Library Student Assistants

Research Help Student Mentors are Library Student Assistants who have research experience and extra training. Student workers in this role are responsible for the following, in addition to regular Student Assistant tasks:

• showing patrons how to use the Novanet catalogue and/or the Library's databases;
• directing patrons to Citation Guides;
• helping patrons make Research Help appointments;
• answering and forwarding email questions;
• communicating with the Research Help Librarian on duty.

There is no special application process for Research Help Student Mentors. Interested students may submit an application as usual to libraryjobs@msvu.ca. Mentors are usually selected from the existing pool of Library Student Assistants, based on their accumulated skills and experience.

Research Help Student Mentors are most often graduate students, B.Ed. students, or upper-year undergraduate students. Ideally, Mentors will have taken a research methods class or LIBR 2100 (Library Research). 

In some cases, new Library Student Assistants are invited to work as Research Help Student Mentors based on their pre-existing research experience, but most students spend at least one semester performing general Student Assistant duties before joining the Research Help team. 

Mentor Duties

• Providing drop-in basic research help assistance to patrons in-person and online;
• Answer basic in-person research help questions, including helping patrons navigate our citation and research guides, databases, and the Novanet catalogue (our search platform);
• Answer questions we receive through email and the LibAnswers platform or refer to appropriate Library staff member or Librarian;  
• After training, become familiar with and use the "Triage Limitations & When to Make Referrals" as a service guide. 
• Help patrons book Research Help appointments when the questions and specific research needs are more complex (anything other than introduction) or longer (than 10 minutes).  

   General Desk Duties (when not providing research support)

•  Check out materials, including document delivery and reserves items;
• Process returned materials;
• Accept payment for overdue fees, print credits, and photocopying;
  • (Payments for study carrels and lost books should only be processed by a library technician.) 
• Update accounts in Alma for returning patrons;
• Provide directions to other buildings and departments on campus;
• Consult with staff on duty when difficult questions arise;
• Assist patrons with printing, scanning, and photocopying;
• Troubleshoot photocopiers and printers;
• Answer the phone and take messages when appropriate; 
• Contact Security if problems (6412) or emergencies (6111) arise and notify staff on duty; 
• Labelling new materials  
• Other duties as assigned (this may include LibGuides work or Access Services projects).  

Ideal Candidates

• 3rd and 4th year undergraduate students
• honours and thesis students
• Masters and PhD students
• students with previous library and/or research experience  

Rate of Pay

Minimum wage plus 4% vacation pay.

Period of Pay

Every two weeks, on a schedule (unless no shifts are worked)  

Length of Employment

One semester. If the student is successful and enjoys the work, they will be invited to continue working additional semesters. 

Probationary Period

One month.