Organize and manage information to facilitate access, reflection, and use in a range of contexts
My understanding of organizing and managing information developed through both foundational learning and hands-on practice.
In LIBR 509: Foundations of Resource Description and Knowledge Organization, I explored the conceptual principles behind classification systems, controlled vocabularies, and metadata standards, and examined real-world examples through a critical lens. I came to see that information organization requires not only a deep understanding of the nature of the resources, but also of the users. How information is structured needs to reflect how people actually approach and make sense of it.
I applied this user-centered approach in my database design project, where our team created a database for Vancouver Public Library’s readers’ advisory services. Rather than staying within existing ways of classifying and describing books, we started by looking at what actually makes people enjoy a book. Instead of relying only on genres, we focused on collecting appeal factors such as Character, setting, and language from readers’ responses, and made them searchable for librarians by incorporating them as attributes of books in the system. As a result, this made it easier for readers to get book recommendations that truly match what they like, while also making the process more efficient for librarians, who no longer need to consult multiple RA tools to find this information.
I brought this same approach into my work at the David Lam Library, where I created tailored resource lists for MBA students. Instead of simply providing a list of databases or sources, I started by understanding each group’s project and having an initial conversation about their research ideas. Based on this, I organized a resource sheet by breaking down their research questions into more focused components and grouping relevant materials accordingly. By aligning the structure with how they were thinking about their project, it became easier for them to navigate the resources and see how different sources connected to different parts of their research.
Together, these experiences have shaped how I approach information organization as a user-centered practice, where the goal is not only to structure information, but to make it easier for people to access, understand, and use it in meaningful ways.
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