The Unquiet Library: Fifty years of Robarts Library

The gendered history of Robarts LibraryThis episode of The Unquiet Library: 50 Years of Robarts Library explores the gendered history of the John P. Robarts Research Library through 2021 oral-history interviews, framing librarianship as a “pink collar” profession dominated by women yet often led by men and undervalued in pay and influence. Kathleen Scheaffer explains that a 2019 gender salary-gap settlement for U of T librarians resulted from a University of Toronto Faculty Association (UTFA) grievance and created a joint working group to continually audit salaries and address systemic barriers across career stages. Retired librarians recount key struggles: Carole Moore describes the 1974 “reference revolution” sparked by Anne Woodsworth’s dismissal after seeking pay equity, leading to committees and more consultative management; Susan Johnston highlights safety and late-night working conditions; Debbie Green discusses undervalued service work, sexism, and pay differentials; and Evelyn Houtman describes the “glass escalator,” including interview dynamics and men advancing quickly in administration.  Index00:00 Unquiet Library Episode 5: The Pink Collar01:34 Introduction 04:49 Interview with Carole Moore 15:44 Interview with Susan Johnston 18:17 Interview with Debbie Green 25:09 Interview with Eveline Houtman 28:34 Conclusion To learn more about the history of Robarts Library, visit uoft.me/robarts50. Follow us @unquietlibrarypodcast on Instagram, Blue Sky or TikTok for additional content and updates.    Additional Information about the 2019 gender-based salary gap settlement at U of T: UTFA Instrumental in Securing 3.9% Salary Increase to Remedy Gender-Based Salary Gap for Female Librarians | University of Toronto Faculty Association Gender-Based Salary Equity – Division of the Vice-President & Provost Equitable compensation | CAUT  Pay Equity Act  Theme music:  Felipe Sarro, Bach-Siloti - Prelude BWV 855a Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication  Sound credits: 2 08 Br Lib amb 5.wav by ERH -- https://freesound.org/s/51632/ -- License: Attribution 4.0 R120120_walking_through_building.wav by reinsamba -- https://freesound.org/s/142929/ -- License: Attribution 4.0   

Host Jesse Carliner explores how the John P. Robarts Research Library at the University of Toronto evolved from an intimidating “Fort Book” into a more welcoming, student-centered hub through architectural changes, service innovations, and shifts in engagement culture. Retired U of T Libraries manager Gabriela Bravo describes efforts to improve navigation, promote reference help and instruction, and build a stronger service culture through staff training and morale initiatives. Retired reference librarian Eveline Houtman recounts how digital tools and end-user searching reshaped reference work, reducing reliance on imposing service desks and repositioning librarians as educators. Former head of user services Lari Langford highlights accessibility advances, from physical upgrades and a relocated entrance to the ACE accessible content ePortal and collaborative alternate-format services. Professor Emerita Lynn Howarth reflects on Robarts becoming a safe, inclusive space supporting students’ academic, physical, and emotional wellbeing, including 24/7 exam access.  00:00 Unquiet Library Episode 4: From Fort Book to the Heart of Campus  01:29 Introduction  02:19 Interview with Gabriela Bravo  10:49 Interview with Eveline Houtman  15:22 Interview with Lari Langford  25:45 Interview with Lynn Howarth  30:47 Conclusion  To learn more about the history of Robarts Library, visit uoft.me/robarts50. Follow us @unquietlibrarypodcast on Instagram, Blue Sky or TikTok for additional content and updates.   Additional Information:  Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), 2005: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accessibility_for_Ontarians_with_Disabilities_Act  Accessible Content e-Portal (ACE): https://ace.scholarsportal.info/   Theme music:  Felipe Sarro, Bach-Siloti - Prelude BWV 855a Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication  Sound credits: analogue_phone_ring_004.flac by lorenzosu -- https://freesound.org/s/72064/ -- License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0   picht-type-writer2.flac by ondrosik -- https://freesound.org/s/203989/ -- License: Creative Commons 0 moretube.wav by NoiseCollector -- https://freesound.org/s/65325/ -- License: Attribution 3.0   2 08 Br Lib amb 5.wav by ERH -- https://freesound.org/s/51632/ -- License: Attribution 4.0  

