UNews - co-worker

Malinsky returns to familiar setting

trevor.kenney — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 22:21:52 +0000

Supervisor, Access Service is a new position in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Library, but the person occupying it is not new to the U of L at all. Jesse Malinsky (BA '98) assumed the role in August and is proud to return to his alma mater.

"To say I was pleased to be able to come back and work here is an understatement," says Malinsky. "The position offers me the opportunity to create and try something new in the library field."

Prior to returning to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, Malinsky worked seven years with Medicine Hat College (MHC) Library Services. During his time there he functioned as the library services specialist. That position's responsibilities included delivering academic writing and library instruction, providing information services, developing and supporting library systems and web services, and more.

Jesse Malinsky is most at home walking the library floor, making sure its patrons are being served well.

"MHC and the U of L are partners in the libraries' integrated library system. While there, I often liaised with the staff at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ," says Malinsky. "Before arriving here, I knew they were a dedicated and talented group. They are always asking, "How can we be better?" The needs of the students are always the first priority."

Returning to Lethbridge represents a return to his roots in the library. Before working in Medicine Hat, Malinsky was employed at Lethbridge College as the evening circulation supervisor before later migrating to information services.

"My role in Medicine Hat was arguably more analytical and technical in nature. My new position here requires those skills as well, but there is also a greater human dynamic when working in public service," he says.

As the supervisor of Access Service, Malinsky's responsibilities include overseeing the day-to-day operations of the General Services Desk, Document Delivery Services/Interlibrary Loans, stacks maintenance and participation in a variety of library committees.

"I am very fortunate to work with a great group of people, who are dedicated to delivering the best service possible to the patrons of the library," he says. "I was worried that I would lose touch with students because I wouldn't be in a classroom or in information services, but I'm pleasantly surprised that this isn't the case."

As the supervisor, he also has the opportunity to oversee 15 to 20 student assistants.

"They definitely keep me busy, and pleasantly so. It is good to have a keen group of students with a broad variety of studies – it helps keep me sharp and hopefully more in tune with students' needs," he says.

Malinsky is usually easy to spot in the library. You can find him zipping among the levels, and is almost always wearing a necktie.

"Yes, the tie is my signature," he says. "I've been wearing them almost daily for the past 10 years. At Medicine Hat, a co-worker said, "I started here five years ago and about 6 to 8 guys wore ties. You are the last." I took a little pride in that."

He has in excess of 50 ties in his collection, none of which have books or cartoon characters on them, and uses a variety of knots to tie them – though the Pratt/Shelby is his knot of choice.

While some may question the continuing value of libraries in today's easy to access information age, Malinsky does not hesitate to tout its virtues.

"I still see the library as an ivory tower," he says. "Academic libraries contribute to and facilitate academic/intellectual discourse. We provide human services to access, evaluate and organize information to enhance the academic achievement of our patrons. Though it is more complex than that, it is a sad day if we cannot find value in those simple concepts."

This story first appeared in the January edition of the Legend. For a look at the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Malinsky returns to familiar setting

trevor.kenney — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 20:43:31 +0000

"To say I was pleased to be able to come back and work here is an understatement," says Malinsky. "The position offers me the opportunity to create and try something new in the library field."

Jesse Malinsky is most at home walking the library floor, making sure its patrons are being served well.

As the supervisor, he also has the opportunity to oversee 15 to 20 student assistants.

Malinsky is usually easy to spot in the library. You can find him zipping among the levels, and is almost always wearing a necktie.

He has in excess of 50 ties in his collection, none of which have books or cartoon characters on them, and uses a variety of knots to tie them – though the Pratt/Shelby is his knot of choice.

While some may question the continuing value of libraries in today's easy to access information age, Malinsky does not hesitate to tout its virtues.

This story first appeared in the January edition of the Legend. For a look at the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Wellness at work can start simply

trevor.kenney — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 21:02:41 +0000

By SUZANNE MCINTOSH

Thank you to all who attended our 5th Annual Life Balance Fair last month. Thanks also to all of our wonderful exhibitors and the donors of the many draw prizes.

As the fair was celebrating Healthy Workplace Month in Canada, I would like to continue on that theme by highlighting information available on our new Employee and Family Assistance Program provider's website. Homewood Human Solutions has a number of resources available for staff and faculty. The following is a teaser from one of the articles on their site.

Tips for Staying Well at Work

Taking time to relax in the workplace is important, and it doesn't have to be difficult or time consuming. Sometimes even a small investment of time for relaxation can have a big pay off. In fact, the following exercises can create more time than they use because, when you refresh yourself, you are more productive and efficient.

You can use the following three relaxation exercises at work to help you manage your stress, maximize your energy and maintain a healthy and positive attitude at work. None of the exercises takes longer than three minutes, and the shortest is only 10 seconds. Try them and make your own judgment about how helpful they are.

Exercise # 1 - Deep Breathing (a simple but very effective method of relaxation)

• Take a long, slow, deep breath. Inhale through your nose, allowing your diaphragm to fill with air and letting your chest expand.

• Exhale through your mouth. As you exhale, dig deep and allow any stress, anxiety or tension to be released along with that breath.

• Try, as best you can, to empty your head of all thoughts, plans and worries: right now all you need to do is relax.

Allow yourself to exhale negative thoughts along with your breath.

• Repeat these steps several times until you feel calm and relaxed. When you are ready to go back to work, allow your breath to return to normal.

Why does it work?

Studies show the area of the brain that signals the stress response also signals the relaxation response. By breathing deeply for at least 10 seconds you signal your brain to switch from stress mode to relaxation mode, giving your body and mind a break.

