Exciting news is circulating throughout the University of Guelph (U of G) community: Amanda Etches has been named the new university librarian, effective April 21. This announcement follows her service as interim university librarian since March 2022.
Amanda has been a cornerstone of the U of G Library for over 14 years, leading pivotal initiatives that have strengthened its operations and strategic direction. She successfully guided the library through a major budget reduction, approaching the challenge with transparency and compassion. She also led the Discovery and Access team, overseeing projects designed to enhance the library experience for users—both in person and online.
Before joining U of G, Amanda held roles as a user-experience librarian and reference librarian at McMaster University. She holds a master of information studies (MISt) and a master of arts in English from the University of Toronto, and a bachelor of arts in English literature from the University of Western Ontario.
A scholar-practitioner, Amanda is also a published author with several works to her credit. She has earned international recognition for her expertise in web design, usability, and user experience practices.
Amanda is a proud alumna of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) Leadership Fellows Program (2013–15), one of ARL’s flagship initiatives that fosters leadership development in research libraries and archives.
In her free time, Amanda enjoys drawing, reading, drinking tea, painting, traveling, and practicing yoga. Join us in congratulating her, and the U of G community on this amazing milestone.
