Two decades at UNB has given James MacKenzie a clear view of what's coming, and what it means for how universities prepare students and researchers to navigate an increasingly complex world of information.
After more than 20 years with the University of New Brunswick Libraries, James MacKenzie has stepped into a new chapter as dean of libraries, bringing deep institutional knowledge and a forward-looking vision for how libraries help drive research, learning, and community in an evolving digital landscape.
MacKenzie first joined UNB Libraries in 2003 as an information services librarian. Over the course of his career, he has held several leadership roles, including acting head of Archives & Special Collections, director of advanced digital research and scholarship, and most recently, associate dean of libraries.
Originally from Doaktown, N.B., MacKenzie began his professional journey in music. He studied at Mount Allison University and Western University before returning to the province, where he worked as a piano teacher and accompanist.
"I found my way into librarianship while looking for a way to build on my music background," said MacKenzie. "One area of interest was music librarianship, which led me to explore the field and ultimately enroll in Master of Library and Information Studies program at Dalhousie (now the Master of Information)."
He first came to UNB as a practicum student while completing his master's degree, an experience that would launch his long-standing career with the university. Over the years, MacKenzie has witnessed and helped shape a significant transformation in the role of academic libraries.
"I've seen a real broadening of the expertise that librarians and libraries bring to the institution," he said. "There's still a strong demand for our core services, such as research support, information literacy, carefully managed collections, and welcoming spaces for students and faculty. But over the years, our role has expanded significantly."
As associate dean, MacKenzie worked closely with former dean Lesley Balcom to oversee operations, budget planning, collections, services, and library spaces. His leadership has strengthened research-focused services, supported the growth of the Centre for Digital Scholarship and Library Systems, and advanced initiatives in scholarly communications and research data management.
Among his key contributions are the launch of the UNB Institutional Research Data Management Strategy, the development of the university's digitization and publishing infrastructure, and the introduction of AI-focused tools and capacity within UNB Libraries. He has also supported major digital projects in collaboration with UNB researchers and community partners, and helped shape innovative spaces such as the Harriet Irving Research Commons.
"We're actively contributing to areas like digital scholarship, digital humanities, and developing digital heritage collections that make UNBs unique materials accessible nationally and internationally," said MacKenzie.
"We're also helping to extend UNB's research impact through our repositories, our support for academic publishing and open access, and in working with researchers and funding agencies to shape policy, strategies and resources to share UNB research with a global audience.
"Overall, it's been a gradual but meaningful expansion in how libraries support research, learning, and the broader needs of the university."
MacKenzie aims to build on this momentum by continuing to support the university's evolving priorities and expanding the impact of library services on campus and beyond.
"One of the most important ways we contribute to the university is through digital literacy," he said. "We have moved beyond our traditional focus on information literacy to include emerging areas like AI, media, publishing and data literacy. These are skills that extend well beyond the classroom."
"AI is a great example," he said. "Evaluating available tools, choosing when to use them, and using them responsibly are not just important skills for university; it's becoming an expectation in the workplace. Supporting the development of these literacies at UNB is, I believe, a challenge that libraries are well-positioned to meet"
As AI continues to reshape higher education and research, and libraries across the country face sustainability challenges, MacKenzie is not concerned about libraries becoming obsolete. Instead, he sees an opportunity for libraries to play an even greater role in helping students and the broader academic community navigate an increasingly complex information landscape.
"The need for libraries is only growing," he said. "Libraries are focused on helping make sense of the evolving landscape of information resources and tools, and building expertise, collections and scholarly infrastructure for the future."
MacKenzie also points to the momentum already underway at UNB Libraries.
"UNB Libraries is in a great place right now. We've grown tremendously over the past 20-plus years, and there are a lot of exciting partnerships and projects happening," he said.
"I'm seeing increased collaboration with faculty colleagues, particularly in research, programming and policy, and I'm looking forward to continuing that momentum as we work to build an even stronger university."
