Jennifer Hill

What was your educational and professional background before coming to SILS?

I went directly to SILS after graduating with my Bachelors in English and a concentration in Secondary Education. I had planned to become a middle school librarian, but I found a whole plethora of possibilities that I didn't know existed while at SILS!

How has your career progressed since you graduated SILS?

I am in the same department that I started in a month after graduating from SILS, but I have taken on additional responsibilities over the years, my job title has changed, and I learn something new everyday! I am still loving my job.

In your current employment, what are your job duties and responsibilities?

I work with an entirely online population, which is mostly adult learners. I am responsible for our discovery tool, link resolver, A-Z list, and licensing/purchasing all of our content. I also am the lead for assessment initiatives in our department and have regular reference hours.

What projects have gotten you most excited and/or what accomplishments have made you the proudest?

I love trying to figure out how to do things with a completely online library. We have no physical presence, so I try to adapt things that I read into our situation. I recently completed virtual usability testing of our website with students and faculty participating from a distance.

What were some of your best experiences at SILS??

I got into young adult literature while at SILS taking classes with Sandra Hughes-Hassell and Brian Sturm. Even though I didn't end up working in a middle school setting, I still read YA lit every night before bed! I also loved learning about academic libraries from Dr. Moran. This is where I discovered that I may want to take the college route instead of being a media specialist. Finally, the field experience that I did at a local middle school library was invaluable. I formed lasting relationships with my mentors and discovered what I really wanted to do after graduation by having this hands-on experience.

How did your time at SILS prepare you for the future?

I knew really nothing about being a librarian before coming to SILS. I learned so much there. I almost forgot to mention the electronic resources course that I took with Selden Lamoureux. That was a game-changer for me and it led me to my passion!