In August of 2017, I achieved a life-long dream of completing a graduate degree. While many massage therapists are late-life career changers, retiring from one type of work and becoming massage therapists, I did the opposite and made the transition from twenty years as a self-employed massage therapist in the Florida Keys to being a solo librarian in an Academic Health Sciences Library. Being a solo librarian had its rewards and challenges and I was lucky to gain so much experience in my first LIS position out of graduate school. However, I quickly realized leaving the Florida Keys after being here for so long was too difficult and I decided public libraries are where things are really happening! So I came back to Key West and after starting at the Key West branch of the Monroe County Public Library as a paraprofessional, I transferred to the Marathon Branch to assist in our transition to a new library building and take the role of Assistant Branch Manager.
Public Libraries offer their own set of unique challenges and I am learning something new everyday. Not to mention it is so good to be home…
I began this site in order to produce the blog post assignments for the course Visualization of Big Data in Fall of 2016. I also thought it could be my e-portfolio for graduation; however, I decided on a different platform and set it aside. Now I hope to develop this cite further and try my hand at blogging. To find my posts check out the Reflections page.
If you look above at the menu headings you will see:
- Home this page.
- Work Experience details practical experience I have gained through employment and volunteer activities.
- Education my degrees, certifications and other training so far.
- Introduction – Why an MLIS? is my reflection on the program and how I got there.
- MLIS Program Outcomes describes the goals of the USF MLIS program and presents the work I have done towards meeting those requirements.
- Papers and Reports contains other assignments completed in my MLIS coursework, organized by course as well.
- Reflections are blog posts done for class assignments and more recent ones as I stumble along trying to get in the habit of writing my thoughts, ideas and experiences out in a way that could be useful for others.
- About Me contains a bit more personal information and the expected contact details.