Reference Service at Robarts Library in the 1970s and 1980s Host Jesse Carliner explores Robarts Library’s intimidating reputation beyond its brutalist architecture, tracing how the building was intended as a formal, graduate student and faculty focused research facility until undergraduate protests led to full access when it opened in 1973. Through 2021 oral-history interviews, retired librarians Patricia Bellamy and Susan Johnston recall the busy 1970s–80s fourth-floor reference room—imposing service desks, constant phone questions, and pre-digital tools like card catalogs, microfiche, and rotating files—where librarians’ deep knowledge inspired awe but could also feel intimidating or even unwelcoming. Professor David W. Smith describes reliance on exceptionally skilled reference librarians, especially Mary McTavish, remembered as formidable and indispensable. Debbie Green, Eveline Houtman, and Suzanne Tabor discuss a perceived culture of elitism and hostility that gradually shifted toward friendlier, user-centered service.  Index 00:00 Unquiet Library Episode 3: The Gatekeepers 00:29 Marker Introduction 03:05 Marker Patricia Bellamy 10:14 Marker Susan Johnston 14:39 Marker Professor David Smith 18:47 Marker Mary McTavish 19:46 Marker Debbie Green 23:13 Marker Eveline Houtman 28:30 Marker Suzanne Tabur 32:48 Marker Conclusion To learn more about the history of Robarts Library, visit uoft.me/robarts50. Follow us @unquietlibrarypodcast on Instagram, Blue Sky or TikTok for additional content and updates. What is a library catalog? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Library_catalog What is a bibliography? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BibliographyWho were the United Empire Loyalists? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Empire_LoyalistAbout Rosedale, Toronto: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosedale,_Toronto Theme music:  Felipe Sarro, Bach-Siloti - Prelude BWV 855a Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication Sound credits: OFFICE SELF INKING STAMP ON PAPER 01.wav by sengjinn -- https://freesound.org/s/178650/ -- License: Attribution 4.0 escaleras_mecanicas_interior_-_metro.mp3 by sonsdebarcelona -- https://freesound.org/s/70146/ -- License: Attribution NonCommercial 3.0   Price Tower Elevator 2 by Filmscore -- https://freesound.org/s/823076/ -- License: Creative Commons 0 Walking Up Stairs by qubodup -- https://freesound.org/s/210430/ -- License: Creative Commons 0     British Library sounds 2 08 Br Lib amb 5.wav by ERH -- https://freesound.org/s/51632/ -- License: Attribution 4.0 picht-type-writer2.flac by ondrosik -- https://freesound.org/s/203989/ -- License: Creative Commons 0  

This episode of 'The Unquiet Library' podcast delves into the historical context and architectural significance of the John P. Robarts Research Library at the University of Toronto. Hosted by Jesse Carliner, it features insights from architectural historian Mary Louise Lobsinger, preservation architect Michael McClelland, urbanist Sean Micallef, librarian and photographer Thomas Guignard, and Diamond Schmidt principal architect Gary McCluskie.The interviews explore the brutalist style of the building, its evolution in public perception, and its place in the cultural and educational landscape of Toronto.  The episode also touches on personal anecdotes, the broader impact of brutalism in Canada, and the growing appreciation for modernist architecture.  To learn more about the history of Robarts Library and see archival images, visit uoft.me/robarts50. Follow us @unquietlibrary on Instagram, Blue Sky or TikTok for additional content and updates.  00:00 A student’s opinion of Robarts Library 00:23 Introduction 01:24 Interview with Mary Louise Lobsinger 07:37 Is the architecture of Robarts Library Canadian?  08:50 Is Robarts Library a canonical building?  09:51 Interview with Michael McClelland 12:32 Interview with Shawn Micallef 15:22 Brutalism and higher education in Canada 17:28 Brutalism becomes fashionable again 20:01 Interview with Thomas Guignard  22:07 The beauty of brutalism 23:27 Interview with Gary McCluskie 25:57 Conclusion Learn more about concrete architecture in Toronto:  McClelland, Michael, and Graeme Stewart. 2004. Concrete Toronto: A Guide to Concrete Architecture from the Fifties to the Seventies. 1st ed. Coach House Books: https://chbooks.com/Books/C/Concrete-Toronto3  Sound credits Theme music: Felipe Sarro, Bach-Siloti - Prelude BWV 855a Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication Sound effects 120120_walking_through_building.wav by reinsamba -- https://freesound.org/s/142929/ -- License: Attribution 4.0 littleitaly.mp3 by salgoodsam -- https://freesound.org/s/54282/ -- License: Attribution 4.0 escalator-close.wav by sarana -- https://freesound.org/s/81831/ -- License: Attribution 4.0  

Welcome to The Unquiet Library: Fifty years of Robarts Library, a podcast exploring the John P. Robarts Research Library at the University of Toronto—an iconic, debated, and often misunderstood building that has stood at the heart of Canada’s largest university for 50 years. Through interviews with architects, librarians, staff, administrators, alumni, and faculty, the series goes behind the scenes of “Fort Book” to uncover the social, political, and architectural forces behind its history.  For more on Robarts history and to see archival images visit uoft.me/robarts50, and follow @unquietlibrary on Instagram, Blue Sky, or TikTok for additional content and updates.