My name is Alexis, and I am a Master of Library and Information Science student at Wayne State University. I am creating this blog as part of my coursework for LIS 7850, a seminar on universal access.
My academic concentration is in public libraries, though I am interested in all kinds of librarianship and information work. My goal is to be a public librarian where I would have the opportunity to work with underserved and/or otherwise marginalized communities. My main interest has been in adult services, though observing and talking with some youth librarians as part as my classwork here, as well as friendships with some LIS students who are passionate about youth library services, have kindled more of an interest in library services for all age groups.
My bachelor's degree was in writing with a minor in graphic communication, and I spent the intervening years between undergrad and grad school working in graphic design. I was dissatisfied with this career path, however, and decided I wanted to work in a field where I could both draw upon the principles of usability and accessibility that were central to my undergraduate studies and play a more direct role in helping people get the information they need and want.
I am an active member of the Progressive Librarians Guild chapter here at WSU, and though I have not been involved in any major projects as yet, I look forward to committing more time to their activities in the future. I have also volunteered at a local library in the Metro Detroit area for about a year and a half, and as I am moving to the city in the near future, I look forward to seeking out similar opportunities for community involvement. I also work part time at the School of Library and Information Science office, responding to student inquiries and doing clerical work.
I have a strong interest in social justice issues, which is part of what brings me to this particular class. In my classes so far I have perceived a dearth of critical discussion concerning barriers to access related to disability, socioeconomic factors, education, etc., and I look forward to discussing some of these issues here. In this class I hope to learn some concrete strategies for making libraries more accessible and to develop a better understanding of access issues which I may not have considered before.
On a personal level, I consider myself a geek, and tend to gravitate toward the quirky. I am a gamer and a knitter, and during less busy times in my life I get a great deal of enjoyment out of baking and learning about food, trying to improve my (admittedly poor) Spanish, and plunking out melodies on the piano.
Note: In the future I may decide to expand this blog to discuss other issues in library science, media, and social justice that are not specifically related to any particular class, so I will tag any post I'm writing for class with that class's course number (e.g., LIS 7850).
