MLIS Diaries | A key takeaway from my first year of grad school

If you liked this video and/or found it helpful, consider leaving me a tip!: ko-fi.com/book...
I talk about a key takeaway from my first year doing my Master's of Library and Information Science. Hopefully this is helpful to those interested! :)
My MLIS Diary Playlist: • MLIS Diaries
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
For review requests and other inquiries, contact me at [e-mail]
Follow me places!
Goodreads: / sabrina
Instagram: bookish_sabrina
Twitter: / bookish_sabrina
Letterboxd: letterboxd.com/...

[@emmaminter1943]

this is so helpful! i just finished my BA in french/linguistics but worked as a circulation student at my campus library and am interested in doing an MLIS now. your videos are such a great resource for learning more about it and convincing me to do it! i'm not even sure yet which branch of library science or type of library would fit me best but the more I learn, the more I feel excited about Library Science. i always jumped around majors and am excited about many different fields and I love how interdisciplinary library studies is. I also loved all of my coworkers at the library and getting to directly help people as well as do more clerical background tasks. I feel so excited for the future! thank you!

[@MsTerriB]

You offer GREAT advice here! I wish I’d had this type of advice when going through my program. I recently retired from 27 years as an academic librarian in Reference & Instruction - boy was that an interesting ride as the profession changed over the years! I started in the early 90s and got to see it go electronic and internet. I am now using my skills to help a scientist do some environmental research. I kind of stumbled into that opportunity through networking, so my advice as you continue is to never stop networking! Also, be creative with your networks and maybe cultivate some that are similar yet different than your actual job area.

[@okorkid]

This video definitely just convinced me to take the leap and go into library science. Thank you so much!

[@katehickey2047]

I work at an academic library - and worked at a different academic library before I went for my MLIS - and I gotta say, KNOWING how much of academic librarianship is variants on reference and teaching before you decide to go for it makes a huge difference. Or, at least it did for me! I find the environment really low-stress and chill, which honestly is my main goal in a day-job style career right now. (Although archives are definitely also a chill environment - I've done some work in those as well!) For me, what appeals about academic libraries is pointing students in the right direction. (I haven't had to teach yet, but I'm sure I will sooner or later.) This comment is kind of all over the place but I guess I had a lot of semi-related thoughts!

[@breehill9042]

Definitely organization video, how you balance school and personal life-still make time for other interests like reading!

[@kathyastrom1315]

I am loving your vids-lots of great info here. I went back to school in my mid-40s to get my MLIS in 2011, and it took me 4.5 years one class at a time while working full-time as a legal researcher. I ended up in the public library track because I do miss working at one. I was a small suburban branch library clerk in 1992, but have been in the corporate world since then. If I ever get laid off, I hope the degree will come in handy! I did consider archive work since I am a big museum nerd, but taking that class and doing finding aids (my teacher was an archivist at a local university library and put us to work there for our group assignment) made me realize I did NOT want to be an archivist, as great as that job is for others. Bummed me out a bit to figure that out, since I still love the concept of being an archivist if not the actual job itself. I love my job and have been here for nearly twenty years. It had its ups and downs, but right now, it’s very dynamic and challenging while still giving me great satisfaction locating info that my coworkers can use in their daily tasks.

[@glassmarbles1]

Thank you for this series! I, too, am working on my MLIS currently, but I'm doing one online class at a time while continuing to work full time. It's been so interesting to learn how our experiences are alike and different.

[@yiweili.2212]

Hi there, I am a school librarian in China. I am interested in online MLIS program available. Could you share some information of your online program?

[@lilozine]

I’m also working full time and just got accepted into an online MLIS program. I am curious how the experience was for you!

[@glassmarbles1]

@@lilozine Awesome, congratulations! It's been a great experience. I'm still plugging away (one class at a time takes forever, but is definitely the right pace for me). I'm really glad I went with an online program, though it does take more discipline and initiative to keep up with classes.

[@glassmarbles1]

@@yiweili.2212 Sorry, I just saw your comment! I live in Washington State but am attending an online program at a university in California. Honestly, I think just about all MLIS programs are probably pretty equivalent (as long as they're accredited by the American Library Association if you want to work in the U.S.).

[@breehill9042]

I am so happy you’re doing this series Sabrina! I’m finishing up my bachelor’s in History and have really been thinking of continuing and pursuing MLIS. I can’t wait to see where this journey takes you!

[@allisun2787]

This is my path as well! I hope the best for you!

[@heavenj7]

I got mine way back in 2007 and my career was stopped 2 yrs in ( the school lights brought back my neuro issue ) but i was sitting here thinking about one of the first year classes I took and it was one of the first things they taught us! I’m hoping you remember the name!??? We had to gather information say on one topic and then using like diff branches of info show what sources we used etc all leading back to that main topic!? There was a name for this project and I’m having a brain fart!! Pls tell me you remember?? It was kind of related to our last project ( creating a website on a certain topic and the resources you can find and what to use ) I think this beginning project started with the letter B ?? But I can’t remember the name? Anyone??

[@savannahhartje4490]

I want to thank you for making these videos! I'm starting my MLIS in the fall and I have been experiencing some anxiety about it. I'm currently finishing up my BA in literature and I know the LIS field is so astronomically different than where I'm currently at. Your videos are very informational and have helped clear things up for me. Do you have any advice about the actual content and research you do in an MLIS? I'm worried that I'll struggle because I'm so used to studying literature which I'm afraid is a lot less scientific than LIS. I had an internship this semester with a museum archivist and I have to say I really enjoy archival work so far as well! Personally I'd love to end up at an academic library because I love campus life. I wanted to be a professor of literature but I didn't want to commit to such a precarious career hehe!

[@savannahhartje4490]

Also, I am so interested in hearing about your bullet journal! I currently keep a very bare bones bullet journal but it helps me a lot.

[@bookishsabrina]

I have not found the MLIS to be particularly scientific. I actually found the coursework, in general, to be much less rigorous than my undergrad work. There is a lot more reading, even compared to what I had during my English degree. In my experience, the coursework is largely theoretical and very project heavy. Any papers I had to write were generally pretty short and easy for me, having written so much in my undergrad. I think this is because not everyone is as accustomed to writing so much, so they set the baseline at a different level to accommodate different backgrounds. If you want to be an academic librarian, you probably have basic database and searching literacies, which is most of what you will need for research and assignments. I went above and beyond and did my own research, including stuff that needed IRB approval, but in my experience was not the norm, and I kind of got to do my own thing anyway. I hope this is helpful and I'd love to answer any other questions you have!

[@pibly7784]

What school did you go to for your MLIS ?

[@allisun2787]

Thank you so much for this series!

[@yiweili.2212]

Thank you for the sharing, very informative and helpful. I am working in China as a school librarian. Feeling quite inadequate for my job, I am considering to apply for a MLIS program online. I would appreciate any recommendations for that purpose.

[@lyddie465]

this was super helpful thank you!! i am considering an MLIS in a few years.

[@bookishsabrina]

There are definitely aspects of it that seem like social work-lite, particularly in the public library sphere!

[@TheNovelSanctuary]

Super duper enjoyed this

[@TheNovelSanctuary]

I would love to hear more about your shadowing, internship, etc