This is the fourth in a series of interviews with the 2022 MLStEP board. We will be sharing new interviews with our officers and liaisons in the weeks leading up to the Music Library Association Conference in early March.

Alyssa Nance (she/her) is finishing her term as the MLStEP Southeast Liaison. She works as an Institutional Repository Metadata Analyst at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

What are your areas of interest in music librarianship? Cataloging, open access, copyright, and special collections.

Why did you choose librarianship as a career path? While taking courses in Music History at Bowling Green State University, I worked in the Music Library & Sound Recording Archives. I loved it and knew I wanted to pursue work in the field.

What was your favorite part of library school? My practicum! It was interesting, fun, and a great learning experience.

What has been your best experience as a member of MLA and/or MLStEP? The virtual social interactions have been excellent! I was very uncomfortable and felt awkward at first, but it’s been nice to feel like I’ve settled in some and to have gotten to know some people in both MLStEP and MLA. I don’t think this would have been possible if we were only meeting face-to-face.

What advice would you give to a beginning library student? Don’t take the “history of the book” class. You probably won’t use it. Do look for ways you can apply your interests to open-ended assignments, and do look for relevant work experiences.

Do you have anything else to add? I’m exiting as the Southeast Chapter liaison, but I’m still happy to answer any questions or help connect folks if I can!

Use the button below to connect with Alyssa. Stay tuned for the next interview!