Emily Villanueva, Professional Librarian II, Library

Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I was born in Ontario but grew up in Edmonton. After high school I took a few years off to find myself before going to MacEwan University, where I majored in Anthropology (and even took part in an archaeological dig!). Following my graduation, I headed to the University of Alberta where I obtained an MLIS and an MA in Digital Humanities. My first job post-graduation was at the Bohdan Medwidsky Ukrainian Folklore Archives in the U of A's Kule Folklore Centre before moving into a librarian role at MacEwan University. Not even a year into that role I saw that two tenure-track librarian opportunities had opened at the University of Lethbridge, and I decided to apply. And well, here I am now! 

How long have you been at ULethbridge and what do you do here?
I have been at ULethbridge for just over a year, serving as the Science and Scholarly Communication Librarian. Essentially, my job is to help the university community find and use quality information for teaching, learning and research. This sounds easier than it is, as we live in a world where we are constantly inundated with information, misinformation and even disinformation. Showing people how to sift through the noise and find what they are really looking for is a key component of my work. I do this by teaching information literacy classes and holding research consultations with students and instructors. I also answer research questions over email, phone, and the library's online chat service, and I develop the library's collection of science materials. My other main efforts in my first year have been in the area of Research Data Management, helping researchers with their RDM needs and holding RDM workshops throughout the year. My biggest success in this role has been finalizing our efforts to join Borealis, the Canadian Dataverse Repository. This means that the University now has a repository where researchers can deposit their data!

What's the best part of your job?
There are two standouts. The first is the people. I was nervous about starting a new job in an unfamiliar city, but the amazing people I work and interact with every day have made the transition surprisingly seamless. The second is the look on a student's face when something I've explained to them finally clicks. The feeling that something I have done has impacted how a student will interact with or think about information going forward can't be beaten. 

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
I am actually on the lookout for some new hobbies! The things I enjoy the most in the entire world are reading and listening to music, and I am open to most genres. I also watch (probably too much) TV and am trying to determine what the superior streaming service is for quality shows and movies. My latest hobby, if you can call it that, is making soup. I am only two soups deep which means I still have a world of soups to explore!