from the dossier, or the application by the Committee of inappropriate standards.

Review Procedures for Appeals

42.    A candidate must give notice of appeal against a denial of permanent status within thirty days of the transmission to him or her of the statement of reasons and of the summary of the evidence considered by the Committee on Permanent Status; the Librarians' Appeal Committee shall have the power, under circumstances which it considers exceptional, to extend this time limit. The notice of appeal should be addressed to the chair of the Librarians' Appeal Committee and should specify the grounds on which the appeal is based.

43.    The candidate and the department head or equivalent shall be given an opportunity to appear and present evidence and argument to the Librarians' Appeal Committee. If it is thought necessary, the Librarians' Appeal Committee may request that an independent investigator be appointed to assist it in determining matters of fact.
 

44.    The Librarians' Appeal Committee, by the authority delegated to it by the Governing Council by the adoption of this policy, shall make a final disposition of the appeal.
 

45.    The appeal procedure should be completed within the period specified in the terminal contract.

Termination of Appointments with Permanent Status

46.    Appointments with permanent status may be terminated by the University either:

i.    for cause, which means:

a.    neglect of or refusal to carry out reasonable duties and assigned responsibilities of the position held;
b.    inability to carry out such duties and assigned responsibilities (except as noted in ii of this paragraph);
c.    failure to maintain a high standard of competence in librarianship and in the execution of responsibilities;
d.    gross misconduct;

or

ii.    where, without fault on his or her part, the librarian is prevented by a cause or matter beyond his or her control from carrying out reasonable duties, including, without limitation, physical or mental illness or injury, except where and so long as the librarian (or his or her legal representative) makes no claim against the University for salary or other remuneration.

or

iii.    for reasons of fiscal stringency or financial exigency. The Governing Council will consult fully with the University of Toronto Faculty Association in the development of procedures related thereto.

47.    Where the Chief Librarian (or academic administrative head, in the case of librarians outside the Central Library) has or is presented with reason to believe that ground may exist for the termination for cause of the appointment of a librarian holding appointment with permanent
status, he or she shall immediately notify the President of the University and request the President to appoint a Hearing Committee for the purposes set out below. If the President grants the request, he or she shall initiate the following procedures:

i.    An attempt shall be made to settle the matter informally at a meeting of the President, the Chief Librarian or other academic administrative head, the librarian, and a disinterested senior librarian or professor acceptable to the librarian and Chief Librarian or equivalent.

ii.    If the above attempt fails, the President shall inform the librarian in writing of his or her intention to institute proceedings for termination of appointment and shall give reasonable information as to the alleged ground for termination.

iii.    Within fifteen working days, the President and the librarian shall jointly name a Hearing Committee of three librarians or members of the teaching staff from this or any other Canadian university. Should the librarian decline to participate in naming the Hearing Committee, it shall be done jointly by the President and the President of the University of Toronto Faculty Association, and the librarian shall be deemed to have waived all right to determine the membership of the Hearing Committee. If agreement cannot be reached within fifteen working days, a Judge of the High Court of Justice for Ontario who is willing to act and who is not a member of the Governing Council shall name the Hearing Committee.

iv.    The Hearing Committee shall select, in whatever manner it deems fit, a Chair who shall inform the President and the librarian of the time and place designated for the hearing. Should the Hearing Committee be unable to select its Chair, the member with the earliest date of appointment to continuous service in a Canadian university shall become Chair and so act. The hearing shall commence within fifteen working days of the Committee's having been named.

v.    The Hearing Committee shall proceed to determine, in accordance with the Statutory Powers Procedure Act, 1971, whether a ground for termination of appointment exists. The President and the librarian shall be the parties to the proceedings. The Hearing Committee shall determine by majority vote, or if for any reason a majority vote is not possible, by the decision of its Chair, whether or not a ground for termination exists. This determination shall be final and not subject to appeal.

vi.    If the Hearing Committee determines that a ground for termination of appointment exists, the President may recommend termination to the Governing Council. If the Hearing Committee determines that a ground for termination does not exist but that misconduct has taken place, it may impose one or more of the lesser sanctions prescribed in the Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters of the University for offences committed by members of the teaching staff. No further or other action shall be taken against the librarian.

