Library Technician, Circulation

Emily Carr University of Art and Design; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 59,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

Emily Carr University of Art + Design in Vancouver seeks a Library Technician, Circulation, to provide patron services, circulation and technical support in a public-facing role.

The role requires a 2-year Library Technician Diploma, 3 years of related experience, and skills with ILS, printing, Microsoft 365 and Adobe products; it includes evenings and weekends.

Qualifications

• Two-year Library Technician Diploma from a recognized program.
• Minimum three years’ experience in a library or customer service environment.
• Experience with integrated library systems (ILS) and printing/booklet production is an asset.

Responsibilities

• Provide circulation services to all library patrons and manage checkouts.
• Maintain the ILS data accuracy and troubleshoot day-to-day operations.
• Design graphics, posters and signage for events and library communications.
• Deliver research assistance and provide printing/desktop support when needed.
• Plan and participate in library events and community engagement initiatives.

Skills

Customer service

Communication

Multitasking

Team collaboration

Problem solving

Education

Library Technician Diploma

3 years post-secondary education in related field

Tools

Sitka Evergreen

Papercut

Adobe Creative Cloud

Microsoft 365

Job description

In accordance with CUPE requirements, qualified internal applicants will be considered prior to external candidates

Permanent Full-Time Position

Hours to be Determined (Includes Evening and Weekend Hours)

Pay Grade G ($59,094 to $62,134 per annum)

ABOUT EMILY CARR UNIVERSITY OF ART + DESIGN

Situated on unceded, traditional and ancestral xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish), and səl̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) territories in Vancouver, Canada, Emily Carr University of Art + Design ( ECU ) is where creativity meets practice. Ranked among the world’s top 30 universities for art and design (QS 2024), ECU is recognized globally for its hands‑on, practice‑based teaching and learning environment that equips students to experiment, take risks and drive innovation.

Since 1925, ECU has championed bold ideas and emerging talent through a close‑knit, studio‑intensive setting that connects students with award‑winning faculty, cutting‑edge facilities, and real‑world opportunities. Today, ECU serves more than 2,400 undergraduate and graduate students, along with thousands more through continuing studies, contributing to Canada’s cultural and creative sectors and shaping the future of art, media, design and research.

Having marked our centennial in 2025, ECU continues to ask what art and design can make possible. With more than 100 years in the making, we are shaping what comes next.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Library Technician Circulation is responsible for providing a variety of library support services by performing duties related to patron and circulation services, technical troubleshooting and support, materials processing, reserves and donations, library promotional design,activities and displays, community engagement initiatives, library special projects, committee work, and the general order, maintenance and safety of the library. This position is a public‑facing position that regularly interacts with students, faculty, staff, alumni, and members of the public. The Library Technician, Circulation is expected to be a full participant, along with the rest of the library team, in the defining and achievement of library goals.

TYPICAL DUTIES :

