For Naomi Reigh Kraut, the halls of a library have always been her happy place.
“Walking aisles of books as a child was a special thing,” she said. “They felt like beautiful, sacred spaces, and that feeling has never gone away.”
Kraut is at the start of a new life chapter today, having just completed her first year in UW-Milwaukee’s MLIS (Master of Library and Information Science) degree program. When she’s not hitting the books, she’s processing them — Kraut works at the Milwaukee Public Library as a technical services supervisor. In her role, she helps design smoother processes for obtaining new materials, from order placement to invoice payment.
It’s not just that the MLIS program is online and flexible enough to allow Kraut to do both. She’s also getting credit for the hands-on learning and first-hand knowledge she’s gained through her professional experience. She will be able to shave an entire semester off her graduation timeline thanks to prior learning credits.
“The skills and knowledge I’ve gained in my job at the library are the same ones that would be covered in the classroom,” she said.
The power of prior learning credits
UWM’s School of Information Studies is the first American Library Association-accredited MLIS program to offer this program as a way to shorten time to a degree and reduce overall cost. Kraut was an ideal candidate due to the impact she makes day-to-day at Milwaukee library.
For Kraut, it’s already paying off. She’s been able to identify efficiencies to better serve the public, keep up with digital innovations, and be more strategic in her own tightly knit team. She’s also learned more about the functions of other departments within the library system.
“The MLIS program has really given me a sense of the larger picture,” Kraut said. “At the library, I work side by side with system selectors, someone who chooses materials for all our libraries. I now understand the how and why of what goes into her role, as well as other roles within the enterprise. My newfound knowledge of the greater inner workings of the library has made me feel part of something bigger.”
Refining librarianship skills
At the library, Kraut is working on sustainability initiatives, including an undertaking to do more things digitally, and she’s focused on refining data to speed up processes. For example, she put together a spreadsheet detailing the dates of receiving, processing, and shelving new materials to narrow down how long it was taking. “I was then able to say, ‘Here’s where we can improve and get things through quicker,’” she said. “The organization that happens within the structure of libraries really speaks to me; it’s where I thrive.”
Kraut is the first of hopefully many to pursue their MLIS and have their work experience count toward their degree. “Anything that creates a more accessible pathway is always a good thing,” she said.
