"If you want to be free, there is but one way; it is to guarantee an equally full measure of liberty to all your neighbors. There is no other." - Carl Schurz

"The saddest epitaph which can be carved in memory of a vanished liberty is that it was lost because its possessors failed to stretch forth a saving hand while yet there was time." - George Sutherland
"Whenever a separation is made between liberty and justice, neither, in my opinion, is safe." - Edmund Burke

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

What's next?

It has been five days since graduation and I am already antsy. I want to make a decision soon about grad school. I have it narrowed down to two options: MA in ethnomusicology at ASU or MA in Information Resources and Library Sciences at U of A. The former is what I would do if I didn't have to consider the likelihood of acceptance, my career prospects, the money that could be made, the time and effort required for my prerequisites, or the scope of applicability of the skills learned in the process.

The practical side of me, however, sees the advantages of the latter:

  • The program is mostly online, so I wouldn't have to relocate to Tucson.
  • I can be a librarian anywhere.
  • The program has an interdisciplinary focus.
  • I already know at least one person who has completed the program and two others currently in it.
  • I can pursue other interests at the same time.
  • I already have a significant amount of library experience, giving me an advantage over most MLS grads who complete their degree without having worked a day in a library.
  • I can apply by September 1 for January admission.

The most important consideration, though, is that I am happy with my career. Ethnomusicology would probably be fulfilling, but I already know that I enjoy library work. I don't want to be too hasty, but I am leaning more and more towards the MAIRLS.

Here is what I have been listening to since yesterday:

  1. Radiohead: Hail to the Thief
  2. The Clientele: Strange Geometry
  3. OutKast: Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
  4. Erasure: Chorus
  5. Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins: Rabbit Fur Coat
  6. PJ Harvey: Dry
  7. Peter Murphy: Deep
  8. Xiu Xiu: Fag Patrol EP
  9. Lisa Gerrard & Patrick Cassidy: Immortal Memory
  10. The Hold Steady: Separation Sunday
  11. The Decemberists: Picaresque
  12. Neil Young: Living With War
  13. Alejandro Escovedo: The Boxing Mirror

Posted by Jonathan at 11:29 AM

2 comments:

Anali said...

Do both! With your tuition waiver, it's not too expensive, the MLS is not that difficult, and you'll be able to use your MM-Ethno to help your library marketability. (can you say subject specialist?)

Of course, I'm to lazy at this point to pursue a 2nd master's, but since you're just starting... ;-)

11:45 AM
Jonathan said...

That's a good point. Perhaps I will start the MAIRLS first, then decide if I have energy to spare for a second master's.

2:13 PM

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