Prepared for what?

I don't often write about something that is outside of my own little world, but what happened last Friday in Newtown, Connecticut is something that affects all of our worlds.  And will.  Forever.

No words can express the absolute tragedy that occurred.  I won't even try.  This horrific event reminded me of how precious life is, and how something that we never thought could or would happen, can and did.

On Saturday, the Dean of the School of Education at the University of Michigan sent an email message to all affiliated with the school in an attempt to allow a community of educators to come together and to take action.  Further, the website (www.soe.umich.edu) reads:

The School of Education community is shocked and saddened by the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut on December 14. We send our deepest sympathies to the families of those who were killed, and to all those who witnessed and experienced this terrible and senseless event. In memory of the children and adults who died, we are committed to work against violence, to become more knowledgeable about mental illness, to increase our sensitivity to threats to the safety of others, and to develop ways to support survivors of tragedy.
--Dean Deborah Loewenberg Ball

This is a reminder to me, that as an educator, I have a responsibility to be prepared and knowledgeable about issues that I could never imagine.  I'm thankful during this time that I am part of a community ready to acknowledge this and face the possibility that this - what happened in Newtown - is the reality of not only that town, but for parents, families, and educators everywhere.

Close...

This week, I will have my two final classes at the University of Michigan (after 15 total semesters including undergrad), will finish my final two papers, and one final exam.  Pair that with last week's three presentations, one group paper, and another final paper, and that's a lot of finals work.

So, I'm not feeling creative today, and thus am not going to write here.  But next week at this time... I'll be done. :)

What really matters - past to present

Finals time!  The next couple of weeks will be dedicated to the final semester push to finish graduate school. It's hard to believe the end of the road is so near... five semesters of studying, paper writing, reading, and learning are about to culminate into a goal I set out to achieve three years ago.

Three years ago, in December 2009, I was studying for the GRE, transitioning jobs back to the UM library (while consulting for my previous employer), gathering letters of recommendation for my graduate school applications, filling out the applications, and writing numerous essays.  I remember at the time feeling so much stress and pressure, because my future aspirations hinged on my acceptance to the University of Michigan School of Information (UMSI).  My work then paid off, and I'm starting to feel the weight of the past three years of challenging and meaningful school work, paired with working in professional positions, lifting.  It's starting to feel like I really will have fully accomplished the goals I set for myself.

People ask me what I'm going to do when I'm done - with those weekends and evenings free for taking care of "real life things" (and not having to squeeze them in when I can get to them) and whatever else I want.  I want to concentrate on becoming great at the amazing job I have, do a lot more yoga, read books for pleasure (my book club will appreciate that I don't simply show up for the good company), indulge in the pile of US Weekly magazines that has grown tremendously since August (it's my guilty pleasure), learn to cook(?),  and so much more.

But most of all, I'm excited to spend more time on the things that really matter... the friends and family whom I've barely seen and who have supported me so well over the past three years.  Without them, I wouldn't have been able to accomplish my goals, and so while the time to relax and think will be nice, I can't wait to support them in their endeavors... or just enjoy spending time with them.

Pulling it all together

Finals season starts... now.  In the next few weeks I'll be pulling together what I have learned over the past semester into papers, presentations, and one e-portfolio.  While papers and presentations are one great way to show my learning over the term, the e-portfolio brings together reflections, goals, and my professional philosophy for my student affairs course.

e-Portfolio's are one way to help students synthesize what they've learned.  It's an interesting final project for me because I already have a website, I have a blog (here :)  and I have already thought about how I project myself and my work online.  The e-portfolio brings in one other way to do that.  The blog crosses both my Master of Science in Information degree, my work, and my higher education degree work.  My website is more personal and is a showcase of my School of Information master's work, and the e-portfolio focuses on one student affairs class that I had this semester.

When I had my mentor review my e-portfolio, she brought up the question of whether I would be wanting to add to it and suggested I might start adding in things from my job.  I think this is a great idea, and when school is over in a few weeks, I'll start to consider my online presence as solely a working professional (and no longer a formal student).  Do I need a portfolio, a website and a blog (and work blogs?) (not to mention LinkedIn, my profile for work, and Facebook, and Twitter).  Probably not, but the question will be how to tie all of my work over the past 2.5 years together.  It's a fun thing to think about - and I wrote about the topic of being a professional online in December last year.  As I think more about this, any thoughts about how you do this - maintain a presence online that is manageable and effective - are most welcome.

Feeling thankful today

With the Thanksgiving holiday right around the corner, I'm feeling particularly thankful today...

• To my family for all of their support and love during the last two and a half years (and my whole life!)
• To my husband who yesterday cleaned the whole house and did all of the laundry and brings me to work or class everyday and cooks for me and has helped keep my day-to-day life happening 
• To my friends for putting up with me saying "sorry, I can't" because I'm too busy doing homework or working - and still being totally awesome
• To my past co-workers at the UM Library for teaching me so much about service, research, technology, teaching, and professionalism
• To my current co-workers who are some of the most positive and supportive people I've met
• To my former classmates at UMSI from whom I learned so much and am glad to still know!
• To my current classmates at the School of Ed whom I've been lucky to get to know better this semester
• To myself for being almost done with school
• For this week - the calm before the storm of final papers
• For my life- I'm so grateful for all of the people in it and for everything I have

Wishing you and yours a fantastic Thanksgiving this week!  Enjoy!

One year ago...

Just over a year ago, on November 3, I wrote a blog post about being accepted into the Higher Education master's program at UM.  At this point in 2011, I still had a semester left of my degree at the UM School of Information and my hope - as I outright stated in my blog post - was to find a job for the fall where I could work 30ish hours per week and finish my degree in Higher Ed.  It's funny to see things written in the past - hopes and dreams - and realize that sometimes, they do happen.

More importantly to this reflection... Wow, how fast a year has gone!  I remember sitting in my Intro to Higher Ed class and receiving the email that indicated my acceptance into the master's program.  I knew I could learn a lot in a year, but little did I know how much.  Between finishing my master's degree in Information, taking a semester's worth of purely higher ed classes, and starting a new job at the School of Information, I am overwhelmed and so excited with the knowledge and skills I've acquired in the last 12 months.  I've learned about research, information literacy, privacy and security, non-profit and library management, student development, student affairs, recruiting, networking - and those are just the high-level buzz words.  I've learned about community outreach from academic libraries, skills to facilitate technology instruction, "reference interview" best practices that transfer into my job of meeting with prospective students, how to plan large events, considered ways to interact with and support international students, and so much more...

After this semester is over (classes end one month from today!) I will cherish the chance to make meaning of all of this and consider how it has helped me professionally and personally.  For now, I'm going to trek through my final four and a half weeks of school, learn as much as I can, and then, relax and reflect.

The Loop: Theory, Practice (and a bit of technology)

Funny how life works... frequently, something will come up in one part of my life, and then later that day or week will appear elsewhere.  This week, that "thing" was the topic of theory and practice - and I'll add the technology part.

In my student affairs class last week, many of our readings were around the topic of how theory and practice play into each other within higher education.  We learn many theories as students in higher education, but then the question is how those are used once we start to practice.  Inquiries arise: how do we use theory in practice?  Can we?  Should we learn theory first and apply it to practice, or wait until an issue comes up to go back to the theory? (You can see how this quickly becomes a "loop"...).  So, during the three hours we had to discuss this last Tuesday, our professor decided we should make a collective model of our thoughts on theory-practice.  And we did... it was messy, but on the whiteboard, we took turns adding, modifying, editing a model that showed how our class thought of theory and practice, and how we thought both should be used.

