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February 28, 2009
Picking a Specialization
When I applied to the School of Information I knew one thing for sure-I knew that I wanted to use technology (and a little common sense) to connect people with the information they needed to make their lives better-However, I had no idea how. I'd explored the SI web site and read up on all of the specializations (at the time there were only four, so it was an easier bit of research), and everything seemed interesting, if not necessarily within my skill set. I looked at common career paths and was incredibly excited by the options and unnerved by the range.
Oooh, digitization! Aaaah, special libraries! Ohhhh, interface design! How's a girl to choose?
Well, if I'd known then what I know now I might have just scheduled a campus visit. Prospective students who come to visit can sit in on a class, meet with staff and faculty, and even have lunch with a current student (usually in their targeted specialization). However, it didn't occur to me to swing by the school before orientation, so I came in as a Tailored student. I figured I'd take classes in both ARM, Preservation and maybe LIS and be ready to do everything. (I get ambitious like that.) Fortunately, it's not uncommon for SI students to realize, about a semester into the program, that another area is actually a must better fit for them. Changing specializations is easy, and if done in the first year there are usually no real problems getting in all of the classes you need for your new specialization.
So, the lessons here: Schedule a campus visit if you feel like it would be useful in making your decision. Also, don't worry too much if you aren't 100% sure about your chosen specialization. SI is all sorts of flexible.
The end.
Posted by messelti at 02:25 PM | Comments (0)
February 16, 2009
Archives and Libraries in the Digital Age
The New York Times has posted some articles in the last few days about SI-related careers and how they're changing in the Digital Age.
For School Library Media students, a changing set up responsibilities!
Digital Archivists are in Demand!
Exciting stuff!
Posted by messelti at 02:54 PM | Comments (0)