Hello reader, my name is Kristina! Welcome to the first post on the Tales at Tea Time blog!
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The Beginning
I wanted to introduce myself before I launch into writing about research, history, and books. Why am I doing this you ask? It was quite the adventure to get here, so grab your favorite beverage and I’ll tell you about it!
I was born and raised in a suburb in northern Los Angeles County. If you’ve never been to Los Angeles, yes…the traffic is as bad as you’ve seen in movies and television. After graduating high school, I attended a small, out-of-state private university where I studied studio art and developed a passion for graphic design. I will always love typography! Fonts make my heart sing!
After I graduated from college in 2010, I furthered my education by completing a certification in web development at a local community college. This opened my eyes to how the internet can harnessed to create clean and crisp-looking web pages! I have since dabbled in web design and tend to enjoy it.
Discovering Libraries & Archives
After completing my certification, I focused on working and saving money. I wasn’t sure what to do anymore. I was feeling apathetic and downtrodden about pursuing graphic design. After a few years, I was googling and came across a Library Technology program at Pasadena City College. This piqued my interest and I decided to enroll in one class to see if it was something I like. During my first class, something just….clicked. I felt like I belonged. I had found something I could potentially get paid for and enjoy doing. I ended up leaving Pasadena City College with two certifications, one focusing on Archives and Digital Collections.
During my time at Pasadena City College, numerous students applied to the online Library School at San Jose State University. I contemplated if I wanted to continue my education, and decided to apply! I waited anxiously to hear back. To my disbelief, I was accepted! I couldn’t believe that I was going to be a graduate student!
Life as a Graduate Student
I’ve always been obsessed with reading and learning. The more classes I took, the more excited I became to join the crew of librarians. As students, we picked a pathway and at first I wasn’t sure which to choose. A few seemed interesting but after completing my four core classes, I decided on the Archival Studies and Records Management pathway. This led to me joining professional organizations, completing an internship, interviewing archivists, and investigating volunteer opportunities. I also joined a couple of student groups and developed lasting friendships. I couldn’t have asked for a better graduate experience. It was a bittersweet feeling to leave the MLIS program.
Venturing into the Unknown
When I crossed that stage in May of 2024, I couldn’t believe that I had done it, I had finished grad school. I was now a proud owner of a Master’s in Library and Information Science (known to some as MLIS)!
Fun fact: The decoration on my cap was inspired by the TV show “The Librarians.” More specifically, Flynn Carsen, the Librarian and protector of the “Library” which contains magical artifacts. It is a light-hearted adventure based on the movie trilogy starting with “The Librarian: Quest for the Spear“. I recommend all of the above! A spin-off show is set to release this fall.
Since then, I have joined the Library of Congress By the People campaign, which has allowed me to gain experience transcribing archival documents. I also have connected with the Society of California Archivists and serve on the Labor, Advocacy, and Public Policy committee. I also signed up to participate in a mentorship through the Society of American Archivists and met the most wonderful archivist living in New Orleans! This is how this blog came about. I have met other extraordinary people through my mentor and felt inspired to write! Writing has always been a secret passion of mine. I hope to channel that through this blog and combine it with my love of research, history, and archives.
I hope this blog will be as meaningful to you as it is to me.
Allonsy!