Experiential learning opportunities for future librarians

We were pleased to host two future librarians as interns at Waldo Library and the Zhang Legacy Collections Center in 2022.

Engaging Western students

Tracie Pickett joined our team as an engagement intern in January 2022 while pursuing her Master of Library and Information Science from Kent State University.

"I am most excited about learning the intricacies of being an academic librarian. I am also excited about attending the showcases and getting to interact with the students to show them what the library has to offer," Pickett said at the start of her internship.

Preserving the past for future research

This summer, intern Melissa Ewing worked with the University Libraries on several collections, including preparing the Hollister Family Collection to be added to our Regional History Collection. This new collection features letters and diaries of the Hollister family, who lived in Burr Oak, Michigan, in the mid-19th century.

Ewing created finding aids to help researchers locate and use the Hollister Family Collection. Collections like this one give a glimpse into day-to-day life in the past and provide researchers with primary source materials to support their work.

"Writing the finding aid involves using Western's online databases to research clues about the individuals and families involved with the creation of the materials," said Ewing.

The internship allowed Ewing to apply knowledge learned in her classes in an archive and research environment. Ewing is completing her Master of Library and Information Science and Graduate Certificate in Archival Administration at Wayne State University.

"This internship has helped me bring theory and instruction from the classroom and use it in a real workplace situation," said Ewing. "I feel it has truly prepared me to step into a professional role."