Essay for Graduate School

The essay below is one that I drafted as part of my application process for graduate school. I intent on attending Dominican University in River Forest, IL and earn my Master's in Library Science. The essay probably does not unearth anything new but I have included it in my blog as food for thought / grist for the mill.


The role of the information professional has changed radically over the past two decades. These changes came about not only with the advent of the internet, but with more recent developments such as the use of blogs. Content in general has also gone through a dramatic not only in terms amount but also in terms of quality. The information professional’s duties have also expanded to manage this wide range of content and will continue to evolve as the global economy expands and decision makers’ needs for relevant, timely and easy to access information that will enable them to create value for their organizations and remain nimble.
The skills that I have will complement the changes that are going on in the world of the information professional. I have over seven years experience as a systems development professional which will enable me to work with the various technologies that are (and will be in the future) available in an information center. In addition to that, I have managed projects and understand the need to balance scope, time and resources so that value is delivered to the client. In addition to these skills, my seven years as a consultant has given me the facilitation, negotiation and business acumen skills that will allow me to collaborate with clients (both internal and external) as they try to find ways to deliver value to their organizations. I will be able to link these skills with the research, management and technical skills that I will gain through this graduate program to truly help clients deliver value. Finally, I have spent considerable time on my own in studying and networking with others in the knowledge management (KM) area. This is one of the newer areas for the information professional and I know that it will become more important to organizations in the future as they try to integrate external content and sources with the experience and learning that is developed and takes place every day in an organization.
It is not only important to understand how the profession has changed and what skills I will bring to the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at Dominican University and the profession in general, but it is also important to discuss what I intend to do within the profession once I complete the program and how I plan to add value to future organizations. In my opinion, the key to being a good information professional is to be client centered and have a strong service orientation. I am intent on working in all aspects of the profession, be that as a researcher, a technologist or in information center / library management. As part of my research before deciding to enter into the MLS program at Dominican University, I spoke to a number of people working in the profession. One theme that was common to all my conversations was the need to be flexible and open to doing different things, even if they might not appear on the surface to be related to the profession. As the profession changes and the demands placed on information professionals change, I plan to continue to look at my career in light of not only the current needs in the profession but what will be the needs in the future and take proactive steps to prepare myself to meet those needs. I intend to constantly keep myself abreast of the trends in the profession and industry needs through continuing education and constant networking with others in the profession. It is through this constant professional development and networking that I will be able to remain a vital and useful part of the profession.