About Me
I am a senior at Old Dominion University, graduating in May 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in History, a minor in Sociology, and a graduate certificate in Project Management. I was born in Texas but grew up in Hampton, Virginia, after my father was stationed at the Norfolk Naval Base when I was two. Before coming to ODU to pursue higher education, I was homeschooled from kindergarten through high school. I also graduated in May 2021 from Virginia Peninsula Community College, (at the time known as Thomas Nelson Community College) with an associate's degree in Liberal Arts. I have always highly valued the importance of education and have worked hard to grow my education within academic environments and my personal life.
Professional Goals
I plan on beginning my graduate certificate in Project Management while I finish my undergraduate degree, and I should complete the certification in May of 2024. After this, I plan on continuing my education by applying for graduate school to pursue a Master's in Library Science with a concentration in archival and preservation studies. I hope to one day work in a library, either as a librarian or as an archivist.
Once I complete my Masters in Library Science, I also would like to return to complete a second Master's degree in History.
Internship Overview
In the fall of 2022, I was among 12 students selected for the Future Information Professionals Internship with the Old Dominion University Libraries. This internship seeks to engage undergraduate students interested in library and information studies careers. During the fall semester, we learned about the occupation through group activities such as visiting libraries, attending informational sessions, working in ePortfolio and resume workshops, and learning about tips for applying to Graduate School. We also spent a weekend at the Virginia Library Association conference in Norfolk, learning more about the field and engaging in discussions with professional librarians. We spent the spring semester of the internship working in one of the ODU libraries for 10 hours per week to gain hands-on experience in the information and library field.
The Elise N. Hofheimer Art Library
The Elise N. Hofheimer Art Library is one ODU Libraries branch located in the Barry Arts Building on the ODU Campus. The library is specialized for the art department and students; providing over 24,000 volumes of art-centered materials, including books, catalogs, media, and art journals for patrons to access.
I performed internship duties and regular student worker tasks at the art library. For the internship, my two fellow interns in the art library and I worked to design, plan, and execute two different impact projects (more details below). I operated the front desk in the art library and helped students with research questions. I assisted in reshelving books, handling returns and check-outs, and giving directional information and library orientation tours. I also assisted in the February Black History Month and April Poetry Month displays.
Our First Small Impact Project
For our first impact project, we wanted to focus on Women's History Month by showcasing women as artists and subjects. My fellow interns and I designed, planned, and set up our "Women in Art" display and interactive conversation board.
Using Monarch OneSearch and ALMA, we selected new books within the art library’s collection to create a “Women in Art” book display for Women’s History Month. After choosing the books, we created a bibliography, title card, and showcase slide to complement the exhibition.
We worked on this project from February 17-28th, working collaboratively and individually to select the books, put them on temporary exhibit, design the showcase slide, design and mount the signage, create a bibliography, scan the book covers, and set up the display and conversation board.
We had multiple responses to the conversation board. We were able to showcase new and recent additions to the art library’s collection and facilitate an environment that pushed fellow students to consider gender diversity and equitable representation of female artists and feminine portrayals in art.
Our Big Impact Project: The Art Video Collection
This project aimed to assist the larger ODU library’s project to take inventory of the video collections. This information will help in decisions regarding weeding the collections.
We gathered data and took physical inventories of all the items within the art video collection, both DVDs and VHS tapes. We then used Monarch OneSearch, available video streaming databases, and OCLC WorldCat to search and find which items were available for purchase as a DVD or streaming online.
We worked on this project over March. To manage the data gathered, we used an Excel sheet split into three sections of 149 items. Each of us then input the data gathered through the Monarch OneSearch and video streaming databases into the spreadsheet.
We were able to find many copies of the items available for streaming online and evaluate the conditions of the physical items within our collection.
Reflection
This internship was a fantastic experience for me. I grew up visiting libraries quite often, and they have always played a significant role in my education and life. This internship allowed me to take tours of different libraries and archives, engage with library professionals at the VLA conference, and have hands-on work experience within a library. I have learned how libraries can become working community spaces and their essential part in enriching the lives of the patrons they serve. This experience has helped me become a stronger and more capable student by learning to manage projects on a deadline, utilize the library system, and develop research questions. It also has allowed me to create deep relationships with many of my fellow students, both ones working in the library with me and others. Before being accepted into the program, I only had a rough idea of where I wanted to take my career after college. This internship allowed me to discover a deep passion for this field and has enabled me to further identify the path I want to take with my life.