Introduction
About
Hello, I’m Matt Mckinley. I have had the opportunity to work in libraries, both public and academic, for 8 years. My orbit in libraries began with a work-study position in the digital services department of an academic library, where I scanned, transcribed, and processed archival material for the university library’s digital repository. Following that, I worked in an academic library as a research assistant, where I supported research, reference, and instruction through reporting and data preparation. Currently, I am an information services assistant at a public library branch, where, in addition to general circulation and reference duties, I get to provide tech reference and teach tech literacy programs.
Throughout my academic pursuits, I have developed a strong interest in cross-disciplinary studies, and I believe this is what eventually led me to library work. My academic background includes a double major in both social science and arts & letters from Portland State University, and I also hold a graduate certificate in geographic information science from Wright State University, where I also studied graduate coursework in the humanities.
Some of the broader themes in library and information science that I tend to focus on include, but are not limited to, data services, digital literacy (including data literacy), privacy, intellectual freedom, and library technology. I aspire to one day be either a data services, digital scholarship, or reproducibility librarian, as I am passionate about leveraging data at the intersection of information, knowledge, and society.
E-Portfolio
This e-portfolio is the culmination of my coursework and professional experiences, exemplifying my proficiency in all fourteen core competencies developed by the San Jose State School of Information. It represents a discussion and collection of evidence gathered throughout three years of master's study, as well as my full-time work in a public library. The artifacts included in this portfolio demonstrate the development of my knowledge, skills, abilities, accomplishments, and achievements toward the completion of the Master of Library and Information Science degree. By reflecting on my experiences and showcasing my work, I aim to illustrate my readiness to contribute meaningfully to the field of library and information science.
Process
While completing assignments throughout each semester, I created a folder for each course in Google Drive. Within these folders, I created an evidence folder with a subfolder for each competency. Potential evidence for each competency was copied to its respective folders. Additionally, Word and Google Docs files were copied and converted to PDF for ease and efficiency of access for viewing evidence. Evidence pieces that were video files and were not already uploaded to YouTube were done so as unlisted.
The webpage that contains this e-portfolio is built using the framework called MkDocs from a template called Material for MkDocs. Each page is a markdown file, which is stored in a GitHub repository. The site is hosted on a custom domain managed via Cloudflare Pages.
Each competency essay was drafted in Google Docs. During this process, I eventually discovered that markdown can be enabled in Google Docs and then saved as a markdown file upon completion. This feature allowed me to easily copy and paste the syntax into each page of my e-portfolio, streamlining the formatting process and ensuring consistency across all entries.
Organization
- Introduction: You are here.
- Competencies: Listing of the fourteen competencies, A-H and J-O, as well as links to each competency page. Each competency page includes six features:
- A competency description: The exact wording of the competency.
- Introduction: An explication essay on the particular competency.
- Statement of competency: How my skills in the competency were developed
- Evidence: Pieces of evidence along with a description of the artifact itself and a justification of how it connects to the competency. Evidence pieces are numbered, and hyperlinks are contained in each purple box, sometimes with multiple links per piece.
- Conclusion: How I will apply this competency in the future and my methods to stay current.
- References: Cited sources for each competency essay.
- Conclusion & Affirmation: A reflection of my educational experience, strengths, and plans for further professional development.
Navigation
Navigate to each page via the bar on the left. To browse each competency, either click “Areas of Competency” on the navigation bar or the chevron symbol ‘>’ to the side and expand to include a list of all competencies. Or click on the link below to be taken directly to the list of competencies. Click on the text of each competency to access its page. Sections of each page can be quickly accessed via the table of contents bar on the right side of each page. Full-text search is also available at the top right of the page.