A Report on My Summer Classes

Posted September 15, 2012 by dunhame

I’ve been absent from the blogosphere for quite some time now–it doesn’t feel at all like over a month has gone by, but that seems to be the case! Last you heard from me, I was finishing up my summer semester. I had just a few weeks to recover from that and am already embarking on semester #4. I don’t believe I ever reported to this blog about my summer classes, so I will take the opportunity to do that now!
This past summer I decided to take my final two core courses: LIS 403 (Evaluation of Information Services) and LIS 488 (Technology for Information Professionals). It was, in a word, intense, to complete 6 credit hours-worth of work in 6 weeks. They went by in a blur, but I was able to walk away from them with some useful information and some marketable skills.
In Evaluation, we learned some of the basic theory and technique about conducting action research studies in information environments. The final project consisted of developing a research proposal for a study that would aid in the improvement or development of library/archives programs. My proposal was for a study whose results would aid in the development of a social media marketing plan at Truman State University. We each presented our proposals to the class, and I had fun with it by using Prezi for the first time. If you’re interested, feel free to check out my Prezi to gain some sense of what a research proposal is all about.
I adored my Technology class. As I’ve expressed before, library school has given me a wonderful opportunity to embrace technology in new ways and develop skills I never imagined I would have had any interest in pursuing. We learned the basics of HTML, CSS, and PHP. Each assignment built upon the one before, and our final product was a dynamic Web form. Mine is still sitting here on my Simmons Web space (every GSLIS student has their own personal Web space, which comes in handy for many of the courses!) Again, feel free to check it out!
After a few weeks of time off, I’m back in the thick of it this semester with Database Management, Establishing Archives and Manuscript Programs, and Archiving and Preserving Digital Media. It’s shaping up to be busy, of course, but nothing a library school student can’t handle, I’m sure!