This was the first course I took at Southern Connecticut State University and I am so glad I took it by itself. It was my introduction to graduate work plus working full-time. Yowser! In a few short weeks, Dr. Hak Joon Kim introduced the latest technology in the library field and how it is used. The course description reads" principles and applications of computers and information technologies in libraries and information centers." We tested the effectiveness of particular search engines. The project I found the most intense and ultimately satisfying was the menu assignment in which we chose to work in an area of technology that we had no experience in. I chose to create an online library catalog and circulation system that calculated fines. I learned a LOT but most of the pain was in learning Microsoft Access. I am determined to take a course in using that software because I can see its potential for many projects ahead. I also had the chance to work with a classmate in developing a paper to share for the class on hardware issues. It was great fun meeting Killian and talking through our plans for the writing.

The development structure and function of library/information agencies is the course description for this work. It really was the place to discuss the history of libraries, the structure of library governance, the essential documents of librarianship, and to explore professional ethics and philosophy. Under the guidance of Dr. Arlene Bielefield, I researched the life of Sarah Byrd Askew to learn about early pioneering efforts in building a statewide library system. In this course, I got to work with my first mentor, Ken Watson, in the Archive of the Pierce Library. Ken is the Collection Development Librarian at Eastern Oregon University and was beginning to examine all the items in the Archive and needed help. It was a fascinating project that eventually led to my involvement in my Capstone Project. I learned about writing policies, making collection decisions, gift procedures, original cataloging (eventually!) and public relations with the community.

"General reference sources; their content, evaluation and use. The reference process and the organization of reference and information services as they relate to different types of libraries" reads the graduate catalog. Reference work is where I spend most of my time at work at the Electronic Research Center (ERC) of Pierce Library. Dr. Josephine Sche lead us through exercises to learn reference titles in the Library of Congress classifications. I developed presentations on using RefWorks and EndNote with the EBSCO databases. I also developed a lesson plan called 'Lean on Me" for using the Literature Resource Center database and created handouts (under Projects) for that as well.

The course catalog described the cataloging class as "analysis and description of library collections in various types; creating bibliographic records and databases. Shared cataloging and universal bibliographic control. National standards for cataloging, classification systems, authority files, MARC and metadata." I was so frightened of this class and got off to a rough start but with diligence and sweat of the brow ended up enjoying the material very much and now look forward to some original cataloging for the Pierce Library Archive from time to time. In this course, Dr. Chang Suk Kim gave us many exercises to practice the various aspects of AACR2 rules in cataloging all manner of resources. I enjoyed the comparison of online library catalogs (OPACs) that we researched. Another cataloging research project was finding out how what obstacles patrons had in using library online catalogs and what could be done to make the interfaces more inviting and useful. In that course I used a template to help me remember all the fields I needed and I constructed the coolest flip book to remind me of the rules for the fields. I use both of these tools today.

Dr. James Kusack  offered this course in "Organization and administration of academic libraries. The role of libraries in research and the relationship of academic libraries to curricula, students, faculty, and administration". The discussions in this class were quite lively! I got very interested in the concept of institutional repositories and the role they play in tenure track professors. We also did an exercise in comparing two peer institutions and I also investigated learning centers in university libraries in a facilities study. This course helped me develop an idea of what to look for when searching for my first position in academic libraries and prepared me for current issues in the field.

"Organization, administration, and services of municipal, county, and regional libraries. Basic developments and trends are considered. The role of public libraries as educational institutions is examined" is how this course was described in the course catalog. I took this elective course to help me build a broader base of experience in this type of library. The class, led by Prof. Diane Pettaway-Brown started with an interview with a public library director to give us an idea of issues in the field. The final paper was a study of a public library and was totally absorbing! The scenarios posed by the instructor in discussions were engaging and quite challenging and helped me grapple with public library policy, collection development, and programs and services for public libraries in various settings, both urban and rural.

"Theoretical study of and practice in designing, constructing and evaluating digital libraries" is an understatement in this description of this course taught by Dr. Yan Liu. We actually examined digital libraries and then built one for our final project, which is my Special Project toward graduation requirements. The informing paper for this project outlines the procedures I went through identifying elements for the library, establishing worfklow, designating staff and duties, getting training on the software, and then actually carrying on the work. I am still working on this project daily and will take some time to finish it. The slowest part is entering the metadata from the oral history transcripts. I investigated PastPerfect software and reviewed the Harvard-Smithsonian Digital Library. These papers were contributed to the class so I now have a notebook of software, hardware and example digital libraries to use for the future. Dr. Yan Liu opened a whole world to me in this class. I went on to use a digital library topic for the Field Project and again as my research paper in Research Class.

"Principles of library collection development and evaluation. Business of library acquisitions: vendors, gift and exchange, cooperative resource sharing. Impact of document delivery and electronic publishing " is the way this course is described in the graduate catalog. Dr. Arlene Bielefield led me through the roller-coaster world of serials acquisition and I spent a great deal of time learning about vendors and making decisions about vendor choices. My culminating project in this course was examining fifty some titles in the Library of Congress MT classification section to determine which held titles about vocal pedagogy should stay in the Pierce LIbrary collection. I also determined which titles should be added to form a quality core for learning about singing and managing choral performances.

Dr. James Kusack taught me the difference between management and leadership. Many management techniques were reviewed and ruminated about. We were given the opportunity to interview library managers which had a surprise benefit. I met a librarian who is now a new friend and colleague in the Eastern Oregon Library Association. We gathered some hard evidence and wrote a cost analysis for a library task. I chose the Observer Indexing project, a local newspaper that we index daily to actually see what we spend on that activity. It was illuminating! He also pressed the point about customer service being paramount to our raison d'etre. In learning about management styles, we prepared a book review to present to a professional group. We shared the presentations with our classmates so that we could increase the number of management texts and styles we could learn about. Combined with the years of supervising library staff and student assistants, this course helped me solidify my management style and values.

Theresa Gillis, Reference Librarian, at Pierce Library at Eastern Oregon University was my supervisor for my library science practice. We agreed on areas for responsibility and activities to be conducted. This was the period of time where I practiced the research interview and conducted many research sessions with patrons. The following summer, I also got an opportunity to be the Answerland librarian for a few weeks in the summer. I conducted most of those in Buenos Aires! During this library science practice, I was mentored by Theresa in handling difficult patrons, practicing professional conduct, and learning specific reference works and online resources. Unfortunately, she was not teaching a brick and mortar class in information literacy that term. We did look at lessons and the structure of the online LIB127 class. I developed a reference desk log to keep statistics on research and operational questions that are entered now onto a library-wide spreadsheet.

In this project, Dr. Yan Liu guided me through the proposal for the course and the timeline to outline the tasks to write a grant proposal to create a digital library of virtual laboratories. The digital library was to support all fields of science and be expressly for undergraduate students and their professors. A literature review was conducted . A study of major grantors, amounts and content areas funded was investigated. A proposal was written to be completed (staff and budget not identified yet) when an appropriate grant program is identified. The proposal is not linked here to protect intellectual property until funded.

In this course, the portfolio and research paper were written. My Special Project was the Oral History of the Grande Ronde digital library that continues to be written daily at Pierce LIbrary at Eastern Oregon University. My research paper was Small Academic Libraries' Participation in Digital Projects. I examined 312 library web sites to determine what type of digital projects were evident, what software was used, the extent of collaboration for projects, and the context of the subject content of the digital libraries.In this course, we learned how to research, write, and prepare a manuscript for publishing. Dr. Mary Brown prepared us for future research possibilities that may be pursued in our professional careers.