A Hard Look in the Mirror: Re-imagining the Role of the Librarian at the Greater Victoria Public Library

ABSTRACT As an urban Canadian public library system, Greater Victoria Public Library was not alone in trying to define the role of librarians within the context of a changing digital landscape and a reality where patrons were no longer seeking out librarians for in-depth reference questions at a traditional reference desk. Situated on Vancouver Island in the southwest corner of British Columbia, Canada, GVPL is a multi-branch system that was looking for ways to define the role of librarians within branches, within the organization, and within the library sector as a whole. By creating a community-inspired model with librarians as leaders within portfolios rather than defined by the ages that they were delivering programs for, GVPL developed a framework for community engagement with librarians as key drivers in the ensuring the library remains innovative, sustainable and valued.