Whitney Kemble

Historical and Cultural Studies Librarian, UTSC
Posted 13 Sep 2017 |

What, briefly, does your job entail? 

As a subject librarian, I build the collections, provide reference services and information literacy instruction to students, engage in outreach, and collaborate with faculty of the many programs of the Historical and Cultural Studies department. I also conduct research, and in service to the institution and my profession I participate in a variety of committee work including the UTFA Librarians Committee and UTSC Academic Affairs Committee.



What projects are you currently working on? 

I’m building a special collection of cookbooks to support the new Food Studies program, and working with some colleagues on a proposal for a foundational skills course at UTSC. I’m also part of the UTL Truth and Reconciliation Commission working group, looking at ways that U of T’s libraries can act on the TRC’s Calls to Action.

What have you been teaching in 2016/2017? 

I often teach fairly general information literacy to help students find, use, and evaluate a variety of sources. This typically involves teaching students how to translate their topic into an effective search strategy, and how to execute that strategy using the library catalogue and appropriate databases to find primary and secondary sources. I’ve also found myself teaching more digital skills lately, such as creating digital timelines or using Zotero for bibliographic management, due to popular demand.

Where is your favourite U of T spot? 

The valley in the back of campus is my favourite spot. I love taking a break and going for walks down there in the nice months.