New Queen’s University Librarian Appointed
Posted: May 19th, 2010Queen’s University Library will have new leadership on July 1, 2010. Paul Wiens, who has served as University Librarian so ably for nearly two decades, will be stepping down to begin an administrative leave followed by retirement. Martha Whitehead, currently Associate University Librarian, will become University Librarian for a three year term.
With Paul’s retirement, the university and the broader academic library community will be losing a valued colleague. “I would like to thank Paul most sincerely for his many years of excellent and devoted service to Queen’s,” says Provost and VP Academic Dr. Bob Silverman. “Under his leadership, the Library has achieved top rankings as well as the ongoing praise of students and faculty, and its staff are amongst the best in the country.” Paul will be appropriately recognized by Queen’s at an event in the fall.
Martha brings to her new position twenty-five years of experience in academic research libraries, the past six of which have been as Associate University Librarian at Queen’s. Prior to coming to Queen’s, Martha held positions at the University of British Columbia Library in the areas of information services and information technologies. Martha’s professional activities have included a study leave with the University of Melbourne’s Information Division and numerous endeavors closer to home. She currently has several key roles with the Canadian Research Knowledge Network, a partnership of seventy-four Canadian universities dedicated to expanding digital content for the academic research enterprise in Canada, including Chair of the Negotiations Resource Team and member of the Board. In Ontario, she has been actively involved with Scholars Portal, a project of the Ontario Council of University Libraries that provides a shared information research system for all twenty-one university libraries in the province. In 2007, Martha was accepted into the Research Library Leadership Fellows program with the Association of Research Libraries, a two-year executive program designed to explore critical issues and current trends with senior administrators of major research institutions. Martha has published many articles in the professional literature and is a frequent invited speaker and facilitator at professional events.
Martha will be providing leadership for the Library and within the University during a challenging time for post-secondary education. “I like to reflect on why I came to Queen’s in 2004. I was impressed with what I saw: a library that had a clear vision of its role in the academic enterprise and an organizational culture that nurtures both individual responsibility and the teamwork that supports continuing evolution. I see the same library today. We have a great foundation to build upon, thanks to Paul and all of our staff and academic partners. I’m very proud to have a role in shaping our future.”