Our staff are our pride and joy! They keep this place running smoothly, making sure our community has the materials they need while offering original programming and library services for our treasured patrons. We’re excited to share more about the amazing staff who work at Wood Buffalo Regional Library in a blog feature: Staff Spotlight!
One of our Community Engagement staff, our proud Hufflepuff, French speaking bilingual baddie, and voted “most likely to be invited to a young patron’s graduation”, Tia McCord, sat down with us for our next staff spotlight interview.
WBRL: What is your role at our library and how long have you been working here?
Tia: I am a Community Engagement Associate, and I work with children ages 6-12. So, I plan, prep and execute all the 6–12-year aged programs and events. I have been here for 7 ½ years!
WBRL: What is your educational or professional background?
Tia: I studied Tourism and Hospitality in CEGEP (Collège d'enseignement général et professionnel) Champlain, a college in Quebec.
WBRL: What is a library project that you are working on that excites you?
Tia: I am quite pleased with the progress made with technology and digital literacy. I started the Techy Tweens initiative last year with zero knowledge and experience. It’s a program where we introduce robotics and coding to 9–12-year-olds. However, since we’ve had so much interest, we now not only have Techy Tweens, but we also have Techy Kids, and a Fiero Coding Club!
WBRL: Wow that grew so quickly, we only just got Fiero this year!
For those not aware, Fiero is a new online resource of ours where patrons of all ages can learn how to code through step-by-step lessons, hands-on projects, and exciting challenges.
Tia: Yeah, considering I can only have 10 kids in the program, and we already have 150 unique users, I think that’s successful!
WBRL: Oh definitely, I see the registration is full every week!
Tia: Yeah, we always have a waitlist for that one. Fiero also hosts their own contests across Canada and the United States. They just did one called Lightquest where the kids had to create a power source that produces light and two kids from WBRL got honorable mentions!
WBRL: Wow that’s huge for them, you must be so proud of them!
Tia: Of course I am!
WBRL: Describe a library memory or moment that has brought you joy. It doesn’t have to be from WBRL, it can be from when you were a patron at another library!
Tia: These moments happen so often in the scope of my job working with kids ages 6-12 and getting to watch them grow and learn things brings me so much joy!
WBRL: Do you have any talents that don’t get a chance to shine at the library?
Tia: I wouldn’t say I’m talented at any one thing but more I’m “Novice Level” at several instead. I’ve been lucky that my interests often spill over into my job. I’ve done everything from knitting to woodworking, watercolor, animation, Zumba, and even meditation. There’s a ton of books in our collection here that have helped me get inspiration too.
WBRL: Is there a random subject that you are so knowledgeable about that you could write a whole book on it?
Tia: Figure skating, I used to skate, and coach skating. In fact, I was a 1993 Canadian Champion and that passion never leaves you, so I stay caught up on all the technical scoring. I am also slowly becoming a Stray Kids superfan, so I’m sure I can write about that soon.
WBRL: What is your current or last read?
Tia: Knit One, Kill Two by Maggie Sefton, it’s a cozy murder mystery series.
WBRL: What is your favourite genre to read or watch?
Tia: Fantasy or Sci-fi
WBRL: What was your favourite movie or book when you were a child?
Tia: My movie pick would be The Neverending Story, my book pick is One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Suess.
WBRL: Name a book or film that changed your life.
Tia: He's Just Not That into You by Greg Behrendt. Tt helped me stop chasing something that wasn’t meant to be.
WBRL: Name a book or film that you wish you could experience for the first time again.
Tia: Lord of the Rings, of course.
Keep an eye on our blog to read more Staff Spotlight interviews!
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