The Nightingale Private Library is an Online Public Access Catalogue created out of my personal collection of over 400 books that had been previously been stored in an Excel spreadsheet. The initial spreadsheet that I had used to store these records began as a basic database that collected the title of the book, the name of the author, and the International Standard Book Number.

Over the three years I've used it for, the database has changed and evolved to hold more information on each entry and act as a financial calculator and way to share my collection with family and friends. In one of the latest updates I made to this spreadsheet, I added in a Priority filter to optimize the organization of my physical shelves in addition to collecting specific details about where and when I purchased materials to further aid in proof of purchase and conceptualize where I was buying books from the most. While it is not entirely completed, and there are certain pieces of information missing in addition to some errors in data, my goal was the database to be a living collection that would be updated as necessary.

In the latest update to this database at the end of July, I created a data entry table to optimize the way that new materials are added. Using the skills I learned during Module 12 of Spreadsheets II, I created and formatted a table for data entry with data validations and macros that would automatically enter the new record into the database, and clear the table for the next record. In addition to this update making the database easier to use and store information, it also creates a more professional look to a functioning catalogue and better represents the Nightingale Private Library.

For as long as I can remember, I have always been a creative person and enjoyed writing whether it be for myself as a personal project or something for school. In 2017, I had the opportunity to write several blog posts for Halifax Public Libraries as a Teen Blogger, and since then, my creative writing has continued to improve and become a major part of my life and something I wanted to incorporate into the Nightingale Private Library.

During the beginning of the second term in late January, I began thinking that I should create a website or blogging platform for the library I had first created a few months previous. I wanted to create a platform to post updates about the collection and the organization as a whole, while also opening up the possibility of community engagements and interactions by writing about different books, authors, and publishers.

To date, I have written five short recommendations and one Author and Publisher spotlight with my goal being to write more and publish full-length reviews in the coming months. Additionally, I hope to integrate patron contributions such as short stories and fan art into the blog in the future as the Nightingale Private Library grows and begins to create a functioning community and space for learning and creativity.