Oh no! I have graphophobia!

The title doesn't refer to me, but some of the new students that may be coming into the MLIS program. Graphophobia is the fear of writing, and while many students may not be literally scared of writing, many still don't like it. The dislike can come from a number of reasons including:

• I have nothing to write about
• No one wants to see my work
• I'm not any good
• I don't know where to start
• I can't take the criticism
• I prefer to say what I want, not write it

Does any of this sound familiar? You're not alone by any means if it does. I don't claim to be an expert in writing, but I do like to write, so I will add my two cents in the hopes that my students will perhaps be a little less apprehensive.

Some students may think you have to be born a good writer, but good writing is not really an inborn talent. You have to learn how to write, and then you have to practice. I was lucky enough to have a great high school English teacher that understood the writing process and how to help her students develop writing skills. You don't have to start big; in fact, you want to start small. In English class, we started with paragraphs before we moved on to whole essays. In our MLIS program, there are two classes that will help you build both research and writing skills. You won't be starting as small as a paragraph, but you will be starting with smaller assignments that will build on each other before you create the final project.

In LIBR 200, which many of my students will probably be starting tomorrow, students will learn about and create various types of writing assignments; while many of the assignments vary by instructor, each section does seem to require a final/major paper. These assignments all teach an aspect of research and how to write a particular type of work; even though each assignment requires writing, each one is approached differently based on the type of piece required. In LIBR 285, students explore the formal research paper writing process step-by-step over the course of the semester. The assignments build on each other and while the student produces a research proposal (rather than a publication-ready paper), the class supports building writing skills along with research skills.

By now, my students may be asking themselves "Oh no! How much writing will I have to do then?" Other than what's required by the core classes, it really depends. The core classes are fairly consistent in the level of writing required between sections, but when you get to the electives it's completely dependent upon the course content and how the instructor chooses to present/teach that content. There will be other classes that require writing assignments, but the assignments would be in line with the content of the course and the SLOs (Student Learning Outcomes). What this means is that a writing assignment may demand something much more informal than a research paper. I would like to point out that not taking a class you want to just because it may require a lot of writing is folly; one of the best ways to overcome a dislike of writing is to write about something you like or love. If the class interests you and it will support your librarian/information professional career goals, take it; you want to get the most out of your program, and you only have 43 units to do so.

"So what do I do if I can't write well?" I hear you asking. Well, there are writing resources provided by SLIS that I strongly recommend you to check out. First, check the Writing Resources for Students page. You'll find a lot of sources there to help guide you through every aspect of the writing process. And for those students that need additional support, online tutoring is available. SLIS provides tutoring services so SLIS students can get help from tutors that are also SLIS students. So struggling students can work with those that understand from first-hand experience the types of assignments and writing demands they face. And to round out the writing resources SLIS students have at their fingertips, there are recordings of past writing workshops that students can watch to help build better writing skills. So fellow students, if you are timid when it comes to penning your work, fear not! Take advantage of the help available to you and you too could be writing better and more confidently.

Not being able to write (or disliking writing) is not the end of the world. With a little practice and support, you may find that you actually enjoy it.

Class Information

One of my students asked me a question about the core classes. And while it's not absolutely vital information, I think it's a great thing to discuss and expand on, and make sure other new students are aware of it. Depending on what classes you've signed up for in the coming semester, you may or may not be taking LIBR 202. This class will require you to create a database, and you will be doing so as part of a group. Don't panic! Read through this post and check through the pages I mention if you wish to get more information.

Back when I took 202, the database program we used was called DBTextWorks, and it was one that we had to install on our computer. Since then, it seems that the program has switched to WebData Pro, a web-based system. So, fellow students, you won't need to worry about installing a new program on your computer for class. If you want to get a head start and find out more about WebData Pro, you can start with the tutorials provided on the department website: http://slisapps.sjsu.edu/libr202/webdatapro/tutorial.html. This is also the page you'll need to go to in order to get technical support for any issues with WebData Pro (the technical support form is at the bottom of the list), so I recommend bookmarking the page just in case.

