Lauren Lok Man Wong
Master of Archival Studies and Master of Library and Information Studies
2023/24 iSchool MLIS Co-op Student of the Year
Lauren contributed to library operations and strengthened the preservation of valuable collections at the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa. She completed a meticulous inventory of the CMN’s rare book collection, revising and correcting the inventory file to enhance accuracy and quality of the bibliographic information. Additionally, she leveraged her expertise with the museum’s integrated library system to successfully import bibliographic data, improving searchability and contributing the records to WorldCat.org. Her strong communication skills facilitated effective collaboration with Axiell software representatives and other IT consultants.
In addition to her technical achievements, Lauren took the initiative to develop a streamlined workflow for a digitization project within a different collection at the museum. Through her meticulous planning and execution, she established a solid foundation for future digitization efforts, ensuring the collection’s long-term preservation and accessibility.
Mylène Philippe-Gagnon, the Head of Library, Archives, and Special Collections at the Museum, has no doubt that Lauren will be recognized as one of the most impressive students in the field. She describes Lauren’s professionalism and intellect as truly exemplary, emphasizing the lasting impact Lauren has made on the institution and ensuring Lauren a bright future in the library world.
Bridging the Gap Between Academics and Work
Lauren connected her academic studies in library and information studies at UBC with her work at the Canadian Museum of Nature. She drew on preservation techniques from her ARST 587 Preservation course and cataloguing principles from her library core courses to handle the rare book collection with care and accuracy. Her academic knowledge directly informed her approach to revising bibliographic records, collaborating with the Book and Paper Conservator, and recommending the use of the Descriptive Cataloguing of Rare Materials (RDA Edition) (DCRM(R)) manual—an influential step for the museum’s future cataloguing efforts.
How Arts Co-op Has Influenced Career Goals
After her co-op at the Canadian Museum of Nature, Lauren continued to build on her expertise by taking on the role of Digital Projects Student Librarian at UBC Library’s Digitization Centre. In this position, she contributed to UBC’s Open Collections and played a key role in supporting the library’s digital asset management system migration. Following the completion of her co-op at the Digitization Centre, Lauren was offered a new position as a Digital Preservation Assistant, allowing her to stay on and continue her work. At the same time, she expanded her experience with digital collections by taking on a new role at the South Asian Studies Institute at the University of the Fraser Valley.
Lauren Lok Man Wong
Master of Archival Studies and Master of Library and Information Studies
2023/24 iSchool MLIS Co-op Student of the Year
Lauren contributed to library operations and strengthened the preservation of valuable collections at the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa. She completed a meticulous inventory of the CMN’s rare book collection, revising and correcting the inventory file to enhance accuracy and quality of the bibliographic information. Additionally, she leveraged her expertise with the museum’s integrated library system to successfully import bibliographic data, improving searchability and contributing the records to WorldCat.org. Her strong communication skills facilitated effective collaboration with Axiell software representatives and other IT consultants.
In addition to her technical achievements, Lauren took the initiative to develop a streamlined workflow for a digitization project within a different collection at the museum. Through her meticulous planning and execution, she established a solid foundation for future digitization efforts, ensuring the collection’s long-term preservation and accessibility.
Mylène Philippe-Gagnon, the Head of Library, Archives, and Special Collections at the Museum, has no doubt that Lauren will be recognized as one of the most impressive students in the field. She describes Lauren’s professionalism and intellect as truly exemplary, emphasizing the lasting impact Lauren has made on the institution and ensuring Lauren a bright future in the library world.
Bridging the Gap Between Academics and Work
Lauren connected her academic studies in library and information studies at UBC with her work at the Canadian Museum of Nature. She drew on preservation techniques from her ARST 587 Preservation course and cataloguing principles from her library core courses to handle the rare book collection with care and accuracy. Her academic knowledge directly informed her approach to revising bibliographic records, collaborating with the Book and Paper Conservator, and recommending the use of the Descriptive Cataloguing of Rare Materials (RDA Edition) (DCRM(R)) manual—an influential step for the museum’s future cataloguing efforts.
How Arts Co-op Has Influenced Career Goals
After her co-op at the Canadian Museum of Nature, Lauren continued to build on her expertise by taking on the role of Digital Projects Student Librarian at UBC Library’s Digitization Centre. In this position, she contributed to UBC’s Open Collections and played a key role in supporting the library’s digital asset management system migration. Following the completion of her co-op at the Digitization Centre, Lauren was offered a new position as a Digital Preservation Assistant, allowing her to stay on and continue her work. At the same time, she expanded her experience with digital collections by taking on a new role at the South Asian Studies Institute at the University of the Fraser Valley.