Queen's University Librarians and Archivists Association

Queen’s University Librarians’ and Archivists' Association (QULA) was originally formed in 1965 as the “Professional Librarians’ Association of Queen’s” or PLAQ. The objectives of the Association were described in its constitution as being “concerned with professional ethics and job responsibility, the professional development of its members, the status of librarians within the University, [and] the welfare of librarians as employees.”

In 1973 the constitution was re-written to exclude members of the Administrative staff group, and the group began to investigate the possibility of unionization. In 1977, a sub-committee of the Queen’s University Faculty Association began negotiating with PLAQ. As a result QUFA amended its constitution to include librarians in its membership. In 1984 a formal Memorandum of Agreement with QUFA was concluded.

The name of the association was changed in 1990 to “Queen’s University Librarian’s Association” or “QULA”.

From 1982, when the archives at Queen’s became a separate administrative unit, the archivists had been recognized as part of the Association membership. However, it was in 1997, that the name was officially changed to the “Queen’s University Librarians and Archivists” or “QULA”.