Take-Aways from SLIS 761

Image Source:  www.canva.com

This semester I learned enough to write a book, but instead I'll just write out two highlights I took away from this class.

1.  Ongoing Professional Development

Library Science is a vast field that exists on the cutting edge of technology.  It is constantly changing and growing.  A librarian's purpose is to remain relevant and serve the community by providing the resources it needs.  With the ever-evolving landscape of the internet, saying there is much to learn and keep tabs on is an understatement.  Ongoing professional development requires librarians to plug in to multiple different outlets of information, whether they be via email subscription, social media followings, professional organization memberships, or a multitude of other strategies for staying in-the-know.  I will strive to set aside time to learn more about the many, different, always changing aspects of this profession.

2.  Teaching & Student Discovery

I did not realize when I embarked on this mission of becoming a school librarian that teaching would be as central to the role as it truly is.  This course has shown me how very important teaching is as a librarian; school librarians should be filling in the gaps of our school's curriculum, offering topics that range from how to find materials in the library and use information from databases to information literacy, cyberbullying, and media bias.  

Being a school librarian gives me the opportunity to collaborate with teachers at my school to bring students dynamic lessons that are completely relevant to our modern world.  I'm excited to develop my curriculum around the different topics covered through this course, as well as projects incorporating curation.

It's also a librarian's purpose to open up opportunities for student discovery.  Whether that happens through maker spaces or providing resources for students (and teachers) to experience virtual or augmented reality.  Teaching opportunities open themselves through exploratory activities, and the activities themselves teach students through engaging experiences.

Another important take-away under the umbrella of learning is accessibility.  Everyone should be able to access resources and materials shared by librarians.  I would have never realized how important alt-text is on images if not for this class.  I also learned of writing closed captions on Youtube videos from this class.  Librarians should strive for accessibility for all.