Indigenous Engagement Librarian

Diversity and inclusivity are an integral part of Capilano University’s campus community. Our multicultural student body, faculty and employees enrich our learning environment and experience. CapU is committed to attracting and retaining a respectful and diverse workforce. Human rights, diversity, inclusion and equity underpin our employment practices and policies. We are proud to be an equity employer and encourage applications from women, persons with disabilities, visible minorities, Indigenous peoples, people of all sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, and all other grounds included under the B.C. Human Rights Code.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and Permanent Residents will be given priority.

Capilano University is a teaching-focused university based in North Vancouver, with programming serving the Sunshine Coast and the Sea-to-Sky corridor. Capilano University enrolls approximately 10,000 students each year, 8000 in for-credit programs and 2000 in non-credit courses. Capilano University is named after Chief Joe Capilano, an important leader of the Squamish (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh) Nation of the Coast Salish people. Our campuses are located on the territories of the Lil’wat, Musqueam, Sechelt (shíshálh), Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.

Posting Details
Competition Number: F18398P
Position Title: Indigenous Engagement Librarian
Employee Group: Faculty
Position Status: Regular Full-Time
Position Type: Librarian
Workload Amount: 8
Department: Library
Location: North Vancouver

As part of a Special Program approved by the BC Office of the Human Rights Commissioner, this position is limited to Indigenous applicants. By applying to this position with Special Program Status, you are self-identifying as a person of Indigenous ancestry.

Located on the territories of the Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), SəỈílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh), xʷməθkʷəỷəm (Musqueam), shíshálh (Sechelt), and LíỈwat Nations, Capilano University is a teaching-focused university based in North Vancouver. We value curiosity and imagination; a commitment to Truth and Reconciliation, Indigenization, and decolonization; collaboration, authenticity, and belonging; health and well-being; transparency and honesty; and taking sustainable actions to enable a better place for our future descendants.

The Capilano University Library is looking for a community-engaged and collaborative Indigenous Engagement Librarian to lead the development of library services for Indigenous students and faculty. The person in this role collaborates closely with Indigenous Education and Affairs, the Kéxwusm-áyakn Student Centre, Elders, Indigenous students, and other campus and community partners. They also provide dedicated research support and outreach for Indigenous students, including those in the University One for Indigenous Learners program and Pathways to Higher Learning (P2HL) at the kálax-ay Sunshine Coast Campus. The Indigenous Engagement Librarian co-creates Indigenization supports for faculty and provides guidance to the librarian team around Indigenous ways of knowing for the purposes of pedagogy, collections, resource description, space design, service philosophies, and technology acquisition/production. As we embark on our first Indigenous Education Plan as a university, there will be opportunities for the successful candidate to build and shape this role. We are excited to hear what ideas the new Indigenous Engagement Librarian will bring to our team and invite candidates to imagine where they would take the role in collaboration with their partners in our campus community!

The Indigenous Engagement Librarian also acts as the liaison for Business, Legal Studies, and Public Administration. This includes teaching, collection development, and research support for students; sitting on the Faculty of Business and Professional Studies’ Curriculum and Planning Committee; collaborating with the Coordinator of the Business department’s Indigenization and Decolonization Hub; and relationship development across these programs. The liaison can expect to teach marketing, industry, and other Business research skills workshops at all four levels of the Bachelor’s degree program and in its graduate programs. We welcome librarians without teaching or Business experience to apply, as support and mentoring is available from the librarian team. All librarians also participate in shared Research Help Desk, AskAway, and teaching duties.

Our Working Environment

The new librarian will join a team of seven other faculty librarians who work within a collegial management model. All members of the team participate in collective decision-making related to work within the department, attend department meetings, and participate in peer evaluation, search-hire committees, and other working groups in the library and across campus. Within this model, librarians share leadership and administrative responsibilities in the elected roles of Faculty Coordinator and Steward. Librarians also collaborate with the University Librarian, library staff, and partners across campus.

This is a full-time ongoing position with a two-year probationary period. Benefits include extended health with a flexible spending account, 42 vacation days, and 42 professional development (PD) days per year.

We have a working schedule of Monday to Friday with flexible start and end times. Our work is conducted primarily on campus, with some flexibility to split work between the office and off-campus locations.

There is a Children’s Centre on site that offers waitlist priority to Capilano students and employees. The university also offers modest competitive funding opportunities for PD and research.

Unfortunately, the university does not offer relocation assistance for faculty at this time.

Helpful Documents

Envisioning 2030 (Capilano University’s reimagined Strategic Plan)
Illuminating 2030 (Capilano University’s reimagined Academic Plan)
Capilano Faculty Association Collective Agreement (salary scale may be found on page 57; each step is equivalent to 1 year of full-time experience. See further details on pages 62-63)

Interview Dates


April 27-29 and May 3-5, 2022 (initial interviews conducted virtually)
May 24, 27, 30, 31, and June 1, 2022 (final interviews conducted virtually or in person)

If you have a major scheduling conflict (i.e., lack of availability during an entire interview period), please feel free to alert us to this so we may do our best to find a solution that works for all if you are selected for an interview. Contact Jocelyn Hallman, Chair of the search committee, in confidence at jocelynhallman@capilanou.ca.

Required Qualifications

• MLIS or equivalent from an ALA-accredited university; we also welcome applications from students in MLIS programs who can complete their studies by the end of the two-year probationary period

Required Skills and Experience

• Demonstrable relationships with Indigenous community or communities
• Knowledge of Indigenous ways of knowing and how these relate to academic work
• Knowledge of initiatives and documents informing decolonization work in Canada
• Ability to facilitate discussions and guide colleagues toward decolonizing practices
• Demonstrated commitment to advancing equity, diversity and inclusion in libraries or other environments
• Ability to initiate, sustain, and grow relationships with a variety of individuals and groups across an organization
• Ability to manage multiple projects and competing priorities
• Excellent cross-cultural, interpersonal, communication and presentation skills

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Knowledge of Indigenous pedagogies and/or research methods
• Experience working with Indigenous learners in a post-secondary or other settings
• Experience or training in classroom teaching
• Experience or educational background in Business, Public Administration, or Legal Studies

As part of a Special Program approved by the BC Office of the Human Rights Commissioner, this position is limited to Indigenous applicants. By applying to this position with Special Program Status, you are self-identifying as a person of Indigenous ancestry.

Please submit applications, including a cover letter and resume, at https://jobs-capilanou.peopleadmin.com/postings/4618.

If we could make the application process more accessible for you, or if you have any questions, please contact Jocelyn Hallman, Chair of the search committee, at jocelynhallman@capilanou.ca.

Posting Detail Information
Internal or External Position: External
Appointment Date (mm/dd/yyyy): 08/01/2022
Salary Scale: Faculty Scale
Post Date: 03/21/2022
Close Date :04/18/2022
Open Until Filled: No
Quick Link for Posting: https://jobs-capilanou.peopleadmin.com/postings/4618