From the beginning of my educational journey, I have always been drawn to advocating and providing space for the accessibility and transparency of information; little did I know the possibility of turning those passions and small acts into my full-time career within libraries. My undergraduate and law school degrees were fostered by spaces of worldly knowledge, black letter law, and multiple areas of humanitarian efforts; while each left me with a new sense of growth and passion, there was still a connection to it all that I was missing. Despite my expressed need for this interconnection between all that I knew and wanted, no one was able to fully direct me on the right road, which led me to many dead-ends and unfulfilling positions. My path to librarianship did not begin until the end of my last semester of law school, when I realized that my love for research, advocacy, and information literacy would not be fulfilled in a courtroom. All that I had learned and the time I had spent dedicating myself to the craft The “aha” – light bulb moment that came so perfectly with the discovery of librarianship as a profession marked the start of a ride I had long been preparing for; it is the first time in seven years that I have felt like everything I have been seeking in my future is finally coming together.

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Library and information sciences have encompassed more than the eye had to meet regarding my evolution in our digital and informational worlds. As someone who was once naïve to the idea of data interoperability, the grand scope of censorship, and the innate spaces that culture learning, creativity, and safety in exploring the unfettered bounds of heritage and time, who I was two years ago is unrecognizable to the student writing this narrative. The Library and Information Sciences program at USF has given me a well-versed platform with like-minded individuals and incredible opportunities to explore and gain experience in multiple facets of librarianship. Through my curated selection of courses that have allowed me to expand my intellectual and personal horizons, I have developed the dedication to educate, preserve, and work towards continuous and unrestricted access to knowledge and information for all who seek it. It has also connected me with individuals across the nation, from different backgrounds and experiences, who have all helped expand my understanding and viewpoints of the world around me.  I have long been an admirer and lover of library spaces and the infinite hold of knowledge they have always seemed to possess, but now our informational institutions are my sanctuary and my fire. Being able to translate this excitement and admiration for libraries with my constant yearning for more knowledge into my life’s work leaves me thrilled for the future ahead. Thank you to all the professors, mentors, and friends I have made along the way here at the University of South Florida; I will be forever grateful for my experiences over these past two years.

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