Janelle Haley: Looking for deep learning

By Kelly Servos

Janelle's hometown: Chilliwack, B.C.

From projects to volunteering, Janelle Haley is constantly maximizing her experience as an MLIS candidate at Western University. Janelle embarked on her adventure in the MLIS program in January 2018. She left her small town in B.C. for the first time to study at Western. Janelle chose MLIS because she was working in libraries when she finished her undergraduate degree and wanted to develop her skills. “When I was 21, I said ‘no, there’s more to your life, you can do more’,” says Janelle.

Janelle sought a program that was more than just taking courses. “I wanted it to be a deep learning experience,” she says. She wants to use her education and knowledge base as a librarian to choose books for libraries, purchase databases and teach within the library.

"Go for things out of your comfort zone."
Janelle has acquired a variety of skills in the course-based program such as cataloguing, management and research. She has been working on a project that started in one of her courses and has collaborated with other students to develop a sexual violence workshop for libraries and library students. She finds this important because librarians are constantly interacting with people and need to know what defines sexual violence and how to approach these circumstances when working in a public setting. Janelle also attended The Ontario Library Association (OLA) Super Conference in January 2019, representing Western as a student volunteer. She enjoys listening to guest speakers at lunch hours on campus to provide her with additional knowledge in the happenings of academia.

Fun Fact

"My mom won us tickets to go to the 'Real London' for four days in 2016 to see Elton John and 'The 1975'."

Janelle has said that the best part about being a student in the MLIS program is the challenge to move past one’s comfort zone. She added that it is an opportunity to meet new people, who could be colleagues in the future. “Some of the people I have met are just really awesome,” she says. Faculty members are keen to help students through their academic journey. While Janelle wants to work as a Librarian, she is keeping her mind open to different job opportunities where she can use the skills she has learned in her master’s, when she completes her studies this April.

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Profiles in the Meet Our Students section are written by students in the Master of Media in Journalism & Communication program, who are enrolled in MMJC 9604 - Professional Writing.