We are delighted to have Thérèse Mainville-Celso as part of the LMD Board, in the key role of 2019 Conference Planner. We asked her to share some information about herself, why she joined the field and the challenges and opportunities she sees.
Thérèse Mainville-Celso
What is your current professional role
I just finished my Master’s of Information Studies program at McGill University and will be a Knowledge Management intern for a biotech company in San Francisco for a year. Five years from now, I would love to be a knowledge management consultant. My goal is to help organizations realize their full potential by recognizing the value and potential of their employees. I want to help reduce some unnecessary stress from employees, such as the anxiety one gets when they can’t find information and promote a healthy workplace culture. I noticed that an indirect consequence of good knowledge management is happiness in the workplace and I’d just be happy to contribute to that in any way.
Why did you become a librarian/info pro?
After completing my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do next because I didn’t feel like I fit in that culture. A cousin of mine completed the Master’s of Library and Information Studies program and told me that I would love the field. So, I enrolled and focused on becoming an information professional. My amazing professors then confirmed that this was where I belonged. Sharing and preserving knowledge and information is so important, and organizations need our help to organize and manage resources efficiently. The services we all provide as librarians and information professionals allow individuals to work better, to relive a moment, and to simply remember.
Why did you take a role on the LMD Board?
I believe everyone should gain some leadership skills. Many of us have a leadership role even if sometimes it doesn’t seem that way. Information professionals should advocate for their projects, lead teams, and be mediators between departments, and many don’t realize they need those skills until they’re already in those situations. So I took the role of 2019 Conference Planner because I wanted to make a difference. I want to try to introduce new concepts to our members and allow opportunities for them to network, grow, and realize their full potential. SLA gave me that, and now I want to give back.
Do you have any plans or ideas for the 2019 Conference that you’d like to tell us about?
I have some wonderful speakers who are ready to share their experience with our members. I’ve been looking for speakers who can provide advice on career development, continuous education, and developing communication and social skills. I look forward to collaborating with as many other Conference Planners as possible to provide sessions that are relevant and informative to members across divisions.
What do you see as the key challenge for new professionals in our field?
From what I’ve seen after graduating, I think one of the biggest challenges for new professionals is networking. Sometimes, students don’t realize the advantages of being part of a student association. You get to meet professionals in the field, gain mentors, and find opportunities for growth not otherwise found at school. Not only that, but participating in associations can help develop certain skills such as priority management, facilitation, and those in project management. We should definitely encourage students and new professionals to attend conferences and become active members of virtual communities.
And, finally, what’s a little-known fact about you?
I love everything horror and science fiction. I collect old comics, horror fiction from the 70s and 80s, and even have a collection of LP records from horror and sci-fi movies. My favorite movie is “The Thing”, favorite novel is Dracula, and favorite album is Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of the Worlds.