Mid-Semester Analysis and Reflections

My posts have mainly been about discovering the world of librarianship through the eyes of someone new to the profession. My background is mainly in advertising and marketing; more of the business aspect of things. But my main passion comes from my love of thorough research, exploring and sharing information, and reading. I try to make sure that I sound smart in my posts and not like a complete idiot with zero comprehension to what is going on with librarians. I love getting to other people’s thoughts on our discussion boards. It’s great to have differing opinions on some issues but that we primarily agree about the big issues like net neutrality and preserving the value of the library.

Sometimes I feel behind when my classmates talk about what things are like at the libraries they work at. I’m not immersed yet in the life of a librarian so sometimes I feel like a fraud. I know that having an outside perspective will serve me well because I can see obstacles from a different angle, but there’s always a slight nagging doubt that I’m not good enough to play in the big leagues.

I really enjoyed the Think Tank discussions because there were so many different articles and questions to ponder. I love being able to take a meaty question and break it down and analyze it deeply. I find myself going into every discussion thread and assignment like a researcher. I tend to write A LOT for my responses because I find myself having so much to say. I find that when I have a strong feeling toward a topic, primarily anything to do with underprivileged kids or a group of people, my enthusiasm to create change kicks into over-drive.

Having been faithfully journaling with a pen and paper for close to three years now, I love having a written record of how I was feeling throughout different periods of my life. I love that we are keeping an LIS blog as we make our way through this program. I can’t wait to look back on the semester and see how far I’ve come and what I’ve learned.    

In the second half of the semester I plan on diving even deeper into the assignments and discussions. I feel like I have a stronger grip on the workings of what is going on with libraries today. I feel more confident about my answers and how I can best contribute to the profession. I just set up my interviews for the LIS Agency Visit assignment with two library directors. I am so excited to talk to someone with the job that I want to have some day in my career. I’ve never sat down with a librarian to talk to them about their job so I am really looking forward to picking their brains and getting a more in-depth look at what they do.

The biggest thing that has surprised me through keeping a journal and this semester is how much the library profession clicks with all of my interests and strengths. I’ve said it before it one of my earlier posts, but I never felt like I fit in to the marketing world. It is too superficial for me. I want to work with people and understand what they want and need from their libraries. I want to help find information for patrons and organize it in a way that is best for their needs. I want to make the way we share information better for the world at large.

I’m very grateful for this program. After feeling like a fish out of water since I graduated college, I finally have the confidence in my career choice and the impact I will have on the profession.