Out of the “Library Ghetto”: An Exploration of CAUT’s Contributions to the Achievements of Canadian Academic Librarians

This study is an historical exploration of archival documents held at Library and Archives Canada relating to the unionization of Canadian academic librarians and the relationship that the librarian community developed with the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT). Through an analysis of primary sources, the study will explore how academic librarians organized, identified goals and worked with faculty associations, professional associations and CAUT to achieve a strong professional identity, recognition as partners in the academic enterprise, and tangible improvements in their working conditions. I am particularly interested in the question of why academic librarians worked so much more closely with CAUT as opposed to their own professional associations. The study focuses on records created between the late 1950s until the early 1980’s. This period is of interest because like professors, many academic librarians organized and joined faculty associations during the 1970’s. These records therefore provide evidence of discussions leading up to unionization and the most pressing challenges – equity, professional status, salary and mobilization