Leadership
The
ALISS annual book sale is the largest fundraiser for the UW
Association of Library and Information Science Students. This year my
super co-secretary Kaye and I organized the sale. In December 2009
through January 2010 we planed and organized the sale. We chose a date
two weeks before the end of the winter quarter, because this seemed
like a great time for a book sale. Within four weeks of collecting
ALISS received over 50 boxes of books from campus library donation
bins!
The morning of the sale I arrived an hour before to finish setting up. My friend Brooke and I worked together to hang the banners and organize the final boxes before opening the sale. The morning and afternoon were busy with excited book lovers. Something for everyone could be discovered in boxes and stacks of books. Paperback fiction overwhelmed the sale this year, but by the end of the first day half of our inventory was gone. We also sold non-fiction and youth literature. Overall, all the hard work in planning and organizing paid off.
Day two of the annual ALISS book sale was as busy as the first day. By the end of the day we had sold most of our books and made a profit of $1,500 in two days! Help from volunteers and word of mouth attracted many students. After 2pm on the second day we started a bag sale. Fill a bag of books for $2.00! Most of our customers were students and it was so much fun seeing students get excited about books and reading. I am not an enthusiastic reader or book buyer, but these past two years in the MLIS program have inspired me to be a more active reader and book buyer. I think cost is the major reason why I don't buy books. However, after living in Seattle for a few years I've discovered that book sales and used book stores offer affordable prices and are amazing places to buy books!
The opportunity to serve as ALISS co-secretary taught me how to motivate others to participate in the iSchool community and help raise funding and awareness about libraries and the MLIS program at UW. Before this event I had never prepared a major fund-raising event. The ALISS book sale was the first time I had responsibility for a large project. I managed every detail from recruiting volunteers to asking permission and getting paperwork and forms signed on a tight deadline. This experience taught me the importance of checklists, time management, working with people you don't know, and advocating for the sale. The ALISS book sale is the one major event within the iSchool that invites everyone to contribute and participate. This year I was impressed by the number of first year and online students that volunteered to help. I am so thankful for my co-secretary, Kaye. Together we worked extremely hard to raise money for ALISS and have a successful sale! The ALISS book sale was a great opportunity to build community and get to know other students at the iSchool!
As a student representative on the iSchool Diversity Committee I had the opportunity to listen and share student opinions and experiences. When conflict over an image on the Cinco de Mayo study break theme poster (sponsored by student services) erupted, I was there to listen and try to mediate conflict. It is not easy being one of the only brown kids in the MLIS program. Everyone expects you to have an answer or to listen and tell them what to do or how to act. This experience as a student representative on the diversity committee is significant because it gave me the opportunity to be myself and teach by example and speak-up for the voices that are not represented. It also allowed me to listen to staff and administrators and provide a way to educate them on the issues of stereotypes, racism, and discrimination. Academic institutions are often aware of these issues of institutional racism, but rarely does the administration do anything to dispel stereotypes and confront racism and discrimination. In my two years at the iSchool, I have done my best to be myself and lead by example to dispel stereotypes, and confront racism and discrimination. I have seen the administration responding to the concerns of students and I can only hope that my example will leave an impact on others.
The morning of the sale I arrived an hour before to finish setting up. My friend Brooke and I worked together to hang the banners and organize the final boxes before opening the sale. The morning and afternoon were busy with excited book lovers. Something for everyone could be discovered in boxes and stacks of books. Paperback fiction overwhelmed the sale this year, but by the end of the first day half of our inventory was gone. We also sold non-fiction and youth literature. Overall, all the hard work in planning and organizing paid off.
Day two of the annual ALISS book sale was as busy as the first day. By the end of the day we had sold most of our books and made a profit of $1,500 in two days! Help from volunteers and word of mouth attracted many students. After 2pm on the second day we started a bag sale. Fill a bag of books for $2.00! Most of our customers were students and it was so much fun seeing students get excited about books and reading. I am not an enthusiastic reader or book buyer, but these past two years in the MLIS program have inspired me to be a more active reader and book buyer. I think cost is the major reason why I don't buy books. However, after living in Seattle for a few years I've discovered that book sales and used book stores offer affordable prices and are amazing places to buy books!
The opportunity to serve as ALISS co-secretary taught me how to motivate others to participate in the iSchool community and help raise funding and awareness about libraries and the MLIS program at UW. Before this event I had never prepared a major fund-raising event. The ALISS book sale was the first time I had responsibility for a large project. I managed every detail from recruiting volunteers to asking permission and getting paperwork and forms signed on a tight deadline. This experience taught me the importance of checklists, time management, working with people you don't know, and advocating for the sale. The ALISS book sale is the one major event within the iSchool that invites everyone to contribute and participate. This year I was impressed by the number of first year and online students that volunteered to help. I am so thankful for my co-secretary, Kaye. Together we worked extremely hard to raise money for ALISS and have a successful sale! The ALISS book sale was a great opportunity to build community and get to know other students at the iSchool!
As a student representative on the iSchool Diversity Committee I had the opportunity to listen and share student opinions and experiences. When conflict over an image on the Cinco de Mayo study break theme poster (sponsored by student services) erupted, I was there to listen and try to mediate conflict. It is not easy being one of the only brown kids in the MLIS program. Everyone expects you to have an answer or to listen and tell them what to do or how to act. This experience as a student representative on the diversity committee is significant because it gave me the opportunity to be myself and teach by example and speak-up for the voices that are not represented. It also allowed me to listen to staff and administrators and provide a way to educate them on the issues of stereotypes, racism, and discrimination. Academic institutions are often aware of these issues of institutional racism, but rarely does the administration do anything to dispel stereotypes and confront racism and discrimination. In my two years at the iSchool, I have done my best to be myself and lead by example to dispel stereotypes, and confront racism and discrimination. I have seen the administration responding to the concerns of students and I can only hope that my example will leave an impact on others.