Library ambassadors: written by Leona Vuong

Hi everyone! My name is Leona Vuong and I am in my 3B term of Honours Health Studies. This is my first term being on the Library Ambassador team. I was looking for a part-time job for the Winter 2017 term and I came across this excellent opportunity by following the University of Waterloo Library Facebook page. It sounded like a very exciting and fun learning experience, so I applied right away. At this point in the term, I can definitely say that my thoughts at the time were spot on.

As a Library Ambassador, the majority of the events we run involve student engagement and support student success. The library really values student feedback and actively promotes awareness on library services, events, and academic integrity.

One of the ways the Library Ambassadors prepare for the term is by receiving training with other Library Ambassadors that is interactive. The training involves approachability, communication, public speaking, and problem solving activities. In addition, we further developed our essential soft skills such as communication, teamwork, and critical thinking skills throughout the term with the various events and projects we are involved in.

Some activities I’ve taken part in this term include the Campus Life fair, student feedback sessions, and mentoring with library staff. One of the exciting parts of being a Library Ambassador is creating your own term project! This process involves submitting a proposal and working within certain conditions such as developing the concept, creating a budget, and working with the Signage committee. I am working with Jacque, a fellow Library Ambassador on an exciting opportunity that was brought forward to us by Jane Forgay, Liaison Librarian for History and Political Science and Mary Lynne Bartlett, Library Ambassador co-lead. We are assisting with the planning, coordinating, and execution of the Confederation Debates panel discussion that will take place on campus March 31, 2017 at the Science Teaching Complex. This event is open and free everyone, so feel free to come if it sparks your interest! More information can be found on the UWaterloo library website.

Overall, I personally think that this job is truly an excellent opportunity for growth. Regardless if you are in your first or fifth year, regular or co-op, you will definitely learn much more about the University and most definitely, the library than you currently do. Despite being quite shy myself, I enjoy interacting and approaching students. This is a really great push for me to grow and become more skillful at effective communication with both students and staff. I encourage you to apply for the Spring 2017 term as the applications are currently open and can be found on the library website!