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The Douglas College Council (more often referred to as simply the College Council) was founded in March 1969. Amendments to the Public Schools Act six years earlier required that all colleges in the province of British Columbia be governed by a College Council. The stated purpose of these councils under the amendment was the management, administration, and control of the property, revenue, business, and affairs of each respective college. Citizens who wanted a college in their region could vote in a plebiscite to contribute to the institution's costs through their local school taxes. School districts in Richmond, Delta, Surrey, Langley, Burnaby, New Westminster, and Coquitlam voted on March 9, 1969 in support of the college's creation. The government established the first college council, which was required by law to consists of one member appointed by each participating school board, members appointed by the Lieutenant-Governor in Council, and one District Superintendent of Schools from one of the participating districts appointed by the Minister of Education. Jack Smedley was the first chairperson of the Douglas College Council, and he held the position from 1969-1970.

The Council was responsible for recruiting the College's founding principal, George Wootton, and the secretary-treasurer, M.F. (Bill) Morfey. The council was also involved with hiring other key personnel, developing the College's first budget, and procuring facilities.

Other powers and responsibilities of the College Council included: appointing necessary instructional and other staff; determining student fees and tuition; overseeing the management and carrying-out of the college's curriculum and instruction; preparing annual budgets; and determining admission requirements.

In 1979, following the passage of the College and Institute Act, the Douglas College Council became the Douglas College Board.

Lillian Zimmerman joined Douglas College in 1971 as a programmer for the Liberal Arts Division with the expressed desire to develop credit-free courses in the area of continuing education for women. Beginning in 1972, she worked with staff from the Counselling department to offer workshops and inter-disciplinary evening courses, which proved popular. In 1974, she was elected to the position of "Convenor" of Women's Studies at Douglas College. Zimmerman held this role until 1978 when she took a leave from College in order to complete a Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) from the University of British Columbia. Following her return to Douglas College, Zimmerman worked as a regular faculty member in Human Services and Community Programs. She became the Chair of Community Programs and Services in 1990 before retiring in 1991. Subsequent to her retirement from Douglas College, Zimmerman became a renowned advocate for the rights and dignity of middle-aged and older women. She was a Research Associate in Gender Issues at Simon Fraser University's Gerontology Research Centre, contributing significantly to the field and publishing multiple books on this topic including “Bag Lady or Powerhouse?: A Roadmap for Midlife (Boomer) Women” and “Did You Just Call Me Old Lady? A 90-Year-Old Tells Why Aging Is Positive.”

Formally established in 1974, the Women's Studies Advisory Committee also existed under other names (the "Co-ordinating Committee on Education For Women" and the "Women's Studies Committee") as early as 1971. Initially it was made up of Women's Studies convenor Lillian Zimmerman and senior administrators from the Continuing Education, Liberal Arts, and Counselling divisions; however, the committee later expanded its membership to include representatives from the student body and the broader community.

Led by Zimmerman, the committee was responsible for overseeing Programs For Women at Douglas College. In 1977, the committee was changed to the Women's Studies Advisory Board, a change that coincided with the designation of Women's Studies as a Special Programs Unit.

The Office of Director of Libraries (a position originally called Chief Librarian) was responsible for the management of librarians and staff while also leading the development of library policy, coordination with other branches of the College, and generally providing for the administration of the libraries at each of the seven campuses by the end of the 1970s.

The library as a department within the College began in January 1970 with the appointment David R. Williams as Chief Librarian. By the end of the first academic year there were fully functioning libraries at the New Westminster, Richmond, and Surrey campuses. These libraries were housed in the modular, prefabricate buildings ubiquitous at Douglas College during its early years. The collection of books and other materials was originally processed through an agreement with Simon Fraser University. The library's first ten years were characterized by rapid growth as new campuses with libraries were opened in Coquitlam, Langley, and Surrey's Newton town centre. Library services were also available at the Maple Ridge campus and the Agnes Street annex in New Westminster. When Douglas College was "split" to create Kwantlen College, the library's collection and personnel were also divided between the two institutions. Williams went on to become the Vice-President of Kwantlen College and was succeeded as Director of Libraries by Virginia Chisholm.

In 1982, the Coquitlam and New Westminster libraries were amalgamated in the recently completed permanent campus at Royal Avenue in New Westminster. This roughly coincided with a reorganization in which the Department of Learning Resources was created to oversee the direction of both the library and Instructional Media Services (IMS).

The Office of Director of Libraries (a position originally called Chief Librarian) was responsible for the management of librarians and staff while also leading the development of library policy, coordination with other branches of the College, and generally providing for the administration of the libraries at each of the seven campuses by the end of the 1970s.

The library as a department within the College began in January 1970 with the appointment David R. Williams as Chief Librarian. By the end of the first academic year there were fully functioning libraries at the New Westminster, Richmond, and Surrey campuses. These libraries were housed in the modular, prefabricate buildings ubiquitous at Douglas College during its early years. The collection of books and other materials was originally processed through an agreement with Simon Fraser University. The library's first ten years were characterized by rapid growth as new campuses with libraries were opened in Coquitlam, Langley, and Surrey's Newton town centre. Library services were also available at the Maple Ridge campus and the Agnes Street annex in New Westminster. When Douglas College was "split" to create Kwantlen College, the library's collection and personnel were also divided between the two institutions. Williams went on to become the Vice-President of Kwantlen College and was succeeded as Director of Libraries by Virginia Chisholm.

In 1982, the Coquitlam and New Westminster libraries were amalgamated in the recently completed permanent campus at Royal Avenue in New Westminster. This roughly coincided with a reorganization in which the Department of Learning Resources was created to oversee the direction of both the library and Instructional Media Services (IMS).

Penny Swanson was a Technical Services Librarian at Douglas College. She served as interim Director, Learning Resources between 1999 and 2000. Swanson also served on the Education Council (2002-2003) and the Douglas College Board (ex officio).

Carole Compton-Smith held the position of Director, Learning Resources from 2000 to 2011. She received a Master of Library and Information Science (MLS) from the University of Toronto in 1976.

Penny Swanson was a Technical Services Librarian at Douglas College. She served as interim Director, Learning Resources between 1999 and 2000. Swanson also served on the Education Council (2002-2003) and the Douglas College Board (ex officio).

Debbie Schachter served as the Director of Learning Resources at Douglas College from 2011 to 2017. Prior to joining the College, Schachter held administrative positions at the Vancouver Public Library and the B.C. Courthouse Library Society. She received a Master of Library Science (MLS) from the University of British Columbia in 1990 and a Management of Technology MBA from Simon Fraser University in 2002.