Valentine Bilton Pursuing Their Master’s in Library Science!

We’re both excited and a little sad to announce that Valentine, a cherished member of our Makerspace team, is leaving their role to pursue a Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver.

Valentine joined the Makerspace team in September 2022, a critical time when we had only been open for six months and had some staffing shortages. They quickly became an integral part of our team, bringing their unique blend of experience, creativity, and personality to the space.

As Makerspace Librarian, I’ve appreciated Valentine’s many contributions to the space and the critical eye they bring to our work. Beyond helping users in the space, Valentine has worked on many projects that have helped build the space. They were responsible for figuring out how to gather and compile our statistics, a job they Excel-ed at doing (sorry). They also brought their experience working in Tool Sheds in Alberta to the development of our Tool Library, a project that would have been near impossible without their help.

Valentine has also left many personal marks on the Makerspace. Many users will know them for their ability to connect people with examples from around the space, and they are often seen deep in conversation with users about ongoing projects. And who could ignore the eldritch horror that is the 3D scan of their cat?

While we’ll miss Valentine’s presence in the Makerspace, we’re thrilled about their decision to pursue an MLIS degree. Their unique, critical perspective, and dedication to user service will undoubtedly make them an outstanding librarian.

Valentine’s last day with us is August 23rd, 2024. They’ll be starting their program at UBC this September. We wish them all the best in their studies and future career in librarianship!

Congratulations, Valentine! The Makerspace won’t be quite the same without you, but we’re excited to see where this new chapter takes you.