The image for the post was created by myself using Canva, a free and accessible online tool, which highlights my ability to create high quality, original content with low-cost digital design tools. My role with the Town of Oliver involved the creation of daily social media content to inform & engage citizens of the community, ensuring key updates involving Town matters reached residents. This experience directly translates into library work, where social media is essential for promoting library programming, resources & events. With more communication & connection happening taking place in the online sphere, navigating online platforms effectively is a crucial skill for workers connecting with the greater community. I’ve developed these skills hrough hands-on experience with content creation, scheduling, and strategic social media management, which is highly relevant for libraries that rely on similar digital tools for communication. 

In addition to content creation, I was responsible for communicating with a wide audience. Creating social media posts required me to craft messages that were both engaging and informative, ensuring that they were impactful with the community while maintaining a professional, uniform tone. This directly aligns with UFV’s ILO of fostering strong Effective Communication skills in graduates. Managing the Town of Oliver’s social media involved ensuring that messaging was timely, accurate, and beneficial to the public, much like the work that libraries do to connect with their patrons. Libraries rely on clear, neutral communication to share updates, promote services, and engage with their communities. The ability to communicate effectively through both written and visual content is crucial in both local government and library workplace settings. 

Additionally, I used Hootsuite to schedule posts across multiple platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter), ensuring a consistent and organized online presence. This skill is just as important for libraries, where maintaining an active and well-curated social media presence helps keep the community informed & engaged. 

Beyond social media, I regularly used Microsoft Outlook, Word, and Excel for communication, document creation, and data organization. These tools may also be used in library work, potentially supporting administrative tasks like scheduling, reporting, & managing records. 

The Canadian Federation of Library Associations Guidelines for the Education of Library Technicians emphasize that technology skills are a key expectation for professionals in the field (Canadian Federation of Library Associations, 2011). My experience in digital content creation, social media management, & technological tools aligns directly with these guidelines. I am very excited to apply these skills in a library setting, where technological literacy and effective communication are essential for promoting programming, engaging with patrons, and fostering a connected community. 

References 

Canadian Federation of Library Associations. (2011). Guidelines for the education of library technicians. https://cfla-fcab.ca/en/guidelines-for-the-education-of-library-technicians/ 

Town of Oliver. (2023). Townofoliverbc, Instagram account.  https://www.instagram.com/townofoliverbc/ 

Through this activity, I developed a foundation of understanding of how Integrated Library Systems support circulation &acquisitions in libraries. Using Evergreen, I practiced creating purchase orders & navigating the system interface, skills that are applicable to certain circulation tasks such as managing patron records, placing holds, and processing checkouts & returns. Gaining some initial familiarity with an ILS helped me to understand the importance of accurate data entry, organization, and system navigation in everyday library operations.

Completing this assignment also supported the development of my Information Competency, one of the Institutional Learning Outcomes at the University of the Fraser Valley. I applied technology effectively to gather, input, and manage data related to library materials. These skills that are essential in ibrary workplaces.

Additionally, this experience helped me better understand the interconnectedness of library services and how circulation is the backbone of providing access to information to all patrons.

The booklist aimed to support recreational reading habits and strengthen connections between children and their local library’s resources.

This artifact demonstrates Programming, Community Engagement, and Outreach by highlighting the role of library initiatives in supporting youth literacy. Booklists serve as an essential outreach tool, guiding children and caregivers toward quality reading experiences while encouraging continued engagement with the library. The project also reflects an understanding of reader’s advisory, ensuring that the selections were appealing, diverse, and accessible.

This project aligns with UFV’s Institutional Learning Outcome "Communicate effectively", as it required communication through an engaging and informative booklist that would resonate with a young audience and their caregivers. Effective communication through reader’s advisory materials is essential for promoting library services & encouraging lifelong reading.

This artifact demonstrates competency in Library Management and Supervision by applying key principles of leadership & employee development to complete a collaborative exercise. The process of crafting a performance management plan required research of workplace policies, professional development strategies, and professional communication. By working as a group to find the best way to address an employee’s successes & challenges and set measurable goals, we practiced using a common workplace tool (Performance Management Plan) for managing staff effectively while maintaining supportive work environment.

In terms of UFV's Institutional Learning Outcomes, this assignment demonstrated "Engage in collaborative leadership" as it involved working as a team to develop a management strategy, requiring cooperation & shared leadership. We contributed our different perspectives to create a well-rounded plan, practicing real world dynamics as they would relate to a library workplace.

This artifact aligns with the Cataloguing competency, as it demonstrates my ability to apply cataloguing standards to accurately describe & classify different library materials. The exercise required attention to detail and knowledge of cataloguing practices to ensure that records were both comprehensive and searchable.

Additionally, this artifact reflects UFV’s Institutional Learning Outcome: "Use knowledge and skills proficiently".

By working with this metadata, I demonstrated my ability to organize & structure information in a way that enhances accessibility for library users. Understanding metadata & cataloguing standards is important for making resources discoverable, ensuring that library collections remain usable and well organized.

