National Library Week Student Spotlight on Samantha Hines
Samantha Hines
Welcome to National Library week, April 8-14, 2018 at UI&U! This year’s theme from the American Library Association is “Libraries Lead.” We’ve put our own twist on the theme with “Libraries Lead” To A Union Degree.
Meet Samantha Hines, a librarian and Union Ph.D. student. Learn how the UI&U library is leading Samantha to the research needed to complete her major in Ethical & Creative Leadership.
Q. How does the library impact your research?
A. For me, as a librarian, the library is the foundation of my research. I usually develop research projects based out of situations I encounter at work—how can and should academic libraries support students needing connections with social services, for example, or how can we increase racial diversity among library administrators? Then, of course, I turn to the library’s resources to find out all that I can on the topic before I dig into research design and analyzing my results.
Q. How do the librarians help you?
A. Librarians help connect me with materials about my topic of research; they find things that I didn’t even know existed! They help me find other experts to talk with about my research. They help me with citation of resources. And of course they share their invaluable perspectives and experiences when I do research on them!
Q. What do you plan to do with your degree?
A. Persist in helping my profession of librarianship embrace its core principles of community building, open access and freedom of information.
Q. What led you to this program?
A. I met a graduate of the program, Kate Reavey. I had previously resisted getting a doctorate because it felt like credentialism, but her description of the program made me feel like Union would be a real learning experience.
Q. Why did you choose Union for your studies?
A. I was delighted to find an online Ph.D. program with a strong emphasis on social justice, where the school’s objectives blended so well with my own research and career goals.
Q. If you could give a piece of advice to your 20 something, what would it be?
A. Relax, it’s all going to be okay. You’re doing amazing!
Q. Who has influenced you the most in your life, and how have they influenced you?
A. My mother, who showed me the value of hard work. She returned to school for an associate’s degree once my brother and I were in elementary school, and the job that she got and kept for 30 years lifted my family out of poverty. Incidentally, that job was at a library!