• Provides circulation services to all library patrons, including opening and closing duties, checking materials in and out, registering and updating patron records and accounts.
• Educates patrons on Library services, policies and procedures, and responds to inquiries in person via email/social media and telephone. Redirects inquiries to appropriate University or library staff members as required.
• Handles sales of credit to print card accounts (on average of over $50,000 a semester), including assisting with installation and student use of Papercut, Onecard functions and training on ECU Digital Wallet, operating the cash register, point‑of‑sale ( POS ) machine. Performs day‑end cash‑out for amounts between $200 and $8,000 per day, depending on volume of transactions.
• Under the supervision of the Library Operations Coordinator, maintains the Integrated Library System ( ILS ) and troubleshoots day‑to‑day operations, maintaining patron privacy as per regulations. Ensures that patron and collections data within the ILS remains up‑to‑date and accurate.
• With the Evergreen online library catalogue: troubleshooting and resolving issues with patron records, item locations and records, insuring collection is digitally and physically accessible. Pulling usage reports for internal and external annual reports. Performing ongoing catalogue cleanup duties by pulling reports on shelving locations, circulation modifiers, and status to ensure catalogue accuracy.
• Provide technical assistance and oversee the maintenance of library equipment, including two specialized KIC scanners valued at over $20,000.
• Provide in‑depth printing support, moderate to advanced Microsoft 365 and Adobe software support and troubleshooting as well as specialized assistance with booklet printing, file preparation, scanning, installation of software etc.
• Deliver research assistance and support, as needed when help desk is not adequately staffed (only staffed 5 hours a day and no staffing on weekends) or busy. Monitors and responds to queries on the institutional queue for the AskAway provincial virtual chat research service.
• Under the basic guidance of Marketing and Communications team, develop and maintain library web content, including updates to the library website and creation of online subject guides( LibGuides)
• Design and manage social media content, collaborating with other departments and scheduling regular posts for internal and external communication.
• Design graphics, posters, photography and signage for events, displays, and promotion of library initiatives and communications. Create original visual and written content for school‑wide communications, events, and updates on the internal listserv.
• Curate monthly and targeted resource lists (e.g., Indigenous resources for Aboriginal Gathering Place [ AGP ]), which can be repurposed into displays or LibGuides.
• Assists in the general maintenance of the library, including maintaining stacks (i.e. sorting, filing, and shelving) and ensures wayfinding, general signage, and call number labels are accurate. Assists in inventory of library collections, including archives and other special collections
• Receive and process current journal issues. Perform regular review of current journals, reporting subscription inconsistencies and missing issues to Library Technician, Technical Services + Reference staff person. Update journal holdings record in Evergreen. Create new prediction patterns for journal receiving in Evergreen. Oversee annual migration of journals to compact shelving and general maintenance of back issue collection. Assist with the collection and evaluation of journal use statistics and reporting to the Acquisitions Librarians to assist with subscription decisions.
• As directed by the University Librarian and/or Coordinator, Library Operations, receives new book acquisitions and verifies them against order information. Processes invoices for payment.
• Repairs and laminates materials as required.
• Supports closed captioning, metadata editing, and alt text creation for accessibility across collections.
• Ensures that circulation procedures in the library staff policy and procedures manual (LibGuide) are up‑to‑date and accurate.
• Creates and maintains displays of library materials, including staff picks, archival materials, book sale, and new arrivals.
• Researches, acquires and creates displays of neurotools collection.
• Participate in committees, contributing to the creation of library guidelines and procedures and strategic planning initiatives to improve the overall library experience for our users.
• Actively participate in committees and collaborative roles both within the library and across ECU (e.g., Climate Action Task Force, Accessibility, Sustainability, OH& S, etc. ), working as peers with colleagues across the department.
• Represent the library on relevant external organizations such as the Canadian Association of Professional Academic Librarians ( CAPAL ), British Columbia Library Association ( BCLA ), and listservs for the profession.
• On an annual or semi‑annual basis, design, execute, analyze and interpret surveys using feedback from library users to guide planning, space, and service improvements.
• Host activities and workshops (e.g., zine-making, collage, gardening and mending workshops) and technical instruction on library tools and resources, including demonstrations and creation of videos (shooting and editing).
• Plan and lead community engagement events, such as library orientations, board games, button‑making, management of the supply swap, collage and other interactive activities. Hosting library events in partnership with ECU Community and local external civic and cultural groups/organizations to build relationships and expand the library’s network.
• Assists in the collection, compilation and maintenance of library statistical data, including collating monthly and yearly reports for internal library use and for submission to external organizations.
• Assists in the donation acquisition process, including receiving, assessing, and sorting donations. Directs more complex donation offers to the Collections Librarian or University Librarian.
• Liaises with Faculty on courses reserve materials requests. Receives and processes requests, referring acquisition requests to Librarians as needed.
• Assists with special projects as directed, (e.g. digitization of library and archives materials, data transcription for archival and digital objects, etc.)
• In collaboration with Counselling and Wellness and based on relevant training received, support students in distress by using discretion to triage and direct them to appropriate resources, thereby ensuring a safe environment for patrons.
• Assists in maintaining general order in the Library, ensuring that the library remains a safe and inclusive space. Using tact and a high degree of judgment, observes and takes action when faced with any disturbing, violent or threatening behaviors, notifying security where assistance is needed.
• May assist in the hiring and training of new departmental staff.
• Provides occasional guidance, mentorship or task‑specific instructions to Research Assistants (undergraduate and graduate) and Student Monitors, as needed, to support their integration into the library team effectively.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Required Qualifications

• Two‑year Library Technician Diploma from a recognized post‑secondary program.
• 3 years post‑secondary education from a recognized University in a related field.
• Minimum three years’ experience in a library or customer service environment.
• Or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Work experience in a post‑secondary setting an asset.
• Sound knowledge of art + design
• Experience with integrated library systems ( ILS ), Experience with Sitka Evergreen is an asset.
• Experience performing bibliographic searching, preferably in a post‑secondary environment.
• Experience providing technical assistance with library equipment (printers and scanners)
• Experience providing intermediate to advanced assistance with Microsoft 365 and Adobe Products
• Ability to maintain effective working relationships with faculty and staff, and to work patiently, tactfully, and effectively with students and other library users.
• Strong interest in service‑oriented work, including the ability to receive and resolve requests, inquiries, and complaints with courtesy and good judgment, while maintaining patron privacy.
• Strong problem‑solving skills.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to multi‑task in a dynamic environment.
• Ability to work with accuracy.
• Ability to assist with and troubleshooting printing booklets, preparing documents for printing.
• Ability to work effectively and collaboratively as a team member.
• Ability to work independently, at times without supervision e.g. evenings and weekends
• Physical stamina and mobility to permit lifting, carrying, and moving heavy objects (up to 14 kg)

Additional Information

Emily Carr University especially invites those who have demonstrated a commitment to upholding the values of equity, diversity, and inclusion and will assist us to expand our capacity for diversity in the broadest sense. In addition, to correct the conditions of disadvantage in employment in Canada, we encourage applications from members of groups that have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized. These include women, persons with diverse gender expressions and identities, persons of all sexual orientations, racialized persons, persons with disabilities, and First Nations, Metis, Inuit and Indigenous persons. All qualified people are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents of Canada will be given priority. While we thank all candidates for their interest, only those short‑listed will be contacted.

Emily Carr University of Art + Design
520 East 1st Avenue
Vancouver, BC
V5T 0H2