GTA = Great Teaching Adventure!
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5860/rusq.54n1.12Abstract
We’re all familiar with the catch-22 of trying to embark on a new career—it’s often difficult to land a job without having experience, but there’s no way to get experience without having a job. One institution’s effort to beat this no-win scenario is outlined in the following column. Through a partnership between the libraries and the School of Library and Information Management (SLIM) at Emporia State University, graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) are now able to gain practical experience, learn first hand about the evolving academic library environment, and make real professional contributions before they graduate, thereby giving them a leg up as they seek a career foothold once the MLS is in hand. Coupled with coursework, the GTA experience allows them to put theory into practice and provides a golden opportunity to help manage successful career development. —Editor
References
<i>SLIM Course Descriptions</i>
, Approved 5/22/2012' () accessed November 6, 2012 \n'Laura Saunders, “Identifying Core Reference Competencies from an Employer’s Perspective: Implications for Instruction,”' <i>College and Research Libraries</i> 73 no. 4 (July 2012): 390-404\n'Association for College and Research Libraries' <i>Standards for Proficiencies for Instruction Librarians and Coordinators</i> (): accessed November 9, 2012 <a href="http://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/profstandards">www.ala.org/acrl/standards/profstandards</a>\nMichele Marincovich Ed., Jack Prostko Ed., Frederic Stout Ed., 'Nancy Van Note Chism, “Preparing Graduate Students to Teach: Past, Present, and Future,” in
<i>The Professional Development of Graduate Teaching Assistants</i>
' (Bolton, MA: Anker 1998): 1-13\n'Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching' <i>Emporia State University Institution Profile</i> (): accessed June 13, 2013 <a href="http://www.carnegiefoundation.org">www.carnegiefoundation.org</a>\n'Emporia State University Office of Institutional Research' <i>Data Book Fall 2012</i> : 13- section 1\nTiffany Newton, 'Facebook personal message to Kellie Meehlhause' (March 31, 2014):\nKellie Meehlhause, 'e-mail message to Cynthia Kane' (April 2, 2014):\n'Newton, Facebook personal message to Kellie Meehlhause' (March 31, 2014):\nKael Moffat, 'e-mail message to Cynthia Kane' (March 26, 2014):\n'ERIAL' <i>Ethnographic Research in Illinois Academic Libraries</i> (): accessed July 29, 2013 <a href="http://www.erialproject.org">www.erialproject.org</a>\nQi Wu, '“Win-Win Strategy for the Employment of Reference Graduate Assistants in Academic Libraries' <i>Reference Services Review</i> 31 no. 2 (2003): 141-53\n