Conclusion
The field of information science covers many different types of skills. Technical skills, such as organizing digital and physical media and making use of databases and websites, are required. Business planning and management skills, such as setting goals, working with others, and determining how the surrounding environment affects our organizations, are also required. Research and evaluation of records is also key to searching for, organizing and determining how to use records. I came into this program with a solid background on research, records evaluation, and organization skills, but knew I needed work on the business management side of things. Although I ran my own business for many years, that experience showed me I needed more instruction in this area, and experience working with others. My group projects have helped me gain more experience and confidence in these skills, as has the course I took on cultural competence.
One of the most important things I learned from this program was that learning is an ongoing process. Each of my courses taught me that our knowledge is not complete in this area, that the way to do things depends on the situation, and situations and technologies are always changing. I had the impression when I started my master’s program that I would find that there was one specific perfect way of doing things in libraries, and although I have found many helpful guidelines that will enhance my ability to plan, organize, and get things done, I have not found a 100% one-size-fits all approach to everything. Ultimately, I am glad there is no guaranteed perfect solution, that the science is not finished. As humans, we are always learning and growing and changing, and although there are general trends that are helpful to most people, there are always outliers to consider and improvement to be made.
Thank you for reading my portfolio. I hope this has enlightened your understanding of the types of skills that information professionals have and the types of fields in which they can work. My understanding of the many facets of the information professions has certainly grown throughout this program, and I am excited to continue to learn, grow, serve the public, and develop skills with my colleagues in the profession.
Affirmation
All introductory, reflective, and evidentiary work submitted is mine alone (except where indicated as a group or team project), and has been prepared solely by me.
I am protecting the privacy of the contents of my e-Portfolio by password protecting it or by sharing the URL only with my e-portfolio advisor.
Before making my e-portfolio public I will respect the privacy of others by removing mention in this e-Portfolio of information that could lead to the identity of individuals (team members in group projects, internship supervisors, interviewees, etc.) and institutions.
Mary Koeven