Skip to main content

Meet the ALLA (WA) Committee 2017-2018: David McDowell

With a new Committee working hard, we thought it was time to share a little bit about who the Committee is behind the scenes. Over the next few weeks each committee member will answer a few questions so you can get to know them better. Don't forget you can meet them in real life at our events

David McDowell, ALLA (WA) Committee Member 2017-2018

David McDowell
Twelve Apostles, Great Ocean Road, Victoria
Who is a hero who has inspired you in your career?
My family always encouraged me with my career choices despite them not always being the most lucrative or having the best job prospects. I worked a few different jobs before settling on a career working in libraries. I can't identify one person alone who influenced that decision but the people I have worked with along the way have made me feel that this was the direction I was meant to take. 

What is the proudest moment in your professional life?
Does staying consistently employed in the library field count? I guess the same can be said about a lot of industries but starting out in the library field these days can be pretty rough. I was very fortunate to get paid work from my university practicum which provided me with the experience to get other library jobs. Therefore I'm proud that my skills and attitude towards work have provided me with a variety of opportunities in the field.
    
Career advice – what’s your top tip?
Allow your career to takes unexpected twists and turns that could never have imagined when you first started. When I started working in libraries I only wanted to be a public library librarian. I enjoyed my time doing that immensely but I have been challenged by taking up opportunities in academic and law libraries. I have developed a whole range of research skills that I wouldn't have been capable of a few years ago. 

What’s your favourite legal research tool?
CaseBase & the abbreviation guide was a lifesaver when I was first starting at Jackson McDonald and didn't know the acronyms for law reports. While I wouldn't recommend people using it as their only legal research tool - it is user friendly.   

If you had to work on only one project for the next year, what would it be?
I like learning new skills and updating old ones. I haven't be required to do any computer coding since my university days so a project that involved me picking that up again would be good.  

Library cliché: What is your favourite book? (Or one of your favourite books?)
Tomorrow, when the war began by John Marsden. This was the compulsory high school read that encouraged teenage boy me to read the rest of the series for pleasure.   

If you were reincarnated as an animal, what would it be?
An elephant. I used to love watching Babar as a kid. 

Why did you join the ALLA (WA) Committee?
It's great to get to know the people that make up our law library community better and to work on events or projects that benefit us all. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Keeping Up With ALLA (WA) News

In March 2023 we announced the  closure of the Allgwa list , and welcomed the arrival of the  ALLA (WA) Google Group .  To take full advantage of the Google Group - particularly the ability to deliver news directly to your inbox - the ALLA (WA) Committee has made the decision to cease posting to the ALLA (WA) Blog.  ALLA (WA) Members are encouraged to join the Google Group to make sure they don’t miss out on key news, events, job opportunities from the committee and our members.  Over the past twelve and a half years we've have over 208636 visitors (and still counting) to the ALLA (WA) Blog, from all over the world. We thank all of our readers who have supported the blog. We especially thank all of our blog editors and contributors who have volunteered their time, skill and knowledge to develop this resource. The ALLA (WA) Blog will continue to be available in an archive format. We look forward to using the ALLA (WA) Google Group to share information, foster collegiali

ALLA National Board - Nominations Open

ALLA members would have received an email from Emma Joneshart, President of ALLA Ltd regarding a call for nominations for members to join the ALLA Ltd Board of Directors. Nominations will be voted upon at the ALLA AGM, held on Thursday 23 September during the ALLA Virtual Conference 2021 . The ALLA Ltd Board of Directors is an important part of the Australian Law Librarians' Association's governance. Made up of at least eight members of ALLA, nominations are open for the following positions:  Vice President Secretary Treasurer Vendor Relations CPD Coordinator General Directors The Vice President position is for a term of 3 years, consisting of a year each as Vice President, President and Past President. The other positions are for a 2-year term, allowing for a sufficient time period to become familiar with the role and have meaningful impact on ALLA projects.  Each role is varied, with support from other members of the Board, and in addition to monthly meetings (mainly via tel

Job Opportunities : Seeking a Shelf Change 2023 (5)

Senior Librarian Squire Patton Boggs has advertised for a part-time  (0.8 FTE) role of Senior Librarian in their Perth office. Details can be found on the Squire Patton Boggs website .  As an aside, we wish Kelly the best in her new endeavours and thank her for all her contributions to ALLA (WA) over the years.  Library Officer Corrective Serives, Department of Justice have advertised for a full-time Library Officer role located at Hakea Prison. Details can be found on the Jobs WA website . Applications close 24 April 2023. Library Assistant The Parliamentary Library, Department of Library Services has advertised for a full-time Library Assistant located in Canberra. Details can be found on the APS Jobs website . Applications close 17 April 2023. Archival Officer The National Archives of Australia are advertising for a full-time Archival Officer based in Perth. Details can be found on the  APS Jobs website . Applications close 16 April 2023. Still Open Positions Previously Published on