Emporia State University Library & Info Management

When the old biddy librarians persisted in treating me like I couldn’t alphabetize because I didn’t have an MLS, I stuck two fingers in the air — not the peace sign — and decided to get the damn piece of paper!
Thus began 2 years and 9 months of intermittent «library school» where I earned a Master of Library Science, while working full time at Multnomah County Library. Although SLIM, as the school is known by students, is a distance ed program (from Kansas), it doesn’t rely heavily or entirely as many schools do on Internet interactions.
Instead it is based on cohorts. A group of like-​minded students do the program, every class, together in a particular order. There’s not much room for electives on the side, but there are a few specialty tracks and wiggle room with independent studies.
Portland cohorts benefit from having the best ever on-​site coordinator! And the best students, in my humble opinion. You kind of have to love each other, you’re going to be spending 1 – 2 weekends (Friday night thru Sunday) per month with each other for nearly 3 years. Classes are held in PSU classrooms, and professors fly in from the Kansas campus or are brought in from local professional resources.
It was a tough, tight schedule, but very satisfying. I realized early on that I’m a born librarian so it was a joy too. And! And! I did some independent studies in other countries — Bulgaria and Nigeria — that are some of my favorite times in my life.
Now I’m a Librarian. Now I go to the old biddies’ retirement parties and eat all their cake.