Meet Our Staff Series - Meet Joyce

In the sixth installment of our Meet Our Staff Series, we’re going to introduce you to Joyce, our eBranch Library Technician. 

Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where did you grow up? Family members?
I grew up East Vancouver’s Hastings Chinatown area. As immigrants, my parents worked a lot so my grandparents watched me during the day. The 90s were a different time. My friends and I had a lot of freedom to explore the city after school. We had lots of adventures and only got into a little bit of trouble. I have an older sister and she got into a lot of trouble.

What did you do before working at the library?
Lots of different jobs and way too much retail. Before working at the library, I worked in an animation studio, at Canada Revenue Agency, at a book wholesaler, as a movie extra and with the Burnaby Christmas Bureau. I did a short stint in a community TV studio where they let me operate this massive jib camera. It’s a studio camera attached to this huge arm for tilt and pan shots. I’ve been an exam invigilator, written for a web publication and was the music editor in a local magazine. A cool perk with that gig was going to free shows and interviewing artists. I’ve worked a summer with the salmon habitat restoration program and interned at Adbusters Magazine.

What do you do at the library?
I’m currently the eBranch Library Technician. I make sure the website is up-to-date with the latest information, and I help people with accessing our digital resources like eBooks, streaming movies and eLearning databases. If you’ve emailed us a question, chances are I’ve helped you out. I also help out on the Library’s social media accounts, with room bookings, and with one-on-one help sessions. Once in a while, you might catch me on location with POP, our mobile pop-up vehicle.

What do you do in your spare time?
I’m a big reader, so I spend a lot of my free time reading. I’m pretty low-key, so I love staying in, having a cozy weekend chilling with the cat. I also love musical instruments and the challenge of learning a new one. I’m currently learning how to play the drums on an electronic kit.

Were you a library user before you started working at the library?
Yes! As a child, I had my drawstring book bag made by my grandma for library visits. We had so many because grandma kept making them. I think they eventually went to my dad to use as lunch bags. I went through a phase in high school where I was buying lots of books from Chapters, but then reverted back to using the library after realizing how expensive that could get.

If you weren’t working at the library, what would you be doing?
Traveling the world (because in this alternate reality, I’ve won the lottery).

What’s your favourite book?
I don’t have a favourite book, but have many that I’ve loved reading – Flowers for Algernon, The Call of the Wild, The Handmaid’s Tale. More recent picks include The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett, Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir and Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson. I’m a big Stephen King fan, I love Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan series. For fantasy, I really enjoy Brandon Sanderson. For sci-fi, I love Martha Wells. I’ll also read anything by Celeste Ng and Taylor Jenkins Reid.

What are you currently reading?
I’m currently reading an adult thriller called False Witness by Karin Slaughter and a young adult thriller called They’ll Never Catch Us by Jessica Goodman.

What’s on your “to read” book list?
I’ve got the new Grady Hendrix on hold. It’s called The Final Girl Support Group. I’m also really looking forward to the release of Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney and A Slow Fire Burning by Paul Hawkins.

What’s your favourite song or album or artist....or what's a song lyric best describes your life...or words to live by.
My playlists are composed of a lot of 90s RnB, hip-hop, rap and pop. Honestly, I like so many genres and artists from across the board. One day I might have some orchestral music playing and then the next day will be all country or indie. It depends the day’s mood.

What is your favourite resource at the library?
CloudLibrary eBooks and audiobooks. I can’t remember the last time I checked out a physical book.

If you could have a superpower, what would it be?
I always thought Mystique’s superpower from X-Men was dope. So yeah, it’d be shapeshifting.

What’s one thing people might be surprised to know about you?
I can play expert mode in the virtual reality game, Beat Saber.