Introduction

While I was completing my unergraduate degree, I worked in a small public library for two summers. During this time, the librarian suggested that I continue in school for a Masters Degree in Library Science. She felt that I would do well in the field.

After graduation, I returned home to Geneseo, IL. After a few months, I entered Black Hawk College-the local community college-to complete a certificate for Library Technical Assistants. Before completion of the certificate, I applied for a job at Trinity Medical Center in Moline, IL. In October 1994, I accepted a part-time position as a Library Clerk. During my employment there, my job title was changed to Library Technical Assistant. About 3 years later, I was able to find a second part time job as a Library Technical Assistant at Black Hawk College. After about 18 months at Black Hawk College, I was given full-time hours at Trinity Medical Center.

In 2000, I began my quest toward my goal of being a degreed librarian. After working very hard, financially I was able to pay for tuition to attend graduate school part-time. Additionally, I dedicated several months to studying for the Graduate Record Exam. The fruits of my labor were shown with a combined score of 1740 for the three sections of the exam.

After succeeding in this aspect of the process, I set my sights on Southern Connecticut State University as my school of choice to obtain my Masters Degree in Library Science. The program offered the degree completely online, which was very appealing from my prospective. In addition, the program offered a variety of coursework that is valuable for the profession including courses in reference, cataloging, collection development, instructional design, and research.

One of the requirements for the degree is a portfolio. The portfolio includes several parts. They are as follows:

• A list of courses taken for the degree including brief descriptions and selected projects
• Key concepts learned thoughout the degree program
• A Capstone Project that demonstrates scholarship in the program
• Key concepts used for the project that were learned throughout the degree program
• Brief concluding remarks about the capstone project and degree program
• A resume providing an organized view of my education and work experience