Hello

Graduate students suffer from chronic information overload, and I appreciated instructors who used creative resources that simplified confusing concepts, because it made it easier to engage with coursework. The posts in this website are inspired by those positive experiences, and were created using friendly, non-academic language in the hope that they will have value for those looking to engage with library school concepts in a less intimidating space.

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The Shelf-Help Section is my final project for LIS 9201: Classification and Indexing. It was created to host informally written blog posts interpreting bibliographic relationship types using music videos. These relationship types can be abstract and nuanced, and I wanted to try to express how I understood these bibliographic relationships in an informal, accessible, and relatable way.  The name of the website (“Shelf-Help”) is not just an allusion to library school and the "tyranny of the shelf," it’s a play on my personal ethos to course work. It also reflects the hope that the site might prove useful to other library school students who, like myself, might also be struggling with information overload.

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It is hoped that the content of The Shelf-Help Section provides educational value by increasing the readers’ understanding of bibliographic concepts and their significance, inspires interest in the craft of librarianship to potential parties by introducing them to behind-the-scenes concepts that librarians and informational professionals regularly contend with, and finally, be a springboard to connect with similar-minded new librarians to form a community.

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The Shelf-Help Section may eventually be expanded to include other library school related topics, and showcase coursework produced during my time as an MLIS student at Western University. In time, I would also love to host other library school graduate students and/or librarians as guest contributors, to share their own insights and expertise.