Reflections
For as long as I can remember, the local public library has been a central part of my life. I never pictured myself as a librarian, however - Marketing was my chosen career. It was enjoyable, but after ten years in the field, I realized that it was not fulfilling. The more I thought about what I really wanted to be "when I grew up," I realized I wanted to be a librarian. Once I realized that, I felt that I had found my direction in life. Over the course of my education at Southern and time spent working in a library, I have learned that not only do I love books, information and ideas, but I also love people. And helping people is what being a librarian is really about.
To me, librarianship is sharing ideas with others, helping people to find information they need and discover new ideas about themselves and the world around them. The information and ideas that have been shared in my classes have helped me refine my own thoughts and feelings about the direction my career will take.
I began my career at Southern on the Academic track, but over time I realized my true passion was in the Children's Room at the public library. I care deeply about inspiring children to become lifelong learners, and hope to spend my career doing so. I have since changed to the Public Libraries track, which fits in with my love of and comfort in public libraries. It helps that I have worked in a public library for the past two years, getting valuable real-world experience, as well as the ability to try out work in both Adult Reference and Children's Room. I enjoy both areas, and working in a public library with both a Children's and Adult section will allow me to have exposure to all types (and ages) of patrons. Eventually, I hope to become a Director of a public library.
The knowledge and experience I've gained in all of my classes, from Foundations of Librarianship, which gave a detailed overview of the profession, to Library Management ("Hire well!"), to Research Methods, which gave me an opportunity to research and deliver a project that will potentially better the library community, has prepared me to make the most of my career as a librarian. I am excited and ready for the next phase of my journey.
To me, librarianship is sharing ideas with others, helping people to find information they need and discover new ideas about themselves and the world around them. The information and ideas that have been shared in my classes have helped me refine my own thoughts and feelings about the direction my career will take.
I began my career at Southern on the Academic track, but over time I realized my true passion was in the Children's Room at the public library. I care deeply about inspiring children to become lifelong learners, and hope to spend my career doing so. I have since changed to the Public Libraries track, which fits in with my love of and comfort in public libraries. It helps that I have worked in a public library for the past two years, getting valuable real-world experience, as well as the ability to try out work in both Adult Reference and Children's Room. I enjoy both areas, and working in a public library with both a Children's and Adult section will allow me to have exposure to all types (and ages) of patrons. Eventually, I hope to become a Director of a public library.
The knowledge and experience I've gained in all of my classes, from Foundations of Librarianship, which gave a detailed overview of the profession, to Library Management ("Hire well!"), to Research Methods, which gave me an opportunity to research and deliver a project that will potentially better the library community, has prepared me to make the most of my career as a librarian. I am excited and ready for the next phase of my journey.