Foundations of the Profession
Graduates of the SLIM Master of Library science degree program will be able to:
Articulate a philosophy of ethical and client-centered information services for the library and information professions.
Repository Visit and Report
LI809: Introduction to Archives
Description of the Assignment
Students were instructed to “make an in-person visit to an archival institution, review a finding aid (online or at the repository), and request access to a physical collection (or portion thereof) for your examination.” Students were explicitly instructed that this assignment was not to include a tour of the facility. The purpose of the assignment was to experience the repository as a general user and focus upon the services received. In a report, students summarized the complete experience, the steps taken to use the repository resources (such as use of their website), the ease with which information was obtainable, the procedures required to gain entry, security measures observed, the usefulness of the finding aide selected by the student, and information about the personnel encountered during the visit. The submission consisted of an 8-page report describing the success of the visit.
The Process
In this assignment, I selected the Kenneth Spencer Research Library located on the campus of the University of Kansas. Using their website, I selected a finding aid of personal interest, the Russell L. Wiley Collection, because it contained artifacts pertaining to the Midwestern Music Camp where I was employed during my undergraduate period. Arriving at the library, I followed the required procedures to enter the reading room, review the materials requested, and observe the specific requirements necessary to complete my report.
The submission for this assignment summarizes the steps I performed to experience the library as a user conducting academic research and reflects upon the repository from the point of view as a user, including remarking upon the aesthetic comfort of the building, the responsiveness and congeniality of the staff, and the degree of success I felt in accomplishing my research goal.
Rationale
This artifact provides evidence that I understand and can implement Program Outcome #1 because my observations supplied me with real-life insight into the philosophy of ethical and client-centered information services within an academic special library and to compare these to theoretical examples provided through the class literature and presentations. My reflection upon the performance of patron services by both student and full-time personnel and their responses to my information needs allowed me to analyze and understand the practical applications of patron services.
Read my Repository Visit and Report here [PDF]
Access the Kenneth Spencer Research Library website [external link]