Officer Interviews – Kurt Hanselman, Programming Officer

  1. Name: Kurt Hanselman
  2. Years as an emerging professional:1.5 years
  3. Professional affiliation: UC San Diego Library
  4. Area of interest:My current work is in Metadata but I am also interested in continuing to develop my knowledge and skills across all areas of librarianship. As a library student, I worked at the reference desk in the Music Library and enjoyed being able to work directly with library patrons. I’m also interested in collection development.
  5. Why did you choose librarianship as a career path?The main thing that convinced me to go into librarianship was honestly discovering MLA. I first heard about MLA after reading an article that mentioned a music librarian curating an exhibit at a public library, which piqued my interest in music librarianship as a possible career path. After some searching, I came across MLA and their many useful resources for learning about the profession and the various graduate programs in North America. It wasn’t long before I was convinced that music librarianship was the perfect way to combine my interests in public service, education, and music.
  6. What was your favorite part about library school? Having the opportunity to explore different areas of librarianship and archival studies in a diverse community of students.
  7. What has been your best experience as a member of MLA? My first meeting at Orlando in 2017. The reception for first-time attendees made it easier to talk to new people and feel welcome. This was also my first exposure to MLStEP!
  8. What advice would you give to a beginning library student?Attend conferences while still in school. Aside from getting a huge discount on conference registration, it’s a great way to explore the field and meet new people, and it just might help expose you to new things you may want to focus on in your studies.


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