As a first year MLIS student at Wayne State, my main focus as of now has been adjusting to the program and tackling the large amount of assignments from my classes.
However, I know that it is never too late to start looking for potential jobs that I would like to obtain after graduation. I follow job lists such as Indeed and Careerbuilder on a regular basis for jobs relating to the Communications field, which is what I received my Bachelors degree in. But in the MLIS field, I found a few other job related sources that provide job postings for a number of various LIS professions.
My particular concentration for MLIS is archival administration so I have been following job sources that include jobs relating to the archival field. I found a great job listserv called Archives Gig, which posts at least five job opportunities per day. They also post opportunities for archival internships as well, which is mainly what I’m looking to obtain within the next year.
I have been following this listserv since January and have reviewed at least 20 jobs that I would be interested in applying for once I graduate.There is one position I found that I completely fell in love with and it is the ideal job I would like to have once I graduate and have worked in entry level positions for a few years. The position is for an archivist in the music division at the Library of Congress. My ultimate goal as an archivist has always been to work at a museum or an educational institution that specializes in music collections, so this position would be perfect for me. The purpose of this position is to process and describe multi-format collections relating to the areas of music and dance. In addition to processing collections, the archivist assists in providing reference services associated with the collections; participates in the development and implementation of preservation and digitization policies and procedures relevant to the collections; implements and prescribes up-to-date archival practices; assists in collections development; and performs other duties in support of the Music Division and Library Services, as assigned (Library of Congress, 2015).
Library of Congress
The qualifications for the position include the following:
Knowledge of Dance and/or Music Subject Areas of the Archival Collections.**
Ability to Analyze and Organize Archival Materials.**
Knowledge of the Principles, Concepts, and Techniques of Professional Library and/or Archival Work.
Knowledge of a Variety of Automated Tools and Technologies such as Integrated Library Systems and Web Applications used to Support Archival Functions.
Ability to Communicate in Writing.
Ability to Provide Consultation and/or Liaison Duties.
Ability to Communicate Orally. (Library of Congress, 2015).
Getting there
I already have extensive experience in music history and received a minor in music from UM-Dearborn, so I know I would already have at least one of the qualifications for the position. I’ve also had music research published in a journal and am a part of multiple music organizations including the Detroit Sound Conservancy and the E. Azalia Hackley Board. I also have a background in Communications and advanced writing skills having received a bachelors degree in Communications, so I already possess another skill-set needed for the position.
In order to fully pursue my future career as an archivist, I plan to obtain a certificate in Archival Administration from Wayne State. This certificate will allow me to compete for specific archival positions in any industry and will give me the training needed to learn the specific techniques needed to perform other archival tasks. I also plan to get a certificate in Digital Content management. Specializing in digital content management will allow me the opportunity to learn more about creating digital collections for various institutions such as schools, museums and libraries.
After looking back at my previous goals as an MLIS graduate, I believe I am right on target for the kind of training I will need to obtain a job as a music archivist down the line. I do plan to intern at more establishments than music collections so that I can acquire broader skills in the archival field and know more about other collections than music. However, with the experience I’m getting now, I would be well qualified to work with a music collection once I graduate.
My Journey Through MLIS 