Bradley McIlwain

I am passionate about information and connecting people with conversations and stories that matter!

I love literature, and have a Bachelor of Arts in English from Trent University. Some of my favourite authors on my bookshelf include Poe, Stoker, Coleridge and Keats.

I recently completed my Master of Information from the University of Toronto, with a concentration in Library and Information Science. I am interested in reference, digital preservation, information behaviour, cultural heritage and advocacy.

While working as a digitizing assistant at Kelly Library, University of St. Michael's College, I created a LibGuide for Mgr. John O'Connor (1870-1952), who was the real-life inspiration for G.K. Chesterton's Father Brown. I carefully helped digitize O'Connor's works, ranging from essays, rare books, manuscripts, ephemera, songs, translations and newspaper clippings, bringing the collection to life and making the material accessible for students and researchers.

During a Special Topic in Information class, I collaborated with colleagues to write, create, produce two episodes of Beyond Literacy Radio, a thought experiment to explore a Post-Literate Future. In episode 8, I had the pleasure to explore an apocalyptic post-human society in Post Humans: A Radio Play delivered in H.G. Wells-esque fashion.

I am passionate about historical research and as a community reporter I liaise with librarians, historians, and archivists to discover anecdotes about our community and its past. On a freelance assignment, I wrote about a local cemetery and its early pioneers.

In August 2015, my collection of poems Elementals was published by IOWI, and is inspired by our exploration of our connectedness with nature in our daily life, and how we navigate wilderness inside of ourselves. Elementals is available through Chapter's Indigo and In Our Words Inc.

I am interested in library and museum opportunities, and look forward to connecting with librarians, archivists, and museum professionals in the field.