We are pleased to welcome Lachlan MacLeod to the staff of the Dalhousie Libraries, effective January 3. Lachlan will have a busy schedule, including ensuring all copyrighted materials have been cleared prior to production or use, working closely with the eReserves team on providing library resources to students through Brightspace, responding to a wide array of inquiries from Dalhousie faculty, staff and students on copyright-related matters, and promoting open access resources.

There is a large component of his position that will be educational in nature, working with the Copyright & Humanities Librarian in delivering presentations to various faculties and departments, providing updates on developments in the copyright landscape in Canada, and demonstrating how the Copyright Office can assist faculty and staff in maintaining compliance with current copyright legislation.

“The Dalhousie Libraries Copyright Office assists all members of the university community in meeting their shared obligation to respect the rights of copyright holders in their use of material for research, teaching and learning,” says Elaine MacInnis, Associate University Librarian, Library Services. “Lachlan will be a valuable addition to the Copyright Team, bringing with him relevant experience, expertise, familiarity with the Dalhousie community and a willingness to work with our community to ensure everyone benefits from the wealth of scholarly material available.”

Lachlan is a graduate of both King’s and Dalhousie. He holds a Master of Arts in sociology, and his thesis focused on qualitative comparisons between practices of Halifax artists and national copyright policy. In addition to his background in copyright research, Lachlan was previously employed at Dalhousie as a student assistant in the sociology department, and in two positions at the Atlantic Research Data Centre, located in the Killam Library.

Lachlan is looking forward to answering questions from staff, faculty, and students about how copyright affects them. “Copyright can seem dull or restrictive at first glance,” says Lachlan. “But, it touches many aspects of our lives, from entertainment media to academic work. With a robust knowledge of copyright, faculty, staff, and students can get more out of their work. I’m excited to teach more people about copyright policy, and pass on an enthusiasm for what is possible.”

Lachlan will be based out of the Copyright Office, which is on the fifth floor of the Killam Library. If you have questions about copyright, contact copyright.office@dal.ca or (902)494-4346.