{"id":34776,"date":"2013-08-14T12:15:01","date_gmt":"2013-08-14T16:15:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/?p=34776"},"modified":"2013-08-29T13:30:21","modified_gmt":"2013-08-29T17:30:21","slug":"achieving-success-in-a-non-traditional-position-meet-stephen-macdonald-mlis-and-resource-coordinator-for-edmontons-social-planning-council-espc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/?p=34776","title":{"rendered":"Achieving Success in a Non-Traditional Position: Meet Stephen MacDonald"},"content":{"rendered":"

. . .<\/span> <\/em>by\u00a0Christina Wilson , Head Editor, INALJ Alberta<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Achieving Success in a Non-Traditional Position: Meet Stephen MacDonald, MLIS and Resource Coordinator for Edmonton\u2019s Social Planning Council\u00a0 (ESPC)<\/span><\/h3>\n

\"Stephen_001\"<\/a>After obtaining his MLIS, from Nova Scotia\u2019s Dalhousie University, Stephen MacDonald aspired to become a reference librarian, but was open to pursuing other information management opportunities. \u00a0His career path leading up to his current position with Edmonton\u2019s Social Planning Council included working on a digital exhibit for a university archive and being a collections manager for a community museum.\u00a0 Stephen\u2019s varied career demonstrates that MLIS graduates are qualified to succeed in non- traditional positions, outside of libraries and bring great value to these organizations.<\/strong><\/p>\n

I met Stephen at an Edmonton area \u201cspeed networking\u201d<\/strong> event and learned how his transferrable librarian skills equipped him to succeed as Resource Coordinator with Edmonton\u2019s Social Planning Council (ESPC).\u00a0 \u00a0In this non-traditional position, Stephen mixes information management and social advocacy work to achieve the goals of the organization, working independently and fully using skills learned at library school.\u00a0 Edmonton\u2019s Social Planning Council is an independent social research organization \u201cdedicated to encouraging the adoption of equitable social policy, supporting the work of other organizations who are striving to improve the lives of Edmontonians, and educating the public regarding the social issues that impact them on a daily basis\u201d.\u00a0 Social planning councils exist in many communities throughout Canada, from British Columbia to Newfoundland.\u00a0 They are focused on a range of community development and social justice issues.\u00a0 Edmonton is fortunate to have one of only two non-profit, social planning councils functioning in Alberta. \u00a0ESPC is fortunate to have a librarian as their Resource Coordinator.<\/p>\n

As ESPC\u00a0 Resource Coordinator, Stephen\u2019s tasks include managing\u00a0 the resource services program, which disseminates knowledge and research services to community stakeholders;\u00a0 manages and promotes ESPC\u2019s physical library and its research database (www.threesource.ca<\/a>);\u00a0 provides a free research service to Edmonton\u2019s non-profit community; edits a monthly newsletter;\u00a0 organizes a lunchtime speaker series to create awareness and understanding of community social issues; maintains Edmonton\u2019s Social Research Directory, a valuable resource for libraries, archives and other area information centres and manages ESPC\u2019s Social Justice Internship Program. \u00a0 The threeSOURCE database is an important and unique repository of reports on Alberta\u2019s \u201cthird sector\u201d (or non-profit sector)<\/strong>, social issues in Alberta, and related subject areas which acts as the \u201clibrary catalogue\u201d for ESPC\u2019s physical library.<\/p>\n

All of these areas of responsibility are greatly enhanced by the employment of an MLIS graduate, skilled in information organization and retrieval, whether the material is physical or online.\u00a0\u00a0 Below are some of the skills and attributes Stephen uses in his non-traditional, but varied position.<\/strong>\u00a0 These\u00a0 skills are key to transferring \u00a0to fields beyond librarianship:<\/p>\n