Free Books and SLIS Resources
Posted March 20, 2018 by Ashley Jackson
One thing I am really enjoying about the Children’s Literature program here at Simmons is the ample opportunity for free books. The SLIS classrooms are in the same building as The Horn Book Magazine, which is a bimonthly literature magazine that was established here in Boston. They always have a cart outside their door that has free materials to take such as Advanced Reader’s Copies (ARCs). It’s a great way to see what new material is being written about. Even if you do not pick up any of this material to take home, it is a great resource to have for browsing. Along with the Horn Book book cart, there is also the Book Nook. It is a small space on the third floor just outside the offices where you can sit and enjoy a book from the rather extensive collection of new Children and YA books on the shelves. This is a non-circulating library, but you are always welcomed to come in a choose a book to sit and read anytime you like. These…
Here a Library
Posted March 16, 2018 by ShanTil Yell
This may not come as a surprise to you, dear readers, but ever since I started at SLIS I have gotten really, really into all things library-related. Who would have thought? I’ve been most enthralled by the idea that there are so many different types of libraries that exist. My own experience with libraries before coming into the program was primarily through public and academic institutions, so it’s exciting to see how much else is out there. I’ll give you a few examples… I was visiting a good friend of mine in North Carolina last week during spring break, and we passed a sign on the highway pointing to the Billy Graham Library. A quick search told me this particular library, a blend of religion and history thematically, was designed to look like a dairy barn mirroring Graham’s upbringing on a farm near Charlotte. We later drove through the University of North Carolina School of Arts campus in Winston-Salem where I caught a glimpse of the gorgeous Semans Library. Yes, this is an academic library,…
Library Science Realization
Posted March 14, 2018 by Sarah Callanan
I’m only halfway through my first semester of library school and I’m loving every minute of it. However, making the decision to go to library school wasn’t an immediate realization for me. When I was in undergrad, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life- I just knew I didn’t want to work in the medical field or be an engineer. I chose my major and minor, communications and English, because I thought they would pair well with my love of reading and writing. It was not until I met with a career counselor during my second year at UNC Chapel Hill that I started to consider pursuing an advanced library science degree. Most of the people in my major were planning on getting their MBA, getting a law degree, or working in social media and all of those careers did not really sound appealing to me. I knew I could do those jobs, but my goal was to be happy in whatever career I ended up pursuing. During the meeting,…
Why I Chose Simmons
Posted March 13, 2018 by Ashley Jackson
I came across Simmons when reading a snippet on Kristin Cashore’s blog. She mentioned she got her M.A. at the Center for the Study of Children’s Literature at Simmons College and I thought, “Any school that incubated and turned out this type of creative author has to have something special going for it.” I was currently an undergrad at Texas State University and put Simmon’s in my “Some Day” folder I have filed away in the back of my head. Fast forward five years and I am half way through my LIS degree at University of North Texas. I took a children’s literature class and during my first research paper I knew I wanted to learn exclusively about children’s literature and all that encompassed it. I did enjoy the LIS program, but I thought, if I am going for my dreams, I am going all the way. I researched more into the school, requested packets of information (which I received in abundance) and did a little outside research about different authors who attended the program. I…
SLIS West Tradeoffs
Posted March 12, 2018 by Megan Ondricek
I truly am grateful for the existence of SLIS West. I knew it would be difficult to manage grad school with a family and two young children, and I had begun to resign myself to the likelihood that I would have to get my degree online. When I found out (at the SLIS West information session) that their classes were primarily on Saturdays, the day my husband could stay home with the kids, it felt like my stars had finally aligned. However, every semester at SLIS West it becomes more apparent to me that there are still some tradeoffs to be made in attending grad school this way. I don’t intend to present this as a list of “cons:” just some of the realities you’ll face if you decide, like me, that SLIS West is your best option. 1. Smaller program, fewer people Fewer people means less networking and socializing possibilities. You won’t meet as many people at SLIS West as you might at Boston, but you will see the same people again and again…
Experience in an Archive
Posted March 9, 2018 by ShanTil Yell
