The Community Scholars Program envisions a future in which Canadian nonprofit organizations are using, producing, and sharing research in order to build capacity and enhance their impacts. In partnership with the libraries of Vancouver Island University, the University of Northern British Columbia, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, the University of British Columbia, the University of the Fraser Valley, and McMaster University Libraries, Simon Fraser University Library coordinates a program to provide staff of charitable and non-profit organizations with access to the latest research and knowledge in their fields.

The current phase of the Community Scholars Program connects 500 individuals to research publications from eight publishers, through a single search interface, and to grey literature though the Policy Commons platform. Since the program's inception in 2017, the CSP has been supported by a number of partners including the United Way of the Lower Mainland, Mindset Social Innovation Foundation, and the McConnell Foundation through the BC Collaborative on Social Infrastructure.

Background: The challenge of access

Many researchers in Canada and around the world are studying social problems and possible solutions and publishing their findings in peer-reviewed journals. These journals are mostly inaccessible to the more than 170,000 non-profit and charitable organizations in Canada doing critical work on social issues including poverty alleviation, homelessness, education, and health care -- unless they are affiliated with a university. 

Our response: Access for Community Scholars

The Community Scholars Program provides access to 20,000 journal titles and e-books to qualifying Community Scholars -- staff of charities and non-profits in the partner universities' communities who are interested in accessing the latest research and knowledge to enhance their practice. Community Scholars work in a variety of sectors including social and legal services, the arts, human rights and social justice, housing, physical and mental health, sustainability, and conservation.

Community Scholars can:

• search for, find, and read scholarly publications from anywhere they have an internet connection
• consult with a dedicated librarian
• host or participate in tailored research workshops, journal clubs, and other events

Learn more and apply

For more information about the Community Scholars Program, please visit our Background and Further Information page, check out our upcoming events and workshops, and learn about opportunities to donate to or partner with the Community Scholars Program.

Thank you to our partners

Thank you to the McConnell Foundation and the Canada Research Knowledge Network (CRKN) for supporting the program's development and growth, and to VIU, UNBC, KPU, UBC, UFV, and McMaster Libraries for your participation and support.