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SIM Alumni News (2022-2023)

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Here are some miscellaneous recent alumni updates. Are we missing something? Send your alumni announcements, updates, awards, and other news to sim@dal.ca. We love to hear about all the exciting things our grads are doing.

  • From Tammy Whynot (MLIS ’12): “I pursued and got a publishing contract for multiple books–about librarians! They are romantic comedies I write under a pen name, and can be found here if you have any interest: www.annwhynot.com/books2. I put my collections class to good use in building a collection for the Mental Health Inpatient Unit here at our small hospital on the South Shore (South Shore Regional Hospital). Because of my training, I was able to take into account things like adults with a range of reading levels, and included items such as picture books and high-low books, something I wouldn’t have known existed without my time at SIM. I also made an effort to have a diverse collection with both BIPOC and LGBTQ2+ representation. I made a video which should you have interest, is available here: https://youtu.be/EHM_Nnx5qoA. Again, thank-you for the education I received. Good things are happening to me because of my MLIS, and I am very happy to be able to say SIM is part of my happiness in life, even all these years later. “
  • Mikylah Gillis (MLIS ’20) joined the team at the Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia in Fall 2022 as Archives Assistant. Her work will focus on preserving knowledge and understanding of built heritage in Nova Scotia, assessing and beginning a general organization of a wide range of archival material collected by the Heritage Trust over the last six decades and making them accessible.
  • Dr. Toni Samek (MLIS ’91) was chosen as one of 10 recipients of the Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee medal by the Library Association of Alberta. Dr. Samek is a professor at the University of Alberta SLIS program. She convened the CLA’s Advisory Committee on Intellectual Freedom, was the debut Library Journal Teaching award recipient in 2007 and is the recipient of the 2017 LAA’s President’s Award, which recognizes her major impact on a provincial level.
  • Vinson Li’s (MI ’22) award-winning paper “Mapping the health science librarianship research field in 2012-2022” was published in the December 2022 edition of the Journal of the Canadian Health Libraries Association. The paper won the JCHLA student paper prize in spring 2022. Full paper details can be viewed here: https://journals.library.ualberta.ca/jchla/index.php/jchla/article/view/29626

You’re Invited: 2023 Dalhousie-Horrocks National Leadership Lecture

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This event is virtual, free, and open to all. Please share throughout your networks.

The 2023 Dalhousie-Horrocks National Leadership Lecture

Rita Tjien Fooh
Director of the National Archives Suriname

Perspectives from the global south (Suriname) on archival repatriation: challenges and opportunities

Monday, February 13th, 2023
5:30pm (Atlantic Standard Time – AST)
Online (click here for more details)
RSVPs are required

Respondent (providing a brief interactive response to the lecture): Ir. Arjan Agema from the National Archives of the Netherlands

Endorsed by: Association of Canadian Archivists, International Council on Archives (Expert Group on Shared Archival Heritage), Library & Archives Canada, Nova Scotia Archives.

Abstract: Over the past five decades there has been a  growing consciousness  among archival institutions from the global south that the construction of their history and identity were based on the sources and narratives compiled by former colonial powers. The dominant storyline and perspectives in the archival sources were determined by the entity who held the power at that time. Access to these archival sources that are held in the repositories in Europe, USA , Canada and other countries are therefore of utmost importance for researchers and institutions in order to decolonize the archives . At the same time local acquisitions and recordings of oral history  are  important methods  for institutions to  control their own narratives and move beyond sources of the colonial archives.  In my presentation I will elaborate on the archival collaboration between the National Archives Suriname and the Netherlands, with a focus on the repatriation of colonial archives between 2010 and 2017 and the various projects both institutions undertook since then.  In addition, this lecture will also be centered around subjects linked to fostering archival collaboration with regional and international archival institutions and organisations, initiating conversations about best practices, and the role of archives in reparatory justice.  Lastly, in the age of repatriation of paper archives and digital collaboration, the global south is becoming increasingly dependent on hosting in the global north where different regulations apply with regard to open access, free reuse of archives, etc. How will this increasing sphere of influence of the global north affect the future of digital heritage?  

Speaker Bio: Rita Tjien Fooh is currently the Director of the National Archives Suriname. Since taking office as national archivist in 2010, she was involved in a seven year project (2010- 2017) for the repatriation of the colonial archives from the Netherlands to Suriname. This project is considered to be one of the large successful repatriation project on international level. She is member of the Foundation for the Historical Database Suriname and Curacao (HDSC) that was launched in 2018 after the successful implementation of the database of the enslaved people. Furthermore she serves in various national committees for the preservation of cultural heritage.

