Why I Am Here

Posted February 13, 2012 by Sarah Barton

Since this is my very first post (yay!), let me tell you why I am at Simmons GSLIS. I love libraries. I love what they are, what they stand for, and what they provide for their communities. I have never worked in a library, but pursuing a library degree just felt right. So here I am.
On my first day of class, the professor asked who wants to work in a library after graduation. No one’s hand went up. If the professor hadn’t called my name from the list at the beginning of class, I would have thought I was mistakenly in the wrong classroom.
In reality, my mistake was thinking about a library degree superficially. Thinking that everyone in GSLIS wants to work in a traditional library setting. When I started here, I thought I wanted to do reference. I have not abandoned that idea, but it has been pushed down the list. I could do something in publishing, digital media, news librarianship, or even wine librarianship. (Yes, that does exist.)
So, when thinking about applying to Simmons GSLIS, do so with an open mind. I have had two professors encourage us to pursue jobs in a non-traditional library setting. If librarians in libraries are good, then librarians in different job fields are great. The skills that I am learning here are applicable on many different levels to many different types of jobs.
For all you aspiring reference librarians out there, don’t let me squash your dreams. But be prepared to have your eyes opened to a world of libraries that encompasses more than just libraries themselves.