This artifact demonstrates Workplace Skills by requiring clear and professional communication, the ability to apply policies effectively, and problem-solving in a real-world context. Writing a challenge response may be an uncomfortable responsibility for library professionals, who need to navigate sensitive situations while maintaining their overall neutrality & professionalism. By crafting a well-reasoned & policy-based response, this assignment made use of my professional writing skills to handle difficult conversations in a way that promotes understanding & trust between the library and its patrons.

This assignment aligns with UFV’s Institutional Learning Outcome, "Communicate Effectively", as it required the ability to address concerns in a clear, respectful, and persuasive manner. Ensuring that the response was accessible and professional while upholding library principles demonstrates the importance of strong written communication skills in a public service role.

This artifact demonstrates my proficiency in Acquisitions & Collections by applying fundamental principles of material selection, acquisitions, and budgeting. It highlights the ability to evaluate materials based on collection needs, patron demand, and professional selection criteria. It also demonstrates competency in using library software, a key technical skill for managing library collections effectively.

This project aligns with UFV’s Institutional Learning Outcome of "Initiating inquiries and developing solutions to problems", as it required analyzing the library’s collection needs and proposing materials that would enhance its catalogue. By selecting items thoughtfully and justifying my choices, I engaged in strategic decision-making, an important skill for library professionals managing acquisitions and budget constraints.

This artifact demonstrates my Technological Literacy, which is an increasingly relevant skill in modern libraries. Many libraries manage websites, online catalogs, and digital resources, making it essential to have a basic understanding web development. By building a functioning site, I gained firsthand experience in structuring digital content, a skill that can be useful in maintaining library websites or assisting patrons with their own journeys in digital literacy.

This project aligns with UFV’s Institutional Learning Outcome of "Using Knowledge and Skills Proficiently", as it required the direct application of newly acquired technical skills. Through hands-on practice, I was able to translate coding concepts into a tangible result, showing my ability to learn and implement digital tools effectively.

This digital portfolio was created to highlight some notable skills I've built during the program, as well as through work experience.

Thank you for taking the time to view my portfolio, and please reach out to me via e-mail at emily.rock@student.ufv.ca if you have any questions or comments.

“Wisdom is not bestowed. In its raw state, it is the heartbreak of knowing things you wish you didn’t.”

This is a quote from 18 year old Daunis Fontaine, who happens to be the main character in Firekeeper’s Daughter. Daunis’ character is steeped in duality and the unrelenting frustration that comes with never feeling fully embraced by either side. She’s half Ojibwe on her father’s Firekeeper side, and half French / Italian on her mother’s Fontaine side. She is the daughter of a couple whose union resulted in scandal – to the extent that her white grandparents omitted her Ojibwe father’s name from the birth certificate. Because of this omission, Daunis unfortunately loses out on enrollment in her tribe, resulting in the deep wounds that come with loss of cultural identity and belonging as well as missed opportunities which are afforded to her peers that do have tribal status. Despite all this, Daunis displays astounding resilience and carves out a significant place for herself within her tribal community by participating in tradition, learning language, and forming strong bonds with her Elders.

Just as Daunis is beginning to set out on her journey studying medicine, she is abruptly thrown into an intricately woven whirlwind of intense loss, an FBI investigation, ann underground meth ring that plagues young and old alike within her community, and complex (that’s a huge understatement) feelings towards the new guy in town - a hockey star named Jamie with a mysterious aura. Firekeeper’s Daughter has a little bit of everything for everyone and doesn’t tether itself to any single genre – it has adventure, mystery, romance, tragedy, and bits of comedic relief... this is a fast-paced, “just one more chapter” type of page turner dealing with some heavy subject matter that may have readers forgetting they picked up a Young Adult novel. The writer, Angeline Boulley, writes with such authenticity that readers share in Daunis’ joy as well as her pain, almost as if she were a real person. I would strongly recommend Firekeeper’s Daughter to anybody who delights in powerful, character-driven subject matter. This novel is well-deserving of its status as a New York Times bestseller as well as multiple accolades & awards, and is set to be adapted into a Netflix TV series through the production company owned by Michelle and Barack Obama."

For LIBT 235: Library Services for Young Adults, I developed a booktalk for Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley. This novel, written by an Indigenous author, explores themes of identity, resilience, and community while incorporating Anishinaabe cultural knowledge and traditions. The book talk was designed to engage readers, spark discussion, and highlight the significance of Indigenous voices in literature.

This artifact demonstrates Programming, Community Engagement, and Outreach by promoting diverse & representative storytelling within library programming. Booktalks serve as a strong way to encourage readership, discussions around cultural identity, and introduce audiences to works that reflect differing perspectives and experiences. By creating this book talk, I contributed to reader’s advisory efforts and supported the inclusion of Indigenous literature in library programming.

This project aligns with UFV’s Institutional Learning Outcome of "Contribute regionally and globally", as it required an understanding of the novel’s specific cultural & regional context and themes. By highlighting Anishinaabe traditions and perspectives through the book talk, I helped promote Indigenous storytelling and the importance of authentic representation in library collections., as it required an understanding of the novel’s cultural context and themes.