I was struck by this model - it was comprehensive, slightly confusing, but surprisingly clarifying.  The 11 of us really came together to create something that - while not pretty - incorporated many of the ideas of theory and practice that show how our work can and should use both theory and practice in meaningful ways.  So, I took a photo of it on my iPhone, and sent it to the class.  Why waste our thoughts by erasing them?

And then... in our staff meeting at work last week, the question arose... would we want to start a "book club" style group to read theoretical articles and discuss how we can use them in our practice? Why, of course!  And, why not?   It was so exciting to hear the same question that I was pondering in class come up in my workplace.  So, I sent the photo of our model to some of my co-workers... connections being made between my theoretical learning and my practical practice.

I've realized in my short time at my job, we use theory in our practice.  I've also realized that UM uses theory in its teaching and learning practices all the time.  When I first started studying higher education, I wasn't sure how much there was to learn about supporting students and what goes into that.  It's a lot.  And it's so awesome to see theory play into practice and be able to reflect on how it's helped me become a better student and a better professional within higher education.

Connecting prospective students with Information

Connect with UMSI is one of the University of Michigan School of Information's (UMSI) chances to connect with prospective students to provide them with information about our school.  We publicize widely around the state of Michigan, with the aim to reach as many people as possible to expose them to our school.

However, the goal isn't necessarily to recruit as many people as possible... the aim is to spread the word about our programs, and how the field of information can turn into a career or research area for students who many not know what the School of Information actually is or who may not have previously considered how their career goals could fit within the field of information.  We seek to inform people about what we do, and we want to connect with prospective students who would be a fit for our progressive school culture.  This can mean connecting with people who are doing what we're doing, who have an idea of how information can fit into and change the lives of others, and/or people who may be on the brink of something new.

That's what is so exciting about my job, and this realization actualizes itself more and more as I dive deeper into this work.  Information is changing the world, and I'm a part of it.  In my position, I get to help prospective students think about how their background (often NOT in computer science-ish fields) is affected by information and how they can help facilitate that information in ways that make their fields stronger.  UMSI is a great place to be and having the opportunity to share information about it is something for which I'm grateful.

My first real event is right around the corner

As part of my new job at the University of Michigan School of Information (UMSI), I am planning our major fall recruiting event - Connect with UMSI which will bring prospective students to an afternoon full of information about the program, including admissions and financial aid, career services, and an overview of program offerings.  I've learned a lot so far about what it takes to plan this event, and I'm learning more each day.

I'm excited to have the chance to host this next Saturday, and spread the word about the program that helped change my life.  I'll reflect on the event in next week's blog post.  Feel free to spread the word if you know of interested and engaged people who would be a good fit for our School!

Fall Break

The University of Michigan, each fall, gives students two days off from class for fall break.  Fall break happens around the middle of October, before midterms, and provides students a time to relax or catch up.

Even with a packed schedule, having six hours less of class time and the additional hours of reading for those two classes over two days allows me a bit of a mental break.  It also means that the semester is nearly half over (what?!) and that my time transitioning to a full-time employee is nearing.

It's a strange feeling to know that my 18 1/2 years of school will be complete in less than two months.  It's also refreshing knowing that my degrees have helped me land an amazing job that helps promote a school that changes the lives of its students and the world.  I'll leave it at that today, giving myself a bit of a break from blogging this week, too.

Another blog posts about other blogs

In my new job, one of my goals is to have an active blog about admissions at the University of Michigan School of Information (UMSI).  As I've found in my personal blog (this) I need to set aside time each week in order to keep blogging a priority.

I admit it has been more difficult to do this at work, but the blogs for the Master of Science in Information admissions and PhD in Information admissions are up!  Check out them (and retired blogs) here and let us know what you think!

The plan is for me and UMSI's recruiting assistants to start blogging more regularly, so it would be great to know what our prospective students or current students (or alumni) would like to know (or would have liked to have known).  This is just one way we want to engage with prospective students to help them learn more about UMSI and allow them to discover if UMSI is the right fit for their graduate education.

Enjoy!

and somehow, it all happens

Because this is a reflective blog, I oftentimes will read old posts - particularly when I'm feeling a bit overloaded and am not even sure what to begin writing.  Today is one of those days.  So, I looked at the posts from last year at this time, and found that my sense of capacity was feeling stretched then too.  And somehow this makes me feel better, because it reminds me that everything that needs to happen will.

I always forget how long it takes to feel "settled" into a new semester, and a new job.  Fall is always harder because as busy as life seems over the summer, it's not quite the same as readjusting to an influx of information and a new schedule and a calendar that is bursting at the seams.

But reading old posts reminds me that somehow, it all happens.  Whatever I need to do to do it, I do.  And its incredibly helpful to work with people both at my job and in my classes who are supportive, motivating, and positive people.  So here's to starting week 5 of the term and still feeling a bit out of sorts.  And here's to knowing that before I know it, the semester will be at mid-terms and then the end.  So I'm cherishing this time of reflection, knowing that the busy weeks are good things and really, I wouldn't have it any other way.

The lessons of Convocation

Last Friday, the UM School of Information (UMSI) held its first ever Convocation.  I didn't know what to expect... there was tons of work to do at the office, emails to finish before the weekend, and a busy week ahead.  But as part of my position, as part of the UMSI team, and as an alumni, I attended the event.

I'd almost never been so proud to be a part of this School.  The theme of Convocation, "i Will Change the World," perfectly explained where UMSI has been and where it's going.  We heard from the Dean, Jeff Mackie-Mason, associate deans, faculty new and old, and a student.  We learned about the work of MSI's and doctoral students, professors, and school initiatives.  We heard exciting news about projects that literally are changing the world through connecting people and information via technology.

The Convocation confirmed - once again - that UMSI is an incredibly special place.  It's a growing school, Information is an expanding field, and this work can, does and will improve the lives of people.  Convocation spoke to me about what is important in my new position -- being part of this team and celebrating the work we do, and looking forward.  And that meant that the email left in the office was put off for a couple of hours, but reminded me that if students, faculty and staff come together to learn about our collective work we can only do it better --- for the good of others.  Cheers to UMSI and all that comes next!

The other side of library instruction

Last week in my student affairs class, the Education Librarian from the Hatcher Graduate Library came to teach a session to help with our research.  When people hear this and know that I am trained as a librarian, they often say, "oh, you probably know all of this!" or "you could probably teach this class!"  While I may "know" what is being taught, there is nothing more valuable than having a refresher from an expert.

I always learn new skills, am reminded of database specifics, and become engaged differently when sitting in library workshop sessions.  No two classes are alike, no two instructors teach the same way or the same methods of finding resources, and there is always more to learn.  The session last Tuesday was specific to the field of higher education, and I picked up tricks and tips that I would have otherwise forgotten.

So last week's workshop was yet another reminder to me of why I studied information - It's so valuable and revelant.  Kudos to Karen for teaching a great session, and for helping me remember these things, and to the rest of the librarians out there doing this same thing every day. 

Getting into the flow

Starting a new job and new classes at the same time - or even just the start of a new school year - is quite exciting and invigorating.  It means new responsibilities, new deadlines, and a new routine.  As I sit down on my first Sunday of the semester to begin my homework, enter due dates into my calendar, and start to engage myself in unfamiliar topics, I get a bit apprehensive about my abilities to complete all of this work and do it well.

Then I remember that I work much better when I'm in a routine... in a flow... Once I get rolling, my calendar and to-do list doesn't seem quite as daunting, because I'm in the middle of it and don't have time to worry about every single thing I have to do.  I do better when I'm busy because when there's too much time to think, anxiety creeps in.

