Off To A Good Start
Posted October 21, 2022 by Rebecca Devereaux
Wow! It’s already been a month since I moved all the way across the country to begin the dual MA/MLIS program. Boston is not eastern Washington. I realize that should be self-evident, but some of the differences seriously surprised me. Where are the Fred Meyer’s and Safeways? Why am I now shopping for groceries at Target?! When you walk to get your groceries your shopping list gets a lot smaller too. I am finally learning why meal planning is so important. At least there is the continuity of valuing the great outdoors here in Boston. There are so many parks and green spaces. No matter what time of day I venture out of my apartment I am sure to see joggers and bikers and walkers enjoying the parks surrounding the area. Although it would take me longer to get out of the city to go for a hike, the number of spaces which encourage nature walks makes it seem less overwhelmingly city and more approachable. Although my library classes are online this semester, I am…
First Semester
Posted October 20, 2022 by Claire Pask
What’s that saying—peers give the best advice? (There’s not one like that; I just Googled it. It works for this blog post, though.) I’m Claire, a first year SLIS student, and here are a few things I’mcarrying with me as I work through my first semester of the program. Maybe they’ll help you, too. • To quote a Guardian headline that’s stuck with me since I first read it, “everyone is totally just winging it, all the time.” That person next to you in conference studied the exact same readings as you, and eventhough they may sound intimidatingly smart, odds are you’re just as qualified and preparedto speak up as they are. And am I technically “qualified” to write this blog post of academicadvice as a first-year master’s students? No more or less than anyone else. Maybe. • Don’t be afraid to talk to your professors. That’s what they’re here for, and you’ll besurprised by how easy they are to speak with—it’s almost like they’re real people! My firstmeeting with my academic advisor? She called…
Hello Rebecca!
Posted October 18, 2022 by Lindsey Clarke
Rebecca is another new blogger on our team. Rebecca wrote her own introduction so here it is! Look for more great posts from Rebecca soon: “Hello everyone! My name is Rebecca Devereaux, and I am in the Simmons dual History and Library Science master’s program on the archives track. I grew up in Washington state on the mighty Columbia River. I just finished up my undergraduate at Whitworth University in Spokane, WA, where I double majored in English and history. A few of my favorite classes included Sin and Chaos in Literature and the Philosophy of Chinese Architecture. On the side of my academic work load I invested a good chunk of my time playing tuba for the Whitworth Wind Symphony and the Whitworth Orchestra. I didn’t have space to bring my tuba to Boston, but I have a mouthpiece, just in case somebody needs a tuba player last minute. My work experiences these past few years have been focused on processing and disseminating information. I worked for a year and a half as an…
A Thought Provoking Discussion
Posted October 14, 2022 by Ivy Noonan
*Please note this post discusses book banning* I recently attended the event “Not in my Library: Challenges to Library Materials and Public Policy” that was hosted by Simmons. It was a thoughtful and discussion provoking talk surrounding a topic I’m sure has been discussed within most SLIS classes. The presenter talked about statistics concerning book banning and the common locations that they take place. They discussed also how the most common The presenter also discussed how book banning has increased in recent years and how books are the most common media restricted. It was also discussed about what are our jobs as librarians within this issue. The presenter mentioned how ALA now includes a section within their ethics framework that highlights intellectual freedom. As well as another line that shows the ongoing social justice work librarians must do in order to fight against systems of oppression, since we are often confronted with this issue. As a budding information professional I want to make sure that everyone has access to to the information we want and…
Another New Team Member
Posted October 7, 2022 by Lindsey Clarke
Welcome to Magenta! Here is a little about Magenta: Magenta is in the dual Children’s Literature MA and Library Sciences – Youth Services MSLIS program at Simmons. They moved to Boston from Milwaukee, WI in January 2022 after finishing their undergraduate degree. They graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a BA in Urban Studies, which informs the work they do everyday. They works in the Center for Community Engagement at Simmons, so part of their job is coordinating volunteer events and helping faculty with their service learning classes. In their very limited free time, they enjoy working on cross-stitch projects, reading graphic novels, writing pen pal letters, and cooking with their friends and partner. They are excited to be writing for the Student Snippets Blog!
Hello!
