Meet David Scott, Library, Professional Librarian

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I was born and raised in northern Ontario, just outside of Sudbury. Among librarians, I'm rather atypical in that I set my sights on this career path while in high school. I completed a BA and MA at Laurentian University, then, after volunteering at an archives for a term, went on to complete my MLIS at Western University. That program includes an optional eight-month co-op internship, and I did mine at the University of Lethbridge. The internship afforded me opportunities to dabble in a wide range of library operations and services, which I appreciated, and the staff I met were excellent. I decided then that I wouldn't mind returning to ULethbridge one day. That day came sooner than expected! Like many residents of the city, I can say that I moved to Lethbridge for several months many years ago.

How long have you been at ULethbridge and what do you do here?

Within a month or two of my internship concluding, a librarian position became available. I was thrilled to be offered the job and started in January 2016. Several months later, I met Emma Black, who was completing the same internship I had done the previous year. She likewise accepted a full-time librarian position after her internship, and we were married in 2018. I was hired to work primarily with the Faculty of Health Sciences and the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education, and over nine years later, this remains a key part of my portfolio. I've thoroughly enjoyed working with these units, which involves providing library instruction in classes, developing collections in relevant subject areas, and offering research consultation services to students and faculty. Such consultations have occasionally led to my becoming involved in knowledge synthesis projects (primarily systematic and scoping reviews) in a variety of disciplines, which have been fascinating. I've also served on the Library's Collections Work Team and Assessment Team for many years, as well as myriad committees within the Library and across the university.

What's the best part of your job?

I was initially drawn to librarianship in large part because I enjoy helping people, and that is my favourite part of the job. Particularly, when I meet with students individually and can help them find what they're looking for or teach them new skills, it's very rewarding. When I can make a student's life easier, take some of the stress out of an assignment, and boost their confidence, I feel like I'm making a difference. I also appreciate the variety in my work. No two days are the same, and that's refreshing. Finally, my colleagues are fantastic. Much of what I enjoy most about my job is strongly tied to the great people with whom I work.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

It's no secret that I enjoy birding and, to some extent, wildlife photography. (Many of my bird photos can be viewed here.) I've always loved being outdoors, and I spend a lot of time searching for and observing birds in Alberta's many varied habitats — and beyond. I also do some volunteer work related to birds and natural history more generally. I've served on the board of Nature Lethbridge and am currently the interim chair of the Alberta Bird Record Committee and the provincial editor for the Christmas Bird Count. A few years ago, I contributed to an updated local bird checklist, and a friend and I are currently putting the finishing touches on a new field guide to the birds of Alberta! We're aiming for a spring 2026 release date.