b. Oct 3, 1940, Sarnia, ON; d. Sept. 7, 2005, Ottawa, ON

1962 BA (Victoria University, Toronto);
1967 MLS (McGill University)

1963-1965 Dalhousie University Library
1965-1969 Reference Librarian, Sir George Williams University Library
1969-1972 Head of Serials Department, Carleton University Library
1972-1973 Head of Serials, University of Waterloo Library
1973-1974 Assistant Librarian Planning, University of Waterloo Library
1974-1979 Director, Cataloguing Branch, National Library of Canada
1979-1982 Director, National Library Network Project, National Library of Canada
1982-1986 Director, Office for Network Development, National Library of Canada
1986-1987 Co-Director, Information Technology, National Library of Canada
1987-1988 Chair Committee on Facilitation/Coordination, National Library of Canada
1988-2000 Assistant Director General, Government Records Branch, National Archives of Canada

Durance, Cynthia J. (1980) Canadian network papers: policy, by C Durance and M Hillman. Revision of document no. EC:80/47. Ottawa: National Library of Canada.

Durance, Cynthia J. (1982) Initiatives toward a bibliographic communications network for Canada. Ottawa: National Library of Canada. (Canadian Network Papers, no. 2)

Durance, Cynthia J. (1987) ISDS planning framework study. Ottawa: National Library of Canada.

Durance, Cynthia J. (1987) Le lien: d'hier à aujourd'hui: rapport des activités se rattachant au programme de réseaux de la Bibliothèque nationale du Canada. Ottawa: Bibliothèque nationale du Canada.

Durance, Cynthia J. (1987) Linking: then and now: a status report on the networking program at the National Library of Canada. Ottawa: National Library of Canada.

Durance, Cynthia J., compiler (1990) Management of recorded information: converging disciplines: proceedings of the International Council on Archives' Symposium on Current Records: National Archives of Canada, Ottawa, May 15-17, 1989. Munchen: K.G. Saur.

Durance, Cynthia J., ed. (1976) Subgroup on Union List of Serials. Report. Canadian Union Catalogue Task Group. Ottawa: National Library of Canada

Durance, Cynthia J. (1976) Subject authority control in the Canadian context Paper given for the Technical Services Coordinating Group Workshop, Canadian Library Association, Conference Halifax, June 1976. Ottawa: National Library of Canada.

Durance, Cynthia J. (1992?) Wisdom, knowledge, information and data: transformation and convergence in Archives and Libraries of the Western World/ Cynthia J. Durance and Hugh A. Taylor. Ottawa?: s.n.

Canadian Library Association, American Library Association, American Society for Information Science, IFLA Section on Information Technology Standing Committee, IFLA Section on Serial Publications Standing Committee, Governing Board ISDS
International Centre, IFLA Working Group on the ISBD (Component Parts), Zonta Club of Ottawa

1973 Chair Sub-Committee on the Union List of Serials of the Task Group on the Canadian Union Catalogue
1980-1982 Vice-President, ISDS Governing Board
1981-1987 Secretary, Bibliographic and Communications Network Committee of the National Library Advisory Board
1982 Chairman, 4th meeting of UNISIST International Serials Data System, (ISDS) General Assembly, April 27-28, 1982, Paris
1982-1984 Chair Governing Board, ISDS International Centre
1985 three month exchange with the National Library of Australia
1986-1988 Director UDT Program of IFLA1987-1989 Chair, Standing Committee, IFLA Section on Information Technology

In retirement she hosted foreign students in her home and enjoyed introducing them to life in Canada.

Librarian gets National Library cataloguing post. Kitchener Waterloo Record, October 21, 1974
National Library News. November/December 1974
National Library News, November 1982
National Library News, May 1988
Obituary, Globe and Mail. September 13, 2005
ELA biography compiled by Carrol Lunau.