Reflections on my MLIS Experience:

SJSU offers the best of both worlds in terms of required and elective courses. The required classes openly educate students on the underlying concepts and expectations for LIS members of this society, while also letting them know what is out there and how big of a role we may play in this world. The program is constructed in such a manner that it offers pathways we can go if we are absolutely certain that is where we want to go, but the abilities are so transferrable that we could branch to a new path.

I am pleased that the MLIS program encourages students to explore and experience the breadth of librarianship through interest-based electives. I was able to utilize my learning abilities to the maximum extent in my future work, and I got a greater comprehension of the disciplines of different careers. For example, I genuinely feared metadata before SJSU. When I first enrolled in INFO 281, I had no idea what to expect since I had begun my MLIS studies without any prior exposure to metadata. I was confused for a while, but with patience and focus on the assignments, I found myself loving the core of categorizing. Now, I literally catalog every day and can even crosswalk. You never know till you try. I am glad for the opportunity to gain new information, learn new abilities, and form connections with my peers. Every professor I've had the pleasure of working with has been knowledgable, talented, and kind.

Professional Growth Journey:

Throughout my journey, I had the chance to learn about the library profession from the roots up. I began as a part-time library page to a library assistant in a public library and am now a librarian technician II at an academic library. I never intended to return to school after earning my undergraduate degree, but this field sparked my curiosity in connecting individuals to information and data sources and delivering data and awareness services to communities for free. Libraries have long supported the democratization of information and knowledge through their social functions. There are various professional organizations to which I may join within the LIS field, including LIS, SLA, SAA, CILIP, and SCIP. These organizations support a variety of people and interests within the LIS community. I wish to join these groups because they provide a variety of involvement, engagement, and organization levels.

Regarding my schooling, personal abilities, and professional requirements, librarians have been a constant source of guidance. The author Neil Gaiman believes that libraries and librarians are on the front lines of the struggle against illiteracy and a lack of creativity. I am certain that we, as librarians, "trust Americans to recognize propaganda and misinformation and to make their own decisions about what they read and believe" (ALA, 2006). Self-determination is one of the biggest advantages of democracy, and reading is one of our greatest liberties.

Final Thoughts:

As for the future, contemporary communities are evolving towards a society built on knowledge and information. In the next decade to two decades, the most desirable jobs will be those that need the ability to acquire and use new knowledge and technology. According to Career Explorer, there are around 138,200 librarians in the United States at the present time. The need for librarians is anticipated to increase by 9.0% between 2016 and 2026. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 6% growth for librarians and library media experts between 2021 and 2031, which is nearly as rapid as the average for all professions. Even if the MLIS degree does not guarantee a librarian position, Christopher Perrello, director of career services at Syracuse iSchool, stated in an interview with American Libraries magazine there will be "nonlibrary opportunities for people with LIS degrees are booming." They could be hired for tech analysis by any consulting firm.

While I still believe my I have a long way to go when it comes to what I want to do, I enjoyed the journey thus far. I first enrolled at SJSU to become a public librarian, but I was eventually encouraged to experience the academic field before making my final decision. And now, I have inquired on the steps to become a Director of Library and Learning Resources. Crawford (2015) characterizes the library as "a changing and organic entity, something that is constantly adapting and becoming something else" (xvi). I feel the same. In Arianna Rebolini’s article “Here’s What It’s Actually Like To Be a Librarian”, a librarian by the name of Caroline states: “I haven’t touched a book in the context of my job in more than a year. I don’t buy books, I don’t classify them, I don’t even think about them. Librarians aren’t only about books: We’re about the democratization of information. It’s about helping people find what they’re looking for, no matter the shape it takes. It’s about training them to become autonomous in their research.” Other people have made me curious on all of the options out there.