Last week, the Tribune published a press release from Emporia State University (ESU) announcing the awarding of a Master of Library Science degree to West Custer County Library’s Administrative Co-Director, Janet Rhodes. We thought it appropriate to drop in on Rhodes to see how she is applying the learnings from her advanced degree to the services she and staff colleagues provide the community. Turns out, “community” is one of the key reference points for Rhodes’ motivation to have pursued this degree rather late in her professional and working life. Her specialty within the Emporia MLS program was “Outreach and Engagement,” an area of study and professional development that reflects how libraries and the use of libraries has changed over these last few decades. “This is what I want to…
