Library Assistant IV: Copyright Assistant – Patrick Power Library

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The Opportunity

Halifax, NS Library and Archives Experienced Full-time

Date Posted: June 2nd, 2026

Posting Deadline: June 16th, 2026

Department: Patrick Power Library

Type of Employment: Permanent, Full-Time

Group Affiliation: Bargaining Unit 179, Group 7 ($47,988- $58,659 annually)

At Saint Mary's University, you will be surrounded by a talented and dedicated team of professionals committed to accessibility, diversity, and the provision of a positive and supportive learning environment. We recognize the importance of the contribution and growth of each individual in the University's success. We are currently looking to fill the position of Library Assistant IV: Copyright Assistant to join our Patrick Power Library team.

What we offer

As a team member at Saint Mary's, we are proud to offer many benefits. Some of these include:

• Competitive compensation
• Comprehensive benefits package
• Defined Contribution Pension plan
• Vacation
• Flexible Workplace
• Holiday closure
• Summer hour schedule
• Employee Transit EPass through Halifax Transit

Job Information and Responsibilities

Under the direction of the Librarian, Data Services & Copyright, the Library Assistant IV, the Copyright Assistant:

• Schedules and meets with university community members to advise on copyright-related inquiries; responds to inquiries received by email or phone.
• Conducts research to respond to inquiries.
• Tracks and reports on copyright questions to direct future Copyright Office services.
• Obtains copyright compliance licenses as required for course-assigned resources; assists other user groups (such as student societies) with obtaining licenses.
• Performs copyright audits of materials prior to deposit in the Institutional Repository (includes theses and dissertations; faculty publications).
• Maintains and updates online help guides (especially LibGuides) and posters which provide relevant copyright information for students, staff, and faculty.
• Navigates and interprets copyright usage rights, terms of use, license terms, and licensing options.
• Processes requests received by the Course Reading Service, a service which assesses the need for copyright clearance for materials used in classroom settings.
• Updates and maintains copyright metadata and license documentation within the library catalogue platform (Alma) and other usage-rights databases (e.g., Mondo).
• Consults with faculty, students, and other researchers (the SMU Community) about their research, either in-person, by phone, by video, by email, or through chat/text messaging, accommodating the unique characteristics of the many diverse demographic groups represented on campus.
• Consults internally with other library staff and externally with other library and information organizations to ensure the researcher gets access to the most appropriate research materials available.
• Maintains current awareness of library web pages, internal library catalogue systems, commercial databases, and external sources of information available through government and other library and information organizations' web sites.
• Collaborates with the Copyright Officer on developing policy and best-practice guidelines.
• Serves as an ex-officio member of the Saint Mary's University Copyright Advisory Committee; compiles and presents statistics and emerging trends to present to this committee.
• May serve on other internal and external committees relevant to the position.
• Advances Open Access and Open Education initiatives, providing direct technical and copyright support for the PressBooks platform.

The Collective Agreement can be viewed here.

Experience and Education Requirements

To be the successful Library Assistant IV: Copyright Assistant you will have:

• University undergraduate degree with a minimum of one-year related library experience.
• Two-year Library and Information Technology (LIT) diploma.
• Excellent customer service skills.
• Good working knowledge of the Canadian Copyright Act, Fair Dealing, and copyright in general.
• Good working knowledge of an academic library and its resources.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to function independently and as part of a team
• Excellent knowledge of MS Office applications.
• Website maintenance experience is an asset.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Excellent attention to detail and the ability to maintain accuracy and consistency while navigating the ambiguities of copyright law and policy.
• Good working knowledge of information technology, metadata management and their applications.

Application Details

Qualified candidates should submit the following with their application:

• Resume
• Cover Letter
• Three Professional References

Late applications may not receive consideration. We appreciate all applications and note that only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. No telephone calls please.

At Saint Mary's University equity and diversity are integral to excellence and enrich our community. As an institution committed to fostering an environment of inclusion and respect, we welcome applications from women, Indigenous peoples, racialized persons/visible minorities, persons with disabilities, persons of minority sexual orientation or gender identity and others who might contribute to the growth and enrichment of our community.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents. If you require accommodations during the recruitment process, please contact Human Resources at hr@smu.ca.

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