Introduction

Hello!

My name is Jessica, and I am of Cree and Scottish descent from Saskatchewan, Canada. I have recently been accepted into the University Librarianship with the University of Saskatchewan, where I will begin a 3 year internship into the depths of the Library World.

I earned a Bachelor of Arts in Geography at the First Nations University of Canada, and have worked with Aboriginal Youth on Leadership Development for a few years before I started a second degree in Human Justice. It is where I landed an excellent internship placement with a Domestic Violence Early Intervention Program. Not long before that, I took up a choice between travel and a position at the Regina Public Library's Albert Branch, located in the inner city neighborhood, North Central. I chose to pursue a career in the public library system. RPL is where I delivered reference and readers advisory, pre-school story times and Aboriginal-based programming.

After a brief break to pursue my passion in puppetry with a small collective of arts through the La Luna Iskwew Puppetry Troupe, I returned to the library world to expand my skills, knowledge in an academic library setting with the University of Saskatchewan's Aboriginal Internship program, where I will participate in a variety of library functions through a survey of placements as well as support to complete an MLIS, which will be through the University at Buffalo set to commence in January 2015. 

My passion is leadership in libraries with a particular focus on enhancing library services in First Nations communities and collections. I am very fortunate to have gained an invaluable experience for over 7 years with the Regina Public Library and now the opportunity to experience survey placements within the University of Saskatchewan's University Library system.

I will be providing this blog as a means to document my experiences, capture my thoughts and ideas, as well as to organize my knowledge and skills as I participate in this exciting library experience!

My hope to is to step into a leadership role within First Nations communities and collective knowledge and provide excellent library services.

More Information:

Regina Public Library
Library Services for Saskatchewan Aboriginal Peoples
Domestic Violence Early Intervention Program
La Luna Iskwew Puppetry
University of Saskatchewan: University Library
University at Buffalo - Graduate School of Education (MLIS)
First Nations, Metis and Inuit Library Collections in Canada