I have 2.5 weeks left in my 3rd semester of library school. Unlike 1st term, which went by a torturous snail pace, this semester has gone by quickly, which is a relief! I NEVER want to do another semester like 1st semester EVER again. Thankfully 2nd and 3rd semesters finally allowed us room for electives, and I have been able to tailor my program to suit my interests: children's librarianship! Today I finalized a topic with my supervisor to do an Independent Study in the Fall. If all goes according to plan, I will be researching dual-language picture books. You mean I get to do a WHOLE course on picture books? Love Love Love! I also ranked the last two classes of my MLIS (Master of Library and Information Science) career: Public Libraries in the Community and Consumer Health Information Sources and Services. This week was the week of 4 due dates, and I have completed 3/4! After this week I only have 1 project left, and then I have almost a month off! I am going to Montreal for a week to see friends and my nephew, and to my alma mater , Bishop's in Sherbrooke to see friends who are still in the area.
Much to look forward to!
Bisous,
LFB
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Monday, June 25, 2012
My first conference!
There I go, ignoring my blog again! This past weekend I presented at the FIMS Student Conference 2012. I presented Librarians Without Borders (I'm on the Exec of the student chapter here at Western) and service learning in the field of librarianship along with two other LWBers. My part involved discussing the history of LWB, and talking about what service learning is and how it is being integrated into LIS curricula. I also talked about our projects in Costa Rica and Haiti.
I went to as many presentations as I could. My friend Breanne presented on Research Description an Access (a new cataloguing standard). I also went to a skype presentation done to LIS students who are currently doing internships in India, and a presentation on digital literacy. It was a great day!
We've officially hit the half way mark and my classes are going well. My assignments seem to be spread out nicely (with the exception of having 5 due last week). Fall classes have been posted, so we have an idea of what will be offered, although we do not know the timetable yet. So far I'm thinking of taking collection development, the public library in the community, maybe consumer health information, and hopefully I can coordinate an independent study.
That's all for now!
Darcy
I went to as many presentations as I could. My friend Breanne presented on Research Description an Access (a new cataloguing standard). I also went to a skype presentation done to LIS students who are currently doing internships in India, and a presentation on digital literacy. It was a great day!
We've officially hit the half way mark and my classes are going well. My assignments seem to be spread out nicely (with the exception of having 5 due last week). Fall classes have been posted, so we have an idea of what will be offered, although we do not know the timetable yet. So far I'm thinking of taking collection development, the public library in the community, maybe consumer health information, and hopefully I can coordinate an independent study.
That's all for now!
Darcy
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Oh hey there 3rd term!
Tomorrow I head into the 4th week of my third term of library school. After this there's only one more to go! I will officially be able to put the letters MLIS after my name and I will feel very smart. Maybe I will make people start calling me by my first name followed by MLIS :P
This term is off to a good start! I'm starting to work on things early in order to accommodate my homework ADD. I have a super short attention span when it comes to homework and I hate working on one thing for a long time. Which made 1st term really awful, when I didn't know how to manage the snowstorm of assignments that came my way, and was regularly up until 4am finishing something the night before it was due. This term? I just finished an assignment that I worked on over a few days, almost a week before it is due! Go me!
I am even liking (most of) my assignments this term! Ok, so I really only like the assignments for my Services for Children and Materials for Older Children (8-12) classes. They seem really practical, which is great! I have to make a pathfinder (those bookmark like things in libraries that say things like "If you liked Harry Potter.."and then list a bunch of books that are similar to, say, Harry Potter), make a display in the lobby of the library faculty (I'm doing children's cookbooks-surprised? I think not.), plan a program (the professor said I could do it in French!), do a book talk (I'm doing historical fiction...haven't picked my book yet), and...I'm sure I'm forgetting something!
Two girlfriend and I have started doing a weekly Sunday brunch. We rotate going to a different' person's house each week, and everyone contributes something. Today I made french toast with french bread I got at the farmer's market. It was delicious, and there was still a lot of the bread left over, so we threw it in Breanne's freezer and will have it another week. Breanne has been on a green smoothie kick lately, so she has been making us delicious smoothies as well.