Posted October 5, 2022 by Lindsey Clarke
We have a new blogger! Please welcome — Claire! A little bit about Claire: A Texan by birth, Puerto Rican by blood, and reader by nature, Claire is a former (and current) editor-turned-aspiring librarian. This is her first year at Simmons, where she is pursuing a concentration in cultural heritage with the goal of working in a museum archive or special collections. Claire spent her undergraduate years at Reed College in Portland, Oregon, where she graduatedwith a BA in English and a much-too-long thesis on feminism and the postcolonial flowergarden. She’s tried on her fair share of professional hats, from events coordinator and romanticadvice columnist to graphic designer and Spanish Fulbright scholar, but she’s finally found herniche at SLIS. Claire has lived in Scotland, Haiti, Spain, and most recently Washington, DC, and she’s thrilledto call Boston home for the next chapter of her life. When she’s not focused on her SLIS courses,Claire works as an assistant editor in the curatorial department of the Peabody EssexMuseum—beyond that, she loves to dance, knit, brush up on her Spanish, and,…
Three Courses and a Practicum
Posted September 30, 2022 by Elizabeth Poland
It’s been a while since I last posted; I moved out of my old apartment in Allston, moved into a new one in Needham, and started the semester off on a very rocky foot. Who knew having a lease end on August 31st and the next lease not starting until September 15th would be so stressful? I also have a habit of completely rethinking all of my classes the second the semester begins. Thankfully (and hopefully), I feel like I’ve reached the point where I’m really enjoying all my classes, have cemented my schedule in place, and can now thrive! I’m currently taking two online classes and one in person. On campus I’m taking LIS 443/HIST 527: Archives, History, and Collective Memory. It’s a fascinating class that dives into how record-keeping and the writing of history entangle with the complexities of social memory. The course culminates in a semester-long project in which groups must break down an event, person, or era in terms of how it has been collectively remembered over time. In terms of…
Fall Thoughts
Posted September 16, 2022 by Ivy Noonan
I’m 100% sure it was only two days ago that I attended my first 407 class and turned in my website for 488. But here we are, almost two years later and I’m starting my final year at Simmons. I’ve pondered the idea of continuing my education (Dr. Ivy sounds pretty awesome), but post-graduation I’ll be retiring my hw planner and fully entering the workforce. I’m excited for the opportunities this will bring, as well as the potential prospects of moving out of Massachusetts (for a little bit) and really working within the field. There are so many different avenues that librarians can take for work and I find that super exciting. But before May comes around, I have classes to attend, jobs to work at, and clubs to run. I have some very excited ideas for events that Panopticon will hopefully put on later this fall. If anyone has had any thoughts on joining student organizations, I would highly recommend it. They’re a wonderful way to meet people and get more leadership skills. Now that…
Back to School: Apprehension & Anticipation
Posted September 6, 2022 by Johnna Purchase
Today marks the start of the another school year at Simmons. For me, it is the start of the in-between year as the dual-degree program is three years. For many of my friends in the single-degree program, today is the beginning of the end as they will graduate in the spring. I will use this year of transition to focus on the topic for my history thesis, to become more intentional with my “yes-es” to opportunities that align with my professional goals, to better articulate my professional goals. Already I’m thinking about how best to use the upcoming summer – an LIS course? an internship in a new city? researching abroad for my thesis? volunteering at the National Book Festival in D.C.? Single-degree students face a different set of tasks and questions. Their year is one of job applications and savoring grad student life, of apprehension at the application-interview cycle, of anticipation of fulfilling professional careers and proper paychecks. We are each in different places on the apprehension-anticipation spectrum, but we all share one common…
Saying Goodbye to LIS 439 and Hello to Beatley Library
Posted August 4, 2022 by Elizabeth Poland
I am about to finish the last week of my summer course, LIS 439: Preservation Management. It honestly really flew by, and I kind of wish a lot more of my classes were presented in seven-week increments like this was. Each week had one or two overarching topics, taught through numerous written lectures, videos, readings, discussion forums, and a few written assignments. I really enjoyed the practicality of the course; instead of pondering abstract concepts, we were taught the history of paper making, the chemical make-up of photographs from different decades, exactly how and why temperature and humidity aid in the deterioration of objects, and so much more. My favorite assignment was to write a memo as though I were an archivist at a library whose basement collection had experienced water, mold, and pest damage. We were given a very comprehensive look at the building’s layout, heating and cooling systems, recent renovations, source of collection materials, outdoor landscaping, geographic location, etc. It was fun to solve the mystery of how this damage occurred, what the…