Indigenous Librarian [Career Librarian Position]

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Indigenous Librarian [Career Librarian Position]
Library – Office Dean of Lib.
Posted: February 10, 2026
Deadline to Apply: Sunday, March 15, 2026

Located in downtown Toronto, the largest and most culturally diverse city in Canada and on the territory of the Anishinaabeg, Haudenosaunee and the Wendat Peoples, Toronto Metropolitan University Libraries invites applications for a full-time career stream (i.e. continuing) position of Indigenous Librarian at the rank of Librarian I or II, effective July 1, 2026, subject to final budgetary approval.

This position is restricted to candidates who self-identify in the Applicant Diversity Self-ID questionnaire in the recruitment portal as First Nations, Métis, Inuit peoples, or Indigenous peoples of North America. Indigenous hires for librarian positions at TMU are required to successfully complete an affirmation process. This process involves candidates providing relevant documentation to support the claim of Indigenous identity and participating in discussions with the University’s Indigenous Human Resources Lead in order to share relevant information about their lived experience.

Prioritizing Indigenous approaches to librarianship, the successful candidate will work in close collaboration with campus and community partners in advancing the Libraries’ strategic plan, and the University’s commitments to Indigenous teaching, learning, research and community. The successful candidate will help advance Indigenous Knowledge within library services and functions, including research methodologies, Indigenous data sovereignty, teaching and learning activities, information services, and collection development. This role will include subject liaison work; also, the role will be customized to an area or areas of library functional specialization as necessary, based on the incumbent’s knowledge, experience, and interest. Librarians actively contribute to providing research assistance through both in-person and virtual service points, and may occasionally be required to work non-standard hours, including weekends and evenings. Career Librarians are also expected to participate in library and university committees and engage in professional development and/or scholarly research and creative activities.

Candidates must be a graduate of an accredited library/information school with a MLS/MLIS/MISt/MI degree or acceptable ALA recognized equivalent by the appointment date. Indigenous candidates who are able to demonstrate active enrolment in the relevant academic program, may be considered. In addition, candidates must present evidence of the following:

Lived experience of Indigenous world views, cultures and values and strong ties to First Nations, Métis and/or Inuit communities.
Knowledge and understanding of Indigenous research methodologies, Indigenous data sovereignty, resources, and services and the use of them to advance research and scholarly communication on campus.
Flexibility and creativity in adapting to evolving staffing, liaison models, and emerging technologies.
A commitment to collaboration and collegiality and a strong focus on service to students, faculty and staff.
Excellent problem-solving and time-management skills and ability to operate effectively while balancing competing priorities.
Motivation to proactively identify work to be completed, and ability to prioritize and shift gears throughout the academic year cycle.
Strong written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills.
A commitment to our values of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion as it pertains to service, teaching, and scholarly research or creative activities, including a demonstrated ability to make learning accessible and inclusive for a diverse population.
An ability and willingness to contribute to the life of the Libraries and the University through collegial service.
Experience building effective working relationships with institutional and external colleagues, and communities.
Experience integrating knowledge to inform equitable and inclusive decision-making.
Experience developing, delivering, and assessing instructional content.
Cultural fluency in Indigenous contexts.
Understanding of Indigenous ways of knowing within a higher education setting.
Dedicated to cultivating an inclusive environment that recognizes barriers faced by people and encourages and incorporates contributions from diverse groups and individuals.
Candidates possessing the following will be preferred:

Aptitude for thinking creatively and critically about information literacy programs and services.
Aptitude for thinking critically about best practices for academic libraries and trends in higher education.
Understanding of scholarly communication including open access publishing, journal evaluation and research impact.
Indigenous Knowledge such as being a Traditional Knowledge Keeper or an Indigenous Language Speaker, as verified by the respective Indigenous communities, in consultation with the Indigenous Scholarship Committee.
Our committee recognizes that professional librarians have varying career paths and that career interruptions can be part of an excellent career record. Candidates are encouraged to provide any relevant information about their experience and/or career interruptions to allow for a fair assessment of their application.

The location of work for this position will be the TMU Downtown Campus.