And it's time for bed! I'm getting up at 7:30 tomorrow to go into school to start working on my pathfinder. After lunch I'm meeting two girlfriends to try out the gym on campus. Oh ya! I've lost 3 lbs thanks to doing the 30 day shred several times a week. Gonna be beach ready in no time!
Bisous,
LFB
This term is off to a good start! I'm starting to work on things early in order to accommodate my homework ADD. I have a super short attention span when it comes to homework and I hate working on one thing for a long time. Which made 1st term really awful, when I didn't know how to manage the snowstorm of assignments that came my way, and was regularly up until 4am finishing something the night before it was due. This term? I just finished an assignment that I worked on over a few days, almost a week before it is due! Go me!
I am even liking (most of) my assignments this term! Ok, so I really only like the assignments for my Services for Children and Materials for Older Children (8-12) classes. They seem really practical, which is great! I have to make a pathfinder (those bookmark like things in libraries that say things like "If you liked Harry Potter.."and then list a bunch of books that are similar to, say, Harry Potter), make a display in the lobby of the library faculty (I'm doing children's cookbooks-surprised? I think not.), plan a program (the professor said I could do it in French!), do a book talk (I'm doing historical fiction...haven't picked my book yet), and...I'm sure I'm forgetting something!
Two girlfriend and I have started doing a weekly Sunday brunch. We rotate going to a different' person's house each week, and everyone contributes something. Today I made french toast with french bread I got at the farmer's market. It was delicious, and there was still a lot of the bread left over, so we threw it in Breanne's freezer and will have it another week. Breanne has been on a green smoothie kick lately, so she has been making us delicious smoothies as well.
And it's time for bed! I'm getting up at 7:30 tomorrow to go into school to start working on my pathfinder. After lunch I'm meeting two girlfriends to try out the gym on campus. Oh ya! I've lost 3 lbs thanks to doing the 30 day shred several times a week. Gonna be beach ready in no time!
Bisous,
LFB
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
It's been a while
I fell off the blogging wagon in a pretty big way. I read a ton of blogs but writing in my own was seeming like too much effort. So since we last met, I have completed 2 out of 4 semesters of my graduate program in Library and Information Science. I am now in the second week of my 3rd semester. Currently I have 5 classes...but I think I'm going to drop collection development. I took 4 classes in my first two semesters, and the thought of 5 is freaking me out a little. It's all psychological, I know...but I have to decide fast. Collection Development is offered in the Fall as well, with a professor that I like. I'd like to decide in the next 3 days. Decisions, decisions...
Thursday, December 15, 2011
1/4 of a librarian!
That's me friends! In a heartwarming Christmas miracle, my cohort has survived first term. There were many, many times we didn't think we would. Among the skills we are learning to be Super Librarians we also became adept at coming up with countless metaphors for how much grad school crushes your soul. Really, I never thought I had such a way with words until library school. Turns out, library school and "fiery pits of hell" do indeed belong in the same sentence.
In relation to the above, if you value your life I suggest you never, ever, say to a library student the following: "you need a Master's degree to be a librarian? But all you do is check out books!" If you want to unleash a stress-induced, sleep-deprived rant and have your eyes clawed out, then by all means go ahead. But the next person who says this to me is going to wish they'd never been born. You really think we'd put ourselves through this hell if we didn't need to?!?!
But it's all water under the bridge now! I have officially been on vacation as of 12/10/11. My last assignment/presentation were finished on 12/05/11 though so I have for all intents and purposes been on vacation as of that date. Classes the last week were somewhat of a formality. Attendance is mandatory in order to maintain our ALA accreditation and not have final exams.
With the exception of Research Methods and Statistics (a required course), next term is shaping up to be 10x better than this one. I'm taking Introduction to Archives Administration, Children's Materials (birth-7 years): Evaluation and Use, and Descriptive Cataloguing. I have no class on Tuesdays or Wednesdays. Classes are three hours, once a week. I wish they were twice a week like in undergrad. I found it a lot easier to stay on top of things, and the material was more fresh in my mind. Course selection was stressful (is anything not stressful in library school?). I am trying to balance classes I think will make me more employable with ones I think will actually enjoy and will not make me rip my hair out.
