Prior to beginning this program, I was worried that too much time had elapsed between getting my undergraduate degree and returning to school for my master’s degree. That worry, it turns out, was a bit unfounded. Was I somewhat rusty at writing papers and reading large volumes of text? Naturally. But I quickly fell back into the groove, despite my absence from academia. I was also worried about having chosen the right program. This fear, too, was quickly dispelled. Once I realized how much of Syracuse’s MLIS program focused on justice, information equity, and community-led engagement, I knew that this was the best program for me. 

Content-wise, it’s impossible to overstate how much I have learned. There were some classes that particularly humbled me; there was so much I didn’t know! One class that comes to mind is IST 611: Information Technology in Educational Organizations. Learning about a new tech tool each week, and having to complete a weekly tech project not only exposed me to the tech itself, but gave me the ability to think logically about using these tools and extrapolating the information into other situations requiring logical thinking. Another standout was IST 564: Accessible Library and Information Services. Learning about disability history and activists who fought for accessibility truly changed the trajectory of what I want to do with my life, and I hope to enter the field of accessibility librarianship.

In terms of my assignments, I can barely believe what I was able to accomplish. Two standouts to me (and, likely, everyone else in this program!) are the Research Scenario Assignment for IST 605, and the Partner Librarian Project for IST 611. The Research Scenario Project was the first large-scale project I completed in this program. It required me to hone my time management skills and was a perfect end to my first quarter of school; it set the tone for the work required for the remainder of my 18 months. For me, the biggest challenge of the Partner Librarian Project was reaching out to a librarian to work with. I can truly say that my time at Syracuse gave me the confidence to reach out, blindly, to the director of Inclusive Services at Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) and ask her to partner with me for the project. Eighteen months ago, the prospect of contacting someone who I admired professionally (but had never met or spoken to!) to assist me with a school project would have seemed too daunting to contemplate. My relationship with BPL and Inclusive Services has been pivotal in the development of my career, and I am very proud of starting and fostering that relationship. 

Going forward, I hope to continue the theme of empathy and inclusion in my work. The world is an increasingly unpredictable place, and I feel committed to maintaining and expanding a sense of community wherever I wind up working. I am grateful to this program for solidifying that core value in my life and work.