 | Reflecting on my graduate school experience, I am stunned on how much I learned and completed in a short amount of time. I had the good fortune of working in a library while completing my coursework, so I could immediately apply what I learned, especially in cataloging. My reference course made me more effective in my duties on the children's reference desk. My courses in teen and children's materials and services contributed to my ability to effectively develop programs and collections in both departments where I work. In June 2012, I developed an art exploration program for grades 3-5 that was well-received by children and their parents. I've been requested to run the program again in the fall of 2012. For teens, I planned a number of craft programs for the summer of 2012. I also revamped and expanded the teen summer reading program to include sixth |
graders and included a component for teens to write a book review to receive more chances to win summer prizes. It is my goal to be a Young Adult Librarian in a public library, so my coursework coupled with my work experience has made this a real possibility. I have expanded my technological skills to include social networking for the library, and my Special Project examined how to best train and support staff during migration to a new integrated library system. This was motivated by the migration that my library went through in March of 2012. Being trained on an entirely new ILS helped me develop my research question and the questions I included on my survey. Working and going to school at the same time was not easy, but I felt that my coursework was more like concurrent professional development for my job. I'm proud of what I accomplished, and I feel that I am well-prepared for a professional librarian position.
