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News from the Department of Information Science (formerly SIM)

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Catherine McGoveran named recipient of the CLA Emerging Leader Award 2015

SIM alumna Catherine McGoveran has been named the recipient of the 2015 Canadian Library Association Emerging Leader Award.  From the official press release:

“[Catherine] is able to bring people together, seeks collaboration inside and outside the profession and is passionate about government information. She’s a model for young professionals and an inspiration for us all.” – Ingrid Moisil, University of Ottawa Library

For those of us lucky enough to have taught Catherine, this comes as no surprise. On behalf of my colleagues at SIM, I would like to extend our congratulations to Catherine.  

Read more about Catherine here.

MLIS Student Chosen for Prestigious Library of Congress Residency

SIM congratulates Valerie Collins (MLIS 2015), who has been selected by the Library of Congress, in conjunction with the Institute of Museum and Library Services, to the 2015 class of the prestigious National Digital Stewardship Residency (NDSR) program in Washington, DC.

As the NDSR website states: “Residents of the NDSR program have the opportunity to develop, apply, and advance their digital stewardship knowledge and skills in real-world settings…attend a series of invited guest lectures, present and discuss their work regularly, and actively participate in the collaborative educational community established by the residency program. Residents also have the opportunity to present their project work to a national audience at a professional conference.”

Valerie underwent a rigorous application, selection, and interview process in order to be named one of the five residents for 2015-2016. She will be resident at the American Institute of Architects to co-lead testing and implementation of an institutional digital repository system to preserve born-digital records that represent AIA’s intellectual capital or that have permanent value for the history of the architectural profession.

The formal press announcement can be found here: http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2015/15-057.html.

Digital Stewardship, the act of acquiring, selecting, managing, preserving, and providing access to digital information, is an important and growing area in LIS and we congratulate Valerie on her new role advancing this area.

Job posting: Sacred Heart School

Sacred Heart School of Halifax is a member of the international Network of Sacred Heart Schools and one of Canada’s top Catholic and independent schools (JP to Grade 6 coed, Grades 7-12 single-sex). SHSH invites applications for the following position for the 2015-2016 Academic Year:

LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SERVICES MANAGER

Reporting directly to our Principals, we are seeking a dynamic, forward thinking professional trained in library and information services who loves working with children and young adults, encouraging students to be independent, lifelong learners and producers of ideas and information. The school library serves the whole school, promoting reading and research as foundational skills for learning, personal growth, social awareness, inspiration and enjoyment. At Sacred Heart School of Halifax, library and information services are best supported by a proactive librarian/manager who has a deep respect for intellectual development and creates an atmosphere of wise freedom. All members of the Sacred Heart school community understand that the five Goals and Criteria of Sacred Heart education are our guide. The Library will be a unifying place on the campus where the Library and Information Services Manager fosters collaboration among members of the community.

Responsibilities include:

  • Development and maintenance of the collection (including electronic resources) based on the interests and needs of the students, faculty and community;
  • Maintain the Library database;
  • Develop and communicate age-appropriate online resources;
  • Collaboration with faculty on curriculum development: o Offer faculty suggestions for interdisciplinary curriculum connections; o Support classroom teachers with exciting projects and presentations;
  • Teaching students how to use the Library, and research skills, i.e., development of information literacy skills;  Promotion and coordination of library services and special events.

Position requirements:

  • Professional Librarian with a Degree in Library and Information Services, or equivalent;
  • Experience in a school setting is desirable;
  • Familiarity with appropriate technologies;
  • Facility with French as well as English is desirable;
  • Experience with 21st century learning and teaching, i.e.: o Instruction that addresses multiple literacies, including information and media literacy; o Modeling an inquiry-based approach to learning and the information search process;  A desire for ongoing professional development in school library services.

A letter of application should be submitted with the resume and references by

May 4, 2015 to Emily Cainen at

Sacred Heart School of Halifax, 5820 Spring Garden Road, Halifax, NS B3H 1X8, ecainen@shsh.ca.

We thank all applicants, and regret that only those short-listed will be contacted.

Fax: (902) 423-7691 Phone: (902) 422-4459

Visit us on the web at www.shsh.ca

A Catholic independent school welcoming families of diverse religious traditions,

Sacred Heart School of Halifax stimulates young minds and fosters a lifelong love of learning.

Part-Time Research Project Coordinator (Student Job)

Dr. Brenda Sabo is seeking to recruit a Project Coordinator for an 18 month contract on an NSHRF funded scoping review project.

Hours may vary but will be approximately 15-20 hours per week over 24 months.

Salary: $20 per hour plus vacation pay/benefits
Closing Date: 16:00, Friday April 17, 2015

Start Date: May 1, 2015

End Date: April 30, 2017

POSITION SUMMARY: The Project Coordinator will carry out administrative functions, participate in all aspects of the scoping review and assist with knowledge translation/dissemination activities.  This will include the writing of final report as well as grant submission (Translating Research into Care grant).

QUALIFICATIONS:

Professionalism and good interpersonal skills, ability to interact well with research participants

Demonstrated initiative required

Self-motivated and ability to work independently

Maturity, flexibility, good judgment and strong problem-solving skills
Strong organizational and communication skills
Capacity to work effectively independently and as a member of a research team

Master’s degree (or in progress) in health related field

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE:

Research coordination

REB applications

Literature searches

Scoping review

Manuscript writing

Grant writing

Knowledge translation/dissemination

Please apply by email with cover letter and resume to Julie.barry@dal.ca by 16:00, Friday April 17, 2015.

SIM and SPA poster sessions.

SIM students showcased their research projects at a joint SIM / School of Public Administration public poster session on April 1st.  Students in the Research Methods course work individually or in groups to identify a topic of interest, conduct a literature review, propose original research, obtain ethics approval, collect data, analyze data, answer research questions, and present their work in three different formats.  This semester-long project helps build evaluation & assessment skills, academic research abilities, presentation skills, and of course collaboration and project management experience.

The projects were as diverse as information management itself, covering various uses and contexts of information.  Topics included public librarians’ perspectives on whether library catalogs should be included in Google search results; how social media protests translate into real-world action; an assessment of intern experiences including the relative value of practical experience versus wages; an examination of how non-technical people define privacy and security in the context of cloud computing; how Canadians assess their own levels of data literacy with regard to Open Data, and their views on the general move to open data; how the Myers-Briggs personality types of MLIS students relate to expected or desired careers; how theoretical information behavior models compare to actual information seeking in religious communities; how police departments in Atlantic Canada use social media to share and engage with information; and how undergraduate students assess the quality of open-access journals.

Students shared their research with guests from across the Faculty and the University.  Dr. Mike Smit teaches the SIM Research Methods course, and thought the poster session was successful. “I was incredibly impressed with the general quality of the posters, and the ability of the students to speak confidently and enthusiastically about their work. I am confident our students will graduate not just with valuable knowledge and experience, but with the tools and abilities to generate new knowledge.”

See photographs of the event here

 

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