Frédéric Santerre

MLIS, University of South Florida

Welcome!

My name is Frédéric Santerre, and I am originally from the province of Québec, Canada. I am bilingual in French and English. In 2015, I moved to the United States. My passion for historical artifacts began during my Bachelor's degree in history. To further my knowledge of archives and library sciences, I completed a certificate in Archival Studies and a college diploma in Documentation Techniques. Naturally curious, I pursued opportunities to work in cultural institutions in Québec, investigating archives and rare books. After relocating to Florida, I decided to pursue a Master's degree in Library and Information Science at the University of South Florida to gain more knowledge. I hope to work in an academic institution, particularly in archives and special collections, after completing my Master's.

My ePortfolio showcases artifacts from various courses I completed during my Master's in Library and Information Science, with a particular focus on Archives and Special Collections. I made a conscious effort to connect each assignment to this field to the best of my ability.

Please consult my resume for further details about my educational and professional experiences.

Personal Narrative

At a young age, if someone had told me that I would become a librarian later in my life, I probably wouldn't have believed them. Before obtaining my Bachelor's degree in History, libraries and their numerous book stacks intimidated me. In the 1980s, card catalogs still dominated research in libraries and took up a lot of space in larger libraries. However, I had a personal collection of books related to Disney characters at home. As a child, these books felt almost magical. Reading them brought the characters to life in my imagination.

As I pursued my studies in history, it became necessary for me to familiarize myself with how academic libraries functioned. Despite my initial anxiety, my desire for knowledge prevailed. By the time I began my research in the library in 1998, card catalogs had already been replaced by digital catalogs, making searching easier and faster. With each research experience, I became more adept at locating and selecting various resources, both printed and digital.

After graduating, my first work experience gave me the opportunity to delve deeper into libraries and archival centers. I had the chance to acquaint myself with materials from the 18th and 19th centuries, which influenced my decision to work in archives and special collections. To achieve this goal, I pursued a certificate in archival studies and a college diploma in documentation techniques. While taking these courses, I was hired by the Priests of St. Sulpice to catalog their collection of rare books spanning from the late Middle Ages to the 20th century. I received training from a cultural expert in the field, Michel Brisebois. My second experience with special collections occurred at Université du Québec à Montréal, where I assisted the librarian responsible for the special collections with several activities, including collection management.

After moving to the United States, I realized that obtaining a Master's in Library and Information Science would be the best way for me to work in archives and special collections again. As you will see in the next sections, I deliberately selected artifacts related to this field to showcase my knowledge and experience.