UBC Master of Archival Studies/ Master of Library Information Studies Student
During the summer of 2018, I had the opportunity to work as the Chief Historical Interpreter at the Murney Tower Museum (Kingston, Ontario). The Tower is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the oldest museum in Kingston. Some of my responsibilities included supervising interpreters, arranging and providing visitors with guided tours, and working closely with the curator to manage museum operations and collections.
In my role as Chief Historical Interpreter, I worked with fellow staff members to conduct a complete inventory of the Murney Tower Museum collection. Through the creation of a master Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and the careful handling, photographing, and re-packaging of artifacts, we were able to ensure the accountability and proper preservation of the collection at both on and offsite museum storage locations.
As the Chief Historical Interpreter at the Murney Tower Museum, I was given the opportunity to assist the Museum Curator with the 2018 exhibition renewal. I was given an independent project of researching curator-approved and museum-related topics of my choice. The project also entailed generating the text, selecting the images, and creating a digital draft of a panel to be included in the renewal. This project enabled me to expand and utilize my research, design, and collaboration skills.
For an assignment at the iSchool@UBC for LIBR 506: Human Information Interaction, I acted as an information intermediary in the search process for a classmate. In completing this assignment, I was able to draw on skills learned in previous class lectures regarding the reference interview and the use of various information resources and tools, such as the UBC LibGuides and Summon and backward and forward chaining.
In my role as Chief Historical Interpreter at Murney Tower Museum, one of my responsibilities was to create a social media plan for the museum. I was also in charge of running the museum's social media platforms, which included, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Google My Business.
In July 2018, I participated in a social media workshop in Kingston, Ontario hosted by KEDCO and Jennifer Baker Consulting. I attended the workshop as the Chief Historical Interpreter of the Murney Tower Museum. The museum is a small, non-for-profit historical site. Social media plays a key role in it's marketing. One of my responsibilities was to create a social media plan and run the museum social media accounts. Tips and strategies from this workshop have been beneficial to the museum.
For a group term project at the iSchool@UBC, I collaborated with Elizabeth Bassett and Rachel Wertheim to design an adult colouring program for Vancouver Public Library to promote relaxation, well-being, and contemplation. We created a colouring book as well to be used either in conjunction with the program or separately. Both were designed with the goal to help users cope with information overload.
As part of a class assignment during the Winter 2018 term at the iSchool@UBC, I created a topic briefing addressing the enhancement of information literacy education at Southview Public School (Kingston, Ontario) and the re-establishment of the teacher-librarian. The position was eliminated from not only Southview P.S. and across Kingston’s Limestone District School Board, but also from a vast number of school libraries across Canada. This briefing advocates for this national issue.
In March 2018 I acted as a seminar facilitator for an hour long group seminar on Personal Information Management: Tools, Practices, and Overload. Everyday we are encountering all forms of information at an increasingly accelerated rate and from a multitude of outlets. This seminar addressed the issues, benefits, and potential coping mechanisms that arise from information overload.
Through my work with the Kingston Association of Museums, Art Galleries, and Historic Sites (KAM), I was commissioned to create illustrations of their member institutions that are used as colouring sheets at association events. The commission increased public awareness of member institutions and participation at events. Due to their popularity, the sheets are being made into a colouring booklet.