Connection

Posted November 7, 2017 by Giuliana Gilbert-Igelsrud

At a small college, opportunity for connection is everywhere.

Currently, there are under 1,000 students in the Simmons SLIS program, and only about 600 on-campus students in Boston. A small department means more interpersonal connection per capita; now that I’ve finished the core courses, I see the same folks over and over again during the week. When you’re so immersed in a space with the same handful of people, and those people have the same interests that you do, and those people are kind and interesting and great, you can have discussions you may not be able to have elsewhere. Where else would those around me take interest in linguistic gatekeepers, adultism, architectural design, and bias in higher education? I’m grateful to be able to have these discussions every day with people who are passionate, opinionated, and kind.

Here’s the secret truth about librarianship: nobody is here for the money, glamor, and prestige, because there is none to be had. My friends in law school and medical school frequently run into folks they don’t care for much, who have been pressured into the profession, are upholding a family legacy, want money and social power, or any combination of the three. When you choose a path that is chronically underpaid and undervalued, tends to be fairly invisible, and is ultimately about public service, you almost exclusively meet people who genuinely want to be there, with no ulterior motives.

Personally, I would take that over money or prestige any day.