Library ambassadors: written by Rabia Gill

Hi! My name is Rabia Gill and I’m currently in my last term, completing a Honours Biomedical  Science degree, with a minor in Psychology. This is my fourth term working as a Library Ambassador, and I have had a lot of fun in this program. I heard about the Library Ambassador program while working at my job as a student shelver at the Dana Porter Library. Being a Library Ambassador sounded like an interesting program because the job involved interacting with the UWaterloo community to raise awareness about the services the library has to offer.

The library has always been a place that makes me feel comfortable on campus. I love how the library has so many services to offer UWaterloo students, whether those are course reserves or a phone charger. My favourite part about the library is that there is always something interesting going on, whether that be an event or a workshop. I love how the library actively engages with the students, and tries to provide many opportunities to learn something new.

Being a Library Ambassador is awesome, and it is a job that helps you improve skills such as communication, teamwork, and problem solving. Being able to work on projects and talking to people is so much fun, that you sometimes forget you're actually at work! There are so many different types of events, that there is something for everyone at the library. The position definitely keeps you on your toes, but it is really fun to be able to promote the library and have fun while doing so.

My term project will be to set-up an activity table with Lego, colouring sheets, and the large Jenga blocks with fellow Library Ambassador, Dennie. The goal of this project is to provide multiple activities for students during exam time, so that there is something fun for everyone. We will also be holding a contest, where students can take a picture at the activity table for a chance to win movie tickets. Exams can be stressful, and this will hopefully help students to take some time for themselves.

As a Library Ambassador, I have been able to work on my public speaking and presentation skills, while also learning how to collaborate with others to create a project that promotes community outreach. Last term, I was grateful to talk about my previous project, the B Mindful Challenge, at the UW Staff Conference. Presenting to such a large audience was really awesome, and we received a lot of positive feedback from the attendees. I feel much more comfortable giving presentations to an audience of any size because of my experience last term. This term, I hope to continue improving my communication, critical thinking, and problem solving skills. The summer term is going to be awesome, and I hope you join us at the library!

-Rabia