“One must always be careful with books, and what is inside them, for words have the power to change us.”
– Cassandra Clare, Clockwork Angel

About Me

Hello! My name is Sonia Duquette and I am a graduate student in the Master of Information Studies program at the University of Ottawa. I was born and raised in Clarence Creek, ON, and I have a passion for reading, traveling and all things geeky. Growing up, I was slightly hyperactive and had a hard time to sit still in class – it created problems when I often times finished my classwork quickly and would help others in my class to finish theirs so they could come play with me. To fix the problem, my teachers got me to sit with a book and I was hooked. Since then, I never go anywhere without a book. I read through both my primary and high school libraries and won multiple reading challenges. This got me the opportunity to get involved in helping the librarians with acquisition choices and I took my love of reading further by working at Chapters for about 5 years and getting an Honours Bachelor of Arts with a Specialization in English. 

At first, the plan was to go to teacher’s college. I worked as an Early Childhood Educator throughout my undergrad to gain the experience that would help me with job hunting once my degree was completed. I loved my job – I requested to work with the 9-12 year olds specifically to be able to chat with them about reading materials and their current interests – they often coincided with mine. The kids realized very quickly my vast knowledge in reading material and geek culture and that provided me with the opportunity to give book recommendations, always in consultation with the child’s parents, and I often lent the books from my personal book collections since they often weren’t available at their local library. It’s at this point in my life, when I was writing lists of recommendations for the children, chatting them about the books they were reading, and exchanging notes on their progress with their parents that I realized I was aiming for the wrong career. While teaching would’ve offered me similar opportunities as the ones I currently had to connect with children over literature, I wanted more. I wanted to have a bigger outreach than my class and a wider range of audience.

Applying to this program has been the most exciting thing I’ve ever done. Not only will I be able to apply to my dream job, Young Adult Librarian, upon graduation, but it has also offered me so many more opportunities that I hadn’t imagined. I’m currently writing this while studying abroad in Wales – an opportunity I worked hard to gain and one I won’t forget. Here, I have the opportunity to focus most of my studies in library courses and the chance to travel the continent, where I’ve learned just as much as in the classroom. The cultural value added to my experience is unmeasurable.

The quote I indicated above is not random – it is something I profoundly believe in and live by. I really do believe literature has a powerful impact on individuals whether its for entertainment, escapeism, learning or self-help, literature truly does have the power to change us. Over the course of my career, I plan to work with young adults to help them find themselves through literature, as I once did. 

Bonus Content

Beyond who I am as a professional and MIS student, I wanted to share other aspects of my life that represent me outside of my resume. Simply hover over each image for a brief caption.