Conclusion

Reflection

When I graduated with an MA, I was already working as the folklore archivist. I was partially trained by another student and an archivist in Special Collections; otherwise, I trained myself. I figured out how to accession in ArchivesSpace relying on work flow processes for Archivists Toolkit (and rewriting the rules as I went). I also taught myself how to catalog the books based on LOC Classifications because none of the books were cataloged in the online system. While going through this self-teaching process, I realized that what I truly needed was an MLIS. I needed the skills and background knowledge of a librarian to properly do my job. After carefully searching through schools, I decided on SJSU because of the wide variety of course options. In the past two years, I have become more efficient and capable at doing my job. The archive is better organized and I feel better prepared to serve the needs of the students and faculty that I interact with.

Professional Goals

Eventually, I hope to find a full time position in a university special collections repository. I am very familiar with the digitizing side of preservation, including audio and photographs. Threading the reel machine with a fifty year old tape to reveal the contents in a new digital format is one of my favorite tasks. The reel might reveal folk songs performed by a 70 year old in 1950 or interviews at a political rally in the 1960s. I love the opportunities to work with these formats, but I would also like to expand my knowledge into other archival areas, especially conservation of rare books. My academic background is business, literature, history, folklore, museum studies, and now library and information science; specifically, I have focused on ancient Greek and Mesopotamian cultures and English medieval literature. I have also deeply explored psychology, philosophy, and subcultural movements that affect civil rights. My multidisciplinary background adds strength to the work of a librarian, who must seek information while navigating people’s needs. As a folklorist, I was taught to explore cultures with respect and dignity. Librarians also must respect culture, people, and the freedom to read with a love for knowledge.