Contractually Limited-Term Appointments

48.    Librarians hired on contractually limited-term appointments will have the length of appointment, rank and salary clearly stated in a letter of appointment. Contractually limited-term appointments should normally be used only in hiring for special projects of limited duration or for temporary replacements for librarians on leave.

49.    For librarians appointed to regular positions immediately following a contractually limited-term appointment, the date of consideration for permanent status will be established at the time of the regular appointment.

50.    Librarians should not normally be on contractually limited-term appointment for more than three consecutive years.

Research and Study Leave

51.    All full-time librarians having permanent status shall be eligible to apply for research or study leave. In granting such leave, the Chief Librarian (or other administrative officer) shall ensure that the staffing requirements are adequately met. Study leave, i.e. registration in a formal program of studies, whether or not it leads to a degree, may be granted when the program of studies is of mutual benefit to the librarian and the Library. The amount of paid study leave which may be granted shall be determined by length of continuous service:
 

After 3 years	6 months
After 4 years	8 months
After 5 years	10 months
After 6 years or more	12 months

During a study leave, the librarian shall receive 50 per cent salary.
 

Research leave may be granted when the librarian has demonstrated the potential to benefit from the leave, and when the research proposed can be made use of in the librarian's continuing employment with the University. A 12-month research leave at 82.5 per cent salary may be granted after 6 years of continuous service as a librarian at the University. Alternatively, a 6- month research leave at full salary may be granted after 6 years of continuous service at the University. As an alternative and subsequent to the first leave above, a 6-month leave at 82.5 % salary may be granted after every three years of service provided that the leave requested under this option does not fall within seven years of the normal age of retirement. The choice of option shall rest with the librarian and should be specified at the time application is made.

Research leave and study leave entitlements are alternative not cumulative. Neither leave shall be regarded as a break in continuous service. Neither study leave nor research leave need be taken in a single unbroken period. Subject to the above provisions leave shall not be unreasonably denied.

52.    The status of librarians on research and study leave is protected with respect to salary increases and promotion. Staff benefits shall continue on the same basis during the leave.

53.    Applications for research and study leave shall be made in writing to the Chief Librarian or department head with a copy to the Chief Librarian at least six months in advance. Requests for leave shall include a statement of the research and studies the librarian proposes to undertake, and upon return a report of the research and scholarship accomplished shall be provided to the Chief Librarian or the department head with a copy to the Chief Librarian. Recommendation for leave by the Chief Librarian or department head requires the approval of the Vice-President and Provost.

54.    Librarians granted research leave may receive a portion of their salary while on leave in the form of a research grant, under the same terms and conditions as members of the teaching staff. Librarians granted study leave for work leading to a degree may, on the recommendation of the Chief Librarian, receive a portion of their salary while on leave as a fellowship.

55.    If additional funds are received from other sources, the amount of salary is adjusted so that the total remuneration does not exceed 100 per cent of salary plus a reasonable amount for travel and research.

Appointment and Tenure of Office of Senior Library Administrators

56.    The responsibility for recommending appointment of senior library administrators in the Library system (department heads, assistant and associate librarians within the Central Library, and librarians having comparable responsibilities outside the Central Library) rests with the Chief Librarian. For administrative appointments outside the Central Library, the Chief Librarian shall consult with the academic administrative head of the division in which the appointment is made.

57.    All senior line administrative appointments in the Library system shall be for fixed terms, which shall be renewable without limit.

58.    Staff officer appointments within the Central Library shall be made by the Chief Librarian on terms and conditions which he or she shall determine.

Consultative Committees

59.    In recommending senior line administrative appointments, the Chief Librarian shall establish Consultative Committees which shall make recommendations to him or her regarding such appointments. These Committees shall consider for appointment all persons known to be available to fill the position through nominations and applications, using as criteria for selection the professional and administrative abilities of the potential appointee, his or her capacity for leadership in librarianship, his or her qualities of common sense and mature judgement, and his or her ability to maintain the confidence and co-operation of staff. Consultative Committees shall give particular consideration to the need for administrative continuity within the Library system.
 

60.    The formation and membership of Consultative Committees established as set out above shall be made known throughout the Library system and nominations and applications for the positions invited. Should the availability of a position be externally advertised, a simultaneous internal advertisement shall be required.

61.    Should a member of any Consultative Committee be seriously considered as a potential appointee to the position on which the Committee is advising the Chief Librarian, that member shall resign from the Committee without replacement.

