After she graduates next month, master's student Jenny Bruxvoort will move to Oregon to work as a research and instruction librarian at George Fox University. The job will combine her interest in academic libraries and her desire to support students.
Why did you decide to pursue an LIS degree?
I decided to pursue my LIS degree because I enjoyed my undergraduate job at the library. I worked at my college's reference desk, answering students' questions. I really enjoyed helping students become familiar with the resources available at the library and become empowered to find what they were looking for on their own.
Why did you choose the iSchool at Illinois?
I chose the iSchool because of the opportunities it provided, both inside and outside of the classroom. As a primarily on-campus student, I was able to build quality relationships with other students and professors. I appreciated the synchronous model for online classes and how much more can be learned when you can ask your professor questions and effectively collaborate with classmates in group work. I also appreciated my learning experiences outside of the classroom. The iSchool has a lot of opportunities for students to get involved in the field, from practicums to student committees to assistantships to grad hourly positions. These opportunities not only make it more economical to attend grad school but also to build the experience needed to get a job post-graduation.
What particular LIS topics interest you the most?
I am interested in academic librarianship—specifically, information literacy instruction and library assessment. A couple of topics I am really interested in are student privacy and partnering the library with other student support services on campus.
What do you do outside of class?
I am the library assessment graduate assistant at the Main Library, and I have also worked with MS student Paige Dhyne and Affiliate Professor Lisa Hinchliffe on a research project about the representation of libraries and information literacy concepts in undergraduate science textbooks. Outside of class, I like to play board games, hike and camp, try new recipes, and try my hand at crafts like stained glass and modular origami.
What career plans or goals do you have?
Once I graduate in May, I will be moving to Oregon to begin a job at George Fox University as the newest research and instruction librarian. In that position, I will build relationships with faculty from my liaison areas, teach information literacy class sessions, help select materials to purchase for certain disciplines, and offer one-on-one research consultations for students.