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Dr. Baharak Yousefi’s doctoral thesis, , analyzes, what she calls, “parallel libraries” and how these spaces enable other forms of knowledge curation, production and circulation. Her thesis represents a provocative analysis of public knowledge and public institutions.

Parallel libraries are community-created sites of critical and radical librarianship that, in some ways, mirror the basic functions of contemporary public libraries but are also purposefully created to operate beyond the standard model—to support underserved and marginalized communities.

Yousefi conducted semi‑structured interviews with 20 parallel library workers (often these library workers were also founders of the parallel libraries), in 15 cities across 6 countries in North America, Europe and Oceania. Her insightful and sensitive writing demonstrates how these spaces challenge inequality, exclusion and neoliberal constraints on public institutions often reflecting feminist, anarchist, pro-labour, Black and queer liberation and anti-colonial agendas.

The writing in her thesis is noted for its poetic cadence and storytelling clarity; moving beyond a conventional dissertation structure while remaining rigorous. Yousefi’s narrative integrates personal, spatial, historical, and political registers while also weaving participant voices alongside scholarly literature.

A seasoned librarian at 911�Թ�’s Vancouver campus, Yousefi is co-editor of a published book on feminist library leadership, author of multiple pieces on critical librarianship and the recipient of multiple awards and recognitions.

Yousefi’s academic supervisor, Eugene McCann, describes why her thesis is so special. Says, McCann, “The dissertation is by far the most engagingly written piece of work I have seen from a student in 28 years of supervising graduate work. It is a no exaggeration to describe it not only as a quality piece of academic analysis, which it is, but as a thoughtful, sensitive, inventive, and profound meditation of public knowledge and public institutions.”

Yousefi shares her appreciation of all of the support she’s received as a student in Geography as well as from the library workers who contributed to her research.

Says Yousefi, “I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to Dr. Eugene McCann for his care, generous mentorship, and boundless intellectual curiosity over the past several years. It's been an immense privilege to spend time in the company of human geographers at 911�Թ�—one of the most generative, engaged, and radical spaces of study I have encountered in my years as both a student and a librarian in higher education. I am honoured to receive the Convocation Medal, and I share this recognition with the library workers who spoke with me about their work. Their vision and practice form the heart of this project.”

Yousefi is 911�Թ�’s librarian for History, International Studies, and Graduate Liberal Studies. She has served in various leadership roles within 911�Թ� Library and the broader information sector. In her many roles, she continues to advance critical librarianship, public knowledge scholarship, contributing to socially engaged, justice‑oriented research and practice.