Impact of My Professional Development
At the start of my graduate
school journey, I was not quite sure what program of study I wanted to go
into. It was a difficult choice because in reality I did not know what exactly
I wanted to do with this degree. As I have discussed multiple times in other
parts of this portfolio, I always dreamed of working in a museum as a kid.
Coming into this program, I knew that getting a library science degree was one
way of pursuing that dream, but I was not exactly sure if I wanted to
completely dedicate myself to following that path. After taking the
Archives & Manuscripts (INFO 5371) course in Spring 2020, however, I realized
archives was the right path for me. I had decided that I would pursue a program
of study in archival studies & imaging technologies. My next step was simply to start taking the right classes to complete that program of study and
get my degree.
The classes I took in
the first year of this program all gave me a little taste of the different
directions that I could take with this degree. Through INFO 5000 and 5600, I got an introduction to
public and school librarianship and how librarians can function as reference
tools themselves. I also learned about the
importance of public libraries and how they act as cultural and social hubs
within their communities. Through INFO 5200, I was basically given a crash
course in setting up an information organization system and I learned so
much. I learned the basics of cataloging principles, which I would later expand
on in INFO 5210. I learned about controlled vocabularies and thesauri and how
they are integral to the cataloging process and allow catalogers to produce
consistent and accurate outputs. There was also the SWOT assessment, which introduced me to a very useful tool for identifying areas for
improvement at an institution. The IOP itself was very significant for me
because it made me realize how much I loved the information profession and
reaffirmed that I was on the right track by pursuing this degree.
During INFO 5371 is
when I really had my revelatory moment, however. I realized that archives was
where I wanted to be. During that class, I learned a lot about the archival
profession. I learned about the roots of the profession and how it was not
taken very seriously at first, but over time it became the profession that it
is today. There were plenty of missteps along way in the development of
the profession. Archivists for the longest time were not aware of
their implicit biases, or worse did not care about their biases, and this
led to the loss or destruction of a lot historical artifacts. The profession
has come a long way since then, however. INFO 5371 is one of those classes that
I will always look back on fondly and remember how important it was to my
career development.
In the fall of 2020, I
began to take more courses focused on archival and special collections work. In
INFO 5375, I learned about the importance of archival appraisal and how
archivists have to take into account their implicit biases when they are seeking
out potential materials or collections for their institutions. We must work to improve the
diversity and inclusiveness of our collections to better represent marginalized
groups and voices. INFO 5290 taught me about the various types of special
collections and archives and introduced me to some of the existential threats
that these types of institutions can face, like natural disasters, war, and
vandalism. I also learned that working in special collections and archives is a
never-ending learning experience. You will always be forced to learn
new things about your collections and how to take care of them. Through 5290, I
also got to explore my interest in video game preservation. For the final paper
in that class, I researched the current strategies and issues related to video
game preservation. It was really interesting to see the parallels between the
history of video game preservation and the history of motion
picture preservation.
That fall I also took
INFO 5210, where I learned a lot more about cataloging (or indexing as it is
sometimes called). I learned about the multitude of cataloging standards and
how they crosswalk with each other. I explored the development of the RDA
descriptive cataloging standard and it genesis from the old AACR-2 standard.
Through exercises in that class, I came to better understand the FRBR entities and how they
impacted the structure of RDA. I was also taught about the structure of a MARC
record and used RDA to create my own MARC records. INFO 5210 made me realize
that I liked descriptive work and made me excited to study archival
arrangement and description.
In the spring of 2021,
I took INFO 5815 and 5450. 5815 introduced me to the world of digital imaging
and digital media preservation. I gained a lot of technical knowledge about how
digital images are created and stored, as well as how various digital storage
mediums and techniques hold up in long-term preservation situations. I also
learned about metadata and how important it is to the functional use of digital
images. For the final project in that class, I had to capture digital images of
a small collection of my choice and produce metadata for them using a metadata
standard that I also got to choose for myself. Due to my interest in technology
and preservation, I found this course very insightful and stimulating. INFO
5450 was also very stimulating for similar reasons. In that class, I studied the history of the printed word and how mass printing techniques have evolved
over time. I was also instructed on how to properly handle and store rare and
fragile books. Information which will be indispensable to me as an
archivist. For the final project in 5450, I was given the opportunity to
construct a book of my own. I created the paper and bound it up myself. I am
proud of that project. I think it was very useful in teaching me more about how
books are constructed and gave me some insights into how they can be
repaired.
In my final year of coursework, I took three very important classes, INFO 5295, 5240, and 5400. 5295 provided a great overview of the various facets of preservation in library and archival settings. I looked at the methods and strategies for preserving the multitude of materials that may be found in real world collections. I also got the chance to run through a mock disaster situation and put to the test what I had learned from the course. In 5240, I got to study archival arrangement and description, which is essentially the cornerstone of archival work. I greatly enjoyed this class and I absorbed a lot from it. I examined the challenges of accessioning materials and how important it is to work with donors to make sure that they are happy. I also gathered experience with developing processing plans, as well as creating finding aids using DACS. 5400 was very informative and enlightened me about how libraries budget for and develop their collections and services. I was able to study an actual library and learn about how they deal with these challenges. I also explored the various assessment and evaluation techniques, like surveys and focus groups, that libraries and other information repositories use when developing their services and resources. Lastly, I was exposed to the numerous challenges that information repositories face with regard to privacy, censorship, and government legislation.
The last thing I did for my degree was carry out my practicum experience. For my practicum, I worked in the University Archives at the University of Texas at Dallas. During this experience, I was able to get some real world experience with archival arrangement and description. I processed a sizeable collection and created a digital finding aid using EAD and DACS. I learned about the daily functions of an archive and studied how to use the various types of equipment that may be found in them. I had to use my best judgement when weeding the collection materials I was given to work with, but I was aided by the knowledge that I had gathered in my previous courses. I learned a lot from my practicum experience, but more importantly, I realized that I was ready to become an information professional. I had taken what I had learned in my coursework and actually applied it in a real world situation.
As I move towards graduation, I can confidently say that this degree has played an integral role in my professional development. I am currently seeking
a job as an archivist, which is something that I would not have felt
comfortable with before pursuing this degree. At the same time, I am also
looking into getting a certification by Society of American Archivist (SAA) as
a digital archives specialist (DAS). Earning that certification would require taking some workshops and online courses through the SAA, but I think it would
be a great benefit to me as a new professional. Looking forward, my goal will
continue to be building my experience and continuing my professional development. A big part of that will entail attending an SAA conference at some
point in the near future and generally getting more involved in the
professional community. As always, my ultimate goal is to get a job at a top museum or cultural institution either here in
the US or abroad somewhere. My hope in doing this is that I will be able to
help preserve our collective history and allow others to experience and learn
about the past like I did when I was young boy. I want to leave this world
knowing that I made a difference, and becoming archivist is my way of doing
that. Without this degree, I would not have been able to confidently pursue
this dream.