Student Snippets A Window Into The Daily Life & Thoughts of SLIS Students

Eight Classes Down, Four to Go!

We are done with the summer term everyone!  I finished LIS 475 right at the beginning of August, so I’ve had a little bit of time without having to worry about schoolwork, and I don’t start my next class until the beginning of September.  Eight classes down, four to go!  I can’t believe that I am two-thirds of the way done with my time at SLIS! 

The fall semester is right around the corner, and because SLIS announced that classes are going to be online for the fall because of COVID-19, it opened up so many options in terms of classes.  In “normal times” I have to consider a lot of factors when I register, and it usually results in me taking online classes.  I’ve always wanted to take some of the classes that are only taught on campus but the timing and circumstances haven’t been right. For fall, having everything shift online has opened a lot of doors for me.   I’m currently registered for LIS 454: Digital Information Services and Providers.  I’m really excited for this class!  According to the course description that SLIS provides, this class is usually only taught face-to-face, so I’m jumping at the opportunity to take it while it is being taught online.  Here’s a quick description of the class:

“The course addresses core principles and skills needed for information professionals to manage electronic resources and provide quality bibliographic search services in a variety of environments. The course provides a survey of database industry landscape, database structure and search techniques, a variety of domain-based database content and search strategies, and specialty searches. The course also covers budget planning, pricing models, licensing negotiation, and link and authentication technologies that are fundamental to managing electronic resources in libraries.”

This class sounds so exciting, interesting, and incredibly useful!  I am a little nervous because it is a synchronous course that involves a “live” component.  Most of the online classes I’ve taken at Simmons have been asynchronous, or have had only had a few live sessions through GoToMeeting or Zoom.  I find the live sessions really great as it is a chance to participate and interact with my fellow classmates in real time; however, there can often be some technological issues.  This class has a live session over Zoom every week for 2 hours and 50 minutes—just like an in-person class!  On one hand, I’m really excited for all of the opportunities this gives me and for the new experience.  On the other hand, live sessions every week sound a bit daunting, and to be honest, I haven’t been in that long of a class since I was in undergrad.   But overall, I’m really eager for the class to start in the fall!  It sounds like a great fit for me. 

If you want to learn more about the courses offered at SLIS, click here!