The study visit experience revealed potential career paths I hadn’t factored in when I started the Master of Education (Teacher Librarianship). I was quite surprised by the various opportunities and how they were different, yet similar at the same time. At the fundamental level, librarianship provides users with free access to information. From that point on each study visit institution offered differing formats, resources, services, spaces, events, staffing, patron rules, digital platforms and technology.
Throughout the study visits, i did struggle with my teacher hat and librarian hat. I currently use my librarianship skills and knowledge to benefit school students, education at the heart of my motivations. The State Library of NSW did cater to lifelong learners, however the level of personal investment and the satisfaction of seeing eventual outcomes doesn’t equate to teaching. Personal goals do change over time and there could be scope for a role that combines the education and librarianship.
A teacher librarian secured work at the State library of NSW and the growing need for virtual excursions and online exhibits could lead to future work. Digital librarianship is also appealing and I believe it will be an area of future growth. I am hoping to gain exposure to these areas in my professional placement and to show new pathways to make educational impacts in new and exciting ways. I am also interested in learning how the patrons of the library benefit from the services and how it impacts their lives. It will open my eyes to the needs and type of library patrons and what a normal day of work looks like. It is wonderful to be part of such a large and varied industry, with new career paths beyond teaching to consider, a luxury that many of my fellow peers may not have.