Profile: Michelle Lake

Abstract

What (or who) influenced you to pursue a career in libraries?There is no one factor that influenced me to become a librarian, rather a series of influential experiences, people and jobs that eventually lead me there.My family were/are very frequent patrons of the Hamilton Public Library: both our smaller local branch and the central branch downtown. We would all spend an hour or two finding new books to read every week, and reading was very much encouraged and fostered by my parents. As an undergrad, I thought that I would earn my BA and then attend teacher's college but changed my mind about halfway through my degree.Again, the library was playing a big part in my (English and History) studies and in my life; I worked at both libraries on campus as a student and met some wonderful library colleagues. With my BA complete, some library experience but no clear career plan, I applied for a temporary position in Access Services at McMaster University Libraries, where I again met some excellent library staff and librarians and began to ask questions about the profession.I had applied for other grad programs and had even taken classes at another school, but once I found out about the MLIS program I felt like it was the right fit for me, as it could combine things like teaching and instruction, literacy, public service and education. My parents, teachers, and former coworkers all played a big part in my chosen profession.