All things considered I believe that this internship has been a great learning experience for me.
I have been given opportunities to work in nearly every library department.
I had the opportunity to interact with patrons, library board members, and of course library staff.
These interactions, and the survey we conducted, allowed me to get a feel for the community the library serves.
The projects I completed, I believe, will aid the library staff in meeting their community's technological needs now and for a bit into the future.
The staff now also has a bit of technology training under their belts, and a guide to some easy to use resources to continue their training.
I hope that their positive interactions with me, and the insights gained from the survey, will help motivate them to keep learning so that they can remain an active helpful part of their community.
I know that I will take the knowledge I gained from them and apply it in my career.
Which skill areas need additional development?
As I had no experience in the technical services (cataloging) department during my internship I am certain that my skills in this area still need improvement.
I know that I could also further develop my program / event management skills further as I've had little to no experience in this regard either.
Although I am comfortable dealing with covering the children's department I am sure that I could be far more effective with further training and knowledge of the materials.
What connections could you make between the internship experience and coursework experience?
Much of what I learned during my courses at Kent State University applied directly to my internship experience.
Skills such as: Online searching, reference interviews, organizational systems, electronic publishing, survey design, and information analysis were all used during my internship.
Also skills developed during taking online classes such as: time management, work flexibility, and attention to detail all aided during this internship as well.
What did you learn about yourself in terms of preparing to enter the profession?
I can't say that I'm preparing to enter the profession as I've been in the profession now for fifteen years.
However I do now understand more about the many various aspects of library work that I was not exposed to earlier.
I am also far better prepared in my skill set and understanding of the profession, and I feel more confident in my ability to advance in my chosen career now.
What surprised you about the work you performed and the environment in which you worked?
The only real surprise I had was in regards to the community environment of Falmouth Maine.
It is a small town on the Maine coast and yet it is stunningly different from the communities I am used to serving in the Lewiston / Auburn Maine area.
The population is far more financially well off, and better educated, than the communities in L/A Maine.
They are also far more actively involved with their library. All if this was a rather pleasant surprise to me.
What would you recommend to other students considering an internship in this setting?
Simply take the internship. The staff members are helpful, informative, and happy to help you learn.
The staff also give you ample opportunities to work in different areas of the library (should you desire / or be willing to do so).
The community is supportive as well; offering friendly support and patient understanding to your learning experience.