Mrs. Tjien Fooh is also actively involved in regional and international professional organizations. From 2015- 2019 she was  the President of the Caribbean Branch of the International Council on Archives (CARBICA).  During her CARBICA presidency she launched a three year project (2016- 2018) ‘Archives at Risk: Advocacy & Capacity building in the Caribbean’, a project funded by the International Council on Archives (ICA). In her capacity as CARBICA President she represented the Caribbean region in the Executive Board of the ICA.  Until recently (2021) Mrs. Tjien Fooh served the ICA in various roles. From 2015- 2017 she was the President of the UNESCO Memory of the World Program for the Latin American and Caribbean Region. Since January 2018 she was appointed by the Secretary General of the UNESCO, as a member of International Advisory Committee (IAC) of  the Memory of the World Programme of the UNESCO. Currently Mrs. Tjien Fooh is a part time lecturer at the History Department of the Anton de Kom University of Suriname. She is still actively involved in projects related to the preservation and safeguarding of the Caribbean cultural heritage.  In her role as co-chair of the Caribbean Heritage Emergency Network (CHEN) she is currently preparing a project to launch a Caribbean hub for Cultural Emergency response in 2023. Rita Tjien Fooh holds a Archivistiek A degree from the University of Amsterdam and a Master degree in Public Administration from the Erasmus University of Rotterdam.

Following the lecture, the Dalhousie-Horrocks National Leadership Fund will be presented to MI student, Maddie Hare. This Fund was established in 2007 to honour Dr. Norman Horrocks, OC, PhD, FCLIP (1927-2010) for his outstanding leadership in the field of librarianship in North America, Australia, and Europe. Over several decades Dr. Horrocks, former Director of the School of Information Management and Dean of the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University, pursued a distinguished career of very active involvement in professional associations in the United Kingdom, Cyprus, Australia, the United States, and Canada. His many contributions, for which he received local, national and international recognition, have advanced the field and the careers of countless individuals. The fund supports a scholarship and an associated lecture series through an endowment donated by the many former students, colleagues, friends and admirers of Norman Horrocks.

Respondent Bio: Ir. Arjan Agema is head of the Digitization department of the National Archives of the Netherlands and member of the management team. His team digitizes 1700 meters of archive every year. He is also responsible for the International Heritage Cooperation-program which emphasizes cooperation, exchange of (digital) collections and capacity building with a number of priority countries with special relations with the Netherlands. Since 2015 he is president of the board of Archives Portal Europe Foundation and he is a member of the ICA Expert group on shared archival heritage (EGSAH). Being educated as a non-western rural sociologist, Agema has work in development cooperation, and has had several leading positions in museums and archival institutions.

Diverse Career Paths: An Ottawa Alumni Gathering

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Edited by: Toni Beaton (First-Year MI Student)

Content Provided by: Dr. Bertrum MacDonald

The graduate programs offered by the School of Information Management are noted for encouraging students to “keep their options open” for career paths. Why? Because information facilitates the operation of every organization and managing information is essential for efficient and effective administration. As Dr. Fiona Black, former Director of the School, has said: “information managers are taking over the world!”

Diverse career paths were clearly evident among the grads who attended the alumni gathering at the Sir John A Pub on Elgin Street in Ottawa on a cold fall evening on 16 November 2022. From Acting CEO of a national museum, to Communication and Engagement Manager of a senior medical researcher’s office and lab, to Research Data and Information Managers in government departments, to Head of Intelligence in a national organization, to new owner of an IM company, the diversity of career paths was evident in the conversations. Dalhousie grads enjoyed getting together to network, catching up, and learning about new projects and career directions.

Faculty also enjoyed meeting with grads. Dr. Bertrum MacDonald, long-time faculty member, was in Ottawa attending the Canadian Science Policy conference and welcomed the opportunity to update grads about developments at the School. Alumni are encouraged to keep in touch with the School and to watch for future grad events in their area.

Job Posting: Two Limited-Term Faculty in SIM

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SIM invites applications for the following faculty positions:

Please share!

Inquiries may be directed to Philippe Mongeon, Chair of the Search committee (care of sim@dal.ca). Applications must be submitted through PeopleAdmin.

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