This is also a great exercise to help with the afternoon blues. Breathing deeply allows oxygen to reach your brain, which makes you more alert and re-energized. So instead of grabbing another cup of coffee, eating another chocolate bar or taking an aspirin to fend off a headache, take a few seconds and B-R-E-A-T-H-E.

Quick Tips

• Laughing: this is one of the easiest and best ways to reduce stress. Share a joke with a co-worker, read the comics on your break and try to see the humour in the situation.

• Stretching: get the blood and oxygen moving through your body by taking a minute to stretch.

• Grab a healthy snack: this will nourish your mind and body.

• Prioritize: Take charge of your situation by taking 10 minutes at the beginning of each day to prioritize and organize your day.

For more creative relaxation exercises, visit www.homewoodhumansolutions.com/media

Mini-Massages

Lethbridge College Massage Therapy students will provide mini-massages in the month of November. Thursday, Nov. 17, the students are available from 1 to 3 p.m. in AH100, while on Wednesday, Nov. 30, sessions are offered from 1 to 3 p.m. in L1114.

Contact wellness@uleth.ca to sign up. There may also be some walk-in availability!

Wellness Lunch and Learn

On Thursday, Nov. 24, Alcohol, A culture of intoxication OR moderation – how much is too much, personal limits, and the consequences of intoxication, will be presented from 12:05 to 1 p.m. in AH100.

Chris Windle, Addiction Services Lethbridge, Addiction and Mental Health, Alberta Health Services, will be presenting.

As always, I look forward to any comments, suggestions or questions.

Suzanne McIntosh is the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's co-ordinator of Wellness Programs

This story first appeared in the November issue of the Legend. For a look at the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Changes don't have to end with Challenge

trevor.kenney — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 20:18:59 +0000

The 7th Annual Bee Heart Smart Challenge has concluded for the year and what a successful year we had!

A total of 18 teams (consisting of 165 people plus a number of individual participants) took part and the competition was fierce. Although I tried to get my name on the top-10 stepper list, other, more ambitious steppers quickly bumped me.

Thanks to all who joined in the fun. Watch the Notice Board and the Wellness website (www.uleth.ca/hum/wellness) for challenge winners.

Thank you to all our motivators – Mike Mahon, Nancy Walker, Kevin McFadzen – and although Maureen Mahon was not an official Busy Bee champion, she kept me motivated throughout the challenge. What excellent role models we have here at the
U of L.

Now that we have been physically active for six weeks, how do we maintain the
momentum we've established and keep the motivation up for the rest of the year?

Here are some tips:

Track your own physical activity

Use a calendar in your phone, or on your fridge, to keep track of the number of minutes each day that you are active. Include short bursts of physical activity – even 10 minutes at a time is beneficial – as well as activities such as stretching and yoga. At the end of the month count the total number of days you were active and calculate your percentage of active days.

Compare yourself from month to month and ask yourself, "Was it a good one?" Or could you increase your physical activity level?

Even 10 minutes is fine

Don't feel up to going to the gym, getting on the treadmill or going for a walk?
Try the 10-minute rule. Do an activity for only 10 minutes, and if after 10 minutes you still want to quit, do so. You might just surprise yourself and find you want to continue. Starting is often the hardest part.

Find a buddy

A friend, co-worker, family member or dog can act as a wonderful motivator. Get together to do something physical, even if it is only once per week. Chances are you will increase your activity level during the rest of the week to ensure you can keep up.

Remember to walk

We all have to walk somewhere every day. What we might not realize is that walking is easy on the body, and it burns calories and builds muscle – no fancy equipment required. People who track their progress and realize the benefits of walking are more likely to stay committed to their walking routine.

Challenge yourself

Enroll in a race, or try a different competitive or fun activity. Setting a competitive goal might be all the motivation you need to stay with your fitness plan.

In other Wellness news, Building Healthy Lifestyles will be offering a Festive Feasts Summer BBQ class on Friday, June 24 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. In the class, you will learn about how to make your own marinades, salads and spice mixes, all the while getting to sample some wonderful recipes. Call 403-388-6654 to register for this free workshop.

This story first appeared in the Legend. To view the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ mourns passing of employee

trevor.kenney — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 15:39:06 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community offers its most sincere condolences to the family, many friends and co-workers of the late Judy (Campagnola) Jones, an employee of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge since 2000, and who most recently worked in the Records Management office in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Library.

Judy passed away Tuesday, Apr. 6, at age 60, and after a battle with cancer.

She is survived by her husband, Gordon, sons Rick and Christopher, daughter Jennifer and their families. She was the proud grandmother of two.

Described as a "ray of sunshine" by a co-worker, Judy was well known to be a very upbeat and positive person. She would come into work every day with a smile on her face and a positive attitude.

Her family – which included Christine Anderson (Mgmt) and Doran Anderson (IT), U of L employees and her sister and brother-in-law, respectively – was very important to her.

Judy was known to make time for her friends and co-workers. She was always willing to help out when needed and to lend an ear when colleagues needed to talk.

Close co-workers described Judy this way: "Over the years, I have worked with many people. Some were wonderful, but none could top Judy. She was one of the most caring, positive people you will ever meet.

"She was a good listener, never complained and was always happy to help. When she felt well enough, she would come to the office for lunch. At first, she would be wearing a toque (hair loss), then she acquired a wig (which she thought was so neat). It was ash blonde. She always kept a good attitude, and we never heard her say once, 'poor me.' She was a wonderful, supportive person and she will be missed."

A memorial celebration of Judy's life will take place on Monday, Apr. 12 at noon at the LDS West Stake Center, 560 Highland Blvd. West Lethbridge.

The family has created a Facebook page for people to post messages of condolence and support.

UNews - co-worker

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