This artifact demonstrates my competency in Cataloguing by providing a theoretical and practical introduction to key cataloguing concepts. By completing this course, I gained an introductory understanding of how metadata & classification systems shape the practice of information retrieval in libraries. This foundational knowledge supported my later coursework in cataloguing & reinforced the importance of consistent and standardized records in library collections.

This course aligns with UFV’s Institutional Learning Outcome of "Contribute regionally and globally", as it provided the fundamental cataloguing knowledge needed to navigate and contribute to library classification systems. Understanding cataloguing basics is essential for ensuring accurate resource description & accessibility, directly impacting how patrons interact with library collections.

The course emphasizes genuine engagement & curiosity with patrons to ensure they find exactly what they're looking for, as well as proactive communication, and creating memorable staff - patron experiences that create a sense of community and trust. The course draws inspiration from the practices of staff working at the Darien Library in Connecticut, a location that is well-known for its commitment to exceptional customer service. ​

My completion of Extreme Customer Service, Every Time provided practical foundational strategies to enhance staff - patron interactions. I learned the importance of anticipating patron needs, personalizing reference services, and establishing an environment of hospitality. By implementing these techniques in a library setting, I can contribute to a community atmosphere where patrons feel valued & are much more likely to engage with library resources and programs.​

This artifact demonstrates Workplace Skills competency by strengthening my ability to deliver exceptional customer service, which is a critical aspect of library operations, especially within public libraries. The course equipped me with tools to effectively communicate, problem-solve, and adapt to diverse patron needs, all of which are essential skills for anybody working in libraries.

The course aligns with UFV’s Institutional Learning Outcome of "Engage in respectful and professional practices". By emphasizing personalized and empathetic service, the course prepares future library professionals to interact respectfully & effectively with patrons from diverse cultural backgrounds. Understanding and addressing the unique needs of a multicultural community enhances inclusivity and ensures equitable access to library services.​

This activity offered a valuable opportunity to experience a Reference Interview through both the perspective of the information seeker (patron who may have a specific resource or type of resource in mind, but is unable to express it in their initial query), as well as the library professional who must use their reference interview skills in conjunction with their research skills to connect their patron with their desired information.

The attached Report detailing the results of our role-play describes our results is evidence of an introductory proficiency in Reference. This artifact meets UFV's Institutional Learning Incomes of 'Communicate Effectively' and 'Lead Collaboratively' by participating in a group activity which was successful due to our group members timely communication & planning as well as our equally strong collaborative efforts.

This artifact demonstrates Library Management and Supervision by addressing an issue that directly affects library staff retention, their productivity, and overall wellbeing. Understanding workplace burnout is important for future library managers and supervisors, as it shows a clear need for supportive policies, workload management, & the implementation of staff mental health initiatives.

Through the completion of this assignment, I met two of UFV's Institutional Learning Outcomes:

The first, "Demonstrate information competency", due to the fact that this project required gathering, evaluating, and referencing academic research. By assessing sources critically to ensure credibility & applying research findings to a library-specific context, I demonstrated the ability to locate and use credible information effectively, key parts of information competency.

Additionally, the assignment meets the ILO "Engage in respectful and professional practices" as workplace burnout is a sensitive topic, and presenting research on it required an understanding of professional ethics & workplace dynamics. The poster I created aimed to promote respectful discussion about staff well-being and the role of library management in having a healthy & supportive work environment.

My Collections & Technical Services Skills Portfolio consists of a table highlighting relevant skills built during LIBT 120, as well as descriptions of their accompanying artifacts which can be viewed in the post below.

Here are just a few of the skills described in my portfolio, all of which demonstrate competency in Acquisitions & Collections:

• Hands-on practice with Evergreen ILS in searching for derived cataloguing copy, verification of cataloguing information, and records editing

• Ability to order, purchase, & receive items through the utilization of the Acquisitions Module of Evergreen ILS

• Ability to perform collections maintenance, as well as deselection processes

This artifact also meets UFV's Institutional Learning Outcome of "Use knowledge and skills proficiently
" by applying learning through LIBT 120 course materials, as well as practical exercises involving the Evergreen ILS, to demonstrate proficiency in Acquisitions & Collections.

This artifact aligns with the UFV Institutional Learning Outcome of "Analyze critically & imaginatively". The process of evaluating and annotating several academic sources strengthened my ability to assess information critically and make informed decisions, which are skills that are crucial for library work.

This artifact reflects my growth in research & information literacy, as well as my recognition of the importance of equitable access to information in creating an informed community.

An important part of collection maintenance is Weeding, also known as deselection. This practice ensures collections are retaining the highest quality & most relevant materials, and to create shelf space for new items. While most libraries will have their own specific standards for weeding, the general principles for weeding that were taught in this course provide a strong introduction to the practice.

Examining circulation statistics to see which items are not being regularly used by patrons, checking for duplicate items, and replacing items that are no longer worth mending are all helpful ways library staff can tackle this difficult task.

Completion of this webinar allowed me to meet UFV's Institutional Learning Outcome of "Use knowledge and skills proficiently". The introductory knowledge I gained here will be directly applicable in building skills to perform Weeding / deselection in a way that corresponds with library practices.