Canadian School Libraries Board of Directors
Joseph Jeffery, Chair
Joseph Jeffery is the District Learning Commons Teacher-Librarian in School District 57 – Prince George, BC where he supports teacher-librarians in creating and maintaining information literacy rich library learning commons programming, designing participatory and flexible learning spaces, and developing culturally responsive library learning commons. Joseph has worked on the Collection Diversity Toolkit , the updates to Leading Learning, and the Foundations and Framework document. Additionally, he helped write the BC Teacher Librarian Association’s School Library Design document. Outside of school, Joseph is an avid gamer of all types from card to tabletop to video games and enjoys being transported to imaginative worlds of science fiction and fantasy as a reader.
Melanie Mulcaster, Vice-Chair & Secretary
Melanie Mulcaster is a teacher librarian in the Peel District School Board. A life long learner and maker, she is passionate about inspiring and empowering modern learners to inquire, discover, connect, innovate and explore. Always messy and always unlearning and relearning how to collaborate with the communities she serves.
Sarah Wethered, Treasurer
Sarah Wethered has been a teacher-librarian at New Westminster Secondary School in New Westminster, BC since 2000. A passionate advocate for public education, Sarah has held many roles within her local of the British Columbia Teachers’ Federation, including local president from 2020-2022. Sarah is very active within the British Columbia Teacher-Librarians’ Association and currently serves as treasurer. Since 2018, Sarah has been on online instructor in the Queen’s University BC teacher-librarian program. One of the biggest honours in Sarah’s career was being named a 2020 recipient of the Angela Thacker Memorial Award. In her free time, Sarah loves to read romantic comedies and historical fiction. Sarah is also a passionate knitter and Lego enthusiast.
Lila Armstrong, Member-at-large
Lila Armstrong recently returned to the classroom after teacher librarianship roles in both elementary and secondary schools. Lila has been working with the CSL team since 2020, as the part of the Leading Learning team, and as the Leading Learning website editor. She joined the writing team for the CSL Foundations Framework released in 2023, and was able to contribute her passion for advocacy and action in the Canadian school library context. Lila brings a French Immersion background to the Board of Directors, as well as a keen interest in Intellectual Freedom, Professional Development and Educational Leadership.
Chelsea Baker, Member-at-large
Chelsea is the library consultant for the Central Quebec School Board (CQSB), in Quebec City. The CQSB serves English schools across a large geographic area. She recently finished her two year mandate as the Quebec School Librarians Network (QSLiN) co-chair. Currently, Chelsea is working with fellow consultants, teachers, and school library staff on enhancing school reading culture and improving access to resources by supporting our library spaces. With the QSLiN librarians, she is taking part in a critical thinking initiative led by the Directors of English Education Network and working to provide professional learning opportunities for school library staff across the 9 English school boards.
Anita Brooks-Kirkland, Former Chair, Member-at-large
As Chair of CSL from 2016 to 2024, Anita was project leader and a contributing writer for the CSL Research Toolkit, the Collection Diversity Toolkit, and the guideline Foundations for School Library Learning Commons in Canada: A Framework for Success. She also co-edited CSL Journal and was a lead organizer for Treasure Mountain Canada symposiums. Over the past two years, she has frequently represented CSL in the media regarding book challenges and censorship in school libraries. Anita served as president of the Ontario Library Association in 2014 and the Ontario School Library Association in 2005.
Jennifer Casa-Todd, Member-at-large
Jennifer Casa-Todd is wife, mom, educator, a former Literacy Consultant, a Google Certified Innovator, and author of several educational publications. Jennifer was nominated for the Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence (2024), was the recipient of the YSCPC Teaching Excellence Award (2023), and recipient of the ISTE Digital Citizenship Network Award (2020). She is also an ISTE Community leader, a Google Educator Group leader for Ontario and a Board member for the Canadian School Library Association. Jennifer can currently be found supporting pre-service teachers at Lakehead University (Ontario) or supporting student travel experiences for credit. She is passionate about showing parents, teachers and students how they can use technology and social media positively and productively. Learn more about her at jcasatodd.com
Carol Koechlin, Former Vice-Chair, Member-at-large
Carol Koechlin is an experienced educator who has contributed to the field of information literacy and school librarianship writing professional books, articles for professional journals, facilitating on-line courses, and presenting workshops in Canada, United States and Australia. Working with Dr. David V. Loertscher, the team has developed foundations for the transformation of school libraries and computer labs into a Physical and Virtual participatory Learning Commons. Carol is a co-founder of Treasure Mountain Canada (TMC) and has co-chaired TMC Symposiums since 2010. Carol was a contributing writer for Together for Learning: School Libraries and the Emergence of the Learning Commons and writing coordinator for Leading Learning: Standards Of Practice For School Library Learning Commons In Canada (Canadian Library Association, 2014). Carol’s favourite saying, “Empower students to own the question.”
