Pauline Nicholas
Electronic Reference Librarian
University of the West Indies
Jamaica

2007 IFLA/OCLC Fellow

How did you benefit professionally from the IFLA/OCLC Fellowship?

“The programme gave me the opportunity to network with outstanding Information Specialists and form professional relationships. I also participated in seminars, workshops and conferences, and listened to presentations that discussed solutions to the challenges libraries face in a global, digital world. The topics explored included the use of information technologies in libraries, library operations and management, and global cooperative librarianship.”

Did the Fellowship impact you personally?

“Two important aspects of the programme were the opportunity to make presentations about the library services in my home country and to develop and discuss my professional plans with the sponsors.”

“Having seen what OCLC is doing for the profession and the level of services provided by libraries in the USA and Europe, I am motivated to make a difference.”

How will your library benefit from your Fellowship experience?

“The Fellowship has had a positive impact on my personal and professional life. The forums provided the opportunity for open discussions and critical thinking. I have also learned to have greater appreciation for other people’s cultures and a greater need to study foreign languages.”

“Using one word to describe the experience, I would say it was ‘awesome’. The host and all whom we came in contact with were convivial, warm and eager to share their knowledge with us.”