Sunday, December 23, 2007

I made it... BARELY

Fall 2007 will be recorded in the annals of my academic history as one of the roughest semesters, ever (as evidenced by my scant posting activity, in the least). Now that it's over, I can "exhale"--at least until I get my grades back, that is. Looking back, I can't believe that I was actually excited about my courses. If I had only known...

I guess part of the added stress was that I ended up taking a pre-requisite for one course in tandem with said course. During registration, I had my reservations about doing that but I guess the program advisor I asked about it had more confidence in my ability than I did. Well, I guess we'll see if her confidence was misplaced...

All through this program, I've wondered if I made the right decision but this past Fall really caused me to think introspectively about my career path. Honestly, there are one, maybe two jobs about which I can see myself waking up in the morning excited--being a medical librarian is definitely one of them. Granted, my immediate environment may not allow for the 'dream' job that I'm envisioning, but my passionate fascination with all things health and biomedical could only be better satisfied by my going to medical school. (Ummm, how about "NO?!") But in training to become a librarian, I realize that there is so much that I am still clueless about. I mean, I am the only one in my cohort with no work experience in the field. And no, all-nighters for next-day exams and papers in Woodruff Library don't count! I mean, I've never been trained in cataloging, my reference acumen sucks (if this past semester is an accurate barometer), and it took me getting halfway through my degree before I found out what OPAC meant. Yes, I heard all the librarians reading this gasp collectively in shock and awe. The worst part is that my schedule has been so rigid that I won't even get to do a practicum before graduation. Yet, despite all the odds, I am still motivated to continue. (The fact that I would have to repay the full amount of tuition if I renege on completion of the program or my 2-year service contract is completely beside the point!)

Based on my interactions with librarians locally and via remote observation, I can truly say that I am impressed and inspired by the levels of commitment and passion displayed on every professional level. Nowadays, I find it rare to see individuals who are doing what they do for the love of it, and because they simply believe that they are making an impact on the world in which they live. I mean, seriously, when is the last time you heard of a top library official getting busted down for running a pyramid scheme or funneling profits from late-return user fees into private accounts?? You get the point...

So yeah, my resolve to be a librarian--though sometimes called into question--remains intact. Pushing through one more semester before graduation marks anything but the end of my education. Crossing the threshhold from being in the books to lording over the stacks will be the beginning of an unexpected yet fulfilling life's work, I feel. My true journey towards becoming a "Master of Information" has yet to commence.


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posted by peculiar VIrtue @ 10:47 PM 0 comments