Support Emrys’ Journey to Ireland to Study Library Science

Emrys Chalfoun is organizing this fundraiser.

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Hello, all! I’m Emrys (he/they), an aspiring librarian. In September, I am going to University College Dublin (UCD) to start the Master’s in Library Science program. I have already accepted the offer and am working as many hours as possible to raise funds, as well as making the last necessary plans to make this happen. Even though I’m very close, I currently won’t have quite enough money to cover necessary expenses for my first semester. So here I am, asking for your help in making my dream of becoming a librarian come true.

Why is this so important to me? I have always loved libraries. I spent a significant amount of my childhood at libraries, and there were many many trips to the library which ended in us taking out more books than we had returned. I remember getting to know some of the libraries so well that I knew exactly which shelves had the books I was looking for.

Once I got my first chance to work in my college library, I knew that it was the career I would thrive most in. I love working with books! It’s really inspiring to see interesting books which I would never encounter otherwise during my shifts at work. I also really enjoy interacting with library patrons. It’s fun to get to know them and their interests, and to help people find the books, resources, and spaces they need that the library can provide.

Surprisingly, library jobs are really competitive at the moment. People who have a degree in library science get a significantly wider job market and higher priority, which is why I have decided to go back to school. I am dedicated to this career path, and truly, this is the only real option. However, as with every degree in higher education, and especially with the rising interest in this field, I am in need of monetary assistance. Even with the scholarships I have acquired and the lower cost of public education at UCD, schooling costs are not insignificant, and the cost of living in Ireland is significantly higher than in the US.

I did a lot of research into my options for library science master’s programs in the US and abroad. Three main factors informed my selection process: location, price, and length. Quality of education was also key, but more comparable across programs, and the one I chose is the best I found for my combination of needs and requirements.

Doing a program outside of the US has a number of other benefits as well. This program will be a great way for me to more deeply experience and learn about Ireland, a place I loved when I visited briefly and wanted to see for years even before that. UCD is one of the top universities in Ireland, and because of the difference in their system, I will have my degree much sooner than I would at any US institution. Also, because I am trans and neurodivergent, being in the US is currently extremely stressful and slowly getting more dangerous. So I am very much looking forward to getting the chance to have space between myself and that danger.

Thank you so much for your time and whatever support you are able to offer. This is really important to me, and I cannot express in writing my excitement at seeing this dream becoming a reality.

Thanks,

Emrys

Questions:

- How much is the cost for your degree at UCD?

The full cost of the Master’s is 22,600 Euro. I am very lucky to have gotten a scholarship which means that my tuition for the full program will only be 14,600 Euro.

- How much money do you need?

Upon arrival in Ireland and registration for my Irish Residence Permit, I will need proof that I have 13000 euros, separated into 6000 euros of tuition paid in advance and direct access to 7000 euros per year of study (detailed here ).

I have enough savings to cover most of what I need, but I currently will not have enough to cover the monetary requirements set by the Irish government if I rely solely on my current income. In addition to these monetary requirements, I also need to have enough money in advance to cover private medical insurance, housing, transport, Irish Residence Permit registration fees, etc.

Once I have my Irish Residence Permit, I will be able to work, with a maximum of 20 hours per week during the school year, which will make it possible for me to pay for the rest of my program fees and monthly costs.

- Why UCD?

There are a number of reasons as to why this is the best program for me. With the scholarship, this program is the cheapest and shortest in-person Library Science Masters program that I considered.

Most US MLIS programs take at least 1.5 years for a full-time student. The program at UCD is one year (three trimesters) for a full-time student.

Even the cheapest MLIS programs in the US are approximately $17,000 for the total program. No matter what program I am enrolled in I will have to pay for housing somewhere, as well as having the same sorts of monthly costs I currently have. With the scholarship, the UCD program is cheaper than any US program, and although some living costs are higher in Ireland, it is not incredibly more expensive compared to where I am currently living.

Most of the cheaper US MLIS programs are online. Having spent a significant portion of my time studying as an undergraduate during the pandemic, I am absolutely certain that online programs would be a bad choice for me. The program at UCD would be fully in person.

- Documents

I’m happy to share proof of my acceptance and enrollment, but I do want to make it clear that the name on these documents is my deadname, since I have not yet been able to go through the name change process and I do not see that being an option for the foreseeable future.

If you have any other questions, please feel free to reach out to me.

If you can think of other ways to support, I would love to hear from you as well. Thank you again for your support!

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