Continuing Education Bursaries for Law Library Assistants

One of LibraryCo's goals is to improve the education levels of the non-library trained staff in the county and district law libraries. The LibraryCo Board of Directors provides funding for Law Library Assistants in the association law libraries to enrol in continuing education courses.

Library Assistants are eligible to apply for funding to take courses in Mohawk College’s Library and Information Technician program. This is a distance education program which will lead to a Library and Information Technician diploma. Courses are internet-based and offer Library Assistants the opportunity to upgrade and enhance their skills. All Law Library Assistants working in the county and district law libraries are eligible to apply for funding from LibraryCo once they have been accepted by Mohawk College. LibraryCo will reimburse Law Library Assistants the cost of their tuition and any books or other required materials.

A recommended course for Library Assistants in the county and district law libraries is LIBRLT 405, Law Libraries and Legal Research, which introduces students to Canadian and Ontario legal resources and research techniques as well as law library collection development, acquisitions and cataloguing.

Guidelines governing this program

All Law Library Assistants working in county and district law libraries are eligible to apply.

Application requirements

Applicants will need to contact Mohawk College and determine when the courses they wish to take are available and their eligibility to enrol. They will also need to ensure that they have the right computer hardware. Having done this, they must write a brief letter to LibraryCo with a description of the course and an explanation of its benefits, how the course relates to law libraries, and the total cost, including books or other materials. Please send this letter to Martha Foote, Board General Manager, LibraryCo Inc. at mfoote@libraryco.ca.

Recipients' obligations

Recipients are expected to write a short note to LibraryCo upon completion of the course with a brief summary of the course and how they benefited from the learning experience.

Reimbursement

All applications for reimbursement must include a completed and signed LibraryCo Expense Claim Form and original receipts. The form and receipts are to be sent to LibraryCo’s Board General Manager. All expenses must be claimed within one month of incurring the cost or one week after the end of the fiscal year, whichever is earlier.