Looking back, it seems that I was destine to be a librarian.

By the time I applied to the School

of Information Studies (SOIS) at Dominican University, I had invested twelve years of service at the

Chicago Public Library. At one point, I thought I was content as a member of the non-professional

staff. Obviously, I was not content but still yearned to be a part of the industry. I felt certain that the

SOIS at Dominican would prepare me for my future endeavor. With my academic career coming to an

end, I can assure you, Dominican has provided an amplitude amount of learning experiences,

challenged me to produce high quality work, and shaped my professional philosophy.

Learning Experiences

Over the past two years, I have gained and experienced a lot from the courses I took. I had

focused much of my course load on Digital Libraries. LIS 753- Internet Fundamentals and Design, LIS

759-Digital Libraries, and LIS 741- Gaming in Education, were three courses that have left me with a

significant learning experience. First, in LIS 753, I learned to code and designed a responsive

webpage. In this course, I learned multiple coding languages but used CSS to design my site. By

creating my own site, I was allowed to use different codes and stylized it in a way I saw fit. In such a

manner, I was able to know exactly where information (hyperlinks, text, images, etc.) was going, all

while creating an engaging site.

In LIS 759, I learned about and put into use a digital library. This course, taught me the basic

skills of a digital librarian. In the end, I created a fictional digital resource; the Rita Moreno Collection.

This digital resource, was designed for the students and community of Northeastern Illinois University,

in which Ms. Moreno was the May 2015 commemorative speaker. This digital resource would have

had many artifacts of Moreno's such as costumes, personal letters, scripts and much more. To create

the digital resource, I had to come up with an idea, a proposal, and a marketing & strategic plan. I also

had to create the database, software and find staff for the project. A lot of work and effort went into

this fictional digital resource. In the end, the success of this digital resource relied solely on how well I

delivered my pitch.
 In LIS 741, I learned the importance of community engagement. Yes, one can play a game by

themselves but most games are more entertaining when you play with others. Ultimately, librarians

need to know what their users need. This course allowed me to create a game for young users. By

creating an outside relationship with local schools, I was able to identify that young users at my

location needed help with basic math. I had young users and their families help me with user feedback.

By creating an open, friendly dialogue with all users, I created a simple card game. The game taught

young users basic math and social skills all while having fun. This course taught me, with a little

creativity and perseverance, community involvement will increase.

Best Work

Among the artifacts included, three have left a lasting impression. First, the Ready, Set, Code!

artifact I created for LIS 770-Management of Libraries and Info Centers. This marketing flyer was just

one part of a final project for the course. I consider it one of my best work because of the amount of

time, effort, and research that went into creating the overall project. The flyer was created and used as

a pivotal tool to engage young users and their families. I consider this artifact and the project a turning

point while at Dominican. By completing this project, I had asserted myself as a public librarian with

an interest in digital libraries.

The next artifact would be the Jacqueline Woodson presentation that was created for LIS 721-

Lib Materials-Children. Words cannot express how much I enjoyed working on this artifact. I have to

give credit where it is due; my partner was a great person to work with. We were in constant

communications with one another and we were able to express our ideas without fear of judgment. I

feel that this artifact, showcases my hard work and the ability to work with others. Working with both

our strengths and weaknesses we were able to create a working online resource and presentation.

The last artifact that I consider one of my best works is the Impact of Information Policy. This

artifact was created as an online discussion for LIS 704-Reference and Online Services. This artifact

validates the essence of libraries and information centers. By denying access to users, we as librarians
and an institution are stating that our role in society is not important. Denying users the capability to be

lifelong learners simply because of their origin, age, background or views, does no one justice.

Allowing access to all, challenges both the institution and users to have resources readily available. By

supporting the information policy stated in the artifact, libraries and information centers remain as a

vital asset to society.

Outlook

When I first started the SOIS program I knew I wanted to be a public librarian. My interest in

Digital Libraries grew out of an idea. That idea; what can I bring to the table that my information

center does not already have? Having been exposed to a diverse course load, I feel that I am qualified

as a digital librarian for a public information center. In majority of my coursework, I have gravitated

towards projects and topics that addressed the needs of all users, access to all. This evolution in my

philosophy has been a direct result of my work experience as well as the variety of courses that SOIS

has to offer. I am grateful to have had professors who advocate for these causes and are aware of the

evolution technology has on information centers. By staying at the forefront, librarians and

information centers will continue to adapt to the needs of all users. The artifacts I've chose to include

in my ePortfolio not only reflect my professional philosophy but also the growth I've made as a student

and librarian.

Conclusion

This ePorfolio is reflection of my graduate career. I've selected my best work across a variety

of courses, both those specialized in Digital Libraries and those that reflect a well-rounded education.

Some of my artifacts are resources that I use at my local library. My academic growth is demonstrated

from artifacts included from LIS 701 to later examples such as LIS 882 and LIS 759. Overall I hope

my ePortfolio is a reflection of the contributions I strive to make as a librarian.