It will be a challenging semester, no doubt.  But it will also be incredibly energizing as I learn about things that directly relate to my new position, that I can apply immediately or down the road.  I'll get to research applicable topics to student and academic affairs, institutional environments, and developmental theories.  I'll get to learn from my colleagues about their experiences and their thoughts on these issues.  And I'll come out of this semester even more prepared to be a higher education professional.

So while the stress of a new term looms right in front of me, in a few weeks (or later this week), I'll be so immersed in it, I will remind myself that these are times I learn the most and thrive... and that is my motivation to have a successful final semester.

First Week in Higher Ed: The Other Side of Orientation

This was my first week as a higher education professional outside of the library.  And boy, was it something!  My first day at the School of Information as Recruiting and Admissions Coordinator also marked the week of the UMSI incoming student orientation.  This meant that the days were filled with meeting students(!), answering questions, printing last minute materials, coordinating room changes, adjusting working groups, and so much more.  To me, there was no better way to dive into my new job.

I learned so much in my first week.  I learned that there is so much more to putting on a large event (like orientation) than one realizes as a student.  I felt lucky knowing the people I was working with, the specializations for UMSI master's students, what "501" meant, and the culture of UMSI.  But I also realized how much more I had to learn.  I had never thought about all of the behind the scenes "stuff" like ordering balloons for the check-in table, what it's like to organize current student volunteers for events (even though I'd been recruited to participate as a student), or that catering orders might need to be adjusted.  I never realized how much work goes into these days, and that the people working the events would still have email coming in from student groups, prospective students, students who need schedule changes, and other responsibilities that are outside of orientation.

And this all allowed me to gain even more respect for the higher education professionals that make students' experiences at UMSI special.  It made me even more excited to have the opportunity to have my new position be at a place that cares SO MUCH about its students.  I cannot wait to start my final graduate school semester and put my full self into working at UMSI to continue its tradition of being an incredibly unique school that focuses completely on the student experience.  I'm so grateful that I get to start my higher education career (outside of the library) at a place where I can learn and grow as a professional, in a way that is completely about the student.  So here's to starting the 2012-13 year!    

What's Next? Question Answered

Yesterday was my official last day working at the University of Michigan Hatcher Graduate Library.  I first started working there in 2004, as an undergraduate student.  It was a place I loved going and from where I couldn't stay away.  My student position led to my first job out of college, before I left Ann Arbor and tried other fields and professions.  I couldn't stay away.  In 2009, I moved back to my favorite city and had the chance to take on another role at the library (to spare you all of these details in this post, I'll simply post a link to my website http://alissatalleypixley.com in case you're interested).  This led to my interest in obtaining a Master of Science in Information, and to my position as a University Library Associate (ULA).  It's been an amazing journey these past eight years, and I'm incredibly grateful and feel extremely lucky to have worked with so many professional, intelligent, and thoughtful colleagues.

My previous positions in the library and in academia peaked my interest in higher education more generally, so, as I wrote in November 2011, I applied and was accepted to the Higher Education program at UM.  So when I started thinking about my future careers after my two year ULA appointment was up, I knew I wanted to intersect my master's degrees.  And it just so happened that the School of Information, from where I graduated in April, recently opened a position for a Recruiting and Admissions Coordinator.  I immediately applied and was hired a couple of weeks ago.

It will be a busy and exciting time in my professional life.  This position will allow me to use the skills that I learned at UMSI such as customer service (in my reference classes), information literacy, and non-profit management, with those I practiced in my last position including instruction (speaking in front of people, knowing how to put together meaningful information in an allotted amount of time) and supervision of students, with my knowledge of higher education gained in that particular master's program.  I'm thrilled to be able to combine all of my previous work experiences and use the transferable skills from each position to advise prospective students, plan events, manage online communities, and everything else that will crop up as I grow into this job.

Thanks to everyone for your support in whichever way it was provided in helping me get to where I am today.  It will be fun to explore this new role and I hope you'll enjoy following me as I learn and develop in a new environment.

The calm before the beautiful storm

For now, this is my last regular reference desk shift at the Hatcher Graduate Library.  I expected a flood of new students asking questions, incoming faculty wandering around, a bustle of folks figuring things out... instead, it is quiet.  It feels like the calm before the storm, but its the storm that is needed to re-energize us and propel us forward into the new year.

That's one thing I love about being involved in higher education as both a student and an employee.  I love that the school year is so busy you don't have time to think but yet everything is productive and meaningful.  I love that when summer comes, ambitions to do the projects that get put on the back-burner are high, but that the summer is too short to possibly complete all of them... and we need a small break in the action that is academia.

I love that when August hits, email ramps up, orientation tours start, and planning for fall accelerates.  I love that come late August, the temperatures start to cool down (or heat up) and you can begin to see the hint of color in the leaves.  By the time September 1 hits, the streets are closed for student move-in (and you can't drive anywhere) and the summertime freedom of taking our town back from the students is no longer a reality.

But what I love most is that the seasons change, they happen, and they're all wonderful.  As much as I look forward to summer, I look forward to fall.  And I'm lucky to have this time to appreciate and reflect on this transition, because the closer we get to the Tuesday after Labor Day, the busier I'll get.  And I love that.

Final Workshop

Today I will co-instruct my last workshop at the UM Library.  It's hard to believe that just over a year ago today was my first Word for Dissertation session.  I wrote about that experience on August 5, 2011 and here it is August 10, 2012; boy does time fly!

When I first started teaching, I was much less confident than I am now.  Now, I'm ready to go in and show graduate students the best ways to format their dissertations, in a way that will make the process easier for them.  I'm comfortable working with another co-instructor and watching her teach the workshop in a different way than I did.  It's great to know that there is someone else stepping in who can help mentor the person who may become their co-instructor. 

I'll take my instructing technology experiences, and try to use the skills I've learned in a transferable way.  I'll know that staying excited and upbeat during sessions or presentations is critical; that making the participants feel comfortable asking questions and following along; that everyone learns and processes information differently.  It will be valuable to have experience instructing on a variety of things from technology, to databases, to freshmen orientation.  And, it is wonderful knowing that I can always re-connect with co-instructors for tips and feedback.

Instruction has been a very interesting and fun part of my appointment at the library.  It's something I've truly enjoyed and hope to do more of in different ways in my next position.  And it's something that I've been fortunate enough to have time to reflect upon with mentors and colleagues who are constructive and encouraging.  So for now, here's the last library instruction post... thanks for following this piece of the blog!

Everything I want to write, I can't

I'll use the rain analogy again for this week, even though we've had another dry spell.  When it rains, it pours.  And unfortunately, at this time, I can't share any details about the weather.
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Ok.. enough of the vague comparisons to precipitation.  But seriously, when life happens, it happens.  It's weird that way.   And right now, it is happening.  Like, everything.  Personal, professional, future... lots of it is on the move right now.  And I can't say a word about it. 

It's weird how life happens.  Everything I want to write about, I can't.  Until probably next week.  Maybe.
                              ---------------------------------------------------------------
All I really know is that I am cleaning out my office of two years today.  One more step in this crazy transition.  Question is... what to keep and what to throw away (recycle)?  What notes do I need from the last 24 months?  What will be useful in the future?  More inquisitions lead to fewer answers.

And that's ok.  That's my my life right now, as it's happening - and it certainty is...
                              ---------------------------------------------------------------


P.S.  I promise in a few weeks this blog will become more substantive again :)

raining and relief

It finally rained yesterday.  Any readers in the Midwest (and so it seems based on articles like these about the drought from the Weather Channel, other readers too) will understand the gravity of that statement.  It finally rained!  We've experienced incredibly hot, dry weather so far this summer and so rain yesterday was a huge deal.

And, as they say, when it rains it pours.  That it did.  It also brought some much needed relief to some of our smaller plants.  And to me.

