SCSU REFLECTIONS
I
was thrilled to be admitted to the Master of Library Science Program at
Southern Connecticut State University in November of 2001, but to be truthful,
I was somewhat resentful that I could not pursue a career in librarianship
without facing the two years of difficult coursework ahead of me. Since I had worked in a library in the past,
what seemed most essential from my point of view, was some extensive on-the-job
training. I was far from certain that I
would learn enough in the MLS program to justify the huge expense.
Gratefully,
I was mistaken in my position. Several
things make the graduate environment special.
People can, and do, obviously learn a lot on the job. I have most of those lessons ahead of
me. One could read all the texts
required in my courses without going to graduate school, and one could approach
each job responsibility as I approached the projects in my classes: research
the literature for evidence and opinion, examine existing examples, evaluate
and synthesize all information, and produce what was required. However, the major stumbling block to using
this approach on the job is that no one has the time to complete all steps in a
thorough manner.
Professors
who are experts in their subjects definitely provide an advantage in graduate
studies. Tips on where to start
searching can cut hours off the time required to for each project. One would have to diligently develop
contacts in order to experience equivilent assistance on the job. In the MLS program, additional guidance is
provided by fellow students, many of whom are already on the job. I found my classmates to be endlessly
generous in expanding my knowledge of a topic and suggesting leads.
The
projects at SCSU were carefully designed to reflect those that students might
encounter on the job. This may or may
not be a benefit specific to SCSU. I do
know that what I kept hearing from professionals who had received their degree
some time ago was, “I never had to do that!”
I am grateful for SCSU’s focus because it gave me experiences I can
apply to future work situations, it gave me completed projects that evidence my
competence, and perhaps most importantly, it raised my confidence level
significantly.
My
coursework at SCSU started with intensity.
I enrolled in a five-week compressed version of Introduction to
Information Science and Technology.
Although I wouldn’t exactly deem it a mistake, you’ll note that I never
again enrolled in a winter intersession course! I sometimes wondered if I would make it through that class, but I
emerged more determined to conquer graduate school, and pleased with the
increase in my technical skills. I am
also grateful that we were required to subscribe to a professional listserv. Monitoring PUBYAC for more than two years
has given me a wealth of ideas.
In
Foundations of Librarianship, I became more aware of current issues in the
field. One focus I chose was challenges
presented by the many patrons whose native language is something other than
English. Information Analysis and
Organization (cataloging) is something I dreaded taking, but rising to the
challenge was invigorating, and I quite enjoyed the analytical aspects of the
required projects.
My
favorite classes were Children’s Materials and Services and its counterpart for
Adolescents, not only because it directly addresses my chosen direction, but
because Nancy Disbrow, more than any other professor, successfully encouraged
student discussion in her course design.
Although reading all the postings took time, the student interaction
served to lessen the feeling of isolation experienced in online study, and
helped expand clarity on issues and expand subject knowledge
significantly. Nancy was also
complimentary about my project submissions, which in a class full of students
already in youth services provided a needed confidence boost.
My
first reference class expanded my knowledge of sources, both in print and
online. I wanted to be very prepared
for the general reference work that is a part of any patron service position in
public libraries today, and I also wished to have something to offer in an
academic position if that happened to be all that was available in the area
when I completed my studies, so I continued with Advanced Reference Materials
and Services. The class included
electronic design work that was invaluable as a precursor to final Portfolio
preparation.
Last
summer was an interesting one. An
Education Foundations class and Acquisitions complemented each other in some
respects. I credit the first with
sharpening my instructional skills and preparing me to understand educational
viewpoints in the collaborative work I believe to be essential. Although I had moved out into the real world
in Nancy Disbrow’s classes with program design and presentation, it was
Acquisitions that required me to interact with local librarians to complete
projects in government documents, local acquisition practices, and collection
evaluation. Although online education
is a good fit for me, I was actually on campus for two of the weeks that
semester, and it was wonderful to interact with students, some of whom I had
met online, and to meet many professors in person. While I was there, I furthered my storytelling skills in ILS 695,
and increased my knowledge of online resources in ILS 695.
Although
I did not apply for credit for my three-month position with Sno-Isle Libraries
last fall, I certainly consider it part of my educational experience. As children’s liaison, I designed and
presented preschool programs, mastered an automation system, and practiced my
reference skills. Display knowledge
developed in retail work was also put to good use. Collaboration with the local schools crystallized the ideas that
would become my Capstone Research Project.
The job provided the current practical experience I thought might be
essential to a successful job hunt once I had my degree, and I loved my
responsibilities and performed them with confidence, evidencing the fine
preparation my courses had given me, and validating the choices I had made and the
time, effort, and dollars spent.
Although I dreaded the looming capstone project requirement through most of my MLS tenure, I have to say that ILS 680 Evaluation & Research provided some invaluable experiences. In the first place, the open-ended nature of the work provides a reason and an opportunity to do indepth research in areas of personal interest within the information field. I was able to combine interests in outreach, instruction, promotion and young adult service into a single comprehensive project. The class underlines the importance of basing professional action on research and evaluation, a focus that is too often lacking in the field. Because one seldom finds exactly what was expected, data collection provides the relatively rare opportunity to be reminded that there is a difference between prediction based on experience and limited observation, and evidence collected systematically. So despite the challenges provided by the capstone project,in reflection, I am grateful for the experience.
In
this reflective essay, I have obviously only touched on a few highlights. Further information about the projects done
in each course, and the projects themselves can be accessed through the
homepage. Another page documents the
evolution of my Capstone Research Project, and provides
access to the research report.
It has been a difficult
journey, but I leave the MLS program at SCSU confident that I can meet any
professional challenges that come my way, and ready to work toward expanded and
clarified versions of the goals that were important to me when I began.