Constantia Constantinou, a leader in academic libraries and information systems, has been appointed the University of Toronto's next university chief librarian following an extensive international search.
Currently executive director of the Whiting Foundation in New York, Constantinou is both an academic leader and scholar who has previously held the role of vice-provost and director of libraries at the University of Pennsylvania and dean of university libraries at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Stony Brook and SUNY Maritime College.
She will assume her new role at U of T Libraries on Sept. 1, 2026, serving for a seven-year term.
"The University of Toronto has a long and distinguished tradition of excellence grounded in intellectual rigour, a commitment to inclusion and a culture of innovation," Constantinou said.
"The role of U of T university chief librarian presents an exceptional opportunity to lead a dynamic organization of brilliant, talented and dedicated professionals; strengthen pre-existing partnerships and forge new ones; and identify ways to support research, teaching and learning that are unique to U of T and make a difference in the world."
An expert in library innovation, Constantinou brings decades of experience leading complex library systems and advancing partnerships with educational and cultural institutions.
Her scholarly work has focused on library technologies, digital access and preservation, as well as the role of research libraries in fostering cross-cultural understanding. She is the co-author of International Librarianship: Developing Intercultural and Educational Leadership (SUNY Press, 2017). She has also served in leadership roles in a variety of professional organizations including the Association of Research Libraries, International Federation of Library Associations and the non-profit OCLC library co-operative.
"Constantia Constantinou is a distinguished global leader on the integration of large university library systems and collaboration across libraries, museums and universities," said Trevor Young, U of T's vice-president and provost. "The University of Toronto Libraries will benefit greatly from her global perspective, transformative leadership and extensive experience in academic libraries in top-tier institutions like the University of Pennsylvania."
Young also thanked Larry Alford, U of T's outgoing university chief librarian, for his outstanding leadership of U of T Libraries over the past 14 years and for serving additional time in the role to facilitate the transition to new leadership.
Born in Cyprus, Constantinou holds bachelor of music, master of arts in music theory and master of library science degrees from Queens College in the City University of New York. She is a Fulbright Scholar and Distinguished Alumna of the Graduate School of Library and Information Studies at Queens College.
As U of T's university chief librarian, Constantinou will oversee an academic library system that is the largest in Canada and consistently ranked among the top in North America, supporting students, faculty and researchers across three campuses.
Her appointment comes at a time of rapid transformation in how knowledge is created, shared and preserved.
"The challenge - and opportunity - is to lead at the intersection of innovation and preservation," she said, adding she was drawn to U of T by the scale of its library system and its longstanding role in advancing research and scholarship in Canada and globally.
"This includes expanding digital access, supporting computational and AI-enabled research, strengthening information literacy and ethical scholarship, and ensuring that world-class collections, archives and rare materials remain accessible and relevant for future generations."
Constantinou emphasized the role of U of T libraries in supporting U of T President Melanie Woodin's call for the university community to "meet the moment" by contributing to student and faculty success, expanding access to information and knowledge, fostering a culture of innovation that extends the libraries' role beyond their traditional strengths and building models of engagement - all while demonstrating collaborative leadership across Canada and around the world.
She also looks forward to exploring ways to further strengthen physical spaces and collections, describing them as critical hubs of learning, discovery and collaboration.
"Physical collections, archives and special collections - along with study environments and collaborative spaces - play a vital role in scholarship, teaching, learning and student success," she said. "By bringing people together, these spaces cultivate the human connections that enrich intellectual inquiry and creative expression, and strengthen academic communities."
