Kate Beswick

Professional Biography

In 2024, I joined Western Libraries as a User Experience Librarian, Student Success. I work across Western Libraries and with campus partners to develop user-centred services and learning opportunities that support students throughout their academic experience, with a particular focus on reference and research support, student success, and user experience.

Prior to joining Western Libraries, I spent more than 20 years at Brescia University College in reference and research support, teaching, collections, and student-facing library services. This experience continues to shape my interest in relationships at the heart of library work and in designing services that meet people where they are.

Education

• BA Honours, History, Huron University College
• MLIS, Western University

Research Interests

My research interests include reference and research support, student success, user experience, organizational change in academic libraries, and the ways organizational structures shape the experiences of library users and staff. I am particularly interested in how academic libraries can preserve relational and human-centred approaches to service as our organizations, technologies, and users' needs continue to evolve.

Teaching Philosophy

I believe effective teaching begins with meeting learners where they are. Care, curiosity, and relationship-building are central to my teaching practice, and I aim to create inclusive learning environments where people feel comfortable asking questions, acknowledging what they do not know, and building on the knowledge and experiences they bring with them.

Rather than focusing only on how to use a particular tool or resource, I want learners to understand the research process and develop the judgement to make informed decisions as their work progresses. Ultimately, I hope learners leave an interaction knowing what to do next and feeling more confident navigating what comes after.