James Moore is Concordia's new associate university librarian (AUL) for open scholarship, a role that places him on the Library's leadership team on the Sir George Williams Campus.
As a part of this role, Moore oversees the Library Information Systems department, working closely with the Information Technology (IT) team, fellow associate university librarians, systems librarians and technologists. Together, they aim to deliver reliable and innovative services to Concordia's community.
A key objective of Moore's role is to support Concordia scholars in meeting the Canadian Tri-Agency Open Access policy. This federal mandate requires that all peer-reviewed journal publications resulting from agency-funded research eventually be freely accessible online.
The value of open scholarship
Open science is the practice of making all research processes and outcomes freely available and accessible to everyone, eliminating barriers to knowledge. It's a transformative approach that democratizes access, fosters inclusion and transparency, and promotes fairness, efficiency, and accountability in research. Open science ensures that the benefits of scientific and humanistic progress are shared widely.
Importantly, open science and open scholarship extend beyond the natural sciences. They encompass disciplines such as the humanities, social sciences, business studies, and fine arts - making this a truly inclusive movement for advancing knowledge across all fields.
As a member of the library's leadership team, Moore is working to make the knowledge developed at Concordia available to all who can benefit from it. Those who stand to benefit include scholars, faculty, students, community members both within and outside the university, and peer institutions.
"Sharing this knowledge more freely will significantly increase Concordia scholars' ability to positively impact Montreal and society at large," Moore says. "Ideally, it will also eventually provide learners with more affordable, flexible options for acquiring course materials."
Amy Buckland, Concordia's university librarian, says Moore's leadership and collaborative spirit make him a strong addition to the team.
"I'm thrilled to have James contribute his knowledge and experience to the library leadership team. His experienced and deep understanding of library users and his active approach to engaging with his colleagues are integral to the AUL, open scholarship role. James brings a broad range of experience in librarianship, including strategic planning, administration and customer service, that complements this role."
Get to know the new AUL
Moore holds a master's degree in library and information studies from the University of British Columbia and a bachelor's degree in English literature and film studies from Indiana University Bloomington.
Before joining Concordia, he served as director of the San Mateo Public Library in the San Francisco Bay Area for nearly eight years. In that role, he oversaw four divisions, three library facilities, and more than 100 employees.
"I am absolutely thrilled to be part of the Concordia Library team," he says. "I am excited and reenergized by the challenges, possibilities and opportunities of the AUL open scholarship role, and by the opportunity to contribute to the kind of highly stimulating environment that a major university library like Concordia offers."
Visit the Library's Open at Concordia web page to learn more about open science, open scholarship and open education at the university.
