Kay Cahill Email & Phone Number

Vancouver, Bc, Ca

Avalanche Canada is a not-for-profit, charitable organization dedicated to public avalanche safety and internationally recognized for its leadership in avalanche accident prevention. The Board of Directors is responsible for overall governance of Avalanche Canada, including strategic planning, budget approval, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of the organization. I am very honored to serve on the Board as of October 2024.Committees: Governance, BC Special Committee

In this position I am responsible for oversight of service, strategy and budgets for IT infrastructure, collections and technical services, and digital services at Vancouver Public Library. I provide strategic direction and leadership for emerging prorities, service planning, and systemwide projects such as service and staffing reviews, budget deployment, and the implementation of new and replacement technologies; and advise the Library Board and senior leadership team on IT and collection trends and issues. My portfolio includes the library's cybersecurity program and risk management, emergency planning and business continuity related to IT systems. I am responsible for annual operating and capital budgets of approximately $15 million CAD and materials budget of $5 million CAD. I also serve as a national advocate for improved digital content access for public libraries as Co-Chair of the Canadian Urban Libraries Council Digital Content Working Group, and as an advocate for intellectual freedom as a member of the Centre for Free Expression's Advisory Group on Intellectual Freedom.

In this position I led a team of 15+ FTE staff whose responsibilities include the library's web properties, ebook and electronic resource licensing, digital collection development and management, user experience, online engagement, and community digital initiatives. As a member of the library's leadership team I contributed to organizational strategic planning, and was responsible for leading and delivering on specific strategic initiatives and projects in the Collections and Technology portfolio.From Oct 2016 - March 2018 I was also the library's project manager for the $15.5 million expansion of the Central Library into an additional two floors of public space, including an outdoor roof garden.

With the Collections & Technology team, I was jointly responsible for oversight of service, strategy and budgets for Digital Services, Collections and Technical Services, and IT Infrastructure at Vancouver Public Library. In this position I also represented VPL on a number of national advocacy groups working toward an improved digital content landscape for libraries, publishers and authors, including the Canadian Urban Libraries Council eBook Task Force and the ReadersFirst leadership group.

In this position my responsibilities included: overseeing the planning, development and design of new library branches and the refurbishing of branches, including the Central Library; planning and leading current and future branch building projects in collaboration with City Facilities development staff, VPL Branch Heads and Managers, architects, consultants, and community members; and ensuring excellent physical space and patron experiences for both capital upkeep and existing facilities via the application of best practices in library design, furnishings, use of public space and programming opportunities.

Also: August - September 2011Leading a team of 20+ FTE staff whose responsibilities include licensing and supporting eBooks and electronic databases; coordinating maintenance and development of the VPL website, its associated microsites and external web properties; managing the library’s social media presence and strategy; coordination, development and delivery of public technology training; systemwide email and telephone information service; in-person information service; and maintenance of the library’s print newspaper and serials collection. Leading the team through significant organizational change to support internal restructuring and transformation.

Leading the VPL Web Team (5 FTE staff); coordinating the information architecture and content of the VPL website; project management of systemwide web-related projects; overseeing online engagement including management and development of the library's social media presence; and participating in day-to-day management of the Online Information & News work unit.Part of the team responsible for implementing a new reference service model at VPL, including the establishment of a new Information Services department, identification of the technology and staff training needs to support the new model, space planning, and supervision of the new Information Services team (25+ FTE staff)

Managing AskAway, British Columbia's province wide collaborative virtual reference service, including training, technology support and coordination of more than 150 staff at 70+ libraries around the province.

Responsible for VPL's virtual reference services, co-ordination of systemwide staff and public IT training, and project management for VPL's website redesign.

Certificate, Public Library Leadership

Information And Library Science