The Canadian Research Knowledge Network (CRKN) is delighted to announce that Jonathan Bengtson, University Librarian at the University of Victoria, is the recipient of the 2021 Ron MacDonald Distinguished Service Award. The award will be presented on October 20, 2021, at a virtual award ceremony as part of the 2021 CRKN Virtual Conference.
With an extensive career in libraries throughout Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom, Mr. Bengtson has long been recognized by his peers as a leader in his field. Since 2012, he has served as University Librarian at the University of Victoria. Previously, he served as Director of Library and Archives, University of St. Michael’s College, and Library Director and Fellow of the Pontifical Institute of Medieval Studies (PIMS), both at the University of Toronto. From 2004-2011, Mr. Bengtson was the primary project representative for the University of Toronto’s Chief Librarian during Canada’s first mass digitization project, carried out by the Internet Archive and the University of Toronto. Mr. Bengtson held leadership positions at the University of Oxford and the Providence Athenaeum in Providence, Rhode Island, before arriving in Canada.
Mr. Bengtson’s contributions have been vital to the development of CRKN thanks to his deep knowledge of libraries and involvement in digitization initiatives. As the final President of Canadiana.org, Mr. Bengtson was instrumental in the merger between CRKN and Canadiana, which has expanded CRKN’s portfolio into the stewardship of digital documentary heritage and provided renewed possibilities for the development of and open access to the Canadiana collections. Mr. Bengtson has also been involved with CRKN through his former position as President of the Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL, 2019-21), and through his role in the National Heritage Digitization Strategy (NHDS). A founding member of the NHDS when it was created in 2016, he is now Chair of the NHDS Governing Committee, supported by CRKN. Mr. Bengtson also served on the CRKN Committee Review Task Group in 2013 where he lent his expertise in recommending the number, composition, and mandate of CRKN’s committees to assist the Board in properly fulfilling its oversight responsibilities.
In addition to his work with CRKN and Canadiana, Mr. Bengtson has been involved in diverse leadership roles including Executive Board member of the Canadian Federation of Library Associations (CFLA, 2018-20), President of the British Columbia Electronic Library Network (BC ELN, 2016-17), and President of the Council of Prairie and Pacific University Libraries (COPPUL, 2013-15).
Mr. Bengtson’s contributions also extend to advocacy and engagement in the scholarly community more broadly. He is the founder and co-editor-in-chief of KULA: Knowledge Creation, Dissemination, and Preservation Studies, a peer-reviewed, open-access journal focusing on knowledge creation, capture, and dissemination. He has sat on the Boards of the Society for the History of Authorship, Reading and Publishing (2005-13) and the Multicultural History Society of Ontario (2009-present), among others. Recently, he was also involved with the selection of the Board and Board President of Canada’s New Digital Research Infrastructure Organization (NDRIO).
Beyond his many accomplishments, Jonathan Bengtson is acknowledged by his colleagues as a dedicated leader, a tireless advocate, and a valued partner in initiatives spanning the library and academic sector. On behalf of the CRKN Board of Directors, we congratulate him on his achievements and thank him for his ongoing service and dedication to expanding access to research.
Award Ceremony
Registration is now open for the Ron MacDonald virtual award ceremony. More information is available on the CRKN website. Please register here: https://www.crkn-rcdr.ca/en/conference/2021-crkn-virtual-conference-shifting-future/conference-registration
We invite you to extend your congratulations to Jonathan Bengtson on being honoured with the 2021 Ron MacDonald Distinguished Service Award. We are requesting congratulatory messages and fond memories to be submitted digitally at the following Kudoboard: https://www.kudoboard.com/boards/KftrgH5c. Content from the Kudoboard will be shared on screen at the virtual reception for all attendees to read. Please submit your messages by October 19.
About the Award
The Ron MacDonald Distinguished Service Award was introduced by CRKN in September 2008 to honour the late Ron MacDonald who was a member of CRKN’s Negotiations Resource Team from February 2000 to July 2007 and who played a key role in establishing CRKN’s collaborative programs and services.