I'm trying, as usual, to stuff all my favourite things about home into this break. I'm doing some yoga, am going to see The Nutcracker, the Stanley Park Christmas train, and Fort Langley, and am trying to set up an exercise schedule with friends. Even though I lost 10 pounds last term I am definitely not in shape. It's dreadfully hard to get motivated to workout when you've lost weight rather than gained though. Plus my brain is so fried from school all I'm good for this days is sitting on a couch curled up a nice toasty blanket.
Hope you are all enjoying your Decembers!
bisous,
LFB
In relation to the above, if you value your life I suggest you never, ever, say to a library student the following: "you need a Master's degree to be a librarian? But all you do is check out books!" If you want to unleash a stress-induced, sleep-deprived rant and have your eyes clawed out, then by all means go ahead. But the next person who says this to me is going to wish they'd never been born. You really think we'd put ourselves through this hell if we didn't need to?!?!
But it's all water under the bridge now! I have officially been on vacation as of 12/10/11. My last assignment/presentation were finished on 12/05/11 though so I have for all intents and purposes been on vacation as of that date. Classes the last week were somewhat of a formality. Attendance is mandatory in order to maintain our ALA accreditation and not have final exams.
With the exception of Research Methods and Statistics (a required course), next term is shaping up to be 10x better than this one. I'm taking Introduction to Archives Administration, Children's Materials (birth-7 years): Evaluation and Use, and Descriptive Cataloguing. I have no class on Tuesdays or Wednesdays. Classes are three hours, once a week. I wish they were twice a week like in undergrad. I found it a lot easier to stay on top of things, and the material was more fresh in my mind. Course selection was stressful (is anything not stressful in library school?). I am trying to balance classes I think will make me more employable with ones I think will actually enjoy and will not make me rip my hair out.
I'm trying, as usual, to stuff all my favourite things about home into this break. I'm doing some yoga, am going to see The Nutcracker, the Stanley Park Christmas train, and Fort Langley, and am trying to set up an exercise schedule with friends. Even though I lost 10 pounds last term I am definitely not in shape. It's dreadfully hard to get motivated to workout when you've lost weight rather than gained though. Plus my brain is so fried from school all I'm good for this days is sitting on a couch curled up a nice toasty blanket.
Hope you are all enjoying your Decembers!
bisous,
LFB
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Frugal Toad contest!
The Frugal Toad is having a contest to win a 75$ amazon gift card or paypal cash-enter here!
Friday, November 25, 2011
Financial bucket list!
Somehow or other, I started reading a lot of personal finance blogs. Must have something to do with being a poor student and dreaming of the day when I will not be a poor student. Something like that. My favourite PF blogger is Krystal, over at Give Me Back My Five Bucks. Not only is she a fellow Vancouverite (ok so I'm a bit of a cheater) but she explains things in clear straightforward terms (I'm not the brightest crayon in the box over here lol). I'm trying to win her "500 Give Me Back My Five Bucks competition" sponsored by Life Insurance Finder, the life insurance experts All I have to do is blog about my financial bucket list so here it goes:
1) Live within my means (which are microscopic right now). This means not buying something unless I absolutely need it.
2) Create a real legit looking budget and stick to it
3) Find an app to track my spending-trying Piggy right now. I really want to know what I'm spending!
2) Avoid putting new charges on my credit card if I can help it (meaning pay for flights home for holidays ONLY)
2) Get a job in my field after obtaining my Master's and pay off my student loans.
3) Save for a car
4) Start an emergency fund
5) Build (okay, from scratch) my savings
6) Save for a down payment on a house
Obviously some of these are short-term and some are long-term, but there you go! You can enter over at GMBMFB now!
1) Live within my means (which are microscopic right now). This means not buying something unless I absolutely need it.
2) Create a real legit looking budget and stick to it
3) Find an app to track my spending-trying Piggy right now. I really want to know what I'm spending!
2) Avoid putting new charges on my credit card if I can help it (meaning pay for flights home for holidays ONLY)
2) Get a job in my field after obtaining my Master's and pay off my student loans.
3) Save for a car
4) Start an emergency fund
5) Build (okay, from scratch) my savings
6) Save for a down payment on a house
Obviously some of these are short-term and some are long-term, but there you go! You can enter over at GMBMFB now!
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