Former Carleton student Jenna Dufour with a BA (Hons.) History of Art shares her experiences with the Discovery Centre about the practicum program for Art History at Carleton.
1) Which community partners did you work with? (ie the Ottawa Art Gallery, War Museum etc.)
I had the opportunity to enroll in two different practicums for an overall 1.0 full credit. The first placement I was working in Reference Services at the Carleton University Library under the direction of the Art History, Music and Film subject specialist librarian (very conveniently located for post-placement study sessions!) For the second placement, I was at the National Gallery of Canada in the Library & Archives. My career interests in art history are actually in libraries, collection development and archival work and so both of these placements were excellent opportunities for me to see what goes on in a busy academic library as well as a specialist art library.
2) What do you feel were the most important skills you gained from this experience? What did you learn that you might not have learned in a classroom?
Of the two placements, the skills I strengthened are predominantly time management, communication and IT skills. Time management became necessary because, even without assigned weekly readings, I found myself more busy than usual during term time. I also had to liaise with professionals, students and the general public during both placements, which gave me more practice communicating in the professional work environment. I also gained further IT skills through my own projects, such as creating PDFs for reference guides in art history and using tools such as Camtasia for the creation of a tutorial library guide video. At the National Gallery, I was able to learn a bit about the databases offered for efficient access to the library’s vast collection. This overall experience gave me a greater understanding of art librarianship from two different institutions, which I definitely could not have learned in a classroom. As such, it has also made applying for a postgraduate qualification in Library and Information Science an easier process, since I now know where my specific interests are in this field.
3) What would you say to future art history students considering participating in the practicum?
I am confident in saying that the practicum program is an incredible opportunity to take the skills you’re being taught in the classroom and your own interests within art history to a professional level. Building your resume while studying for your BA is a great way to demonstrate your knowledge of and dedication to your chosen field. At the same time, I think it is also quite important that students should have an understanding that institutions who partake in the practicum program at Carleton are doing so as a way to share their knowledge, expertise and skills. I believe that a proactive approach is the best way to get the most out of your placement, and will ensure that you always have projects on the go. Do your research before you begin your placement! (I.e. Know the collection and current exhibitions, know the policies of the institution that you are placed with, and have a general idea of potential projects in case you have full agency, but also be open minded to the tasks they may give you).
By Jenna Dufour
If you enjoyed this article, you might also enjoy reading about partnerships between the Ottawa art community and the Department of Art History and the practical experiences available through the History and Theory of Architecture program.