Another SLAIS Alumnus in Ottawa

As part of my mission to answer the question, "What does it take for a SLAIS alumnus to be a successful librarian in Ottawa?" I interviewed Claudette who works as an analyst with the Government of Canada:

1. What SLAIS course has benefited you the most working in Ottawa?

It's hard to narrow it down to just one course, because it's the entire skill set that will help you on the job. But, I have to say that the most helpful courses to me so have been: LIBR 557, Information Retrieval; LIBR 512, Indexing; and ARST 575A, Topics In The Management Of Records: The Continuing Preservation Of Electronic Records.

2. What library in Ottawa should everyone visit at least once?

The library at the National Gallery is Canada's largest collection about the visual arts, and it's very impressive They have a beautiful facility and their research room overlooking the Rideau River is amazing.


3. What is the best opportunity for networking as a librarian in Ottawa?

Government librarians/archivists/info professionals in Ottawa tend to know each other as it's a small community and keep in touch with various formal and informal events. The best opportunity to network in Ottawa is to join a focus group of interest.


4. What is it like to live in the second coldest capital in the world?

I'm originally from Winnipeg, so I don't mind the cold. Winters in Ottawa though are different here than Western Canada with their scary ice storms, and brutally humid summers. The perfect season here is fall. With the exception of the west coast, extreme temperatures are all part of the Canadian experience.

--------
Photograph: Parliament Hill. It is difficult to get the whole Parliament in a picture!