School’s (not) out for summer

Looking back through the posts that I’ve written so far, I’ve noticed that I haven’t said much about school. This is kinda strange, considering that I’m enrolled in two classes which (in addition to having a full time job and trying to have a life) take up a lot of my time. Just to give you some context about my education and about how at least several hours of my week are spent, here’s the lowdown on my summer semester.

This summer semester, I’m taking two classes. One of them is “Information Policy,” a core course required of all MLIS students at FSU. So far, it’s been pretty interesting. We’ve covered some basic concepts about cyberspace and law, as well as issues surrounding patents, trademarks, and copyrights. I actually managed to make my professor laugh at one point when I explained the distinction between an idea and the expression of an idea with the analogy, “I can copyright a love song, but I can’t copyright love.” Sure, it’s a bit romantic, but I think it makes the point pretty clear.

The other class that I’m taking is “Information Needs of Children,” which involves reading a number of children’s books (both picture books and chapter books) and studying some basic issues about child development, both psychologically and socially. It’s pretty fun so far, and I figure that I’ve already got a decent background in the field since picture books are about the only books that librarians actually have time to read when they’re at work (since it takes maybe four to five minutes to read them). I am, however, a little antsy about the culminating project, which is essentially a massive topical bibliography. I had thought about doing one on “Death and Dying” (i.e., books and resources helpful for grieving children and their parents), but since the professor provides a link to an existing resource on this subject, I’m thinking of doing one on “Art and Artists.” If nothing else, it gives me a chance to wax poetic about Warhol and Kandinksy and Pollock.

I’m managing to stay afloat so far, even if a lot of the work is getting done close to the last minute. The real challenge will come in the fall and the spring, when I’ll be taking three classes each semester instead of two. I’m a bit nervous, but, needless to say, I’ll be glad when this is all over with.