Larry Alford recognized by Ontario Council of University Libraries

Larry Alford, university chief librarian at University of Toronto Libraries, has received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Ontario Council of University Libraries (OCUL).

The award recognizes individuals who have made transformative contributions to the research library community.

Alford, who has served on OCUL’s council of directors since 2011, is recognized for his leadership in expanding the Borealis Dataverse into a shared service supporting digital research across Canada. He also drove the transition of Scholars Portal Journals to the Canadian Research Knowledge Network, supporting sustainable access to scholarly resources for institutions across the country.

“Larry’s leadership, collegiality and generosity have had a profound and lasting effect,” said Talia Chung, university librarian and dean of libraries at the University of Ottawa. “His steady commitment has strengthened not only the University of Toronto but also research library communities across Ontario, Canada and beyond. The legacy of his work will continue to enrich scholarly content access and preservation for many years to come.” 

“Larry’s visionary thinking has been invaluable in the progress of both OCUL and our digital service arm, Scholars Portal,” said Amy Greenberg, OCUL executive director. “In his 15 years as an OCUL director, Larry’s ability to recognize the evolving library landscape alongside the practicalities of sustainable service delivery has helped guide our consortial development of research infrastructure. Because of his ingenuity and collaborative nature, scholars – locally and across the country – will have access to academic resources for years to come.”