Name: Catherine Gracey

Pronouns: she/her

Hometown: Dundas, ON

What is your favorite summer activity? Or your favourite Halifax activity?

My favourite thing to do in the summer is wander around the city. I love that I can be on a beach, and then be downtown in 15 minutes. On the weekends, I spend much of my time hopping between the beautiful Central Public Library,   Point Pleasant Park, and the Waterfront.

What internship are you affiliated with?

I am an intern at the W.K. Kellogg Health Sciences Library.

What brought you to the MI program at Dal?

I chose Dal because I wanted to explore different information management topics without having to pick a career path right away. I’ve been able to select a wide variety of courses focused on technology, data management, and policy, so I feel like my curiosity about the field is being satisfied. On the flip side, I was also drawn to the small size of the program. I really appreciate getting to know everyone in the program and getting to live in Halifax is a big bonus!

What drew you to the internship opportunity at the Dal Libraries?

The previous Kellogg Interns. I was interested in Health Librarianship, so I often attended presentations and meetings of organizations led by those who worked in the field. I noticed many of the professionals I talked to were former Kellogg Interns, all of whom spoke so highly about the experience and how it helped them build foundational skills critical for a career in academic libraries, hospitals, government, etc. The outgoing interns at the time, Maddie and Courtney, were particularly enthusiastic and really encouraged me to apply for the opportunity. I was totally won over during the interview process as I learned how much interns get to work directly on projects, and that I’d be able to explore library instruction, which is a particular interest of mine.

What’s your educational background?

I have a BSc in Nutritional and Nutraceutical Science with a minor in International Development from the University of Guelph.

What projects have you worked on so far during your internship?

The summer started with two weeks of intensive training which gave me a really strong foundation in reference services, a core part of my role. I’ve been able to use these skills to support students, staff and faculty with their questions, which is always an exciting endeavor for me. I’ve particularly enjoyed working on searches, whether it be editing the work of someone else, helping a user navigate a database, or designing and running a search myself. I’m excited to continue to grow my skills in this area, as I believe that the searching skills librarians have provide so much value to academic institutions.

Another favourite activity of mine has been updating LibGuides to ensure that they have current and relevant information for students. I’m passionate about accessibility and creating resources that can be used universally by students, so compiling LibGuides allows for a great deal of creativity.

I’ve also provided some support to the librarians with their collections responsibilities. This involves seeing which books, journals and other resources are critical in a field and ensuring that the library acquires these, if possible, to best support our students and staff.

Hailey (the other Kellogg Intern) and I were also lucky enough to attend the Canadian Health Library Association’s (CHLA) annual conference as it was hosted in Halifax, which has heavily influenced all areas of my work. Being able to hear from industry leaders about the work they are doing really inspired me to think critically about the work I engage with and challenge myself to approach problems creatively.