Library Employment

Working in a smaller academic library has been wonderful because everyone on staff is very welcoming and the position is extremely hands-on. In just a year, I have been exposed to reference, interlibrary loan, archives, digitization, weeding/collection development, book displays, and social media posts. It is hard for me to imagine another place where I could have gained so many different experiences in such a short time. As graduate assistants, we are also encouraged to pursue our interests. If you’re someone like me who is new to libraries, that could mean doing a little of everything, or if you’re more experienced, it could mean going into depth on an area where you’re passionate.

Andrew graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Master of Library and Information Science program in May of 2024.

I gained many different skills as a graduate assistant. I'm particularly grateful for the opportunity to work on projects relevant to my interests and career goals. Alongside building reference and supervisory skills, I worked on programming, instruction, and outreach projects that challenged me creatively and professionally. I was able to tailor many of my graduate school projects to the Edgewood Library, which gave me experience putting theory into practice. Getting this real-world experience was invaluable. 

Katelyn graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Master of Library and Information Science program in 2020. 

With this job, I was able to do self-directed projects with other graduate assistants and librarians, which made it easy to work on certain skills I needed for the current job market. Along with other grad assistants I was able to lead and create student-centered library programming, design lesson plans for orientations, create and manage website content, and participate in collection development. 

 

I also got experience supervising student circulation staff and working on the reference desk, which really helped me learn how to connect with students and help them with their research. This aspect of the job also helped me further develop my communication and interpersonal skills. Learning how to support students has been the most valuable skill that I have gained over the past two years.

 

Because of this job, I’ve been able to show my projects and work to potential employers and academic librarians at other institutions. I feel more confident applying to academic jobs after the experiences I have had at Edgewood.

Greta graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Master of Library and Information Science program in 2020.