First few days at library school

My lecturers ( @AnneWelsh @RILADS ) have been quite keen in frequently reminding us of the need for doing reflection on this course, so I be trying to keep up with my blog posts over the next year.

So how has been first few days at UCL been, I hear you wonder? Well...with a course of around 31 people, it has been interesting few days meeting so many people from different library backgrounds. Although, there is a vast majority of soon-to-qualified librarians interested in academic libraries, others have mentioned interest in school, special collections, law, medical and music libraries too. As someone who has an interest in East Asian special collections possibility within academic libraries, it was comforting to know that a lot of my course mates were multiple language speakers. In which has been said to be helpful with their careers.

After last week's pretty long induction week, I was seriously ready to get my hands on some materials. I am not sure if I am regretting my eagerness just yet, as the preparatory reading and homework has began on mass during this first teaching week. However, I think it has only just really hit me that I am actually a student again. Compared to my undergrad days where having a social life was possible, I differently feel more mature and prepared this time around. There will be no partying for me! "Well...maybe one... a month", I think slyly while looking to the side. After all, I am sure you will agree, being able to know when you need a break is also important for a being student.  

I have been making use of my timetable, which is heavily morning-oriented. Then locking myself away in the library in the afternoon to prepare for classes the next day and take notes on set reading gaven to me. So far, planning my study time has been so efficent, that I have started to set aside two hours daily to continue studying Japanese language for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) Level N3 for June 2015. I am also contemplating taking the European Computer Driving License (ECDL) also. In addition, I have decided to devote Thursday's (my ONLY uni-free day this term) to concentrate on volunteering. 

Notably, today I started my first day volunteering at the Japan Society of the UK, Library (JSL). This independent organisation holds a small collection of items mainly in relation to people and events surrounding the Society and Foreign-Japanese relations targetted at research scholars. So far, I have been tasked with accessing items for reclassification. While working today, I noticed that several points from set reading in my Cataloguing and Classification module, has had my thinking about JSL's cataloguing policy and classification scheme. It has only been one day but I am already evaluating how volunteering while studying, can be beneficial in making connections between written theory and working practice. Lots of full-timers on the course are also working part-time. Although the balance of joggling a variety of working hours and finding time for to read between 10-40 pages of material has been said to be challenging so far, I am sure it will be worthwhile in the long-run.