Member Spotlight

• Posted on February 3, 2020
• by Web Editor
• in Blog, Member Spotlight
• Comments Off on Member Spotlight

Welcome to the latest monthly posting, Member Spotlight. The  VALL member that was interviewed is Fiona Chiu.

Introduction

Fiona is the VALL Membership Secretary. She is a Librarian at Courthouse Libraries BC, whose mission it is to make legal information more accessible, and empower people to effectively research and manage their own or their clients’ legal issues across the province.

1. What led you to this career choice? And has it always been in field of Law?

Librarianship aligned with my love of lifelong learning and sharing with the people in my life. It offers myriad opportunities to immerse myself in stories and knowledge while also curating and connecting people to the information most useful to them. I began my career as a Children’s and then as a Rehabilitation Sciences librarian before transitioning to Law.

2. What excites or energizes you at work?

On a grander scale, I deeply value being a part of a team that contributes to improving access to justice within the community. On a smaller scale, I am energized by the fact that I always learn something new from helping a client find the information they need. No two questions are ever the same, and that is the key to my love of providing reference services. I appreciate knowing that one, five, or even ten years from now, I will continue to encounter unfamiliar questions and experience the excitement of delving into a wholly new search for answers.

3. What is one thing that surprised you about working at your law firm?

I wouldn’t say surprised, but one thing that I found incredibly interesting and unique was learning the intricacies of how our law library operates to serve both the public and the legal communities.

4. What book are you reading now?

I’ve been priming my mornings by reading The Fine Arts of Relaxation, Concentration, and Meditation: Ancient Skills for Modern Minds by Joel and Michelle Levey. Relaxation, as I’ve learned, requires practice. On days where I feel as if my shoulders are shrugged up to my ears, taking a page out of this book has really helped me re-center my thoughts and improve my ability to concentrate on meaningful tasks.

5. What is one hobby you’d love to get into?

Learning to cook different cuisines. I’d love to spend endless days collecting more cookbooks, admiring the food photography and narratives in them, scratching down notes on the essential pantry goods recommended, venturing off to procure all the ingredients, and then proceeding to cook from every recipe I’ve bookmarked!