This tag was created by Curtis Fletcher. The last update was by Linda Huynh.
Program Goal - Commitment to Professional Education and Lifelong Learning
Internship Reflection Paper
I developed this artifact for the LIM 595 Research and Professional Applications: Internship course, and it demonstrates my commitment to continued professional development education and lifelong learning through my understanding and familiarity with the Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL) Competencies for Special Collections Professionals. The competencies are associated with the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL) in which they have a shared vision – “attributes of the successful research librarian include intellectual curiosity, flexibility, adaptability, persistence, and the ability to be enterprising. Research librarians possess excellent communication skills. They are committed to lifelong learning and personal career development” (ACRL, 2023). I interned at USC’s Special Collections Library for the Rare Books and Assessment intern position and drafted a memorandum of understanding (MOU). I was inspired by the intern task description and ACRL competencies when I wrote the learning goals and objectives. This artifact describes how I met each MOU learning goals and objectives. The familiarity and practice of the ACRL competencies were a productive start for me to engage in lifelong learning because they guided me to learning areas I need to develop in the LIS profession. I did not include all the ACRL competencies in the internship MOU because there were a lot. As I progress in my LIS career, I hope to practice and develop skills that meet those competencies I haven’t met yet. In addition, I plan to review and practice other competencies developed by other ALA divisions.
Research Paper
In LIM 593 Independent Research in Library and Information Management, I wrote this research paper, and it taught me that library information professionals are active life-long learners motivated to address LIS issues through research. My research paper, “Addressing Archivists’ and Institutional Coping Methods When Archivists Encounter Trauma-Triggering Collections”, describes my research about emerging literature to bring awareness to archivists experiencing vicarious trauma as a reaction to managing trauma-triggering collections and the known methods and tools used to cope with the trauma. Archivists or library information professionals experiencing vicarious trauma is an LIS issue. The emerging literature and tools to address and manage trauma show there is a commitment among library professionals to develop education about it. In developing my research paper, I discovered conducted survey assessments and studies revolving around the vicarious trauma among archivists. Some library professionals who participated in the studies shared that they experience minimal impact when they come across collections with tragic and heavy content because they can compartmentalize their feelings. Others shared that it deeply impacted them and felt“ an increase in blood pressure, intense emotion in my chest, anger, sadness, can often lead to me crying or choking up, even tearing up”. My paper also shared the current coping mechanisms practiced by archivists and professional training about vicarious trauma present in the archival/LIS field. So far, there is only one known training out there (provided by Sydney, Australia), and I see the need to develop more to support all library information professionals. Therefore, with this one LIS issue I researched, I learned that there are active measures that LIS professionals perform that demonstrate a commitment to life-long learning. As I enter the LIS field, I will actively tune into LIS issues and learn about the new developments to address them. And if I come across LIS professionals curious about vicarious trauma, I can present my research to them. Thus, I will be promoting lifelong learning to others.
Conclusion
In demonstrating my understanding of the program goal, I showcased two artifacts representing one strategy in how I plan to commit to life-long learning of professional skills as I enter the LIS field. The other illustrates that this life-long learning commitment is a practical mindset among LIS professionals. As both LIS skills evolve due to community demand and LIS issues are coming to light, commitment to life-long learning will help enrich the LIS profession. As a result, I will take these lessons with me in my LIS career.
References
ACRL. (2023, May 23). Guidelines: Competencies for special collections professionals.
https://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/comp4specollect#pres
Regehr, Cheryl, Wendy Duff, Henria Aton, and Christa Sato. “Grief and Trauma in the Archives. Journal of Loss & Trauma, 28, no. 4 (2023): 327–347, 335
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