Now you're saying, "this isn't a blog about the weather..." however rain and relief very much relate to my post on the Unknown last week.  It seemed that pressure was mounting on many levels - environmentally and mentally.  After the rain yesterday - while nothing in my future is figured out for sure - I actually feel better.  I woke up this morning to bright, clear blue skies, crispy cooler air.  Life is kind of "pouring" right now, but with the cooler weather, it's literally easier to breathe.

This week, I'm thankful for the opportunities coming my way, and grateful for the relief surrounding my life.  I'll take a break next week and be back in August.  Until then, wishing you relief in yours.

Unknown

When the end of a journey is near, various feelings move fluidly day by day and week by week. 

My position ends August 31, and I'm moving into the unknown.  All I know about Sept. 1 is that I will be starting my final semester of school (ever) on Tuesday, September 4 and will complete my Master of Arts in Higher Education in December.  And that's it.

The librarian in me is a planner and organizer.  I like to know what's going on, when it's happening, and the extent to which I'm involved (anyone who has seen my calendar can attest to this).  But that isn't always realistic and I'm realizing that I can't always be in control.  And it's stressing me out.

However, this is a great learning and growing experience for professionalism and life in general.  In the past I've been able to control things; I controlled my schedule, the amount of time I put into work and projects, and upcoming life stuff seemed to be in place.  Now, my fall and beyond are up in the air and I'm struggling to relax, even though I know that most likely, everything will turn out just fine.

This is a great learning experience because there will be many times in my future where things are out of my control.  I won't be able to control my schedule, my work, and life stuff that happens.  And I need to still be able to be productive, deal with it, and have a good, positive (and less anxious) attitude.

I've been incredibly lucky in life so far, and this experience (as mere and slight as it is) helps put things into perspective - whatever my situation, I've got it good.  The "issues" which I'm experiencing are minor in terms of the world and what others go through every day.  So while I don't know where I'll be Sept. 1, I can trust that it will be fine.  And I keep telling myself that, and where I will be will probably be better than fine - because it will be a learning experience from which I can grow professionally and personally.  So that's my new attitude and I'm sticking to it. :)

Instructional Transition

Back from a break... relaxed and ready for what's next... when I figure that out :)  

As for now, since instruction is one of my few duties left at the library this summer, it's something I may write about more often than not.

As I'm sure I've said before, I've learned that instruction is a continual learning process and there is always something new to take away from the experience at any stage.  And now I am in a different phase.  Because I am transitioning out of my two-year term-limited position in August, there is a gap to fill in what I teach at the library.  An incoming second-year School of Information student showed interest in teaching, so she will be helping to instruct some of the Word for Dissertation workshops that I taught over the past 12 or so months. 

This puts me in a different position; having been in the same situation as she just over a year ago, I am now observing her and providing advice and encouragement before her first workshop next week.  This experience reminds me about the importance of observation (as noted in previous posts) and the need for constant reflection. 

I learned a lot from observing my new co-instructor's teaching style.  Having never instructed the class, I was struck by her calmness, her straight-forwardness, and her no-frills approach to teaching dissertation formatting.  Her style made me consider something new: formatting dissertations really is a no-frills thing. It is an important, yet not fun part of the dissertation process; why try to make it more than it is?  Of course there is an argument for trying to make it fun too, but seeing this teaching style was a good reminder that there are indeed many approaches to instruction.

Settling into the second half of summer

We never know what comes next, but time off can help bring peace and renewed enthusiasm for the future.  Here's to hoping the second half of summer is as exciting and invigorating as the first.

That said, I'm off blogging again this week until July.  Wishing you all a restful, relaxing week and Independence Day.

Instruction: Back to the beginning

It's been a while since I wrote about instruction, which was one of my first major blog topics (you can see some of my older posts on my first instruction experience, the value of observation, some overall reflections and and my most recent instructional post). 

And the one thing I've really learned about instruction is that there is always more to learn.  Just yesterday I had yet another new experience... developing a workshop outline from the ground-up by myself and teaching it.  (Well, I didn't develop the outline just yesterday, but the instructional session was yesterday.) 

The University of Michigan has recently begun officially using Google Apps, which includes Google Docs.  I've not written much about Google, but if you know me personally, you know that I am kind of obsessed with Google for work and personal productivity.  I make spreadsheets and docs for *everything* (even my book club) and have started a Google Calendar with my girlfriends for easier scheduling purposes.  That said, when I was asked to develop and teach this workshop, it was exciting.

Then I sat down to do it.  I know Google Docs pretty well, simply because I use them.  So I decided to "go with what I know" and not make the workshop too structured, because the best way to learn to use Google Docs is to do it.  I wanted to teach the various features and options within Docs while allowing the workshop participants to play.  I had feedback from my supervisors, and a friend who had taken a Docs workshop a couple of weeks back.  So I felt fairly confident that the workshop I planned was on track.

But now here's the thing.  I think it went well.  It was so difficult to tell.  When teaching Word for Dissertation - a workshop with a specific purpose where you can tell if people are following along - it's a bit easier.  I never expect workshop participants to walk away remembering everything but it's good to know they learned something.  In the Google Docs workshop yesterday, people were asking questions, playing around with Docs while I was talking (which was great!), and some stayed after to ask questions.  So I think it went well.

But how to tell?  Just another challenge in instruction. :)

Time off...

One of the things about working hard is that it's hard to find time for a break.  Momentum builds, projects beat on, and the world still turns.  But that's why summer (particularly in Michigan, when our warm months are so few) is a good time to simply s-t-o-p. 

June is my vacation month this year so I'll be gone a few different times and will not allow myself to check email (as often), worry about what's ahead, or even write this blog.  I'm going to unplug as much as possible, and relish in the beauty of the Midwest and U.P.

I'll enjoy my break, ready to come back and commit to the rest of my work this summer and prepare for the fall.  Wishing all of my readers some relaxation during this beautiful as well.

What kind of blog is this?

Blogs are everywhere.  Blogs with images, blogs with news commentary, blogs about research... 

Today, I received an inadvertent email (not directly questioning my blog) that did make me question my blog.  What is the goal?  Why did I create it?  What kind of blog is it?

When I started blogging, I blogged for a class which required me to reflect on readings from the course and the activities in which we participated during the sessions.  When I started blogging on my own, I didn't really think about what type of blog this would be except that I knew I wanted to document my journey of completing my master's degrees and my experiences at my job.  I never considered anything else.

Today's email made me realize that frequent consideration about what I do - and do publicly - is important.  I'm still fine with blogging my experiences - because I am still making my way through school and figuring out my professional life - but the email made me think about how this blog can change and evolve.  When I do become a professional, I don't just have to blog about what I am doing, and hope that others find it interesting - I can blog about what I see on the outside, and tie my experiences in with that.  I can review articles and research and discuss how I'm doing, or not doing, what the research suggests.  So maybe I will. 

But today's email really just gave me a chance to reflect on the purpose of this blog.  I know what it is now, but the email reminded me that growth is important and that it doesn't have to be this way forever.  

Feels like a real job

So my current position is a two-year term appointment spanning from the time I began my MSI (August 2010) through the completion of the degree, plus the summer (so, though August 2012).  During this time, I've documented many of my experiences in classes and at work, mostly all jumbled together due to time and coinciding activities.  Even last summer, when I was "only working" - and was present at work nearly full-time some weeks, my personal life (knee surgery and wedding) prevented me from truly digging into the actual work I was doing.

This summer, I'm "only working" and even though I know I have less than three months left in my professional position, I'm finding it impossible not to get as much out the experience as possible.  This is contradictory to two things: 1) I'm pretty close to completing the number of hours required for my position, and I was going to try to work a bit less and enjoy the summer?, but more importantly 2) I need to start winding down some of the work that won't continue when I leave.  So this is my challenge right now: work less and do more?

