19
Apr
News: I’m Going to Library School!
Hi.
I’m here.
I know it’s been very quiet over here at Sturdy for Common Things lately, but I’m dusting off the week’s worth of cobwebs. I can’t remember the last time I went a whole week between posting blog posts… Sheesh! Those of you that blog out there, do you feel an extreme sense of guilt when your blogging falls to the wayside? I do, that’s for sure. I feel guilty and a bit sad. It’s such an important part of my life. You all are such an important part of my life. So, I’m getting back into the swing of things as my family has had lots of new news circulating lately, all of which will be revealed soon. For now a major chunk of that news is that…. I’m going to library school!
That’s right. I’m off to grad school to work towards a Graduate Degree in Library and Information Science. I’m in the process of deciding a program, which depends on when I would start my first semester, but I’ll hopefully have a decision made by the end of this week. The decision lies between the iSchool at University of Washington and the GSLIS program at the University of Illinois. Don’t worry, we aren’t leaving Lawrence. I plan to work on my degree remotely. For you librarian-types out there, if you have any advice or experience with either program, I would greatly appreciate any council you’re willing to offer.
I have more exciting news to share here, but not quite yet. So much change and it’s happening fast. Hope everyone has a great weekend. Stay tuned!
image source: card catalog
congratulations! What an exciting time for you! I completed my graduate degree a few years back in Early Childhood Education. It was both very intense and extremely liberating. There is nothing like graduate school. Good luck and enjoy your journey!
Thank you so much, Summer! I have to admit I’m a bit nervous, but am also extremely excited!
Congratulations! That’s a VERY good reason to lay off the blogging for a short while. I earned my MLIS online from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, and I was very happy with their program. My best advice is to do something with your hands, like knitting, while you listen to online lectures. It kept me from checking my email and reading blogs during lectures, and the mindless knitting helped me focus more clearly on the lecture topic.
Online classes are hard because sometimes you feel like you don’t have the support and camaraderie you find in a classroom. So if anyone in your area is in your program and taking the same classes, it’s nice to sometimes meet up at a cafe and “attend” class together. I enjoyed doing that so much when I was in library school.
Good luck, and please do keep us posted on your other news too!
Thanks, Jen!!! I’ll still be posting here on SFCT at least 2 times a week. A big jump from 5-6 times a week, but it’s a necessary adjustment for the time being. And any tips you are willing to offer would be very helpful. I don’t know how to knit, but maybe I should start learning ASAP. I get distracted so easily!
How funny, I just found your Building Bridges article while doing research for one of my MLIS classes! I’m a first-year online student at the University of Washington, and highly recommend their MLIS program. The professors are outstanding and challenging, and so far, everything has been worth it. The program is challenging, but they’ve built a really great community, even for the online folks!
Feel free to email me if you have questions about their program, and congratulations!
–Danielle
That is funny, Danielle! Thank you for letting me know know about your experience so far with University of Washington. I’m happy to know there is a great community even for the remote students. That’s a huge plus for me. Way back when I received my undergrad, hardly any of the course work was online. I think I had only one class on blackboard? It will be an extremely different experience this time around. Times sure have changed!
Thanks again!!
Congratulations! That’s something I’ve thought about doing, but it’s been so long since I was in college, the thought is rather intimidating. I have a friend who is doing the program through Emporia State, which is the only one I’ve looked at.
Thank you Danzel!! I feel a bit intimidated myself, but will kick myself if I don’t do it…
I think you would be a great librarian!
Rebecca,
I finished by online graduate studies a year ago through San Jose State University. It was a challenging course of study and required a very strict schedule, but was very rewarding. I was able to dig deeply into subjects that were of particular interest to me, and wrote some very rigourously researched papers. I am currently working as a librarian for two public libraries, learning more everyday. I don’t think I will ever be done learning about this amazing profession. I love being a librarian. Good luck to you.
Thank you so much Renee for voicing your experience and for your encouragement!! I’m very much looking forward to starting my studies and making forward momentum in my career path. Ever since I started working in libraries, I can’t imagine myself working anywhere else. Thanks again.
Congrats on all your good news. I discovered your blog while researching library careers. I’m considering a mid-life career change. Can I ask how you narrowed your choices down to those two schools? Did you consider Emporia?
Hi Julie! That’s so exciting you’re thinking about becoming a librarian! I did consider Emporia and my primary concern with Emporia was that many of my coworkers had attended there and felt their experience was mediocre or unsatisfactory. It’s certainly the cheapest option, but that information was unsettling. Also, my husband will be finishing school next May and actively start looking for jobs in January, so I wanted to give him the opportunity to explore his options if there are opportunities outside Kansas. I was very impressed by both the University of Washington and University of Illinois online programs, especially in the Youth Services field. Washington was wonderful from the get-go. They were extremely friendly and helpful every time I called with questions and I heard of only good experiences from former students. To top it off, it’s one of the best schools out there. I do have to say, I was a bit put off by the lack of communication I was received from Illinois when I called with questions and some emails went completely ignored. I’ve heard excellent things about their program as well, but I was concerned by their lack of willingness to communicate, especially as a remote student. Once I found out I was going to receive a partial fellowship from Washington, that pretty much sealed the deal.
Do you have a particular area of library science you are interested in? What are the reasons you’d like to make the leap? Feel free to email me anytime if you have questions about working in a public library if that is of interest to you!
Also, these blogs/articles may be of help to you while on your path to deciding:
“So You Think You Want to Be a Librarian” via Publisher’s Weekly
Letters to a Young Librarian
“How to Become a Librarian” via Library Journal