Alumni

Marie O'Neill

Career Path: Deputy Librarian, Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology
Location: Dublin, Republic of Ireland

Former: Head of Library Services, Dublin Business School.

I have worked in the library profession for twenty years in a variety of libraries including Law, Medical, Government and University. Twenty years ago, I obtained a graduate diploma in Library & Information Studies after I completed my degree. As the Manager of an academic library however, I felt that it was important to be educated to Masters level. I also wanted to refresh my knowledge. This is why I decided to pursue the masters programme at Northumbria.

What was it about Northumbria that made you decide to study here?

The programme of study that I undertook was recommended to me by a graduate of the programme. She spoke extremely highly of programme in terms of the the quality of lecturing staff, academic support and programme content.

What was it like studying at Northumbria?

As a distance learning student, I was extremely impressed with the quality of programme materials and library resources provided via the Virtual Learning Environment, Blackboard. I was equally impressed with the level of support and guidance provided by faculty of the programme via Blackboard, email and phone. Although I was a distance learning student studying outside of the UK, I at no stage felt isolated or at sea in terms of programme content or assignment requirements. Faculty were always on hand to field questions. Studying at Northumbria was an extremely positive and rewarding experience.

What impressed you most about our academic staff?

Faculty were always on hand to provide advice and guidance. They provided incisive and constructive feedback throughout the course.

How connected was your course with industry?

The course is highly relevant to the industry that I work in. I did not do a work placement as I was a distance learning student. I work in the library sector however so could readily appreciate the relevance of the programme to what I do on a daily basis.

How did studying at Northumbria help you achieve your career goals/give your career an edge?

The programme has been critical for me in terms of my career goals. It has refreshed my knowledge; given me more confidence in my current role and opened the door to new opportunities should I wish to avail of them. The programme has enhanced by proficiency as a librarian. As someone who loves the library profession, that is very important to me.

What was the best thing about your course?

My supervisor Biddy Casselden was highly impressive in terms of the encouragement, guidance and insight that she provided whilst I was completing the course. The organisation of the course; its content and its delivery is also superb.

Which skills/knowledge did you learn on your course that you use most now throughout your career?

The research methods module and the dissertation module were critical modules for me. Publishing in the academic literature is important for the modern day librarian. I plan to use the data generated in my dissertation to write my first academic paper for a journal. I would like to write academic papers for library journals throughout my career and the programme at Northumbria has given me the impetus and skills to do this.