MLIS at the University of Denver
I dove head first into libraries in 2021 and I've been in love with the field ever since. In my time at the University of Denver, I worked on a number of digital and community-oriented projects that demonstrate my skills in libraries, and I would love to take those experiences and share them with you! Below is a sample of my coursework from throughout the program.
LIS 4000 Foundations of Library, Archival, and Information Science
An overview of the theoretical and conceptual foundations of library, archival, and information sciences and an introduction to the information professions, including principles, values, professional organizations, publications, current and future challenges.
This course was designed to provide a thorough introduction to library science and demonstrate the breadth of the field. I used this opportunity to delve into the ongoing impact of the Cultural Revolution on Chinese libraries and found stark differences between the American library system and the Chinese library system. This research laid the groundwork for several of my later projects.
LIS 4010 Organization of Information
This course introduces basic concepts in the theoretical, practical, and technological aspects of information organization. It provides an overview of the methodologies for organizing and representing information resources in the library, archives, and museum settings.
I came into this program knowing that I wanted to work with international repositories, so I focused my initial metadata projects on multilingual collections. The first was a series of comics that was partially translated into English in the mid 2000s, and so had some level of English standardization. The second looked into metadata for "tea," a word that has been translated and segmented through different cultures over the centuries. Finally, I reviewed issues with multilingual metadata, as much of the information science world is standardized to one language at a time.
LIS 4015 User and Access Services
Overview of human information processing and user services in the changing information environment and different communities of practice. This course introduces the concepts of user information needs, seeking, and processing as a foundation for understanding users and designing user-centered information services. The course examines both traditional reference and current/emerging information services in different settings and populations. Course also introduces the concepts of information literacy, user education, and assessment of information services.
This course encouraged us to work with a community traditionally underserved by libraries. I selected Hmong refugees in particular because I had encountered them in my Chinese studies. The program I created was designed to improve literacy among this population, as well as connect Hmong both old and young with their culture.
LIS 4040 Management of Information Organizations
An introduction to current theory and practice of management in information organizations through the study of organizations, communications, decision making, planning, leadership, human resources and budgeting.
As I had just started working at the Auraria Library, I used this course to assess the nature of my institution's management. Being new to the field, I wanted to understand Auraria's goals and strategies while determining how I fit into the library. This course provided a unique look at how information organizations work and who their stakeholders are.
LIS 4050 Library and Information Technologies
A foundation course on the applications of information and communications technology in libraries and information agencies. Integrated library systems and the acquisition, evaluation, and implementation of library automation solutions, including electronic resource management systems are explored. The course further introduces database design, Internet technology, web services, cloud computing, computer networks, telecommunications, and computer security. Hardware, software, and other productivity tools and utilities from organizations such as OCLC, Amazon, and Google are discussed.
While I was well-acquainted with technology, having worked in creative technology for years by this point, I was not as familiar with how technology fit into libraries. I interviewed the head of IT at Auraria Library for further information on technology integrations throughout the library, then assessed an individual piece of technology (multi-factor authentication) used in my library. This research gave me insight into issues of accessibility faced by patrons at the Auraria Library. Finally, using my experience in the Auraria Library's makers pace, the Innovation Garage, I crafted a plan to create a maker lab at the Kigali Public Library with the support of an NGO.
RMS 4900 Education Research and Measurement
This course is intended for Master's degree students in the College of Education. Quantitative research designs, empirical methods of data collection and interpretation, and measurement issues in research are examined.
Perhaps one of the courses I enjoyed the most, I took this opportunity to do extensive research on the impact of Hong Kong's return to China on Hong Kong libraries. While I was not presented with the opportunity to do first hand research, I did review articles and research from Hong Kong that painted a complex picture of the issue at hand.
LIS 4220 Data Curation
This course addressed the following key challenges: how to best organize and manage data, how to make data discoverable and accessible to diverse user communities, and how to store and preserve data over the long term. I developed my skills with this course to organize and analyze a database of sumo tournament results that I went on to work with in later courses.
LIS 4135 Scholarly Communication
The work that I hope to do in digital collections will one day be accessible to researchers and will hopefully result in my own publications. Because of this, I wanted to ensure that I had the skills necessary to engage with the academic community. In developing these skills, I crafted an article on the future of Open Access and copyright.
LIS 4810 Digital Libraries
Because my goal is to work in digital libraries, I found this course immensely useful and went on to use the knowledge gained here in my internship and in other courses. With a team of other students, I created a digital collection of toxic animals from around the world for children and travelers. We also created a conference poster based on the collection for future presentations.
LIS 4404 Metadata Architectures
This course provided a hands on project that allowed me to build my own metadata for a nonstandard collection of physical objects.
LIS 4820 Digitization
Though I have a great deal of experience in programs like Photoshop, I had no experience in the standards necessary for digitization. This course gave me the skills necessary to pair my existing knowledge with library and archive work to further my career goals.
Archive of Ukrainian Libraries
Culminating Internship
For my culminating internship, I worked with the newly formed Archive of Ukrainian Libraries, a volunteer organization dedicated to documenting the destruction of libraries across Ukraine during the Russian invasion. I aided the project by standardizing and renaming donated photographs, researching and creating metadata, building the Omeka.net digital archive, and creating the conference poster to be presented at Association for Library and Information Science Education (ALISE) conference.
