Deep thoughts (for grocery trip)

While walking to the grocery store today, I was musing on the point of undergraduate education (I can only speak for humanities, though). My conclusion: it’s all about analysis. Sure, there’s learning about the history of the Western civilization, considering the wider issues, and expanding your knowledge of the world. But the assignments and discussions all boil down to analysis and debating those views (which also requires analysis).

This got me thinking about the point of library school. In a way this is a repeat of the discussion we had in my Introduction to Information Professions class. I didn’t get a satisfactory answer, though, so here I go again. At least I now have more experience of the ways of the library land. I have a better chance of answering the question in a way that’s meaningful to me.

Anyway. Analysis we’ve supposedly learned already. Acculturation into the profession comes immediately to mind, but it would be a little sad if all of these hours (and dollars) couldn’t get me anything more. I guess I’ll go with considering the wider issues, learning to connect the dots from a librarian’s point of view, with as many aspects of the information professions as the administration has been able to cram on the program.

I may want to change my mind after I’m actually done, or in a year, or in five years. That’s the beauty of opinions.

Edit: Nicole Engard at What I Learned Today listed her thoughts on library school. Check it out.