Closing Statement

The courses that I have completed in the MLIS program so far have been very beneficial in helping me obtain valuable knowledge that I plan to carry with me throughout my entire professional journey. While this is a 12-hour check-in during my first two semesters I completed 18 hours of coursework so I will be including a reflection on all 6 courses I have completed so far which were: 

1st Semester

• LIS 5023 – Management in Information Organizations

• LIS 5033 – Information and Society

• LIS 5043 – Organization of Information

2nd Semester

• LIS 5063 – Fundamentals of Information Technology

• LIS 5403 – Cataloging and Classification

• LIS 5643 – Introduction to Data Analytics

My first semester gave me great insight into the MLIS program. The three courses that I took; Information and Society, Management in Information Organizations, and Organization of Information helped me gain a general knowledge of LIS theories. I was glad that I took all three courses together because I felt as if I was able to scaffold information from all three and turn it into a great structure for the knowledge I would obtain in all of the courses after. I believe these three courses touched on SLIS SLOs 1, 2, and 3 regarding the fact that I gained great knowledge of LIS theories, I was able to critically think about ideas, topics, and issues then provide feedback and solutions, and I learned how to professionally communicate, write, and present. I also noticed the integration of SLIS SLO 6 in the courses Management in Information Organizations, Organization of Information, and Cataloging and Classification. In these courses, I gained knowledge in managerial roles and responsibilities and how to organize/catalog items to fit the needs of multiple groups of users. 

In my second semester, I took courses that helped me gain some more skill-specific knowledge. Because I am also working towards a certificate in Data Analytics, during my second semester I took two courses that helped me get closer to obtaining my certificate which were Fundamentals of Information Technology and Introduction to Data Analytics. Being able to transform data into useful and valuable information is something I found interest in during my time as a circulation manager. That interest led me to the decision to add the Data Analytics certificate to my degree plan. Fundamentals of Information Technology helped me gain some new knowledge on technology that I had never used before which helped me tremendously in the Introduction to Data Analytics course. Both of these courses tie into the SLIS SLO 4 by giving me an understanding of technology and how I can use that technology to better understand data and provide solutions to technical problems. They also helped me meet objectives in Personal Learning Goals 1 and 3 by allowing me to become acquainted with new technology and learn how to incorporate information about Data Analytics into my librarian career. I also took the course Cataloging and Classification built off a lot of the knowledge I gained in Organization of Information. Cataloging and Classification was a course that I became very passionate about very quickly. I was able to practice cataloging and creating guides that I could use in my professional journey. I have always been a big fan of puzzles and in my eyes, cataloging is a puzzle of what information about an item is the most important to your users and how to display that information in the best way, to fit their needs. At the beginning of the MLIS program, I knew I wanted to be an academic librarian but I wasn’t sure where I thought my skills would be best utilized in a library. After taking Cataloging and Classification I could see myself being very happy as a cataloging librarian. 

Throughout all of the courses I have completed during my time at OU Graduate School, I have gained not only knowledge of information and concepts but also experiences that will help me succeed in the rest of my educational and professional journey. I am very excited to see my growth when I reflect again at 24 hours completed.  

While this is a 24-hour check-in I will be talking about all the courses I took in my 3rd semester which ends up being 27 hours. In my third semester, I was reassured by the confidence I had in the MLIS program after my first reflection (12 hours). The three courses I will be talking about in this reflection are:

3rd Semester

• LIS 5053 – Information Seeking and Use

• LIS 5623 – Advanced Data Analytics

• LIS 5673 – Introduction to Information Visualization

During my third semester, I fulfilled the requirements for my Data Analytics certificate by completing the final two courses. Advanced Data Analytics and Introduction to Information Visualization aligned with both my Personal Learning Goals 1 and 2, as well as the SLIS SLOs 2 and 4. In Advanced Data Analytics, I was able to apply my understanding of analyzing data and envision how I would use the skills and knowledge obtained in an academic library setting through classwork and projects. I was taught valuable skills in utilizing online technology tools and how to effectively present data in an information setting in Introduction to Information Visualization. The third course I took during the Fall of 2023, Information Seeking and Use, provided me with a great foundation on how to effectively seek and use scholarly information within the LIS field. This skill can be found in my own Personal Learning Goal 2 and the SLIS SLO Goal 5. Being able to evaluate information is a skill that will be crucial to my career as an academic librarian I will use the knowledge I gained throughout my professional journey. 

4th Semester

In my last semester I enrolled in three courses to complete my degree. All three courses gave me the confidence I had been working to build in the preceding three semesters through the instruction and information I was provided. Those three courses were:

• LIS 5503 – Information Literacy and Instruction

• LIS 5513 – Information Sources and Services

• LIS 5713 – Research and Evaluation Methods

In Information Literacy and Instruction, I was able to learn how to research and implement teaching tactics that I can use in future information literacy sessions I will provide to college students. This course helped me achieve my Personal Learning Goal 2. Both Information Sources and Services and Research and Evaluation Methods touched on several of the SLIS SLOs. In Information Sources and Services I developed skills needed to search and provide information to people with diverse needs. I will apply those skills in the future as a Reference Librarian. Throughout my coursework for Research and Evaluation Methods, I was able to build upon my knowledge of scholarly research and writing those I gained in previous courses. 

Reflecting on when I was a first-semester MLIS student to now is a change that I did not see coming but am extremely grateful for. Every course I took has helped shape me into a conscientious information user, creator, and facilitator. I have learned to work off of my strengths and improve on my weaknesses through self-awareness. I will apply the knowledge I gained during my time in the SLIS program throughout all aspects of my life.