UBC Library offers work experiences to undergraduate and graduate students in a variety of roles, from book shelving to assisting with reference questions, conducting assessments of library web resources, and helping with collection development projects.
Roxanne Kalenborn, a current graduate student in the UBC Master of Library and Information Studies (MLIS) degree program, has held many positions at the Vancouver campus of UBC Library since 2015 including:
- Graduate Assistant with the Small Business Accelerator Program
- Student Reference Librarian with the David Lam Management Research Library and AskAway
- Digitization Assistant with the Digitization Centre
Roxanne also has the distinction of being an inaugural winner of the 2016 Tremaine Arkley Croquet Collection Prize.
We spoke to Roxanne about her experiences working with various library departments and her advice for students interested in roles with UBC Library.
What was the most interesting part of your roles with UBC Library?
Coming from an undergraduate background in History and now as a graduate student in Library and Information Studies, my experience with academic research thus far had been mostly limited to those subjects. During my work as a Student Reference Librarian, I gained exposure to other academic disciplines through the questions patrons would ask. I particularly liked the questions I got at the David Lam Library concerning marketing trends and product research.
What has surprised you most about the Library?
Before I worked for the Library, I had no idea just how many services and resources are available beyond books, movies, and electronic resources. I think it is really neat that students can check out everything from headphones to Arduino boards and even iPhone chargers. It shows that libraries can provide so much more to patrons than traditional materials, in a way that serves modern students’ needs.
Of the Library’s six aspirational values, which one most describes your experiences as a student employee and why?
One of the best parts of having a variety of roles within the UBC Library system was gaining experience in many different departments. This was great because these roles suited both parts of my personality and work style. Being an extroverted introvert, I’ve enjoyed positions like providing reference, where I get to interact with students and know that I helped someone that day.
On the other hand, in the positions where I digitize materials and write online content, I love getting to dig into a project and feel ownership over it. In all of these positions I have felt supported by my supervisors and coworkers, which I think speaks to the library’s aspirational value of community.
How will your work experiences help your career? Has it influenced the direction of your career or specialization of your work?
I came to graduate school from a background working in history museums. My goal in earning a MLIS degree was to gain skills and experience in the digitization of special collections. Working at the Digitization Centre has only affirmed that I made the right choice to come to UBC for my career path. However, as I got my positions with the Small Business Accelerator Program and the David Lam Library, I was pleasantly surprised to find out how much I enjoy business librarianship and providing reference, and I like the thought of helping someone start their own business. It has inspired me to think about possibly launching my own business where I can work with institutions like libraries or museums to provide historical research content to their exhibits or publications.
What advice would you give to other UBC students interested in working for the Library?
I would tell other UBC students interested in working for the Library to be open to trying jobs in a variety of departments. I came into graduate school completely focused on a digitization path, but based on my positive experiences with reference and business librarianship, I now feel that I would be really happy working in one of these capacities after I graduate, which I would not have discovered if I hadn’t branched out.
