That’s it, all the boxes are unpacked! Sheffield is officially my new home for the next year. It’s my fifth city in as many years, and I’m really looking forward to getting to know it well. I remember feeling just as nervous and excited when I first moved to Cambridge. The geeky gamer in me can’t help seeing this as a kind of pokemon evolution; read “TRAINEE evolved into LIS STUDENT!” below…
I’m really lucky that I’ve been able to secure a part-time job at the university library whilst studying full-time. Monday marks not only the first week of my new course, but also my first week of employment! I’m also learning to drive this year, so it’s going to be a pretty busy time… bring it on 😉
I chose Sheffield over UCL (my alma mater!) because the course was more clearly future-focused and demonstrated a stronger commitment towards employability. I also had a more positive experience in my communications with the department and its staff. Finally, the cost of living in London was really prohibitive and once I managed to secure the job in Sheffield, that really sealed the deal. Although UCL is a fantastic university, really close to my heart, and the Department of Information Studies is very highly regarded, the course there just didn’t seem right for me.
I’m hoping that the year ahead will be intellectually stimulating, helping me gain a more thorough and critical understanding of library and information management whilst also equipping me with the tools to advance my career in librarianship. Having been inspired by the BIALL and CLSIG Open Day event I attended earlier this year, I’m aiming for career in law or business librarianship when I graduate – but that feels a whole world away from where I am now!
The Adventures of YiWen the Librarian 