Bella Rodrigues

Not With a Bang, but With a Moodle Submission

As the days darken, the wind whips, and the deadlines grow closer, tension rises on the Simmons campus. The final week before classes end for the winter break contains a lot of emotions for all of us. Some of us are scrambling around trying to finish up our final projects while others are hitting “send” on those deliverables. If you’re like me, it’s finally dawning on you that your last semester of SLIS is approaching. Perhaps your family or other classmates are already questioning you on the where/what/how after graduation in the spring when it just seemed like yesterday you sat in a classroom on campus for the first time and worried if you were making the right decision. Questions buzz through your head—interrupting your day. Did you take enough resume-building classes? Did you engage with your professors enough? Did you slack off? Are you prepared for the after? Am I doing enough? Finals seem almost soothing compared to the plunge I and others are going to take next May.  An existential crisis is one…

Some Wintery Reads for Winter Break!

I’m sure everyone is already deep into final projects, tests, essays, and presentations so rather than talk about the campus-wide stress November and December bring, I thought it would be fun to talk about some books! Specifically books for a cold winter’s night!  For those obsessed with ballet and a snowy fairy tale, Nocturne might be for you. A blossoming prima ballerina in 1930s Chicago gets a mysterious patron who might just be the death of her.  A nutcracker retelling with an extra bite, this story follows Marietta on her wintery journey through another world. If you loved Barbie in the Nutcracker as a kid, you will love this book.  Why do we feel so tired all the time when it gets dark? Why is it harder and harder to get out of bed? Is it because of the season or because of us? This nonfiction book tracks why we need to hibernate a bit. In Manchuria in 1908, a courtesan is found dead in the snow. A detective, a boy with a curse, and…

Election Processing

As we hit the middle of the semester, scurrying into sweaters and our finals preparation, it can feel like the start of a very long winter. With the results of our country’s election this week released, that winter feels even longer for some. As future and current librarians, archivists, and museum curators, it is hard not to fear what this means for our professions and ourselves. Some people are allowing time to process, some are continuing as usual. But it seems like everyone has the same questions: What do we do? How do we feel? What comes after the grief? What happens now? We are all smart enough to feel more than a little uneasy.  I don’t have much advice to give on this subject. The future feels dark and frightening. All I do know is that we have to take care of ourselves and each other. Take a shower, eat some food, talk to a friend, maybe step away from that final project for a second, and breathe. The Simmons Counseling Center offers Student…

Reader’s Advisory

Alright Sharks, let’s talk about Reader’s Advisory. As many of you know from either class or job experience, reader’s advisory is a key and also fun part of the job. It is also a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the seasons as well as any national heritage or awareness months. October is a plethora of celebrations such as Halloween and National Hispanic Heritage Month (starts in September and ends mid-October.) It is important for librarians to stay plugged into new releases, popular titles, and my favorite: “deep cuts.” I know I’m stealing that term from the music industry that describes underrated or unknown tracks or albums, but I like to apply it to books as wel l. Recommending a patron a deep cut may seem risky, but in my experience, it can really open somebody’s mind to digging deeper and get off the NYT Bestseller’s list. Plus, it makes you look like an all knowing book god. I always encourage readers to check out that unheard title from decades ago, you never know it could be…

It’s OK To Take A Break!

When I decided to go to grad school, someone very wise told me to treat it like a 9 to 5 job. Especially after I hadn’t been in school for a couple of years. I remember staring at them, scoffing, and saying something along the lines of: “Okay, well I already have a job. How am I going to juggle two?” School, I believe for a lot of us, is something that we might see as intuitive. We have been doing it since we can remember. So what if we have taken some time between degrees? I figured I could jump back in easily, imagining I was one of those adults who could do it all. Work, school, and have a social life.  And I did! And do. But, I am also tired. I think burning ourselves out is something we, generationally and socially, are almost expected to do. During my first year at Simmons, I was barely at home, eating exclusively takeout at strange hours, and falling asleep at my friend’s dinner parties. Things…

Welcome Back Everybody! 

