The Road Ahead
I have spent the past two years working towards my Masters of Library and Information Science with the hope of finding a job in archival science or digital access when I finish school. I have many goals for my future education, which I will seek out while getting my foot in the door in the information world.
- During my final quarter at the iSchool (spring 2013), I will take three courses to further my skill set. These are LIS522 (Collection Development), LIS588 (Special Librarianship), and INFX543 (Relational Database Management Systems). These skills should provide me with a measure of practical skills and experience that I have not gained so far.
- I will make time in my schedule during my final quarter of school for a directed fieldwork, internship, or volunteer opportunity. While my experience during the summer of 2012 with the San Francisco Zen Center was invaluable, I hope to expand my skills by completing another practical experience.
- In the future, I want to pursue a certificate in archives and records management, such as the one offered at Western Washington University. This, on top of whatever practical experience I will have gained by that time, will help open doorways to other career opportunities.
- I plan to undertake my own labor-of-love project and organize and maintain the archives of the Seattle Gilbert and Sullivan Society, an organization I have been involved with since I was old enough to stand. For five years I worked during the summer selling tickets for their productions, and I had the chance to peruse old photos, playbills, and other fascinating documents/artifacts that would be of interest to many. The society is fast approaching its sixtieth anniversary and there is so much history therein that should be available to Gilbert and Sullivan enthusiasts and the public. I hope to begin this project once I finish school and have more time to devote to extracurricular pursuits.
- By the time I finish school I will have joined the SAA, or the Society of American Archivists