Debbie Feisst

Debbie Feisst
Describe yourself in three words:

Collaborative, engaging, energetic.

What are you reading (or listening to on your mobile device)?

I am just finishing the 3rd book in Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series, "Voyager." I am a little late to the Outlander party but the authentic historic plot lines combined with the fantasy of time travel have me hooked. Next up, tackle a novel in Spanish. As far as audio, I listen to podcasts and my absolute favorite is Song Exploder, which features musicians talking about the creative process behind a song.

Describe ACRL in three words:

Community, informed, inclusive.

What do you value about ACRL?

Moving from a public library to an academic library almost 10 years ago, ACRL provided me a hook to hang my hat on at a time when I needed a sense of community. The connections I have created with academic librarians in similar roles via my involvement with EBSS have provided me with tremendous value over these years. The ACRL conference is a perfect mix of all the things I love most about academic libraries.

What do you as an academic librarian contribute to your campus?

As Subject Librarian for Secondary Education as well as the Aboriginal Teacher Education Program, I am lucky to work daily with undergraduate & graduate students as well as faculty members in the Faculty of Education. A large part of this is helping pre-service teachers as they work to become qualified teachers, providing access to resources for K-12 classrooms and supporting teaching, learning & research needs.

In your own words

We in higher education are privileged to spend our daily work lives in an environment that values curiosity, discovery and lifelong learning. I know how fortunate I am to have an employer that supports professional development but also that at any given moment, I could attend a recital/ lecture on the Mars Rover / workshop on R language for text analysis. It is energizing to be in the midst of so much potential!

Title:Public Services Librarian

Workplace:HT Coutts Library, University of Alberta

Location:Edmonton, Alberta, Canada