Peter Webster
Saint Mary’s is pleased to honour a distinguished career in library and information science with the naming of Peter Webster as its first-ever Librarian Emeritus. The title will be officially conferred at the Spring Convocation Ceremonies in May 2026.
Webster is being recognized for a 32-year career defined by leadership and a lasting impact on the scholarly and research landscape at Saint Mary’s and beyond.
“I can think of no one more deserving,” said Suzanne van den Hoogen, Dean, University Library and Archives, in a formal recommendation brought forward by the librarians and managers of the Patrick Power Library, citing Webster’s decades of service and national leadership in the field.
With a special interest in technology, Webster played a central role in building powerful digital systems and collaborative networks for sharing and accessing academic research, while helping generations of scholars navigate an increasingly complex information environment.
A transformational career
Webster “fell into” library work when he took a job as a clerk at a city public library. “I loved the public service work and turned out to be good at working with technology,” he says, a combination that led him to pursue his MLS and would define the course of his career.
Webster joined Saint Mary’s in 1993 as Information Technology Services Librarian and later served as Associate University Librarian from 2010 to 2023, as well as Acting University Librarian during key periods of transition.
During his time at Saint Mary’s, he was instrumental in guiding the Patrick Power Library through one of the most significant periods of change in academic publishing and information access. From early work in electronic resource management to more recent leadership on artificial intelligence and scholarly search, Webster has been widely recognized as an expert in library systems, digital infrastructure, and information access.
“It is an understatement to say that Peter’s career has spanned a period of massive change,” says Hansel Cook, Associate Dean, Library Strategy, Planning and Assessment. “Throughout it all, he has been at the forefront. With 35 published journal articles, book chapters, and other works, Peter’s impact has been spread to professionals, students, and academics around the world.”
Expanding access to knowledge
During his career, Webster witnessed firsthand the huge shift from primarily print collections to digital environments and was deeply involved in helping academic libraries make this transition.
“There has been a remarkable transformation in scholarly information in my time,” says Webster. “The move from paper journals to almost exclusively online publishing, from on-site to almost constant 24/7 online access, and the sheer increase in information access have had enormous impacts.”
Webster’s work has been central to expanding access to scholarly resources at Saint Mary’s. Through regional and national licensing agreements and collaborations, the number of journals, ebooks, and research materials available to Saint Mary’s scholars has grown exponentially.
Webster also contributed to major national initiatives, including the Canadian Research Knowledge Network and the Canadian Digital Alliance, strengthening shared research infrastructure across Canada. Regionally, he served as President of the Atlantic Provinces Library Association and received its Merit Award for outstanding contributions to library services.
Librarians in the age of AI
Webster’s career progressed alongside the rapid evolution of the information landscape, from the early days of the web to today’s AI-driven tools.
While search technologies have made finding information easier, he notes that evaluating its quality has become more complicated.
“The information environment is more complex than ever before,” he says. “Both students and faculty are confronting new challenges understanding the quality and credibility of all the information available to them.”
This is where librarians have a key role to play.
“The ‘one-stop shopping’ online searching that folks have come to rely on is dependent on a huge amount of librarian work under the hood,” he says. “This is doubly true for AI searching; the quality and accuracy are dependent on having consistent, standardized quality information to work with. The future success of AI search will depend on a great deal of ongoing librarian work behind the scenes.”
A lasting impact
In addition to his leadership in systems and strategy, Webster has made a lasting impact through teaching and mentorship. Over his career, he has taught research skills of all levels to thousands of students and worked closely with faculty on complex research and data needs.
“Peter has been the person faculty turn to for specialized research advice,” says Cook. “His expertise, generosity and collaborative spirit have made a lasting impact on both teaching and research at Saint Mary’s.”
Colleagues describe him as a trusted mentor and an invaluable resource. One noted that he remains “the person his library co-workers, university faculty, and others in the field go to for advice and consultation.”
For Webster, these relationships are the highlight of his career.
“My fondest memory will be working with students and faculty on so many fascinating research projects,” he says. “Helping people solve challenging problems and find the information they need has always been the most rewarding part of the job.”
Looking ahead
Webster says he is “proud, honoured and more than a little humbled” to receive the Librarian Emeritus designation and is especially pleased to be the first at Saint Mary’s to be recognized in this way.
In retirement, he plans to stay active through travel, cycling and volunteer work, while continuing his research and writing in library and information science.
With his emeritus appointment, Webster will remain connected to the university community, continuing a career dedicated to advancing access to knowledge and supporting research excellence.
Peter will receive his Librarian Emeritus designation during the FGSR ceremony on Tuesday, May 26. Spring Convocation ceremonies can be viewed via livestream. Visit our website for ceremony times, livestream link and more.