The student also asked about system requirements. You can check the requirements outlined by the school here. My student asked if all of the requirements on the page are actually necessary. Well, yes and no. The official policy is that yes, students do need to have a computer that fulfills all the requirements listed on this page. In my experience, some of the items can be fudged a little. For example, I have yet to come across a class where a CD/DVD drive was needed (although that's not to say they don't exist). And I don't know that you'll need the RAM noted on the page (slightly lower would still work). Things that you will for sure need: an Internet connection, speakers and a microphone for Collaborate sessions, a printer (if you're like me and like to print out articles to review or papers to edit and revise), and storage and back-up storage for all your course files. Most computers that you would buy now have everything and more than is listed on the system requirements. But don't feel like you have to go out and buy a new computer if you have one that's two years old or less. To give you some perspective, my three-year-old laptop can still handle everything flawlessly. So the requirements are not unreasonable.

I would also like to point out briefly the software requirements as well. Yes, Microsoft Office is a requirement. Yes, instructors will require submissions to be specific file types, so Microsoft Works will not--ahem--work. I know, it does mean more money that you have to spend on school costs; but you can use student loans to help since it is required for your academic program, and discounted pricing is available for students (see the Microsoft Office and Pricing page for more information).

And if you're wondering what kind of group work you'll have to do and what your weekly assignments might be, check the course syllabus. There are two things you'll want to keep in mind with syllabi: 1) Be sure you're looking at the syllabus for the section you have registered for because different sections can have different syllabi and 2) Keep in mind that the syllabus may not have every detail on it. You'll get all the details about everything on the first day of class, but if you really want to find out ahead of time you can always email your instructor and ask him/her if they can provide more information on what you can expect. You can check the course syllabus page for any classes you signed up for this semester, not just 202.

I hope this information helps! You can ask more questions about the classes here or contact me through D2L, email, or Bb IM.

A More Recent Reflection on Teamwork

When I first started my MLIS program three years ago (has it really been that long?), one of my first assignments was to reflect on being an online student and working as part of a team. The class that the reflection was for is the one that, three years later, I am acting as Peer Mentor for. The assignments from when I originally took the class haven't changed much other than to be updated to match the changes in both the program's learning management system and a set of tutorials that ground new students in using the online databases provided through the campus library's website. In fact, the presentations on teamwork that my students are watching in the personal skills unit are the same ones I viewed three years ago. The concepts and ideas in the presentations are just as relevant now as they were then. How do I know? Because today, after completing my group's meet-up for the new students, I can look back at our work together and identify a lot of the team "should do's" I remember from my 203 class.

While I was the one that initially proposed the topic for our meet-up, my two teammates helped develop it into a workable presentation. They helped to come up with ideas of what to include, how to organize it all into distinct sections, and figure out what presentation medium to use. Without their work, the final product would not have been so well-thought-out. This is definitely one of the benefits of teamwork. I don't remember who it was that said this, but the line "greater than the sum of its parts" comes to mind here. We all had different areas of "expertise" to add to the presentation, and we each got to present the part that we contributed so each person was familiar with what she was talking about and was comfortable with presenting her part--a logical division of labor, if you will.

We did have a team leader for this project. She was never officially named as such, but she took on the role with much finesse and ability. I had no qualms about having her take the lead in this; with everything that was going on as we were developing and executing our ideas, there was no way that I would be able to take on the role myself. I was hardly going to be able to keep a group organized if I was having such difficulty keeping myself organized! So what did she do well? She kept us on task. She kept up team communication and sent reminders letting us know deadlines we agreed on, what we needed to do, etc. She oversaw putting our separate parts of the presentation together. She
encouraged us, and we encouraged her and each other in turn.

Now each team will be different, and not all team leaders will have the same responsibilities. But one thing I think all team leaders share despite their duties towards their team's goal is that they set the tone of the group experience. Someone in the team leader role that is not suited to the task will set a negative tone with ineffective leadership. Teams are formed to accomplish something; how can that happen with a leader that can't lead? How can they get the respect they need in order to foster the trust that teammates must have for the leader and each other to be successful? We respected our leader and trusted her to guide us; we trusted each other to do our part of the work to achieve our goal (the meet-up presentation). She set the tone for the entire experience: positive, encouraging, productive, successful.

I wish all of my students their own successful teamwork experiences while in their program.

Making the Most of Your Program

As an online student, what is your routine? Log on to the course site, complete your readings, post to the discussion board, respond to a classmate's post, turn in your assignments, and repeat the process. Well, okay, that's not all there is because some classes do also include lectures and other resources to "spice it up." Now, if you want to go through your program and just take your classes and nothing else, that's fine. You'll still end up with your degree. But the market right now for librarians is not the best (just check the ALA LinkedIn group for all the stories of librarians who are still unemployed or who had to submit dozens of resumes before getting one interview). As a student, you'll want to make yourself stand out, and just doing the minimum and skating through your classes won't help you do that. So what are some of your options?

