LIS 590 Practicum
Opportunities for Workplace Experiences, 2008-2009
(listings are tentative and subject to confirmation with the site)
Archives
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Provincial Archives of Alberta
We could provide future practicum opportunities in the following areas: archival arrangement and
description; library material cataloguing; disaster planning; facility programming (including exhibit
planning and special events); and, select special archivist projects.
Records Management
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ATCO Gas, Records Management Department
Interest in records management in a corporate setting. The practicum will include all aspects of records
management, and the student will spend time with the Supervisor and clerks at all levels. The student
will gain some familiarity and experience with our records management software. Winter 2009.
Edmonton Public Library
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Centre for Reading and the Arts Division, CRA, Stanley A. Milner Library
Mentoring a practicum student who wants varied experience in a large downtown public library.
Collection Management & Access, Stanley A. Milner Library
Interest in acquisitions and selection services in public libraries.
Information Services Division, Stanley A. Milner Library
Combination of reference service training and experience (mainly adult clientele) and a specific project.
Practicums could be tailored to match interests in genealogy, business, science, government information,
health, other languages, or magazines/newspapers. Students should have good customer service skills
and a genuine interest in public libraries; reference experience, either in a public or academic setting,
preferred but not a requirement.
Information Technology and Virtual Services Division, Stanley A. Milner Library
Technical, that is, web and IT practicum.
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Youth Services Division, Stanley A. Milner Library
Interest in working with children and/or teens in a public library, particularly those students who are
considering this for a career choice. Strong preference for winter term.
Londonderry Branch Library
Interest in public library work, with focus on services either to children/youth or to adults. Good
customer service skills essential. Approximately half of practicum to be spent on the reference desk;
remainder to focus on training and completion of specific project(s). Preference for winter term.
Mill Woods Branch Library
Very busy and interesting branch providing significant multicultural collection and services to large
immigrant population, very active as a community partner trying to assist new immigrants in locating
support services, English language and computer literacy, finding employment, etc. Interest in public
library work, with focus on services either to children/youth or to adults. Good customer service skills
essential. Approximately half of practicum to be spent on the reference desk; remainder to focus on
training and completion of specific project(s). Winter term only.
Strathcona Branch Library
Genuine interest in public library work and good customer service skills essential. Some experience
with reference service is preferred. Experience with / interest in bibliographic instruction, training,
programming and/or children’s services an asset. Approximately half of practicum to be spent on the
reference desk; remainder to focus on training and completion of specific project(s). Preference for
winter term.
Whitemud Crossing Branch Library
Adult services or youth services. Interest in the service area and quality people skills. Placement would
involve about half of the student's time doing direct reference and readers' advisory services, either on
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our Ask Us Desk (for an adult placement) or on the Kids' Desk (for a youth placement). We're quite
open in terms of arrangements. Students interested in youth services should have experience with
children or children’s literature, and be absolutely comfortable connecting with kids. We're able to take
up to two students at a time — one in adult services and one in youth services.
Other Public Libraries
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Fort Saskatchewan Public Library
We would be happy to have a student if anyone is able to drive here. Practicum would be a combination
of a project (probably collection development), outreach work, and possibly a staff development
component.
St. Albert Public Library
Young Adult/Children’s and Adult Services. We are looking for someone with interests in public
service reference and reader’s advisory as well as programming and collection development. Up to half
of the time would be spent on a reference desk, but we are flexible in terms of arrangements.
Strathcona County Library
Adult, youth, bookmobile or technical services or a combination; insight into the workings of a medium
sized library and the relationship of a library to its community and Board; a substantial portion of the
time, perhaps up to 50% if that suits the student, on public services desks, which serve all ages and
handle a wide range of questions including AAQ questions; experience with collections, programming,
outreach, cataloguing, facility planning, or special interest projects; possible participation on our Teen
Services Taskforce; possible user survey; flexible and accommodating arrangements to meet student
interests. “Let interested students know due to the nature of the community, comfort in helping with
children is important unless the student's focus is entirely on tech services. It’s a great place to work and
has as much diversity in terms of public service as any student could wish for!”
