Lisa Chen graduated from Western University with a Master of Library and Information Science in 2015.
She works as an Information Management Analyst at the University of Toronto. When not working, she volunteers for NaNoWriMo and the ViMLoC Mentorship Program.
What is your site’s URL?
Briefly, what is the current purpose of your site?
To share articles/tweets related to the information and library field, creative writing, career advice, and tours of libraries, art shows, and museums
Was the original purpose of your site different from this current purpose? If yes, how and why did it change?
Originally, it was set up for a class assignment to create a virtual presence for ourselves. It focused on librarianship only. It changed to include my interests such as creative writing and art because I wanted to use it as a personal blog.
Are you actively looking for work? (check all that apply)
√ Nope! Not at All!
Has your site brought you any work? And if so, what?
None
About Your Site and Sites in General
Did you pay someone to design or build your site?
√ No
Which of the following content do you have on your site (check all that apply)?
√ Blog about personal topics
√ Blog about professional topics
√ Book reviews
√ Work Samples
√ List of publications
√ List of presentations
√ Twitter or other social media feed
√ Your Bio
√ Your photo
Which of the following personal links or connection methods do you provide on your site? (Check all that apply)
√ Contact Form
√ YouTube
Is your site strictly library/archives/LIS related?
√ No, I include my arts/crafts/hobbies/other tangential or unrelated work
When was your site last updated?
√ Within the last week
What causes you to update your site, and about how frequently does that occur?
When I visit a place or have something to share, be it personal or professional. I strive to post at least 12 times a year.
Does your site use any of the following platforms/services?
√ WordPress.com
How much do you pay annually to run your website? (for numbers not in American dollars, please use other)
√ $0
Do you allow comments on your site?
√ Yes
Do you have advertising on your site?
√ Yes, but I don’t have any control over that/it’s part of the platform I use
Do you have analytics on your site?
√ Yes
About how many people visit your site in a month?
√ 0-50
Is having a personal website a “must”?
√ Yes, for job hunters
√ Yes, for librarians
√ Yes, for people who are independent contractors/freelancers
√ Yes, for new LIS graduates
Do you have any privacy concerns associated with sharing your personal information, resume, etc., on a public website? If so, what measures do you take to feel safer?
I use a contact form to avoid providing my email
What advice would you give someone wanting to create their own personal professional site?
Decide your scope and scale. If you only want to have some visibility on the web, you don’t need to blog, use Instagram, tweet, etc. Sometimes, a LinkedIn profile is all you need. If you want to be a children’s librarian who promotes books, set up a Goodreads profile or even a TikTok account. You don’t have to be on every platform creating content.
Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about your website? Or personal websites in general?
You don’t need to purchase the domain. Sometimes, the cheapest solution is the best one.
Demographics
What is your job title?
Information Management Analyst
What types of organizations do you work for or with? (Check all that apply)
√ Academic Library
√ Other: University, as IT staff
If you work for someone besides yourself, does that organization have rules about what you can share on your personal site?
√ No
What part of the world are you in?
√ Canada
Thanks for reading! If you have a personal professional website that you’d like to talk about, please fill out the survey.
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