Camosun
IN OUR Community
At Camosun, the library

INNOVATES
and INSPIRES
By Ivan Watson
Sybil Harrison has been immersed in books and libraries her
whole life. “I was one of those kids,” she says enthusiastically. “I
could read before I could tell the time or tie my shoes.”
After earning a Master’s degree in Library and Information
Science from the University of British Columbia, Harrison built
a successful career in public libraries and joined Camosun
College in 2008. As Camosun’s Director of Learning Services,
she oversees a comprehensive portfolio of resources that helps
to make the college experience supportive, educational and fun.
These resources include two main library facilities (one on
each campus), Writing Centre, Disability Resource Centre,
and Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL).
Collectively, these resources embody an overall vision of a supportive student experience that fosters success and prioritizes a
holistic approach to learning.
A librarian at heart, Harrison is a strong advocate for the key
role that libraries play in communities. “Libraries connect individuals,” she notes. ”I often say: ‘IT’ seems to be the new thing,
but we’ve been in information technology since Gutenberg.”
While Camosun’s Library collection is smaller than those at
large research institutions, Harrison is proud of how Camosun
has grown areas of core strength. “In some ways it’s a more
focussed collection and there are areas where we have really

IF YOU HAVE
A PASSION
WE’VE GOT A
CLASS FOR IT.

5

Camosun Library’s Summer Reading List

books by Canadian
authors to celebrate
Canada150

When students need a little extra help and aren’t necessarily
great strengths such as in the area of Indigenous Peoples as well
comfortable speaking to their instructors, Camosun Learning
as areas like nursing,” she says. “This reflects the programming
Services offers a variety of resources to lend a hand. At the
that we do and is responsive to the learning needs of our stuWriting Centre, students can book an appointment online and
dents.”
meet with experienced instructional assistants for one on one
The collection even includes unique items that may surprise
people. “One thing that we’re doing differently from other institu- sessions. The Student Success Centre helps students develop a
tions is that we’ve started to collect things” she say. “For example, variety of life skills including study techniques, managing stress,
and dealing with test anxiety. The Disability Resource Centre can
we’ve been responding to our student needs by building this
work through individualized accommodations and help break
amazing collection of model bones and brains so that our anatodown barriers to academic success. “The message we want to get
my students can engage with these models.”
across to students is that we care and that we want them to sucOther resources include the ability for students to sign out
ceed,” says Harrison.
noise canceling headphones and laptops to
Camosun Library also offers online
aid their studies. Early learning and childservices such as “Ask Away” and “Write
care students can borrow specialized kits
Away.” The former is a province-wide
with everything required to facilitate story
service in collaboration with partner
time sessions with children.
institutions where students can submit
This approach is part of an overall vision
research questions using a chat functhat sees libraries as open, accessible and
tion and the latter offers students the
welcoming spaces for learning and reflecopportunity to submit papers online to
tion. “If you work in libraries, you tend to
Sybil Harrison be reviewed by writing tutors.
think without boundaries,” says Harrison.
For faculty, CETL offers supports
Camosun’s Director of Learning Services
“Outstanding libraries focus on comto instructors in several key areas:
munity. I think fundamentally that is my
e-learning, educational technology,
philosophy–building community is about
faculty development, and curriculum
making connections between people and
development and program review. “We help our instructors
resources and ideas.”
achieve teaching excellence and we also work with new instrucCamosun’s library focusses on student success but is open to
the public as well. “We offer a community borrower’s card,” notes tors who have just arrived at Camosun. We’re committed to
having an outstanding learning experience for students and that
Harrison. “Anyone can come in, show some identification and
means reviewing and evolving our curriculum and staying on top
get a card that allows them to borrow up to five items at a time. It
of the latest innovations in education.”
means that our library has really become part of the neighbourAs libraries evolve to meet the needs of the information age,
hood.”
Harrison believes that their values of openness, accessibility and
As part of Camosun’s commitment to community, the library
commitment to fostering learning make them the ideal drivers
has served as a public space for charities and non-profit groups
of innovation and positive change. “People look at libraries and
like the United Way and Victoria Writer’s Festival and for events
think of us as very traditional places, but at our core we are instiincluding the Camosun College employee awards. “I think it is
tutions that are very open to change. That’s because we have a
a reflection of Camosun’s strong commitment to access,” says
strong tradition and strong principles about what we’re all about
Harrison. “The library’s openness is a reflection of Camosun
and that gives us the foundation to adapt to meet the future
needs of our students and our community.”
values and principles and that’s something that has been long
established at the college.”
For more information, please visit: Camosun.ca/library

“...we’ve been in
information technology
since Gutenberg”

Amy Dinh
COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS STUDENT

camosun.ca

PHONE HOURS: M-F 9am-4pm | 250-370-3550 | 1-877-554-7555 (TOLL-FREE) | camosun.ca