I worked as a historical researcher for a couple years and while I enjoyed it, I realized that the most fulfilling part of the job was helping people to find the information they needed. When I decided to go back to school the MI program seemed like a natural fit. I explored several options but Dal seemed the best fit for my needs. I wanted to explore different information related careers paths like academic librarian, archivist, and records manager and Dal offered me the ability to do that.

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

I came into the MI program thinking that I might want to be an archivist but I was unsure. I have experience working as an archival assistant during my undergrad. I loved working there but it was a small municipal archive and I wanted to experience a larger institutional archive. When I learned that the Dalhousie University Archives offers an internship, I jumped at the opportunity to gain more experience in the field.

What’s your educational background?

Before coming to Dal I completed both a BA and an MA in History at the University of Ottawa.

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

I have been working on a wide variety of projects. I have been cataloguing a lot of archival materials as well as accessioning new acquisitions. When I’m not doing that I’m answering reference questions or updating the archive’s LibGuides. I love that there is always something new to do!

My passions have always been very interdisciplinary, and I wanted to do something that would allow me to apply my studies to different areas related to the production, dissemination and preservation of knowledge. As such, I am interested in various parts of the GLAM sector and the careers they have to offer, so the flexibility of the program really drew me in. The MI program at Dalhousie has a commitment to EDIAD, which is incredibly important for my principles and values. I have always lived in Atlantic Canada, so I was very happy to move back to my hometown for my Master’s too.

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

I loved the idea that through doing reference and research work at an academic library, I could gain knowledge about so many different fields of study. I also wanted to help people with their information needs, especially in the community that I grew up in. Working at the Killam Library would allow me to gain the skills and hands-on experience necessary to succeed in my goals, while fostering my passions, like accessibility.

What’s your educational background?

I have a Bachelor of Arts with majors in Classics and Visual & Material Culture Studies, minors in English and History, and a certificate in Visual Culture. My focuses were in archaeology and communication of information, centering my work on women, people with disabilities, and the LGBTQ+ community.

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

I am currently proposing a project on accessibility in our libraries and library resources, to try to make our spaces as accessible as they can be, as well as creating a new LibGuide to make sure that information is as accessible as possible so that students can utilize that knowledge. We have also been working on updating some of the LibGuides and online tutorials that Dalhousie offers to ensure the information they have is up-to-date and accessible. Learning and practicing how to provide reference and research services has been a vital part of my work too.

I worked as a student employee at a couple of different libraries as a student, and I really enjoyed the work. Because of these experiences, I wanted to pursue a career in academic librarianship and felt that completing an MI would be the best way to get into the field. After spending the last few years in Western Canada, I also wanted to move back to the Maritimes to be closer to family; Dal was the natural choice that met both these criteria.

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

I was looking to get some more work experience that would complement my previous roles as a student library employee. This internship has given me a window into what it is like to be an academic librarian.

What’s your educational background?

I have a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a Master of Divinity.

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

On a daily basis, my reference shifts are giving me experience in the public-facing aspect of library work, helping patrons find and access the resources they need for their research.

One of the big projects I worked on was an update to the Libraries’ video tutorial on Google searching. I’m also spending a lot of time updating LibGuides—particularly those in the Sciences. 

I knew that I wanted to continue with school after my undergraduate degree, but I was unsure about continuing in science since I was not passionate about a specific research topic. I liked that the MI degree was a professional degree, so I could gain work experience while completing the degree, and hopefully graduate with a better chance of finding a job in libraries. I always loved libraries growing up, and my favourite parts of many of my past jobs have been helping people learn and helping people access resources, so becoming a librarian seemed like a natural fit for me.

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

Since I came into the MI degree with no library experience, I did not come in with solid knowledge of what kind of librarian I would like to be or what kind of library I would like to work in. So, this internship seemed like a great chance to test whether or not I enjoyed academic librarianship (specifically health librarianship). I also had some teaching experience, so I was excited to get to apply those skills at the library when working with students on their research projects.

What’s your educational background?

I have a BSc in Neuroscience from Dalhousie, with an English minor and a certificate in Science Communication and Leadership.

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

We have worked on developing search strategies and search translations with students, moderating Research Camp sessions on Teams, and updating LibGuides. The big project that Sally and I worked on was preparing and presenting a session on Health Libraries and Health Research for a group of high school students for the PLANS Prep Institute.

During my undergrad, I loved the research process that went into my honour’s thesis and studying history through material culture. After graduation I knew I didn’t want to stray far from this world of research, and was interested in exploring museum work as well as learning more about other potential opportunities within Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums (GLAM). When I found Dal’s MI program, I thought it would be the perfect way to explore my interests while gaining concrete, transferable skills that would keep the door open to a variety of career paths.

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

Over the course of my first year in the MI program, I learned more about academic libraries and became deeply interested in exploring that world. I knew it would combine my love of teaching and research, and that I would be able to draw on my customer service skills and my work experience as a teaching assistant. I was particularly interested in learning to develop and translate complex searches across different databases – I loved the idea of helping patrons create and fine-tune their search strategy ‘puzzles’. I was excited to learn that Dal offered these internships to MI students, since I knew it would give me the chance to gain the skills and perspectives you can only develop through hands-on experience.

What’s your educational background?

I have a BA in Theatre with Honours (Costume Studies) from Dalhousie.

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

I have developed content and presented for the Promoting Leadership in health for African Nova Scotians (PLANS) Prep Institute alongside my fellow Kellogg intern. My focus for that project was on critical appraisal skills and contextualizing AI use. I have also been developing supporting material for the medical librarians’ PIER Modules that are being created for 3^rd year medical  students who are transitioning to clinical rotations. I have also been working to update and maintain Dal’s health sciences Libguides. Apart from these projects, a large part of my everyday work is dedicated to reference. This includes one-off email assistance to answer basic questions or locate specific sources, but also often involves in-depth consultations for knowledge synthesis projects, where I primarily help patrons create, edit, and translate complex search strategies.