This position falls under the jurisdiction of the Toronto Metropolitan Faculty Association (TFA) [www.tfanet.ca]. Visit us at www.torontomu.ca/faculty-affairs to access the TFA Collective Agreement and a summary of TFA benefits.

The salary ranges for Librarian I and Librarian II are as follows and salary will commensurate with qualifications:

Librarian I: $78,586.69 to $116,905.82 per annum.
Librarian II: $87,679.38 to $183,152.46 per annum.

Working at TMU
Serving a highly diverse student population of over 45,000, TMU offers over 100+ undergraduate and graduate programs built on the integration of theoretical and practical learning. Distinguished by a professionally focused curriculum and a strong emphasis on excellence in teaching, research and creative activities, TMU is a vibrant, urban university known for its culture of innovation, entrepreneurship, community engagement and city building, reflected in its award-winning architecture.

At the intersection of mind and action, TMU is on a transformative path to become Canada’s leading comprehensive innovation university. Our new academic plan, Transformative Futures, offers an exciting roadmap towards our ongoing pursuit of academic excellence and to addressing the complex and evolving challenges of our time.

At the heart of TMU’s remarkable achievements and its ambitious aspirations are its students, faculty and staff. Committed to a people first culture, the university prides itself on offering exceptional benefits and perks, celebrating the achievements of its faculty and staff and maintaining its unwavering commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, including its ongoing commitment to Truth and Reconciliation, confronting Anti-Black Racism and accessibility for persons with disabilities. Among its many recognitions include being ranked number one on the Forbes list of Canada’s Best Employers for Diversity. We invite you to explore employment at TMU as well as our community of diverse faculty and staff networks.

Toronto Metropolitan University Libraries
A vibrant and innovative centre of exploration, research, creation and learning, TMU Libraries are positioned at the core of the University’s academic, research and community engagement goals. The Libraries support a diverse community of learners and instructors, researchers and scholars, and community experts and entrepreneurs, and are hubs of interdisciplinary Scholarly, Research and Creative (SRC) activities. The dedicated team of more than 100 talented individuals supports a growing academic community, including new campuses and international students. In addition to our main campus Library, TMU Libraries includes a Law Library, and Bikram S. Dhillon and Family Medical Library. TMU Libraries provide crucial academic learning, creation and research resources, programs, services and spaces. Its unique blend of expertise and programming, coupled with access to leading edge technology and an array of information resources, fosters a rich academic environment, supporting the University’s complement of degree programs, and advancing research and discovery, and community outreach and engagement.

How to Apply
Applicants must submit their application online via the Recruitment Portal [https://hr.cf.torontomu.ca/ams/faculty/] by clicking on “Start Application Process” to begin. Applications consisting of the following and received by March 15, 2026, will be guaranteed consideration; the position will remain open until filled:

a letter of application;
a curriculum vitae; and
names and contact information of three individuals who may be contacted for references.
Please note that all qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, applications from Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority, in accordance with Canadian immigration regulations.

At Toronto Metropolitan University, we believe that diversity of knowledge, worldviews and experiences that come from membership in different groups, is fundamental to innovation, teaching and scholarship and that our students are best served by faculty and librarians who reflect the diversity of TMU’s student body and the community in which TMU is situated. To ensure representation of the excellent talent in Canada, we are particularly interested in applications from members of historically disadvantaged and marginalized groups including: First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples, Indigenous peoples of North America, Black-identified persons, other racialized persons, persons with disabilities, and those who identify as women and/or 2SLGBTQ+.

Contacts
Any confidential inquiries about the opportunity can be directed to the Librarian Appointment Committee (LAC) Chair Lei Jin at [email protected].

Candidates who belong to one or more of the equity-deserving groups recognized at TMU are welcome to connect with Debbie Thompson [[email protected]], Executive Director, Office of the Vice-President, Equity and Community Inclusion [www.torontomu.ca/equity].

Indigenous candidates who would like to learn more about working at Toronto Metropolitan University are welcome to contact James McKay, Indigenous Human Resources Lead at [email protected].

For any confidential accommodation needs in order to participate in the recruitment and selection process and/or inquiries regarding accessing the Recruitment Portal, please contact [email protected].

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