New Blogger: Lauren Redding

Posted February 18, 2023 by Lauren Redding

Hi Everyone! 

My name is Lauren Redding and I am so excited to be blogging for SLIS Student Snippets. After a longer-than-planned stint with remote classes, I’m psyched to be on campus, at Simmons, and involved with the SLIS programs in person. Even in my final semester, I still feel like I find out about a new and exciting thing Simmons has to offer with every passing week. 

I am a MLIS student in the School Library Teacher Concentration. Final semester for SLTs means I am in the thick of my second of two semester-long teaching practicums (a.k.a. student teaching). It’s been engaging and exhilarating to finally be able to apply the skills I’ve been honing and learning in my Simmons classes for the past five semesters. 

I grew up in Utah, outside of Salt Lake City and attended undergrad there as well. Ever since I experienced the noted contrast between the warm, fun, social, vibrant library center at the middle school I attended and the studious, quiet, work-focused atmosphere at the high school, I knew a middle school library was where I wanted to be. Every step on my career journey has made me more sure of that path. My English major in undergrad? So fun, but I would rather be up and moving and talking about books than diving into one really deeply for months on end. My undergrad internship with the library at the National Museum of Women in the Arts taught me that archives can be fun but I much prefer working with lots of people over lots of file boxes. (Also, incidentally, taught me that I LOVE living in the city.) After three years as a K-8 school secretary, I knew that schools are where it’s at and that I had the necessary experience with kids and the environment to feel confident taking on the additional challenge of teaching. 

After researching school librarian/MLIS programs across the country, I was so happy that Simmons University’s program ended up being the best option for me from a financial and efficiency standpoint. The SLT program is home to many veteran classroom teachers who are pursuing a masters degree as a mid-career shift, but it also has students like me who are beginning the program without previously having a teaching certificate, or with library experience in another realm like public or archives. Plus, attending Simmons meant I got to move to this wonderful city, which was the ultimate perk. I love the energy, the public transit, and how much there is to do in Boston! It’s been a wild ride so far and I’m so excited for the last semester in my journey.