Tess Grynoch

Research Data & Scholarly Communications Librarian

University of Massachusetts Medical School - Worcester, MA

Education

• BSc, University of Alberta, 2014
• MLIS, Dalhousie University, 2016

Career Path

Not only did my MLIS prepare me to work in the field of information management by providing me the technical skills, language, and theoretical background, it fostered my professional skills in leadership, management, and teamwork. The program also launched my information management network. I became a better networker over the course of my degree through the increased confidence and the knowledge that I gained and was able to pass onto my colleagues in the field.

Information Management in Action

The ability to customize my courses drew me to the MLIS program but I was happy to learn I could also customize assignments within each course to fit what I wanted to learn. Part of designing my own degree included creating my own reading course to cover an area (research data management) that was not being covered in-depth already.

I also really enjoyed all my hands-on technical courses, Web Design and Architecture, Content Management Systems, and Database Management. I have already used the skills I learned in all three heavily in my career. Health Science Literature and Information Sources was a great course that drew on the amazing medical librarian expertise in the Halifax area. Working in the medical library field, I have a greater appreciation for the depth of information that the instructors were able to cover in a one semester course.

Last Words

Make the degree your own - create your own reading course, craft your assignments to fit your areas of interest, and do not be afraid to reach out to organizations for your practicum. I will also pass on the same advice that I received from a previous Dal SIM Alumni: Get involved! Join one of the many student groups at the school (they will provide real-world, out-of-the-classroom scenarios to draw on for those tricky interview questions), attend the professional development workshops, and apply for awards to attend conferences. There is not as much competition as you might think.