Library Technician, Technical Services + Reference
/Job Title:
Library Technician, Technical Services + Reference
Organization:
Emily Carr University of Art + Design
Deadline:
Apr. 10, 2026
Organization Description:
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.100 years in the making, we are shaping what comes next.
Website:
Job Description:
Temporary Leave Replacement Position (ASAP until Further Notice)
Hours to be determined (Includes Evening and Weekend Hours)
The Library Technician, Technical Services + Reference is responsible for a variety of library support services, including performing duties related to acquisitions, library and archives collection maintenance and support, e-resource support, cataloguing and metadata, student and faculty support, interlibrary loan and media bookings, online and in-person reference services, and system maintenance. This position is a public-facing position that regularly interacts with students, faculty, staff, alumni, and members of the public. The Library Technician, Technical Services + Reference is expected to be a full participant, along with the rest of the library team, in the defining and achievement of library goals.
Responsibilities:
Performs complex, original and derived cataloguing of all library material types, according to established guidelines. Refers cataloguing problems to the Librarian, as necessary.
Coordinates workflow for the receiving and processing of serials and maintains the serials database according to established guidelines. Establishes prediction patterns for serials titles, claims missing issues and verifies discrepancies such as title changes. Orders new titles as directed.
In consultation with the Librarians, orders all library materials, including researching and selecting vendors. Maintains up-to-date vendor information. Receives new acquisitions and verifies them against order information. Processes invoices for payment and reconciles departmental credit card.
Assists the Librarian with the management of electronic resources and allied systems by updating holdings information, activating and deactivating titles, checking for accuracy of holdings, generating holdings reports, and updating and maintaining links. May be called upon to diagnose database and access issues in collaboration with the Librarian, Information Technology Services (ITS), and external system vendors.
Processes, administers and coordinates resource-sharing programs through media bookings and interlibrary loans. This includes locating and requesting resources, confirming public performance rights and updating them in the catalogue where necessary, booking materials for Emily Carr patrons, and shipping Emily Carr library materials off-campus. Maintains and compiles related statistics.
Provides in-person and online reference services to students, faculty, staff and general public on a regular basis, using multiple library resources including the catalogue, Discovery layer, article databases, core reference tools, and internet resources, referring complex questions to the Librarians when necessary. When required, provides orientation sessions to small groups of library users in the use of available resources.
Participates in projects related to the creation, development and maintenance of a digital object collection, including scanning, manipulating images, and metadata creation.
Under the direction of the Librarians, assists with library-wide collection support including identifying materials for purchase, collection deselection, and other collection-related projects.
Under the direction of the Archivist, assists with the organization and cataloguing of materials in the university archives.
Creates and maintains library research guides (LibGuides) as assigned, under the direction of the Librarian.
Creates content for, and updates, library social media, library news/events pages, and the library website.
Works collaboratively with other team members to develop, design, and execute library signage and promotional materials.
Assists in planning and hosting library events, and events in partnership with the ECU community and external groups.
Acts as a liaison to the ECU Writing Centre, including attending meetings, as required.
Acts as back-up for other Library Technicians, Technical Services + Reference, and Library Technicians, Circulation, as required.
In the absence of the Coordinator, Library Operations, performs duties such as scheduling casual staff, weekly cash reconciliation, communication with ITS and Facilities to resolve library technical and space issues.
Collaborates with library staff members in the creation of library policies, procedures, and workflows where relevant. Ensures that procedures in the library staff policy and procedures manual are up-to-date and accurate.
Participates on internal library and ECU committees, and external consortium or professional committees, where relevant and required.
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 needed.
May assist in the hiring and training of new departmental staff.
Performs other related duties as required.
Qualifications:
• Two-Year Library Technician Diploma.
• Bachelor’s Degree in a related field.
• 3-years related experience in a comparable library environment.
• Or an equivalent combination of training and experience in a library environment.
• Work experience in a post-secondary setting an asset.
• Sound knowledge of art + design.
• Experience in library technical services functions, such as acquisitions, serials management, e-resource management, cataloguing, interlibrary loan and media booking procedures, as well as reference provision.
• Thorough knowledge of current cataloguing standards and practices.
• Experience with integrated library systems (ILS).
• Experience with systems such as OutLook Online, BookWhere, Islandora, MarcEdit, LibGuides, GOBI, and EBSCO, or equivalents.
• Experience providing technical assistance with library equipment (printers, scanners, photocopiers).
• Experience providing basic assistance with Microsoft Office.
• Some knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite preferred.
• Ability to maintain effective working relationships with faculty and staff, and to work patiently, tactfully, and effectively with all library users.
• Strong interest in service-oriented work, including the ability to receive and resolve requests, inquiries, and complaints with courtesy and good judgement, while maintaining patron privacy.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize and carry out multiple time-sensitive tasks.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Demonstrated initiative in problem-solving.
• Demonstrated ability to create workflows.
• Ability to work effectively and collaboratively as a team member.
• Ability to work independently.
• Ability to work under pressure and clearly communicate research approaches and library policies/procedures to faculty, staff, students, and outside agencies is necessary.
• Ability to do thorough, precise work with attention to detail.
• Ability to work evening and weekend hours, as required.
How to Apply:
To apply for this job, please visit https://ecuad.peopleadmin.ca. Competition closes on Friday, April 10 2026.
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.
Remuneration:
$31.92 to $34.14 per hour
