Like many before me, I stumbled into the information profession on accident. Originally a musician (clarinet performance, to be exact) I often found myself drawn to work in libraries. It started out as a summer internship at the library of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London after my sophomore year in college, and basically went downhill from there, because how do you top that? I worked at my undergraduate university’s library doing technical services work, as well as at the music library. I continued my studies in clarinet performance in graduate school at that Big 10 school in Ohio, and during my studies found a job working at the music and dance library. I spent two years there, and although I ultimately had my MM in performance and had pondered going on for a DMA, I had completely and utterly fallen in love with working in libraries. Thanks to the encouragement of the library director, my spouse, my friends, and my colleagues, I decided to pursue academic librarianship and I’ve never looked back.
Two years later, after a job as a cataloger in a public library, I enrolled in the School of Information at the University of Michigan. In my studies I was able to marry my love of music and libraries and do a tailored degree specializing in audio preservation. After graduation in May 2009 I secured a job as the “Audio Digitization Specialist” at the University of Michigan Library. Oddly, the job title is a misnomer, since I actually do not do any digitization, but alas, that is my title. My first ever job as an information professional is developing a pilot project for audio digitization and preservation for the University Library. It’s almost too perfect. Almost. Hence my ability to have things to talk about on this blog.
My inclusion here at the NewArchivist blog isn’t an aberration, as I would be content to work in any setting, archives or otherwise, that is interested in preserving and providing access to the sounds of our cultural heritage.
(Oh, and in case you were wondering, I am a Wolverine through and through, despite my former affiliations with that school in Ohio. I was born in raised in Michigan.)
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