Stephen Spong

Professional Biography

I am the Director of the John and Dotsa Bitove Law Library and Copyright Officer at Western University. I have diverse experience in law librarianship and copyright across universities and colleges in Canada and the United States, including Osgoode Hall Law School, Harvard University, Centennial College, and the University of Chicago.

Education

• BA Honours, University of Toronto
• JD, Osgoode Hall Law School
• MI, University of Toronto

Research Interests

My interests lay primarily with the ways in which legislation and regulations intersect with the post-secondary environment, especially in areas related to intellectual property and accessibility. I have also been exploring the history of plagiarism and copyright infringement, particularly how these have converged and diverged in tandem.

Teaching Philosophy

My teaching philosophy is to try to demystify subjects that can be intimidating and jargon-heavy, making them accessible to faculty, students, and researchers. The reputation of legal materials and copyright precedes them, so I try to ensure that any trepidation with respect to these materials is addressed in a way that does not compound the issue.