University of Alberta Libraries
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Bibliographic Services
Two possible areas: acquisitions and selection services in a large academic library; or, collection-related
assessment projects, focusing on electronic journals or e-books, that will assist collection librarians in
their decision-making by gathering, analyzing, and summarizing data in areas that affect the University
of Alberta Libraries' collection.
Bruce Peel Special Collections Library
The Bruce Peel Special Collections Library has an opportunity for a practicum student to prepare an
online exhibit of special collections material. The project will give the student experience with
curatorial duties, which will consist of scanning the material, researching the scope and import of the
collection, writing an introductory essay, and preparing an online exhibit. The software to display the
exhibit is already developed, which will free the student from technical work outside of the scanning
activities. The student will also be introduced to other aspects of rare book librarianship, including
reference work and bibliographic research
Education Library
If someone is interested in Education, we can explore the possibility.
Government Documents, HSS Library
Updating pathfinders for provincial, national, and international government documents; online research
to locate “grey literature” for the collection; assisting with the re-organization of the U.S. Government
Printing Office microfiche collection. Winter term.
Humanities and Social Sciences Library, HSS
Academic reference interest, various areas of project interest. Winter term.
John W. Scott Health Sciences Library
Will accept student(s) interested in health sciences dependent on satisfactory exploratory meeting with
staff librarians to ensure that the experience will be successful for all involved. Will offer a variety of
experiences in the various areas of work. Supervision is usually shared between two librarians with
different areas of expertise, and every effort is made to provide the student with a variety of experience
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in the different areas of work. We do require an initial interview to ensure that the practicum will be of
real benefit to all involved, and I would note that the commitment to the practicum, and the timing of the
student's work hours here, must take precedence over any paid work or other commitments. Winter term
only.
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Library Administration / Assessment
Work on a specific assessment project, which may include one of: usability testing, digital library
assessment, information literacy assessment. Project will include experience in research design, ethics
approval, data collection, and analysis. Interested student should have a strong interest in academic
libraries and service assessment as a method of understanding library impact.
Music Library
Possible practicum projects include: collection assessment and development for a particular subject area
or repertoire, development of specific subject web pages for the Music Library website, organization and
selection of gift materials, or cataloguing of LP recordings. Some public desk experience is also
possible (i.e. circulation, references, reserves, etc. all at one desk.) A strong music background is
essential for most of these activities.
Science and Technology Library
Experience gained would experiencing providing public service from an integrated service desk in an
information commons environment, and a practical project, which could be in collections, service
support, instruction or another area of mutual interest to be explored with the student. Winter term only.
Winspear Business Library
The practicum would provide academic reference experience and project experience for a specific
subject area. The project envisioned is developing resource discovery tools for undergraduates such as
Camtasia tutorials, contributing to a business information FAQ, web based subject guides etc. Winter
term.
Other Post-Secondary Libraries
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Concordia University College of Alberta Library
Opportunities to be involved with collection development, to provide front-line information service, to
get to know all aspects of a small academic library operation. Projects can be developed in consultation
with the student and centre around specific areas of interest and aptitude.
Grant MacEwan College, Centre for the Arts Campus, Learning Resources Centre
Background in music and a cataloguing course needed, cataloguing experience an asset. Assign subject
heading to the music CD collection. Side projects include updating/creating pathfinders, collection
development, weeding, and if the student is interested, observing some BI sessions and shadowing
reference desk staff at the City Centre Campus.
—— City Centre Campus, Learning Resources Centre
This will be a position focused on information literacy in our student in our Reference and Research
Services department, with opportunities for the student to work with a librarian to design and teamteach library research sessions for introductory English courses and to participate in the Library
Instruction Advisory Committee. The student will also be able to design and implement materials for
distance instruction, including Camtasia web-based tutorials or BlackBoard research modules.
Depending on time and interests there may also be opportunities for the students to work on the
Reference desk or meet one-on-one with MacEwan students for research consultations.
Strong interpersonal skills, ability to work independently, and a level of comfort with teaching
would be valuable for this practicum. Prerequisite: LIS 526 Instructional Strategies for Library and
Information Professionals. Winter 2009.
Special Libraries and Information Centres
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Alberta Government Libraries
o 107 Street Site – AB Children and Youth Services and AB Seniors and Community
Supports
The student will be exposed to diverse special library professional services, involving the
social sciences, in a government environment.
