Personal Goals/Objectives for my Studies

When I first decided I wanted to be a librarian and get my MLIS, I really wanted to work in an academic setting, preferably high school, so I could then become a coach as well. Now that I’m into the semester a little, my thoughts have shifted from an academic setting to a public setting.

I would love to become a Library Director for a large library in Chicago or the surrounding suburbs. I love the notion of being challenged to assist with the needs of an expansive age range. I plan to make programs catered more toward working professionals and recent college grads. Since I am an improviser and a comedian, another one of my goals is to establish an interactive and fun story time for preschool kids. If we get them interested and excited about reading before they even can, we can hopefully create lifelong and enthusiastic readers.

At some point I would love to get my PhD in psychology and do research in regards to the life of introverts. As a textbook introvert, I’m interested to learn more about how our personality traits and behaviors affect library usage and how our needs are met. Because I love research and human behavior, I would love to do large surveys for communities to understand their comprehension of how their libraries serve them and what we can do to accommodate them further. A big part of what makes me, me is that I am a seeker of knowledge. I love nothing more than to dive into a pressing issue or question that I know nothing about and come out the other end somewhat of an expert.  

My personal philosophy about libraries is to create a sanctuary that I would enjoy using. I want to create this image and feeling toward libraries that they are indispensable and a place to call your second home. It’s a place to not only go to have a quiet work space, but it’s a center for learning and connecting.  

Most of all, my main career resolution after attaining my MLIS is to actually feel like I belong and flourish in a field that not only energizes me, but that I am passionate about and want to contribute to its many successes. I can’t wait to have people surrounding me that are equally as focused and willing to put in the work to make libraries a staple of each community and/or their host systems.

My main objective in this class, as well as the entire program, is to pick a specialty and setting that is conducive to my strengths and overall career goals. I am remaining open minded to many of the expansive and available avenues this degree can take me. All I know is that my passion and love for the library is my driving force from here on out. It is my biggest asset at the moment and I cannot wait to see how my perception and goals continue to rearrange and take shape as my learning continues.