Currently, I'm preparing for the June 8 conference, doing research for the Education librarian about the School of Ed, participating in Collection Development trainings and meetings, teaching four instructional sessions (dissertation and Google Docs), working on a PowerPoint software guide, and working desk shifts of 10 hours/week.  All very valuable and exciting stuff, but a lot of stuff.  So I'm trying to phase out some of that work while not essentially giving it up? 

I'm finding it very easy to say yes to work, forgetting that this work will be complete at the end of August, with no option to continue.  It's very easy to say yes because I enjoy what I'm doing and it's finally feeling like a real job - real engagement in real library work.  And it's easy to say yes because after August, the opportunity to participate in such professional experiences will be gone.  As June begins today, this issue, plus my job search and application processes, will continue to transpire.

The word "challenge" does not always conjure up a positive feeling, but in my case, I'm very grateful for this "problem" and thankful that I can have these experiences and take these opportunities while they are available.  Even only for the next three months :)

Thoughts on presenting, continued

Last Friday, I co-presented at the Michigan Library Association's Applied Technology and Trends conference held at the UM Hatcher Graduate Library.  This was a great experience, where I had the opportunity to create a presentation with a colleague with whom I'd never presented and practice my presentation skills. 

On June 8, I will be presenting with a different colleague on a different topic at the eCornucopia conference at nearby Oakland University.  I'm realizing that preparing for and presenting is a great experience, but that it also takes a good deal of time.  Creating a presentation outline, getting that onto slides, making the slides more creative, practicing, and getting all of the collaborative pieces in place is a great way to learn and prepare, but it is also very consuming. 

I'm finding similarities between presenting and instructing in the sense that there is always more to learn and that the presentation can always be improved.  Light-hearted comments during the presentation can illicit positive or no response; attending to those is important if the presentation is going to be given again.  Audience response at the end, and the amount of questions asked can provide clues into what would be better to focus on or what was particularly interesting to participants.

It's these observations I'll take as I move into my June 8 presentation.  The conference session covers creativity and drive (our power words) and so we better make our presentation creative, and interactive.  These are the new challenges I'll face while preparing for this conference. 

Exciting and time-consuming... a good balance to have as I begin to prepare for the next phase of my educational and professional journey as August nears...

Enjoy your Memorial Day weekend!

The Biggest Presentation of My Life

If you've been reading, you know it's been a busy few weeks after teaching two Enriching Scholarship sessions last week, and preparing for what I'm calling the biggest presentation of my life this past Tuesday.  Oh, and there's the MLA Technology and Trends Conference presentation tomorrow.

But, this week's post will focus on the biggest presentation of my life.  The presentation was the culmination of my 18-month internship experience at the University of Michigan Library as the University Library Associate in the Knowledge Navigation Center.  More specifically, the 15-minute presentation discussed my second year project at the Detroit Center where I helped set up meetings, created a Library Research Guide, and laid the groundwork for the collaborative initiative between the UM Library and the Detroit Center.

I have never worked so hard on a presentation.  To be honest, for most class presentations, I'd outline my presentation in a Google Doc, then copy, paste and edit the text into PowerPoint.  I'd maybe add an image or two, but then I'd read it over, practice maybe once, and give a decent presentation.  However, since this was what I considered to be the biggest presentation of my life, I did quite a bit more work, and I think it paid off.

First, I worked to find images that represented my ideas so that I could decrease the amount of text, or remove it all together.  This was both fun and meaningful, as I realized that a picture can be worth 1000 words, and that the words were more beneficial to my remembering what to say, than to the audience.  Consequently, I realized that if I practiced enough, I didn't need the words on the screen to remind me what to say.  What a revelation that was....

Secondly, I practiced.  I practiced alone, in front of others -- edited -- alone again -- edited -- one-on-one -- edited -- and then had my supervisor review my presentation -- and edited again.  Lots and lots of reviewing, tweaking, editing.  And I was still nervous!  I had notes printed below my slides, but.... when I got in front of the 60+ library staff members, I found I knew what I was talking about.  Not only did I work on the project for 15 or so weeks (and thus, knew what I'd done) but the countless hours I put into the presentation had caused me to know my stuff.  Nervous at first, I found that by the end of the short presentation and during the Q & A, I was comfortable speaking and answering questions from the audience.

It was a great lesson learned that putting the greatest amount of work into the biggest presentation of my life was a good idea.  And I learned that its much more fun for me, and constructive to the audience, if I add images and edit both the ideas and structure of the presentation.  Finally, and this lesson - no matter how many times I learn it - is most important to me... the work is never done and I can always improve what I'm doing.  And that is relevant for anything.

You can check out the presentation here, on my website (it's the first bullet).

Enriching Scholarship: A Transformative Week for Instruction and Reflection

Before I started writing this, I reviewed my post about last year's Enriching Scholarship session.  Just a quick review, Enriching Scholarship is a, "week of free workshops, discussions, and seminars has become an annual event each May for instructional faculty and staff, and showcases over 120 sessions that address the role technology plays in fostering engaging and effective teaching, learning, and research"(http://www.teachtech.umich.edu). 

Last year, I considered teaching The New Basics: Computing 101 to be my first official instructional experience.  I wrote that after the session, we realized we needed to tweak the workshop because there was too much content for too little time.  So in between last year and this year, my co-instructor and I taught a Web Basics class, which went pretty well.  This year for Enriching Scholarship, however, we decided to not only teach The New Computer Basics: Understanding the Web but also The New Computer Basics: PC Desktop Computing.  The Understanding the Web session had several participants, many of whom seemed to appreciate the information we provided about clearing your "cache" and downloading images.  And the few participants in the PC Computing class appeared to enjoy learning about how right-clicking can make moving around the computer easier and more efficient.

In my post from May 2011, I wrote about practicing instruction prior to actually instructing.  Many of my other posts over the last year have covered this as well.  So now might be the proper time to reflect.  To start, I'm more comfortable teaching - especially something I've already taught.  Secondly, I've become better at being patient while instructing - I've learned the goal is not to get everything done (especially in computer basics workshops!) but to teach at a pace that is both effective and appropriate for the group's learning processes.  Participant's learning is the goal!

A third "lesson learned" is that I still get nervous teaching something I've never taught before, but that I've learned how to combat this.  Prior to the PC Basics workshop, I spent hours preparing and getting materials ready and arrived much too early the day-of to make sure the computers were loaded with the proper documents and that the handouts were printed and correct.  But through this I also learned that that helped me to feel more comfortable with the instruction.  Instead of stressing, I built that time into my work schedule and was feeling prepared to teach when the time came.

Most of all, instruction is a process.  Having taught the Web Basics three times now, we're still finding things to change and pieces of the workshop to adapt, and that is OK.  In fact, it makes instruction fun because I've realized that nothing is perfect and that we can always do better for our participants and ourselves.  The process of instructing is part of the learning process for us all (I always learn something new while teaching) - and having the opportunity to do both at the same time is something for which I'm grateful.

Transition and Time Management

The transition from school-to-work full time happened.  Quickly.  Suddenly, all the "school stuff" was over, and the "work stuff" became priority.  Which is good.

I started this week thinking that there would be so much time to prepare for my practice presentation about the Detroit Center this week, before teaching two sessions at Enriching Scholarship next week, before my real presentation the following week (oh, and the other presentation at MLA Technology and Trends that week, too).  Somehow, 40 hours at work doesn't seem to be enough.  In fact, I did "home work" this week - practicing and adjusting presentations.

