Hi there!
My name is Russel
and I am a first-year UMSI student, specializing in Library and Information
Science. Before I start this blog, I want to give an introduction as to what
inspired me to pursue this field in the first place.
I grew up in a
small town in rural Minnesota, where my first exposure to the wonderful world
of librarianship was the local library down the road! It was a very small,
cramped space with a very limited number of computers to meet the rising
demand, but for me as a kid, this tiny place meant everything (Fun Fact: it was
originally the town bank, which meant the library had a huge vault!). I saw the
library as a place to make friends and explore new ideas that simply weren't
being discussed in my community. After I turned 16, I decided the next best
step to support an institution I loved was to work for it! My work as a
shelver, and the amazing mentors I gained as a result, was truly the impetus to
seeking out a career in libraries in college and beyond!
During my
undergrad years, I attended Carleton College and worked toward earning my B.A.
in History with a concentration in Latin American Studies. My studies led
me to interacting with an academic library for the first time, and I became fascinated
with the reference librarians in particular, whose vast knowledge of databases
and journal sources always seemed to rescue a project on the precipice of
despair. I began working at Carleton’s library my sophomore year, and after a
two-year stint as an RA, I returned after graduation to work as a circulation supervisor.
My emerging goal of academic librarianship was never far from my mind as I
formed relationships and developed skills both inside and outside the confines
of Carleton.
I am delighted to forge on with this professional journey at UMSI
and have such talented peers at my side! Besides offering infinite wisdom on
how to survive the hellscape that is an upper-Midwestern winter, I hope you all
see my dedication, inquisitiveness, and critical empathy as worthy traits for a
classmate! I look forward to engaging with you all on important library and
reference issues!
Howdy, Russel! Welcome to UMSI My mom went to the neighboring college of St. Olaf. I hope you'll find rural Michigan has many delights to rival those of Minnesota. Did you know we have a National Marine Laboratory in Alpena? (Hold up your left hand - Alpena is at the tip of your index finger.)
ReplyDeleteCarleton, eh? That school stole my heart early in my college search and remained my 'dream school.' A scholarship elsewhere forced me to reshuffle my academic/fiscal/vocational priorities a bit, but I had some good friends end up at Carleton and heard wonderful things about their experiences there. I would love to hear more about your Carleton years at some point. Looking forward to hearing your commentary on the functions of libraries from a historical disciplinary grounding this semester!
ReplyDeleteRussell, you are a truly wonderful and inspirational young man. I am happy for you and just to say hi and miss seeing you. You were a great shelter. I look forward to reading more of your blog.
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