Department Heads

62.    Consultative Committees advising on the appointment of department heads (or their equivalents outside the Central Library) shall be chaired by the Personnel Librarian and shall have as members the Associate Librarian for the area (or, in the case of appointments outside the Central Library, the academic administrative head of the division concerned or his or her designate), the head of a related department, two librarians who shall, wherever possible, be from the department or area concerned, and two non-librarians selected from employees of the department or area, or from members of the teaching staff in cases where the appointment is outside the Central Library. The members of the Committee shall be appointed by the Chief Librarian in consultation with the Associate Librarian or academic administrative head concerned. Such Consultative Committees shall meet in camera, and each of their members shall agree to treat as confidential all information given to the Committee and all matters pertaining to its deliberations. This shall not, however, be taken to prevent members of the Committee from eliciting from colleagues information and opinion which may be of use to the Committee.

63.    The term of appointment as a department head shall not exceed five years.

Senior Administrative Appointments

64.    For more senior appointments than that of department head and other than that of the Chief Librarian of the University, the Consultative Committee shall be chaired by the Chief Librarian, and shall include one member of the teaching staff (from the division concerned if the appointment is outside the Central Library), one Associate Librarian or equivalent, one library department head or equivalent, four librarians, and three persons who are not librarians. The Committee shall be appointed by the Chief Librarian in consultation with the Vice-President and Provost, other academic administrative officers concerned, and senior colleagues, bearing in mind the need for broad representation along the lines prescribed for Consultative Committees charged with advising on the appointment of department heads. The provisions relating to confidentiality outlined for committees on the appointment of department heads shall apply with equal force to Consultative Committees established under this paragraph.

65.    The term of appointment of line library administrative officers above the position of department head shall not exceed seven years.

The Chief Librarian

66.    The appointment of the Chief Librarian of the University shall be recommended by the President on the advice of a search committee chaired by the Vice-President and Provost or his or her designate, with an additional twelve members, of whom no fewer than seven shall be appointed from within the Library system, and of whom no fewer than four shall be librarians in this University. The committee shall be appointed by the Vice-President and Provost and shall be as representative of the University community as is feasible.

67.    The term of appointment of the Chief Librarian shall be that recommended by the President and approved by the Governing Council, which should be not less than seven nor more than ten years.
 

68.    The formation and membership of the search committee for a Chief Librarian of the University shall be made widely known throughout the University.

Acting Appointments

69.    Nothing in the foregoing shall be taken to preclude the appointment by the Chief Librarian of acting administrative officers for periods of not more than one year, nor the appointment by the President of an Acting Chief Librarian for such a period as he or she may recommend and the Governing Council approve.

Transitional Provisions

70.    All librarians who will have completed at least four years of full-time employment in the University on July 1, 1978, shall be deemed to have permanent status and shall receive confirmation in writing of this status. Librarians I and II who have been employed by the University for less than four years, and Librarians III and IV who have been employed by the University for less than one year shall be considered for permanent status as prescribed in these regulations.

71.    Library administrators appointed prior to the adoption of this policy by the Governing Council shall not have their terms of office limited except at their own election, which may be made at any time.

72.    This Report does not apply to part-time librarians (i.e., to those appointed at less than 75 per cent of full-time employment). Policies for part-time librarians should be developed which are compatible with the recommendations of this Report.

Approved by Governing Council June 15, 1978

Amended effective July 1, 1983, section 51, research leave remuneration at 80 % salary in place of the previous 75% provision. (Arising from the agreement for salaries and benefits, 1983-84)

Amended effective July 1, 1985, section 51, to allow a librarian, after six years of continuous service, to apply for a 6-month research leave at full salary. (Arising from the agreement for salaries and benefits, 1984-5 and 1985-6, Schedule D)

Amended effective July 1, 1990, section 51, salary during research leave of 12 months shall be 82.5 % of actual salary. (Arising from the agreement for salaries and benefits, 1989-90, Schedule 4)

Amended effective July 1, 1991, section 51, to include "As an alternative and subsequent to the first leave above, a six-month leave at 82.5% salary may be granted after every three years of service provided that the leave requested under this option does not fall within seven years of the normal age of retirement." (Arising from the agreement for salaries and benefits, 1991-92 and 1992-93)