Diana Maliszewski, Member-at-large
Diana Maliszewski (OCT BA BEd MEd) is the teacher-librarian at Agnes Macphail Public School in the Toronto District School Board and has worked as a school library professional for over twenty-five years. From 2006 – 2018, she was the editor-in-chief of The Teaching Librarian, the official publication of the Ontario School Library Association. Currently, she is the co-Vice President of the Association for Media Literacy and Canada’s representative with the North American and European chapter of UNESCO’s Media and Information Literacy Alliance. Diana developed and facilitates the Teacher Librarianship Additional Qualification courses for York University and Queen’s University. Diana has been honoured with several awards, such as the Follett International Teacher-Librarian of the Year in 2008 and the OLA President’s Award for Exceptional Achievement in 2013. She blogs weekly as part of her reflective professional practice at http://mondaymollymusings.blogspot.com.
Harold Semenuk, Member-at-large
Harold is the teacher-librarian and a curriculum for M.E. LaZerte High School with the Edmonton Public School Board. Recently, Harold was President of the Alberta School Learning Commons Council, a former specialist council of the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA). He continues to fight for, and support Alberta school libraries and teacher-librarianship in any way possible, within his school division and beyond. Previously, Harold led a centrally developed project, “Anytime Help Anywhere” with Edmonton Public Schools. He has held a variety of instructional and leadership roles and taught a variety of courses from grades 7-12. He proudly represented Edmonton Public Schools as a social studies curriculum writer and collaborator, participating in Government of Alberta working groups between 2016-18, prior to the discontinuation of that process and draft products by the current Government of Alberta. Harold draws on learning foundations and principles through his work as an Associate with the Human Venture Leadership organization and community.
Judith Sykes, Former Secretary, Member-at-large
Judith has been a teacher, teacher-librarian, district school library specialist, and elementary school principal for the Calgary Board of Education in Alberta, Canada. She was the provincial school library manager for the Alberta Ministry of Education, leading the School Library Services Initiative 2008-2012. Judith consults, has led library and leadership associations, and has published and presented extensively including acting as committee co-chair/principal writer of Achieving Information Literacy Through Quality School Library Programs: The Vision and Standards for School Library Programs in Canada (Canadian Library Association 2003, 2006) and project coordinator/ contributing writer for Leading Learning: Standards Of Practice For School Library Learning Commons In Canada (Canadian Library Association, 2014). She is currently a director of Canadian School Libraries (CSL). Judith is the author of five books with Libraries Unlimited; the latest is The Whole School Library Learning Commons: An Educator’s Guide (Fall 2016).
Former Board Members
Former Board Member (Term 2022-2024): Richard Beaudry
Richard Beaudry is an Information Specialist and Librarian. He has worked as a teacher-librarian in K-12 schools and taught classes in the diploma and master’s programs in Teacher Librarianship at the University of British Columbia. Richard is an ALA Certified Librarian and a Fellow of the Library Association of Ireland. Richard is particularly known for his activities to promote human rights and freedom of information, particularly as they relate to the censorship of materials in school libraries. Richard was the recipient of the 2016 Canadian Library Association Award for the Advancement of Intellectual Freedom in Canada. Richard chairs the Canadian Federation of Library Associations / Fédération canadienne des associations de bibliothèques (CFLA-FCAB) Intellectual Freedom Committee, as our CSL representative.
Founding CSL Board Member (Term 2016 – 2018): Jo-Anne Gibson
Jo-Anne is a teacher-librarian at Fort Richmond Collegiate in the Pembina Trails School Division in Winnipeg. She is currently the past president of the Manitoba School Library Association and is the Communications Director for Canadian School Libraries. Jo-Anne was presented with the Angela Thacker Memorial Award in 2013 and the Manitoba Teacher-Librarian of the Year award in 2009. She earned a Master of Education degree from the U. of Manitoba and a Diploma in Teacher-Librarianship from the U. of Alberta. Jo-Anne is in demand throughout the province as a speaker on a wide range of topics specifically pertinent to school libraries and teachers in the 21st century. Jo-Anne was on the founding board of Canadian School Libraries, after serving on the working group that created the organization.
Founding CSL Board Member (Term 2016 – 2019): Liz Kerr
Liz Kerr has been an influential leader in school librarianship. She influenced generations of teacher-librarians as the Library Coordinator at the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board in Ontario and as an Additional Qualifications instructor for Queen’s University in school librarianship. Liz has been very active in professional organizations, serving as president of the Ontario School Library Association (OSLA) in 1996 and the Ontario Library Association (OLA) in 2003. As the OLA Education Director, Liz was responsible for organizing Canada’s largest library conference and other association signature events. Liz is a co-founder of Treasure Mountain Canada (TMC) and has been a key organizer of TMC Symposiums since 2010. Liz was on the founding board of Canadian School Libraries, after serving on the working group that created the organization.
Former Board Member: Caroline Freibauer (1961 – 2022)
Caroline Freibauer was a teacher librarian at St. Michael’s Michael’s College in Toronto, and previously at Assumption College School in Brantford. Her conviction that school libraries make a difference led her on four Teacher Learning and Leadership Program (TLLP) investigations on how inquiry, critical thinking and analyzing qualitative data can support student learning. She was past-president of The Association of Library Co-ordinators of Ontario, editor of the Ontario School Library Association’s The Teaching Librarian Magazine and past chair of the Brantford Public Library Board. Caroline was also a member of the CSL Journal editorial board. Please read this tribute to Caroline in CSL Journal.