Hi! My name is Molly McKinney and I am about halfway through the MLIS program (going part time). I grew up in in Ithaca, NY, and attended Smith College in Northampton, MA. After college I worked as an acquisitions assistant in a business school library, but it didn’t occur to me to get my MLS then, although I liked my job. I moved out to California about 20 years ago. Capitalizing on my (ahem) incredibly practical religious history and archaeology major, I started working as a technical writer. I also met my husband, Sean, here in the Bay Area.

At the moment I am a stay at home mom to our two boys. They are in elementary school now (3rd and 5th grade) and I volunteer a lot at the school–in the library, running a recess Lego club. and administering and teaching in a program that brings more art and music to the classrooms.I teach art lessons in three classes and manage volunteer docents to teach the rest.

As the boys got older I started to look around for going-back-to-work possibilities, and I became interested in LIS studies. The online program works very well with my life as a mom and school volunteer. I am very interested in the emerging technologies pathway, especially since it ties in pretty well with my technical writing background. I am also trying to hedge my bets and cover academic librarianship as well.

I love to read (including a habit of constantly re-reading old favorites like George Eliot and Jane Austen, Agatha Christie, and Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings). I decorate cakes, and I like to play computer games, go hiking, and cook.

We all love to travel; the kids have got the travel bug from us too. Last summer we took the boys on an extensive trip in the west (Joshua Tree, Grand Canyon, Zion, Cedar Breaks, Bryce).

Bryce Canyon, Queen’s Garden Trail

Now the boys are badgering us to go to “Middle Earth” next (i.e., New Zealand–did I mention they also have the LOTR bug?) We also have a cat who is named Samwise (because of course he is). Unlike his namesake, our Samwise does not accompany us on our travels, and is always thrilled and irked when we come home (thrilled to see the boys, irked with me for leaving).

The human kittens are back, purr purr

I look forward to going through this class and getting you know all of you!