So my thoughts today revolve around those very ideas... transitioning from being busy all the time, to being busy at work, while trying to manage life and work.  Now, I don't need to be busy working all the time - and don't think I should be.  But I do need to transition to making the most of the time I am working, and learning to know what to prioritize over these next few weeks.

I imagine this issue will arise again in December when I graduate from the School of Education and (hopefully) transition into a full-time job.  Managing 12+ hours of classes, 20+ hours of work, homework, and life stuff is quite different than managing 40 hours of work and life stuff.  I've done it before, but I realized this morning that it's a different way of thinking and prioritizing.  I think part of it is that when there is far too much to do, I just do it.  When I have time to do other things (relax a bit?), I need to focus more on the time management part of my life.

So, here's to working through that the next couple of weeks - practically and mentally.  I need to realize that I shouldn't work all the time (as happened January-April), but I do need to consider how much I need to work on the important upcoming instruction sessions and presentations and how to manage that time.  Any tips are welcome :)

Reflections on an MSI Part 4: Now what?

Classes are over, final projects turned in, and graduation is on Friday.  So the question remains, now what?

And the answer is: plenty.  This should be an exciting summer with a great deal of work included.

Through May, I'll be preparing for my project presentation to the UM Library about my Detroit Center project, developing a presentation for the MLA Applied Technologies and Trends conference on May 18, and will be working on two workshops for Enriching Scholarship, happening the week of May 7.  I'll also be preparing to be a Google Guide as UM makes the transition to Google.

Later this summer, I'll teach some Word for Dissertation workshops, learn about collection development, and assist the education librarian with some work on instruction or research guides.  Additionally, I'll be updating some of the Knowledge Navigation Center's research guides, and working on a research project with my student colleagues about our roles as University Library Associates.  

So it will be a busy and productive summer with lots of presentations, conferences, and workshops.  I hope to see the culmination of the work I've done over the past 18 months coming to fruition this summer, where I can use what I've learned in both the classroom and on the job in a practical way.

School ended, but the work didn't - and I'm glad!

Side note, I'll now be blogging on Fridays, starting May 11 (next week will be Thursday).  

Reflections on an MSI Part 3: Institutional Knowledge & Processes

As the school year winds down, so does my time as treasurer of the School of Information Student Association (SISA).  I've not written much about this (with the exception of last week), but today seems like a good day to do so, since I had my last official SISA meeting.

This year, SISA encountered many situations in which we had to make decisions that may or may not have been made before.  But this year, we decided that documentation and processes were important to this organization - the official organization of SI.

We developed new policies and procedures for many things - student lounge decisions, treasury processes, t-shirt designs, booking rooms, elections - you name it.  We did so as to not allow new members in new years (which happens constantly in a student organization) to have to re-invent the wheel.

This is the lesson learned - not so much as part of the MSI directly - but a lesson learned from being part of a professional school's official organization.  And I can see how this lesson learned will be valuable as I move out of one position at the end of August and into a new one, whenever that happens.

In a large institution (and even in small institutions), there are many people who carry institutional knowledge - many times the same institutional knowledge as others within the organization.  It's very easy for this not to be passed along, or if it is passed along, its done so informally.  This creates a situation where people often deal with the same issues and have to figure these out on their own, when in fact they've been handled before.

This is why documentation and processes - of course always adaptable and editable, are critical.  Having policies and procedures in place allow organizations to move forward with other issues that are current and relevant, instead of focusing on situations that have previously been resolved.

So, this reflection - while prompted by my experience in SISA - is a lesson learned for the future in any organization in which I'm a part.  And I'm thankful for having worked with such a great group of people to help me learn this lesson.

Mini Series Part 2: Reflections on an MSI

Last week, it finally hit me.  I'm GRADUATING later this month.  It hit when one of my Professors said, "we'll take some time at the end of class next week to fill out your course evaluations" and when I said, "yep, I'm graduating next mont... oh wait.  It's April.  I'm graduating this month."

So here it is, my attempt at reflections on my MSI.  Last Monday, I wrote about time and balance (which was weighing heavily at that time) and so this week, I'll write about something prevalent right now: extracurricular involvement.

At the end of my first year, I was asked to run for Treasurer of the School of Information Student Association (SISA).  After a bit of deliberation (partially due to my worry about the amount of time it would take :), I decided to run, and I was fortunate enough to win the election.  Little did I know at the time just how much of an impact this would have on my time at SI. 

Being a part of SISA has allowed me to meet new great people, network, and build my resume.  It's allowed me the chance to plan events (something I love to do), facilitate student involvement (something else I love to do), and gain administrative and budgetary skills.  My participation in SISA has been invaluable as I learned to work with fellow Officers, other SI students, SI administrators, and SI staff.

These are skills that would have been very difficult to obtain without extending my time at SI into an extracurricular activity.  So, here's a shout of encouragement to get involved when you can - it's about taking the opportunities that come and making the most of them.   Until next week...

Mini Series Part 1: Reflections on an MSI

With less than four weeks until I graduate from the School of Information (SI), there is quite a bit to do.  So as I sat here today, considering what to write, my colleague Kelly (check out her blog here) suggested I do a mini series on reflections from the past 18 months of my Masters of Science Information.  Thanks, Kelly, for the practical and useful idea! 

I'll preface this by saying I cannot believe how fast this time went.  Anyone considering a degree, a large project, or something else that seems overwhelming, before turning an opportunity down, remember that this time flies by and it will be over before you know it.

That said, it is also incredible how much I've learned about "information," libraries, communities, and about myself during my time at SI.  I've learned about information overload, have been overloaded by information, and have learned that I can handle more than I ever thought possible.  I've learned that when I think I can't take on one more thing, that I actually can, and do. 

The lesson above is one that has culminated this semester: 15 credits, one large PT job, one small PT job, student association, volunteer events... it's been too much.  But it's a great lesson learned.  Prior to this term, I always said that my life needs to be balanced and that the grades/recognition/need to get ahead were not worth giving up things I enjoy doing such as yoga, seeing family and friends, or reading a book for pleasure.  Before this semester, I had been able to fit that all in while still completing things at a high level.  The past four months have been simply too much for me to handle, and while this has taken a toll on my sanity, it also helped me realize that it is not worth it to me to do everything related to work and volunteer commitments, and that most things will still get done without me (and that if they don't it's not going to be my fault). 

So, the first reflection and lesson learned: the need to find balance.  I'm sure I'll be working on this forever, but being cognizant of this need might be the first step.  Tune in next Monday for Reflections Part 2 of (TBD :). 

Lesson Learned: Taking Opportunities

Today was quite a day.  Both the School of Information (SI) Networking Fair and the SI ExpoSItion (which I wrote about last week) were held as part of SI's amazing opportunities for students to broaden their job networks and increase their presentation skills.  Last year, I did not participate in either the Networking Fair or the ExpoSItion.  I can't remember why, but I didn't.  When the chance to do both came around again this spring, I quickly decided both events were opportunities in which I wanted to take part.

I went into the Networking Fair with an apprehensive attitude.  I'm not graduating from the School of Education until December, so while I will have my MSI next month (whoa!) I'm probably not "officially" on the job market until winter 2012.  I gathered my Employer Booklet and went straight to a university library table where I already had contacts.  The chat went well and I left having met yet another person at that library.  Yay :)

The second table I chose to go to was that of another large research university in Michigan, where I've had little contact.  However, I quickly learned that the employers were very interested in my current line of study, my skills, and my background.  It didn't take much (except friendliness and preparedness on my part) and I walked away with the Library Director's email address and an offer to visit them after graduation.

