13 Questions With: Emily Yearwood-Lee

February 10, 2013

Acting Manager of Reference, Legislative Library of British Columbia

A hero who has inspired you in your career?

I’m inspired by women I know who are succeeding professionally and still managing imperfectly to be there for their families in a way that works for them.

The first job you ever held and at what age?

Cashier at Star of the West Books in Prince Rupert, B.C. Age 16.

Your first position in the library and/or information services field?

Shelver at Ryerson University Library, while doing my journalism degree in ’00.

Coolest thing in your cubicle or office?

A Buffy the Vampire Slayer penholder.

What is your guilty pleasure?

Watching Alison Griffith’s Maxed Out with my husband. Followed by What Not to Wear, alone.

Career advice – what’s your top tip?

When starting out, don’t limit yourself geographically. Be willing to move for a job.

What useless skill(s) do you possess?

Before becoming a librarian, I worked as a newswire reporter and I had to transcribe live press conferences. To this day, when I listen to a news conference on TV, I have the urge to transcribe like the wind. Not a useless skill in some fields, but I haven’t had to use it much in libraries.

Proudest moment in your professional life?

A year after becoming a manager, the Legislative Library gave tours to librarians visiting Victoria for the BCLA conference. I introduced myself to the tour group I was leading, then realized the group included the woman who taught my management class at library school. It was a neat moment.

If you had 24 hours all to yourself, how would you best like to spend it?

I wouldn’t be by myself for long. An ideal day would be hanging out with my entire family up in northern B.C.

If you didn’t work in the information industry, what would you be doing?

I love being a public servant, so working in the civil service somewhere.

Finish this sentence: “In high school, I would have been voted the person most likely to … “

“be in school a long time”

How do you stay current in your field?

A favourite blog right now is Uncovering Ebooks. Also, I’ve started taking continuing ed workshops in leadership at Royal Roads University.

What would you like your headstone to read?

“My talents were perseverance and naiveté” (borrowed from Steve Martin)