Women's and Gender Studies

Anna Dinkel

Graduate Student in Library and Information Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
Public Services Assistant at University of Wisconsin-Madison Archives
iSchool Reference Assistant at Ebling Library
UWO ’19 History major, Women’s and Gender Studies minor

What do you do during a typical day at work?

A typical day might consist of a mixture of both work and school for me. As a full-time graduate student, I am preparing to enter the field of public libraries after graduation next spring. In the iSchool program we are reminded to bring our selves to the classroom—including our personal experiences. As a future librarian, this is extremely important as we discuss and plan for our future careers, and what that will look like in the field of 21st-century librarianship.
A typical day of work could be one of two hats that I wear. I work part-time at the University Archives, which means I am interacting daily with students, faculty, and most often community members, solving in-depth archival questions. This could mean I am trying to find information about a past family member, finding resources for a research project, or sifting through our enormous photo collection for a certain something. I also write monthly blogs for the archives and assist with ongoing projects for other staff members. At Ebling Library, the health sciences library for the UW Madison campus, I also serve in a reference capacity. Here, I help students, staff and the community navigate our collection, services, and digital equipment. Since we are one of the few libraries open to the public on campus, I also help community members find medical information and conduct simple searches using our databases.

Why did you choose UWO?

I chose UW Oshkosh not because I knew exactly what job I wanted but because I knew what I loved to study, and they made it available to me. I know I am a liberal arts fanatic, but that’s okay, because UW Oshkosh allowed me to pursue those talents and develop them into making me a better human, and making me qualified for whatever career path I would land in. Both my major, minor, and my job experience at UW Oshkosh developed my leadership skills and gave me confidence that I would be able to be successful in graduate school. Moreover, my love for UW Oshkosh was deeply rooted in the amazing professors and mentors that I met along the way.

How has Women’s and Gender Studies influenced your career path?

My minor has played a large role in making me the person I am today. As I said I am a better human being—and while I am not saying being a good human will get you everywhere in life, it will certainly get you somewhere, and it’s probably somewhere you want to be. My minor has given me the skills to be empathetic, kind, and understanding, and to stand up for what I believe in in the workplace. It has also taught me to see differently and be confident in my aspirations. I have no doubt that it will continue to become more important as I start my career and enter into public libraries.

Do you have any advice you’d like to share with current students?

As I have continued my education I feel as though I continue to learn more and more. My first piece of advice, as my parents have always told me, is to never stop learning. Keep your mind active and try to find something new to engage with every day. I know this seems difficult in school, but it is a good reminder for when you are stuck in the doldrums of work life. My second piece of advice is that it is important to escape from your phone. I can’t stress how important it is to stop and take time for yourself that doesn’t include any digital devices—and I’m not just saying this because I like books. There are plenty of hobbies and inconsequential fun you can have without a device in your hand, and it might just affect your mood and maybe even who you are.