A lot of people go to library school because they want to change the world. They want to help others, promote literacy, and all those good things, but mid-way through an MLIS program, many students feel a sense of not being able to make a difference because they’re “just a student.” If full-fledged librarians have trouble making a difference, what could a librarian in training possibly do to help?

I’m not going to write a full rant about how students have more opportunities and influence than they realize (at least, I’m not going to write one right now); instead, I’m going to offer a concrete example of how students (and librarians too!) can change the world.

A group of McGill SIS students (some of whom are no longer technically students, but now recent grads) and one librarian have organized a trip to Guatemala. As members of Librarians Without Borders, they will be volunteering at a school and helping to develop a new library; in fact, they are probably doing volunteer work as I write this post. Check out their blog to learn more about their adventure, and then consider organizing a similar trip at your school!