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Alberta Court Libraries, Alberta Justice
Student workstation available all day Mondays/Thursdays/Fridays and Tuesday mornings.
Technical service related experience and projects to improve services for our judicial and
Crown Prosecutor clients, including web site design and maintenance; work with a
Voyager Integrated Library system; retrospective bar coding and collection inventory.
Alberta Law Society Libraries
The practicum would cover both reference services and technical services. ALSL cannot
commit to 100% of either so there must be an interest in learning both. We would prefer a
student who has some legal experience, or a strong interest in working in a law library.
Capital Boulevard Site – Alberta Education and Alberta Advanced Education and
Technology
Interest in special library work experiences would be broadly based in providing reference
and current awareness services for the ministries that the library serves and may include
web content development.
Commerce Place Site – Ministries of Aboriginal Relations; Culture and Community
Spirit; Finance & Enterprise; International and Intergovernmental Relations;
Housing and Urban Affairs; Municipal Affairs; Tourism, Parks & Recreation;
Treasury Board; and Service Alberta
The student would receive exposure to a wide range of reference services and technical
services and will work on new projects.
North Petroleum Plaza Site – Alberta Energy
Exposure to all facets of special library work. Winter term.
Alberta Legislature Library
The placement would most likely be project-based, and could involve digitization initiatives. An interest
in Alberta history, legislation and/or parliament would be useful in this special library environment.
Winter term.
Alberta Teachers’ Association Library
Small education library providing distance services to teachers throughout the province. Provides the
opportunity for your choice of project in a wide range of areas: collection development, distance
services, online services, reference and research. Ongoing technology projects include providing
materials and services in the context of a Members’ Only portal.
Canadian Patient Safety Institute
A non-traditional health library setting! Students should be interested in any or all of: solo librarianship,
health librarianship, advanced database searching skills, research, Website architecture, collection
development, or content management. The placement will be tailored to best suit individual interests of
student(s).
Capital Health Regional Library Services
Students will have the opportunity to experience a variety of activities of the Capital Health Regional
Library Services. Project and activity areas include: assessing collections in selected subject areas;
evaluating electronic resources; developing resources guides in selected subject areas; providing
reference services to user groups; providing consultations or instruction sessions to individual staff or
departments; literature searching on clinical and research topics in the health sciences; attending allied
health, nursing and medical Grand Rounds presentations; providing consumer health information to
patients and families. Students should have completed or enrolled as a co-requisite in the MLIS course
in health sciences librarianship or have equivalent knowledge. One student in the fall term and 2 in the
winter.
Edmonton Institution for Women Project (Greater Edmonton Library Association Women’s
Prison Sub-committee)
This is an unusual opportunity for a student interested in library services to marginalized populations
and community development librarianship. Project involves volunteer training at prison; putting
together an information package for women leaving prison, e.g., how to get a driver’s license, tenant
rights, library card, job banks (Legal Resource Centre would help with this); attending meetings of
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prison sub-committee / occasional GELA meeting; writing a collection/weeding policy for prison
library; working in the prison library – reference, reader’s advisory, training prison librarian; making
recommendations for future steps for the library and for future practicums; co-presentation at ALC
(Alberta Library Conference) about experiences. Student must be flexible, have ability to handle
ambiguity, have access to a car or a great deal of patience on public transit and access to your own
computer, be an independent worker but not afraid to ask for help when needed.
Benefits of this practicum would be direct positive impact on a specific group of users; experience
creating policy and negotiating consensus; experience working with a team/committee (Kirsten
Wurmann (lead), Allison Sivak, Liz Dennett, Valla Maclean, Liz Fulton-Lyne); experience with library
outreach to outside organizations; experience managing a project. Would not have a regular desk
anywhere. Fall term preferred.
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Learning Centre Literacy Association
The focus would be on updating the Association's website
(http://www.nald.ca/litweb/province/ab/tlc/TheLearningCentre.htm), developed some years ago by a
SLIS student as part of course on marketing. The Association has extended its programs and services to
include literacy programming downtown and in NE Edmonton, as well as workshops and consulting for
agencies to integrate supports for literacies into their programs. The later work includes creating literacy
friendly environments, clear communications, integrating literacy support into learning programs).