I went into the Networking Fair expecting very little and left with a lesson that is invaluable.  There were few libraries at the Fair, and of those, I knew people at all but one.  All but the one that I walked away from with a chance to network further.  This helped me learn the lesson that I learned today.  Take the opportunities that are presented to you.  It is as simple as that.  Go into opportunities with an open mind, be prepared to present yourself as well as you possibly can, and take some chances.  If I had not gone to the Fair, which would have been very easy, I would NOT have expanded my networking circle or met the people who are going to give me yet another opportunity.

This same lesson applies to the ExpoSItion.  I went to the ExpoSItion thinking that most of the other projects would be much more interesting than my group's library research project (because frankly, many of the projects at the ExpoSItion are created by designers who do cool, interesting things and make their posters look really pretty).  But I was busy talking to guests at the ExpoSItion almost the entire time.  People were interested in our project, and commented on the poster's design.  Without taking that chance, I never would have created a poster all on my own, learned that you don't mount your poster before getting to the conference, or met people who wanted to hear about what we were doing.

This lesson is something to carry with me - when someone gives me an opportunity to do something, take it.  I simply never could have imagined all of the great things that happened today, and they wouldn't have happened if I didn't take the chances that were presented.

Explaining what we do

I have probably not talked much about my current position here, but I do often write about the types of activities in which I participate including outreach and instruction.  For me, it's fairly simple to write about one event or class, but the idea of explaining what I do as a whole is slightly more difficult.  Compound this with trying to explain what others in my same job do, and we've got a real challenge. 

Next week, I'm presenting a poster with some of my colleagues at the School of Information expoSItion, which provides a chance for students to show off a project on which they've worked to potential employers.  This can include a class, work, or internship experience and allows students to highlight an important part of their time at the School of Information.

So what do my colleagues and I have in common that is worth presenting?  Well, we hope it's the idea of our entire collective experience as University Library Associates (ULA) and the lessons learned from that experience.  As ULAs we've all been given the opportunity to work in a professional capacity (part-time) at the University of Michigan Library while completing our graduate studies full-time at the School of Information. 

The ULA positions are competitive and require us to manage our time and connect our education with our work experience.   The positions require a second-year project, which includes digging into an unknown territory of the library and producing a deliverable (more on that later this spring).  The job requires reflection and flexibility, and truly is, I believe, a great way to learn what it is like to work in an academic library.

So, the other current ULAs and I have been working together to find out what our positions really mean for the School of Information, the Library, and for us in our professional development.  One of our group members presented on this at a conference (read her reflective blog post here), we're completing a poster for the expoSItion, and our goal is to write a paper on our findings. 

It has been an interesting learning process trying to work together to pull our experiences into something that is meaningful and useful for academia and the library field.  And it will be great to get reactions on our work from employers and fellow students at expoSItion next week.

Creating Campus-Community Connections: The Event

Last Friday was the big event - the event between the Detroit Center and UM librarians.  This event aimed to provide a space for in-person explanation of the collaboration possibilities and as a networking event between UM librarians and Detroit Center project leaders.

The event, held at the Detroit Center, did all of that and more.  I arrived with my planning colleagues and we started setting up food, laying out placecards at the horseshoe shaped table (strategically placed so that librarians with an expertise would sit by project leaders of that topic), and preparing the little miscellaneous things that come with event planning (do we have cups?  what about ice?  what if so-and-so doesn't come?).

Finally it was time.  The Detroit Center folks arrived first and chatted with one another until they found their seats.  The librarians arrived shortly after, said a brief hello to one another and the Detroit Center project managers, and then immediately sat in their suggested place.  The UM Outreach Librarian who is leading this effort gave welcoming remarks and then people got food, sat back down, and started networking.  It was clear that there were some immediate connections; actually, in most cases it seemed there were. 

The conversations appeared, by my observation, lively and engaged.  No one seemed to say "why are we here?" or "I'm not sure the library can help me...."   Before people were finished eating, the UM Outreach Librarian gave a short presentation on what the Library can provide (including a research guide) and then opened the room up for questions and discussion.  This is where my previous assumptions were challenged.

The Detroit Center project managers had great questions, but they weren't - as I had expected - always about library resources such as journals or books.  They wanted to know about the services the library could provide, how they could access materials, and they provided suggestions about how the Librarians could assist them.  To me, this spoke loudly and clearly to the fact that these individuals see how valuable the library can be.  Most of them had used the library previously, but many did not know how to get books sent to the Center, about the possibilities of using the Espresso Book Machine (with the ability to print student work), or Serials and Microforms (where they could view old copies of Detroit and other newspapers) or HathiTrust (where a collection of books about Detroit could be collected).

These were great questions, and it was great to have librarians there to answer the questions... but this also provided us clues about what these folks needed.  Not what they thought we needed, but what they actually needed.  This was a valuable lesson learned about creating strong collaborations and partnerships.

I look forward to seeing the work that continues to develop as these relationships grow.

Refreshed and Ready to Roll - Community Connections Happening!

There's something about spring break as a student... knowing that the first half of the semester is over, getting a chance to unwind, and then coming back refreshed and ready to finish the term strong.

This is a busy time of year and a very exciting one at that... here's a preview of some of what I'll be doing, and subsequently writing about this term. 

This week, I'll be participating in a meeting at the Detroit Center that includes Detroit Center project leaders and U of M Librarians.  The aim is to start finding connections between their work and how the library can assist their work.  The meeting is a short introduction to the many possibilities that can come from this parternship.

Later in March, I'll be working with Arts of Citizenship on putting together lunches for their Engaged Scholarship Initiative which aims to civically engage graduate students. 

I'm looking forward to moving into the summer with a lot of possibilities ahead, and one Master's degree behind me.  Thanks for coming along for the ride.

Collaboration: Explaining what we mean

One of the projects on which I'm working is assisting in starting collaborations.  To many people, this sounds very vague, and I don't blame someone for dismissing the term.  Many people talk about partnerships and collaborations, but significantly fewer are actually part of partnerships and collaborations that embody the true sense of those words.

To have a partnership or collaboration, all involved parties must see the value.  They must be invested.  They must share leadership, be held accountable and they must have a stake in decision-making.  This means that all parties must come to the table and dialogue about what's needed and what will be meaningful for their organization.

This is quite difficult from both the standpoint of those initiating the partnerships and those being asked to participate.  For those trying to establish collaborations, the intent must be clear.  Those being asked must be able to see, understand and question the idea of the partnership because without full buy-in by both parties, the collaboration won't be as meaningful for either.

I'm still learning how to do this - and thoughts are welcome on how to empower partners being asked to buy-in.  It seems difficult when one party sees "exactly" how this collaboration could work, when the other is somewhat clueless.  My current thoughts are that asking the question of "what would you like to get out of this?" could be a good starting point.  What are some other ways to get started?

Hopefully I can follow up on this post later, and share a story that discusses best practices from my own experiences, and the experiences of others.

P.S. Blog will be off-line next week.  Enjoy your break :)

Lessons learned: Professionalism, ethics, and self

It's been a tumultous couple of days. But my experiences related to these incidents have helped me see things more clearly - professionally, ethically and personally.

Between yesterday and today I've had to make some professional, ethical and personal decisions.  And I learned some valuable life-long lessons in the process.

What I learned over the past two days is that honesty is the best policy.  I learned that needing to take care of myself is important and is valued by those who understand that taking on too much can be taxing and dehibilitating to not only self but others.  I've reaffirmed that people are good, and understand when things don't go as planned.  I've learned people understand that right now I'm a student first and an "everything else" second, and that sometimes academics and health (mental or physical) need to come first.  I've learned that when you do the right thing - continously - people recognize that.

This incident may be the culmination of this busy semester, where I've committed to too much and a lot has suffered.  But I really believe that what has happened over the past two days has been a great learning experience and is one that I will always remember as I move forward professionally, ethically, and personally.

