All iSchool students in the MA program complete a 120-hour practicum experience in a professional setting. We interviewed students in the summer session to learn more about their work.
This summer, iSchool student Virginia Papke is completing a practicum at The Norwegian American Genealogical Center and Naeseth Library. Named after Gerhard Naeseth, the library serves as a resource for people who want to learn about their Norwegian heritage. Virginia is cataloging newly donated items, planning how best to reorganize part of the library’s collection, and researching information resources that could be added to the library’s website.
She enjoys how much she’s learning about collection organization and how patrons interact with researchers at nonprofit organizations, plus she gets along well with the staff. “Before starting my practicum, I wasn’t expecting to like learning about Norway and genealogy as much as I have,” Virginia said of her time so far.