Catching up on recorded sessions is a life saver!

I currently work full time as an academic liaison librarian at my local university. The role is pretty varied, especially at different times of the year!

September is our busiest time: there’s a rush of library inductions to deliver, and we need to make sure all reading materials are ready for the start of term. Winter and spring involve delivering more information literacy sessions and 1:1 appointments with students, which are usually tailored around assignments. Then, in summer, we do a lot of book orders for the new year and focus on projects such as creating new learning resources or updating our subject guides and websites.

A practical course offering real-world perspectives

So far, I’ve really enjoyed the course’s practical content, as it’s tailored around real-world examples and most of our lecturers have had extensive careers in libraries. There’s also lots of interesting talks from library and information professionals. Also, the long-distance course feels like it’s designed with balancing work in mind, as it seamlessly informs my work and vice versa. There’s a lot of freedom in the assignments to pick areas of interest and develop specialist knowledge.

Support for balancing work and study

The hardest part of the course is balancing it with work and life in general. It can also be tricky getting back into academia after taking a long break. Luckily, there’s so much support available - for instance, there’s simple, online forms for extensions and plenty of academic support resources to make use of.

Working full time while studying part time can be demanding at times, especially during busy periods: however, it is manageable especially when you plan ahead and are careful to allocate enough time for your studies. Being able to catch up on recorded sessions is also a life saver! There’s a lot of comradery between students, many of whom are in the same boat, balancing work and study. This also means there’s a wealth of experience within the cohort and most are more than happy to offer support and advice.

Setting students up for the working world

While I was lucky to get my current role without the library MA, as most institutions require it for academic liaison roles. Therefore, it will be invaluable in securing my next job at another university. I’m also interested in working outside of higher education in either a specialist or professional library. Overall, if feels as if this qualification has opened up a lot of doors, especially as I don’t have extensive experience in libraries. I now feel more confident about working in different environments and various library and information roles.

Advice for future students

My advice for anyone wanting to do an MA (in general) is to first consider how it fits into your career plan, and what you want to gain from the course. And if you are confident about undertaking a Libraries and Information Management MA, I cannot recommend University of Sheffield enough! The facilities and resources available along with the knowledgeable and approachable staff make it more than deserving of the course’s high reputation and regard.