Gordon Coleman, Brock University's new Associate University Librarian, Content, is driven to help shape the future of academic libraries.
With more than 20 years of experience from Simon Fraser University (SFU), Coleman brings with him with a background in collection development, resource management and research support.
"We're excited to have Gordon join the team," says Brock University Librarian Nicole Nolan. "He brings a depth of experience in collection development and a strong record of leadership that will help advance the Library's goals and support the needs of our campus community."
Coleman's portfolio includes stewarding both general and archival collections while also overseeing services that support the research enterprise, such as data management, scholarly communication tools and skills development for graduate students.
In the early days of his role at Brock, Coleman says he's focused on building relationships.
"I'm eager to connect with colleagues across the Library and University to understand their needs and how I can have a positive impact," he says.
At SFU, Coleman led a major transformation of the Library's technical services division, repositioning it to meet the demands of the digital age. He negotiated key agreements with major publishers, helped launch innovative classification systems for Indigenous materials, and co-chaired strategic initiatives to streamline services and free up resources for new priorities.
He also played a role in advancing accessibility through services such as alternate-format delivery for students with disabilities and implemented new systems for managing digital and streaming media.
At Brock, Coleman is looking forward to aligning the Library's expertise with evolving research needs and contributing to the broader transformation of scholarly communication.
"There's a lot of questioning about the role of for-profit publishers," he says. "Libraries can be important partners in creating new, more equitable ways to disseminate and assess research."
Coleman holds a Master of Library and Information Studies from University of British Columbia and a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Toronto.
Drawing inspiration from Brock's new institutional strategic plan, he hopes to "help lead change where it's needed and work collaboratively to make the Library even more responsive to our community."