In my Introduction to Archival Methods & Services class, we were charged to write an overview of our experience using an archives, and part of that assignment meant coming up with our own research question and doing some digging into the resources we found. I chose to use the local history room at the Somerville Public Library. I chatted with a fellow librarian about some popular topics people come to research there, and one he mentioned was the Ursuline convent riots that took place in the summer of 1834. This really peaked my interest, and even though I don’t have the space to go into all the details, I’d still like to give a brief run-through of what happened and the impression it left on me. Riding the wave of an increasingly anti-Catholic feeling in the community, a Protestant mob rallied and destroyed the convent over the course of two nights, everything from furniture, books, and religious items to the surrounding gardens. In their frenzy, they even desecrated the tombs of nuns buried on the…
Adjusting to Life in New England
Posted March 7, 2018 by Sarah Callanan
I have lived in nearly every part of the country except for the New England area, and it has been a bit of a transition. Every place I’ve moved to has its own culture and has been a different experience, and I’ve loved them all in their own way. Here are some experiences I’ve had that are unique to this region: The Driving: I have never been more terrified on the road. Double yellow lines apparently mean nothing here, and everyone is so aggressive on the road. Public Transportation: Even though I have lived in cities, I’ve never lived in a city that has had a super comprehensive public transportation plan like the Boston area does. Just today I rode the Commuter Rail, the T, and a bus. Learning to navigate the MBTA has been an interesting learning experience though. I’m so happy that we have the MBTA and that I can easily get in to, around, and out of Boston. The Accent: Why is Worcester pronounced Wooster? And Quincy pronounced Quinzy? I just can’t…
Welcome to Ashley Jackson
Posted March 6, 2018 by Katie Olivo
Hello everyone! We’d like to introduce our new blogger, Ashley Jackson. Please read a little about her below. Hi guys, I’m Ashley, and I am brand new to grad school and Massachusetts! I am in the MA for Children’s Literature, and I could not be more excited to have the opportunity to study at Simmons. I expect to learn a lot here and network to meet people. My undergrad is in English literature, and I have earned half (yep) of my MLIS from University of North Texas, which I may return to at a later date. I am truly stoked to have the chance to focus on Children’s Literature and see where that takes me (publishing hopefully!). I was born and raised in Texas and have lived there my whole life. So, this is quite the experience for me. I have spent quite a bit of time in England, so I’m not 100% in culture shock, but Boston is different than Austin; in a good way (hello snow)! I cannot wait to explore the city…
An Exceptional February Day
Posted February 27, 2018 by ShanTil Yell
Today, I had the supremely cool opportunity to join a group of my classmates on a tour of the Boston Athenæum (courtesy of the Simmons Panopticon chapter–y’all rock!). Also, spring decided to pop its head in early with sunshine and warm temperatures, so I was more than happy to don a peekaboo dress and roam into the city. The Athenæum is one of the country’s oldest libraries, and is filled with floor after floor of amazing pieces of fine art, as well as extensive circulating and special collections. A couple of my favorite bits of the afternoon included viewing part of George Washington’s personal library, and also getting to browse the original card catalog, now very much a relic of times past and tucked away in the building’s basement. Sitting pretty at 10 ½ Beacon Street…a cousin of Platform 9 ¾ perhaps…the Athenæum is located in one of the most historically rich parts of the city, and is itself a distinguished cultural heritage center. I trust the patron goddess of wisdom was pleased to be…
A Pleasant Surprise
Posted February 27, 2018 by Sarah Callanan
As a brand-new grad student, and a brand-new Massachusetts resident, I must admit I was extremely ambivalent about taking an online class my first semester. I don’t know anyone in Massachusetts except my parents, and I really wanted to get out there and mingle with my fellow students. Also, I only took one online class my entire time in undergrad and it was very much an individual experience, as in, I did not talk to my classmates, ever. I’m finding myself to be pleasantly surprised by my online LIS 407 course. I’m getting to know so much about my classmates and there is a lot of group discussion in the forums. In addition, while I was worried about not having the “student experience,” again, I was pleasantly surprised. Simmons is so good about sending emails about networking events through their student organizations like LISSA (Library and Information Science Student Organization), so I can come to campus and participate that way. I’m sure the next few years of grad school will be full of more surprises…