Participating in these programs would extend a person's understanding about literacy work while
providing background to update the website. Updating the website would include evaluating the current
site design and content; working with staff and participants to update content, and redesigning the
website to incorporate the Association's logo (which is in the works). We may also want to obtain a new
website address, while still being accessible via the National Adult Literacy Database. Fall term only.
Legal Resource Centre of Alberta, Ltd.
Student should be interested in social justice issues as well as familiar and comfortable with databases,
the web, electronic information, online searching. Work is done in a collaborative project-focused
environment. Background in education or law ideal, but not essential. Possible projects could include:
conducting usability testing on some of our web services; project work on our websites (Law for
Schools, Access to Justice Network www.acjnet.org); developing an online bibliography of public legal
education materials related to the theory and practice of PLE in Canada; cataloguing library material in
the Garvie Reading Room.
Provincial Archives of Alberta
Library material cataloguing.
TAL, The Alberta Library
TAL is an internationally recognized consortium of 290 public, post secondary and special libraries
with a vision of barrier-free access for all Albertans to information, ideas and culture and a mission to
provide leadership in optimizing resources and services among member libraries in a dynamic model of
collaboration.
Potential projects available that will contribute to the achievement of TAL key initiatives:
conducting an environmental scan for The Alberta Library, involving consultation with member
libraries, stakeholders and similar organizations; implementing an evaluation of selected TAL services,
including collecting and analyzing relevant data, creating and distributing survey instruments, collating
and reporting results; conducting preliminary research to provide a framework for developing an action
plan to establish a ‘one card’ solution for access to Alberta library collections; providing service to
virtual reference clients, assisting the Virtual Reference Librarian with the development of
documentation and training materials for the newest version of AAQ.
Students will gain an appreciation and understanding of a consortial work environment, as well as
have an opportunity to make contacts with a wide range of libraries in the province. Excellent written
and verbal communication skills are essential.
University of Alberta
o Alberta Research Centre for Child Health Evidence, Department of Pediatrics
ARCHE
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Non-traditional health research setting. Interest in health librarianship and evidence-based
medicine an asset. Practicum can be tailored to suit individual interests of students.
Centre for Health Evidence CHE
Non-traditional setting for librarians. Interest in health and interest/or experience in health
sciences librarianship, some familiarity with health databases, how to critically appraise a
web-based resource, and principles of online learning. Preference given to students who
have taken the HS course. Technically savvy; adept with HTML and MS Office suite
(Outlook, Word, basic Excel); able to learn a new technology (training provided); able to
organize information in a logical way; able to work with minimal supervision. Fall 2007
strongly preferred.
Project, under the direction of the librarian supervisor, is to build an e-library of
web resources for the continuing care sector in Alberta. We have a list of resources for the
student to evaluate and write abstracts for; evaluation criteria and training will be provided.
When that’s complete, the student would conduct web searched for additional resources on
specific topics and evaluate them as before. All the info is entered into an online system
used by healthcare workers in continuing care across Alberta. Some of this work could be
completed from home if the student has a computer and Internet access, but it is expected
he or she will spend at least half the practicum hours in the CHE offices so they can get
feedback as needed and interact with other staff. Additional activities may be assigned as
time and the student’s interest allow.
Museums and Collections Services
The project would be subject indexing of the U of A Art Collections European print
collection. The student would work with both Jim Whittome (Information Management
Advisor) and Jim Corrigan (Curator of the U of A Art Collection). We are currently
working on a complete redesign and redevelopment of the U of A Art Collection website
with an expected launch in May/08. Part of the redevelopment is implementation of subject
indexing capability. In past years, students have indexed the Japanese prints and it would
be very helpful to also have the European prints indexed. If possible, it would be very
helpful to have a student with a background in art or art history. Winter term.
School Libraries
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Minchau Elementary School Library
All aspects of library service to elementary school teachers and students, with emphasis on inquiry
projects and technology integration. Requirements are a degree in education, a desire to work directly
with students, an interest in technology and children's literature.
Windsor Park Elementary School Library
All aspects of library service to elementary school teachers and students. I will be here only two days a week
(possibly Wed/Thurs – to be confirmed). Even if some students want to come over for an informal day
or two that would be fine with me.
Alvin M. Schrader
April 21, 2008