Hopefully everyone has had a couple of weeks to settle into the new semester at Simmons. We are so excited to have you whether you are a new or returning student! A few housekeeping things before we start. Over the summer break, Simmons has moved around a little bit. You might have noticed that you are taking classrooms in a different building or that your advisor’s office is in a new location, especially for the SLIS students. The new SLIS faculty offices are now located on the third floor of the Academic and Management building, go say hello! Check in with the front desk to enjoy the SLIS graduate student lounge in the back for a quiet space to study, read or just hang out. The Graduate Admissions office is now on the first floor of One Palace Road, but if you have any questions about your time at Simmons you should try the One Stop (still located in the Main College Building on the second floor) or the Center for Student Success on the…

Feeling Stressed? Talk to someone!

As the semester comes to a close and the sun comes out, it is tempting to look longingly out the window rather than prepare for finals. While of course studying and working on classes is important, taking charge of your mental health and getting vitamin D is also vital. Stress about summer internships, jobs, or the end of classes can have many students in a downward spiral. Taking walks and getting out with friends is productive, but don’t forget to utilize our counseling center on campus even if you are feeling a little overwhelmed. The counseling center (located in One Palace Road, B-308) takes appointments and is ready to help! You don’t have to be in crisis to make an appointment; I highly recommend it if you are feeling anxious in the slightest. If you are like me, you might de-stress by venting to your friends, but speaking with a professional is even better. Graduate students might be directed to the Student Assistance Program to set up an appointment.

Pushing Through Spring Semester

If you’re like me then you might already be hoping for summer to start. The weather, seemingly, is getting warmer. People are getting antsy in class and in the streets. In a few weeks, the swan boats will be on the pond, crowds of baseball fans will overrun Fenway, and tourists will swarm the city. Whether you stay in Boston over summer break or go elsewhere, we all still have the same hurdle to jump.  Ending the semester.  We are about a month out from the end of the semester so everyone is cracking down or about to crack down on finals. Here are some helpful tips on staying focused while also keeping yourself healthy. 

Books about Librarians and Libraries!

It’s not surprising that a great way to have a deeper understanding of library science is to read about it! Of course, many SLIS students will have read articles, research papers, and textbooks about information science, but I am going to list some “not-so-academic” fiction and nonfiction titles that will help you learn and also get you learning.  Enjoy the odd cases and questions that come to Gina Sheridan’s circulation desk at her public library. These true short stories are a celebration of libraries and patrons as well as the quirks of working as a reference librarian.  A deep dive into the more scientific side of libraries. When is it important for children to start reading on their own? What is the difference between reading on screens and reading on paper? How are libraries going to look in the future? Maryanne Wolf contemplates all this and more in her musings in this non-fiction work.  Historians Andrew Pettegree and Arthur de Wedewen explore both the whimsical and dark past of libraries and their keepers. This book…

Transportation In Boston

For what seems like the entirety of this spring semester, the MBTA has been out of commission. And the green line is out again until the second week of March after being worked on in January. Many people have asked me “does this always happen?” Yes and no. The train, most commonly, the infamous green line will be shut down almost every three months regularly. But, I have never seen two shutdowns this close to each other. In my time living here, I have had to anticipate these shutdowns.  Fret not, while construction is annoying, there are still ways to move about the city without it. While the T gets a facelift, students and staff have had to find new methods of coming to campus.  Of course, the easiest option for the down on their luck commuter is to have a friend with a car, having a classmate with a car can also prove useful. Talk to your peers to see if anyone is available for carpooling! While walking from Allston to Seaport might not…

Conferences

In the journey from academia to professionalism, library conferences can be an excellent tool for networking, updates about the industry, and job searching. Simmons holds memberships with many prestigious organizations such as the American Library Association, Massachusetts Library Association, and International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions.  A comprehensive list of these organizations can be found here. A great in to these places and the greater community of librarians nationwide and worldwide is by attending yearly conferences. Ask your professors or advisors about the conferences they attend! Ask other SLIS students! Here are some of the advertised conferences for this year! Many organizations are still updating and listing their dates so check in frequently for more information. 

Experience: Where to Start Looking for It

I, like a lot of students new to the SLIS program, have been told time and time again of the importance of getting practical experience. During my first semester at Simmons, it seemed like every professor made a point to emphasize how vital internships and volunteering are, especially to those on the archives track. If you’re an overthinker like I am, you might be worried about where to start. Landing a perfect internship is always tricky. Here are some helpful tips for those searching for SLIS-related work experiences.