Introduction

Greetings and salutations. 

You've reached the MLIS Portfolio of Destinee Sutton. The orignial purpose of this website was to provide evidence of my work and growth as an MLIS student at the University of Washington Information School. If you are interested in what I'm doing now, visit the Conclusion page for an update or check out my library blog.

Before the iSchool

I'd like to share some background information that will help put my iSchool experience in context. To begin with, I had no library experience when I started this program, excepting the following:

  • A stint as an aide at my junior high school library when I was in seventh grade,
  • Six months of volunteering at the Welcome Desk at the Seattle Public Library's downtown location, and
  • About 25 years (i.e. my whole life) as a grateful and enthusiastic library patron.

So, one might wonder why I decided to become a librarian. As I wrote in my MLIS application essay, I had to travel pretty far to arrive at librarianship. After receiving my BA in English from Whitman College, I joined the Peace Corps and moved to Namibia, a young democracy in southern Africa. In Namibia, I learned firsthand about the impact libraries can have on ordinary people by talking to Namibian librarians and seeing the role they played in helping people learn how to participate in democracy and access information. I was so inspired by my experience that when I returned to my hometown, I immediately began researching what it takes to become a librarian in the United States. That's when I found the iSchool and applied to the graduate program in which I eventually enrolled.

As an MLIS student, I decided early in the program to focus on Youth Services because, from my first babysitting jobs to my post-collegiate endeavors as a tutor and teacher, I've found that working with children is the most rewarding work there is. It's also what I do best. I chose to follow the School Library Media (SLM) track because I want to be able to add an SLM endorsement to a teaching certificate should I choose to pursue that path in the future. While the SLM track didn't leave a lot of room for electives, it anchored my graduate education. My commitment to children was rewarded in early 2008 when I was honored to be the first recipient of the Linda J. Gould Endowed Fellowship for Children's and Youth Services, which "provides support for master's students in the Information School with demonstrated financial need and a demonstrated commitment to Children and Youth Services Librarianship." 

Working in Youth Services will require that I be a teacher, librarian, leader, professional, and technologist. This portfolio addresses my growth in all those roles.