So here's to a clearer head, a re-focus on what's important, and a better second half of the final semester of my first Master's degree.

And here's a huge thank you to those who've helped me learn these lessons.

This blog post is about blogging

It's that time of the semester - that time that may vary individually, but inevitably hits students at least once.  It's that time where you feel like no matter what you do, it's not enough.  It's that time where you feel like there is no end in sight.  It's that time when you work non-stop, only to still have more to do.  It's that time when you... blog, instead of working on something else.

So yes, it's that time, and you may question why blogging takes precedence over that "something else," or why I would blog when I've got so much else to do.

Answers to these questions are, of course, personal, but I've got some that I'd like to share.  First, blogging is a chance to reflect, and take, say, 20 minutes to escape from the pressing pressure of homework.  Second, blogging is something that I hope will benefit both me and others in the long-term.  To me, blogging is professional development; I'm trying to blog to grow my professional profile and connect with others who have similar interests.  Additionally, blogging gives me a chance to step back and think: what was important in the last week that others might find interesting too?

Some weeks the answer is obvious.  Writing about the Story Collider or a conference I attended seems natural.  It's weeks like this, when there's so much else to do, that the idea of thinking about something else (blogging) is overwhelming.  So, my readers end up reading a blog about blogging.

Story Collider: Community + Campus Collaboration

Last Thursday evening I witnessed an amazing example of a community/campus collaboration: The Story Collider.  I heard about this event via Open.Michigan and decided to check it out.

The Story Collider is a group out of New York City that brings stories of science to real-life situations.  This is vague sounding, yes, so let me try to explain.  The Story Collider event I attended was produced through a partnership between Open.Michigan, the Ann Arbor District Library, and The Story Collider group.  This was not the first time The Story Collider had been in Ann Arbor, but it was the first time I had seen the performance, so I'll speak to that event.

Last Thursday's Story Collider featured two emcee's; one was a founder of The Story Collider Brian Wecht, the other was University of Michigan staff member Erik Hofer.  The emcee's introduced six different speakers who told a story about their life and science.  Now, let me preface the rest of this entry by saying I am not a "science person."  I've taken science, yes, but am by no means an Chemical Engineer, or a Cosmologist, or an English professor, like a few of the speakers were.  Yet, through their storytelling, I was taken to a place where science made sense, in the real world that we all live in.


One storyteller explained how she became to realize why she felt the way she did about science, another told about a time when they had an ephiphany about science and was able to express that to a professor, before they were even in college.  Another speaker talked about wikipedia editing, and yet another about a wild trip to Haiti to do relief work.  The other stories reflected the speaker's interactions with science then and science now (how could a museaum be wrong about something?), and about what it's like to live with a real, live scientist.


These stories touched me, and made me realize that events such as this can bring together the unlikelist of partners.  I would love to know more about how this collaboration came together, but it showed me that the opportunities for outreach are endless.


You can read more about the speakers, and check back for the podcasts of their stories.  And, if The Story Collider comes your way, be sure to check them out!

A Student Unconference

Last Saturday I attended Quasi-Con, an "unconference" developed from the ground up by my classmates at the School of Information.  It was so exciting to see my future colleagues in action - sharing information in an open, interesting way.  (That's what libraries do, right?)

Quasi-Con began with small group brainstorming sessions to tease out topics which were both relevant and interesting to participants.  The next part of the conference focused on sessions based off these brainstorming ideas.  The conference developers really gave the conference participants a chance to discuss and dig into library-related issues about which they are passionate.  What a great way to engage everyone!

In the afternoon, Quasi-Con featured presentations from speakers who'd signed up in advance.  Some presentations were 15-minute talks about disaster planning or the Occupy Wall Street library, others were panels on thinking about how your prior jobs (like being a trail guide) could apply to being a librarian.

The entire conference was creative, innovative, informative, and inclusive.  It was extremely fantastic to see my classmates produce such an awesome event.  Check out the http://quasicon2012.wordpress.com/ website for more information!

MLK Jr. Day and UM

Each year, the University of Michigan hosts a symposium in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.  It's a day that the University sets aside to reflect on his work - and the work still going on around us. Martin Luther King Jr. Day gives students, staff, faculty, departments and units a chance to express themselves and they way they choose to reflect upon the important work that Martin Luther King laid out for his generation and ours.

The University of Michigan Library is co-sponsoring two events: a screening of Fordson (today) and Step Afrika Dance Performance (January 19).

The Detroit Center hosted an event as well, proving that the symposium can include and bring together various communities.

It's days like today - when class and some work are canceled - that I reflect on what is really important in our world and at the University of Michigan.  It's a day to stop and consider how my future career should work towards goals of equality and the riddance of oppression. It shouldn't take a day to help me remember that those goals underlie what I want to work toward, but it's a great day to do this with others from the campus and the community.

May your MLK Jr. Day bring reflection and contemplation - in whatever way that means to you.

Blog Day now = Monday!

As with a new semester comes a new schedule and thus I'll be attempting to blog weekly on Mondays. 

Since I just logged quite an entry last week, I'll hold off on content until next week.

For now, here's a link to last semester's Information Literacy for Teaching and Learning class's free downloadable e-book Information Literacy in the Wild.  It's in MeL (Michigan's Electronic Library)!

What the new year shall bring - Detroit-based work

The winter/holiday break that academics and students receive is much needed, but the itch to get back to work is just as important.  As such, 2012 is shaping up to be a fantastic year.

One of the initiatives on which I'm most excited to work is at the Detroit Center.  There are many connections to make, many collaborations to develop, and many people to meet.  The UM Library is just starting work there to connect librarians to the projects at the Detroit Center.  Many of the projects are health-based, social work and leadership based, connected with urban planning, engineering, and much more.  There are many ways that librarians can assist this work; as UM is a research institution, the projects it supports need to be research-based.  UM librarians can work with the project coordinators to inform their work so that it can benefit the UM community, Detroit community, and citizens worldwide.

The University of Michigan is dedicated to working in Detroit.  Just today, as I was searching for UM-based Detroit work, I came across a very interesting website from The Office of the Vice President for Communications at UM entitled The University of Michigan and Detroit: A Parternship for Progress.  The website details UM's commitment to work in Detroit and discusses the "base of operations" (the Detroit Center) and lists projects associated with UM's work in Detroit.

The Detroit Center is the base of operations for many of U–M’s Detroit–focused programs. Established in 2005, the 10,500 square–foot facility provides space for offices, classes, meetings, exhibitions, lectures, and collaborative work while serving as a home base for students and faculty working on projects in the city. The U–M Detroit Admissions Office is also located here.

• ARTS & CULTURE

• COMMUNITY ACTION & SERVICE

• ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

• GOVERNMENT & PUBLIC POLICY

• HEALTH & SAFETY

• INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES & OUTREACH

• LEGAL RESOURCES

• PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SERVICES

• SUSTAINABILITY & THE ENVIRONMENT

(Source: http://vpcomm.umich.edu/issues/detroit.html) 

UM's work in Detroit also relates to UM President Mary Sue Coleman's Third Century Initiative which I learned about through Arts of Citizenship's Associate Director, Elizabeth Werbe.  The Third Century Initiative aims to, "use $50 million in existing funds during the next five years to develop innovative, multidisciplinary teaching and scholarship approaches to such topics as climate change, poverty and malnutrition, energy storage, affordable health care and social justice challenges. It will encompass teaching, research and service efforts" (http://www.ur.umich.edu/update/archives/111005/thirdcent).

The Partnership for Progress and the Third Century Initiative are just two of the many reasons that the Library should forge forth with creating a partnership with the Detroit Center.  The possibilities for collaborations are abundant, and it will be exciting to see and be a part of what's to come.