Internships or special studies opportunities can be one way to boost your resume. These "classes" do give you units towards your degree, but they offer real-world experience that you can't always get in the traditional classes that discuss library theory. Now I'll be the first to admit that many of the projects and assignments I did were mock-ups of possible real-world scenarios. One that immediately comes to mind is the collection policy manual I worked on with a group over the course of the semester. The end result was a working collection policy manual that could have been used in an actual library (and in fact, we did base some of the statistics and budget on an actual library). But an internship gives that extra edge of having done something for an actual library or other organization. And special studies (which can include projects or research or even being a Peer Mentor like I am now) can give you other valuable experiences. My internship allowed me to help develop a real library's website, create tutorials for staff that will actually be used, and learn from people that are working in our profession. My experience as a Peer Mentor is providing me with leadership and management experience. That can all be put on my resume as examples of my work and how successful it was in a real setting, rather than assignments turned in for class.

Publication opportunities are also available for us, even while in school. The Student Research Journal is a scholarly peer-reviewed journal published by our program. Graduate students from our school and from other graduate programs can submit papers for review and publication. You will write at least several research papers during the course of your program. You could use this publication opportunity to have one of your papers published. If you don't feel the peer-reviewed track is for you, there is a more informal publication opportunity in the SLIS Descriptor. This online publication allows students to submit their own articles on topics that are of interest to them. I submitted an article on my experience with designing a website for another organization and had it published in a past issue. Having your work published is another great way to boost your resume. Having and maintaining a blog is not quite as impressive because you can post whatever you want. Getting your work accepted and published by another party shows that there is value in what you've written.

A third way to stand out is by getting involved in student organizations. There are many leadership opportunities to be found in our student organizations for those that want to run for them (many of the offices are filled by individuals getting voted in). Check out our ALASC, ASIS&T, and SLISConnect groups. Having a position of responsibility is another great point on your resume and shows definite leadership potential in a work setting. This was one opportunity I couldn't really take advantage of due to time constraints, although I did get involved in one of our department's governance committees (which was awesome because I got to help the department prepare for our program's re-accreditation that will be happening next year).

I'm not trying to suggest that every student needs to do all of this. But I think that each student should try to plan at least one of these opportunities into his or her program. It will create a richer student and program experience than just taking regular classes. You'll be glad if you do!

What classes do I take?

This is a question that I'm sure all (or almost all) new students in our program have. For those of my new students that have looked at the class descriptions, you'll see that there are six we must all take (the sixth being a choice between an e-portfolio and a thesis). But that still leaves you with *calculating* 27 units that are up for grabs. If you take classes that are all 3 units each, that gives you nine classes you still need to decide on. How do you make those decisions?

If you have a decided interest, one place to start is to look at the Career Pathways on the program website. The department has kindly listed the various classes that students will likely want to take if they have a particular career path in mind (academic librarian, YA librarian, library management, etc.). You don't have to follow any of these career pathways, but they are a good starting point to get an idea of classes that will interest you. I actually started my class planning by using this method and initially looked at a combination of management and academic librarianship classes. I'm the solo librarian where I work, so I reasoned that this combination would assist in the work I do in my library daily. I have deviated somewhat from my original plan, although I have taken many of the classes that were on my original list. If you change your mind on classes, that's OK too. My interests and personal goals have changed and evolved through my program, and what I want now is not the same as what I wanted when I first started. As I've learned about the profession and its possibilities, I see myself in a different place than I did in Fall of 2010.

Another resource is your academic advisor. It is this person's job to advise you on the best way to reach the outcome you want from this program. Do you want to be in charge of a public library's archives? Do you want to be King or Queen of the reference desk? Do you want to plan and implement the children's or adult programming at a library branch? Do you want to branch out to an information management position at a corporation? If you have questions, talk to your advisor about your plans for your future and he or she will help you to plan out which courses would be the best to take.

I suggest taking this first semester to settle into the program and get some of those required courses out of the way. Some may need a second semester too. You don't have to have your entire program planned out perfectly right away. Take the time to ask questions. Explore your options. Don't be afraid if you change your mind about the direction you want to go in the profession.

And if you are interested in reference or web-development classes, I have a few recommendations.