What brought you to the MLIS program at Dal? Dalhousie was one of a number of schools that was suggested to me when I was applying for my MLIS. However, it was the support of the faculty and staff here, as well as the great internship and practicum opportunities, which caused me to pick Dalhousie over other options.

What drew you to the internship at the Dal Libraries? I knew that I needed to have a part-time job while I was in school, and I wanted that job to also offer practical, library-related work experience. The internship at the Killam Library was the perfect job for what I needed. The interdisciplinary nature of the Killam’s collection leads to a variety of projects and reference questions.  I really feel that, thanks to my time working at the Killam, I will come out of my time at Dalhousie with a well-rounded set of experiences to prepare me for work elsewhere.

Your educational background: I got my Bachelor of Arts from the University of Virginia in 2012 with a major in Medieval Studies and a minor in Bioethics. My interest in working in libraries came from the part-time job I had while at the University of Virginia, assisting with the digitization of rare materials from their Special Collections Library.

What you’ve been doing during your internship: I have had the opportunity to work on a variety of projects during my internship. I have created a library guide, helped with the assessment of Brightspace’s launch, created online learning tools for the new library website, and helped with the digitization of some of the materials held in Special Collections. The internship has also provided me with an insider’s view of what work in a library really looks like. The interns are often invited to meetings and conferences so that we can see how decisions are made and how the librarians collaborate on a variety of projects.

Fun and interesting facts about you: I almost got my degree in photography rather than medieval studies. I love working on projects that include a visual element, especially those that require graphic design or photography. I also fenced from middle school through university, and have an obsession for Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Between the fencing, my medieval studies major, and library school I think I am subconsciously trying to be more and more like Giles every day.