Originally published on the Arts Co-op Program website
Kate Sloan, a student in the Master’s of Library and Information Studies Program at the University of British Columbia, says co-op “opened [her] eyes to new opportunities” in her job field. Kate, who worked at the Calgary Public Library (CPL) as a Youth Services Co-op student, was given both a large amount of responsibility and the ability to gain experience in several aspects of CPL’s operations.
One of Kate’s major assignments was researching and developing a literacy program for teens, a task that was completely her own from start to finish. Kate also did presentations for school groups on the CPL’s summer reading program, which allowed her to practice her public speaking and communication skills. Kate also wrote a final, written report on her literacy project. As a Master’s student with extensive experience writing academic research papers, Kate learned that there are practical differences in writing reports in a business setting – they differed stylistically and needed to be very concise. As Kate notes, however, there is a large amount of crossover between the theoretical learning of the MLIS program and the practical experience gained by working at a public library. And it doesn’t just work one way: Kate recalls that her MLIS classes felt more relevant after her work term.
Co-op also allowed Kate to clarify her career likes and dislikes in a fairly specific fashion. She sees public libraries as workplaces that are very enjoyable, but also filled with opportunities for professional growth. “There is room to do so many different things within the public library system,” Kate says. Beyond the library functions that most people are familiar with – reference desk, for example – is a large behind-the-scenes operation that people don’t really see. This means that there is room for lateral, as well as vertical, career movement, creating an opportunity to expand one’s professional skill set.
Networking was another opportunity available to Kate during her work term. At the CPL, many employees were experts in their respective fields. By working alongside them, Kate was able to gain added insight into her work and her field. She also undoubtedly gained professional contacts that could prove invaluable in her search for work upon graduation.
Asked about the impact of co-op on her working life, Kate states that co-op was “definitely beneficial” and “invaluable.” She recalls seeing the passion that her colleagues had for their jobs, which helped to affirm Kate’s feelings that her education and career choices were the right ones. Kate also feels that co-op made choosing classes easier, since “you have a better idea of where you want to focus your attention.”
For prospective participants in the SLAIS co-op program, Kate says go for it. Once accepted, she says, make sure you “seize any opportunity – and run with it!”
