What brought you to the MLIS program at Dal?
In 1996, a wonderful movie came out called Matilda, based on the book by Roald Dahl. It is about a young girl growing up in a strange family who finds love and companionship in the characters from books she reads. As a little girl, I would watch this on the VCR over and over again. While I related with Matilda and her love of learning, the scene that stood out to me the most was when the librarian showed Matilda around the library, explained the power of a library card, and gave her a place to sit safely and comfortably.
As a teenager, my dreams started to come true while working at my local public library. During my time there as a high school student and later a university employee, I watched happy faces come into the library for books, movies, events, and comfy seats to escape the rain. I knew then that the library was the place for me.
Dalhousie’s MLIS program stood out to me because it is close to home (Cape Breton), offers a flexible learning experience, and provides the small class size that I’m used to. I came into this program with a love of libraries but no idea what to expect and I am so grateful for everything I’ve learned and everyone I’ve met since I’ve been here.
What drew you to the internship at the Dal Libraries?
My main drive to pursue this internship was the opportunity to learn new skills. The multi-disciplinary nature of the Killam Library both intimidated and intrigued me because I felt I could learn so much from the librarians who work here and equally from the students who ask for help. The most rewarding part of this internship is teaching students how to find library resources or explaining what certain concepts mean; the “ah-ha” moment that a student has is worth everything.
What is your educational background?
I graduated with a BA from Acadia University in 2016 with a major in French and a minor in Computer Science. While at Acadia, I worked at the Vaughan Memorial Library as a stacks assistant, tutored French for two years, and was TA in the French department for one year.
What have you been doing during your internship?
In addition to reference work, I am working on two video tutorials for Portage’s DMP Assistant in both English and French, working on a research data management toolkit, coding and analysis for the Wallace McCain Learning Commons assessment, weeding throughout the library, and appraising a large donation of African history books. Smaller projects include: creating Instagram activities for students, creating GIFs of common actions on the library website, updating links on LibGuides, and assisting with brainstorming and planning for future events. In celebration of Dalhousie’s 200th anniversary, all of the interns are working on a collaborative project to discover and present noteworthy people, buildings, and events throughout Dal’s history.
Fun and interesting facts about you:
In my spare time, I enjoy playing with my cat, Grumpy, playing video games, listening to live blues music around Halifax, hiking, and skiing (water or snow!). I’ve presented at a French poetry competition, my favourite food is pickles, my favourite book is La vie devant soi (Romain Gary), I know Morse code, and my favorite German word is Schildkröte.
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