The Library of Parliament is about more than books

Liam Meagher had a keen interest in federal politics while growing up in Ottawa. He studied political science at university and then found the ideal place to indulge his passion for the cut and thrust of electoral politics – he joined the staff of the Library of Parliament.

“I was always very interested in politics and Parliament Hill,” says Meagher, manager of current awareness. “I wanted to work for a non-partisan, politics-adjacent institution, so I joined the Library of Parliament. You can watch the game from up close without being on the ice, so to speak.”

Not all employees have an interest in politics – there’s much else to like about the Library, including a collegial workplace, interesting work, and plenty of potential to grow, develop professionally and enjoy a rewarding career.

“The breadth of what we do is far beyond what people would normally associate with a library,” says parliamentary librarian Heather Lank, the organization’s chief executive. “We’re right at the centre of Canadian parliamentary democracy. We support the Senate, the House of Commons, and their committees as well as parliamentary associations.”

That support comes in many forms, including the Library’s nearly 100 analysts and policy experts who are subject matter experts serving some 60 parliamentary committees and associations including multilateral associations such as Canada-NATO. “We answer many thousands of requests for research and analysis that come in from our clients,” says Lank.

Meagher’s team compiles daily packages of press clippings from domestic newspapers and magazines as well as international news outlets, while librarians manage five branches and maintain a collection of over to 900,000 items. The Library also offers services to the public, including welcoming hundreds of thousands of visitors to Parliament each year, and offering educational resources about Parliament.

As a knowledge-based institution, the Library prides itself on its commitment to professional development. Lank says the organization invests in conference attendance, webinars, seminars and subsidized tuition for outside courses related to a person’s work.

“We have training programs to develop project management skills, strategic analysis skills and managing in a virtual capacity, which has been very helpful to me,” say Meagher. “We’re committed to allowing people to build on the strengths they have and then use those to find different opportunities, whether within your own section or other parts of the Library.”

Library employees are supported in keeping abreast of emerging trends. “Issues are always changing so we need to develop expertise in new areas,” says Lank. “For example, as artificial intelligence becomes more important, we need to develop our expertise in that area.”

The Library also has an employee-led learning program called Food for Thought. Employees arrange for guest speakers on subjects of interest to them. There have been sessions on living with disabilities and Canada’s contribution to the First World War, among others. “We’ve had some fantastic presentations from people both inside and outside the Library,” says Lank.

The Library has adopted what Lank describes as a “well-developed hybrid work model.” The organization also puts a premium on ensuring that its employees can maintain a healthy work-life balance and offers flexible work schedules, which include reduced summer hours.

This article appeared in the magazine announcing this year's National Capital Region's Top Employers winners, published February 6, 2024 in the Ottawa Citizen. This article was prepared with the financial support of the employer, which reviewed but did not write its contents.