Background:
Mark is a PhD student in Library & Information Science and his supervisor is
Dr. Paulette Rothbauer.
After studying Political Science and Theology at Western, Mark went on to Wilfrid Laurier and York universities, where he studied Religion & Culture and Humanities. While at York (and for a few years after), Mark assisted in a special research project, transcribing the correspondence of John Tyndall (1820 - 1893).
Research:
Mark's research interests can be described as two-fold. Firstly, Mark is primarily interested in readership studies; more specifically, in studying how readers interact with (and help define) genre fiction -- science fiction, in particular. Mark is interested in buillding upon different models of reading and typologies of readers, to better understand the relationship that readers have with genre. This research sees readers as journeying, in their exploration of genre, building upon Thomas Tweed's concept of "crossing and dwelling" and MIchel de Certeau's concept of "poaching."
Secondly, Mark is interested in the archival preservation of southwestern Ontario history and how local archives interact with other so-called "GLAM" institutions (galleries, libraries, archives, & museums).
Keywords:
American studies, archives, cultural studies, genre fiction, information science, leisure, libraries, Ontario history, reading, science fiction
Mark presently volunteers in the
Michael R. Prieur Archives in the library of St. Peter's Seminary.
Mark serves as the 2022 - 23 Secretary for the
Canadian Association for Information Science.
