OCULA President’s Message – Spring 2026

By Shelby Thaysen

It has become something of a tradition for the OCULA President to share a message through InsideOCULA, and I am glad for the opportunity to do so this year. It is a privilege to address the community at a moment when the work of academic libraries is evolving in ways that are both generative and, at times, deeply challenging.

My name is Shelby Thaysen, and I am your 2026 OCULA President. I am a Scholarly Publishing Librarian at the University of Toronto, where I support open access journal publishing and repository services. My involvement with the OLA began as a student volunteer and has continued through a range of roles across OCULA Council and the OLA Board, an experience I’ve written about previously. This trajectory has developed alongside my professional work, with association engagement remaining a consistent space for learning, collaboration, and perspective. It continues to shape how I approach this role, and the values I hold closely: a belief in open and equitable access to knowledge, a dedication to the communities our libraries serve, and a deep commitment to collaborative work

This year’s OCULA Council brings a strong mix of experience, energy, and commitment to the sector. It includes representation across both college and university libraries, with a balance of returning councillors who provide continuity and new members who bring fresh perspectives. It’s a privilege to work with this exceptional group.

We are evolving alongside a structural shift within OLA, where what were once divisions are now aligned and defined as Sectors. The Academic Libraries Sector, guided by OCULA Council, provides a clearer and more direct framework for engaging with our members. Our new sector forum supports this evolution as members-only spaces designed to support ongoing conversation across the community. These forums offer a place to share updates, raise questions, and engage directly with OCULA colleagues across institutions and roles. They also create an important channel for OCULA Council to connect directly with members, and for members to engage with Council in turn. Complementing this, the new OLA-wide Communities of Practice create additional opportunities for connection around shared areas of interest regardless of sector affiliation. We also continue to forge connections across career stages by engaging students, supporting early career colleagues, and creating opportunities for mentorship and leadership development.

Our work is unfolding within a shifting and uneven landscape. The rapid emergence of artificial intelligence tools is reshaping research practices, teaching, and scholarly communication, while raising complex questions about labour, expertise, and the role of libraries in supporting and mediating these systems. At the same time, many in our community, particularly in college libraries, are navigating significant restructuring and job loss. Across the sector, increasing workloads, constrained resources, and expanding expectations continue to define the day-to-day realities of academic library work.

OCULA’s focus this year is to respond to these conditions by creating space for dialogue, supporting learning where it is needed, and strengthening the connections that allow us to respond collectively and thoughtfully. Through InsideOCULA, webinars, and our awards program, we will continue to highlight the depth of work across the sector while fostering opportunities for engagement and mutual support.

OCULA exists to support and represent the academic library sector within OLA, and to help strengthen the connections that sustain our work. I look forward to the year ahead and to working together as we navigate these changes and opportunities.

Shelby Thaysen (she/her) is OCULA President (2026). Shelby is a Scholarly Publishing Librarian at the University of Toronto. Shelby can be reached at shelby.thaysen@utoronto.ca