What are College and University Libraries in Saskatchewan?

College and university libraries collect in-depth information sources pertaining to the educational and research areas of the institution. The role and mandate of university and college libraries is to provide information and services that support the information needs of students, faculty, and staff of educational institutions, and to educate clients in the use of information resources. They are centres of research and reference for students and faculty alike.

College and university libraries in Saskatchewan include the University of Regina Libraries, the University of Saskatchewan Libraries, the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology (SIAST) Libraries, First Nations University of Canada, Library, Gabriel Dumont Institute Library, and many other post-secondary education libraries throughout the province.

Librarian Roles in College and University Libraries

Librarians in post-secondary education libraries are vital to the operations and success of their academic institutions! Their job is to ensure that their students and faculty have access to information. They identify and collect all information sources needed by students and faculty. They assist both faculty and students with their information needs. They also provide instructional services by orienting students on how to navigate the world of published information. They work closely with faculty to assist with research projects and to ensure collection of materials that faculty need.

Librarians in college or university libraries often have an area of expertise; they may even have a second master's degree in a specialty area that matches a program of study at the academic institution, such as engineering or chemistry. Librarians in academic libraries can be involved in reference, cataloguing, collection development, computer systems management, data management, development of digital library collections, and/or instruction.

The type of employment opportunities for professional librarians in Saskatchewan college or university libraries often depends on the library size. Large university libraries fill many positions with professional librarians but do also hire library assistants and library technicians. Small college libraries may have one or more librarian positions.

Library Technician Roles in College and University Libraries

Library technicians in college and university libraries play support roles that aid the libraries' mission of meeting the information and research needs of academic faculty and students.

Library technicians in college or university libraries support the operations of many library functions including interlibrary loans, cataloguing and acquisitions.

In Saskatchewan college or university libraries, the opportunities available to library technicians depend on the size and orientation of the library. Large university library systems may employ many technicians to perform support operations in areas such as interlibrary loans, cataloguing, acquisitions, or reference. Small college libraries may employ technicians in support roles or they may offer advanced opportunities in supervision or library management.

Other Jobs in College and University libraries

Library Assistants

Some college and university libraries have job positions called "library assistants". These positions are filled by employees who hold one or two university degrees but have no formal librarianship education. It is often important to have library work experience to become a library assistant. Assistants help with ordering and organizing library materials. They can perform circulation duties. Assistants may work on the reference desk, helping people to find information or appropriate reading materials. They can also supervise or train other staff. In Saskatchewan academic libraries, library assistant roles are most common in large urban academic libraries.

Pages

Some college and university libraries hire pages or clerks. A library page is most often responsible for shelving material; they may do some circulation work as well. They can do minor book repair. Clerks unload, sort and retrieve library materials. In Saskatchewan, the number and type of clerk roles in college or university education libraries depends on the size of the library. Large university libraries tend to offer more clerk positions. Usually Grade 12 is the required education for such positions.

College and University Library Associations

Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) http://www.ala.org/acrl
The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), a division of the American Library Association, is a professional association of academic librarians and other interested individuals.

Association of Research Libraries (ARL) http://www.arl.org/
ARL is a not-for-profit membership organization comprising the leading research libraries in North America.

Canadian Association of College and University Libraries (CACUL) http://www.cla.ca/AM/Template.cfm?Section=CACUL

Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) http://www.carl-abrc.ca/