13 Questions With: Victoria Joseph

March 7, 2022

Records Coordinator, The Corporation of the Town of Ingersoll

Who inspires you in your career?

I have been blessed to have a few wonderful people take me under their wing and mentor me. It is these mentors that have helped guide me, offered advice and encouraged me through the start of my career. They are my biggest inspirations.

The first job you ever held and at what age and your first position in the library and/or information services field?

My very first job was as a cashier at Gary and Dina’s Foodland in Dresden, ON at age 16.

I worked circulation at a tech equipment kiosk during the day and monitored the Learning Commons in the evening at Brock University’s downtown Visual Arts campus

Why a career in librarianship?

Records management is such a tactile work environment, like art, and I was an artist first. I make textile sculptures, which involves working with your hands and assembling materials and objects together to create something new. I feel like librarianship is similar. The best feeling in my work is to walk into a room of boxes with no particular order to what’s in them, getting your hands on the records, arranging, filing, labeling and shelving them. It’s very satisfying.

Coolest thing in your cubicle or office?

Snacks! One of my co-workers always brings snacks in to share, and there’s nothing cooler than snacks.

What is your guilty pleasure?

Binge watching teen dramas. I have probably seen them all.

Career advice – what’s your top tip?

Networking is not just about who you know, networking is also about who you can learn from. I find that people in library and information services fields are always so excited about what they do and willing to share their knowledge. If you build connections with people in your field, you’ll have people to ask questions, learn from and get advice when you need it.

What is something people would be surprised if they knew about you?

I struggle with organization in my personal life. I think this is part of what draws me to librarianship. I enjoy the structure and rules that I have to adhere to in this type of work. It forces me to stay productive. I thrive while working under pressure with deadlines and with records, there is always more to do.

Proudest moment in your professional life?

Prior to my current role as a Records Coordinator, I was a Project Coordinator, working to implement a new content management system and digitize a large number of records. Seeing that first batch of paper records digitized, cataloged and perfectly organized into our new content management system was a highlight for me. Project management involves a lot of moving pieces, not all under your control, so when those pieces finally fit together, it’s a pretty great feeling.

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

This is hard for me to imagine because I have a 6 month old son. “Me time” is very rare these days. I would have to say I would first catch up on some much needed sleep, and then stay in bed all day to read a good romantic thriller novel from start to finish.

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

I would be making more art of course!

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

…study music. Perhaps it’s time for me to pick up the flute again. High school band was such a fun chapter in my life.

How do you stay current in your field?

I find that the easiest way to stay current is to get to know and keep up with other people in my field. Being in community with other librarians and records managers helps me stay up to date on the latest technology people are using, the different events going on and whatever else is new in the library world.

What would you like your headstone to read?

Mother, Sister, Wife and Friend.