For first-year graduate student Emma Silvis, a degree in library and information science likely won’t land her in a library. She hopes to follow a different path than most of her classmates. This fall, Silvis became the first Master of Library and Information Science graduate assistant for the University of South Carolina Press — one of the oldest and most esteemed publishing houses in the South.

“I would love to become an acquisition editor in a publishing house after I graduate or perhaps, become an archivist to preserve and steward rare books and manuscripts,” said Silvis.

Silvis' love of books and reading began as a child in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. Following a four-year enlistment in the United States Marine Corps on Camp Pendleton in California, she relocated across the country to South Carolina to attend USC, where she first wanted to major in sports management. 

“I decided to evaluate my decision after COVID really shook up the entertainment industry,” said Silvis. “I followed my passion for reading and writing and changed my major to English.”

Silvis graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English, with a minor in African American Studies, in Spring 2024. In the last semester of her senior year, she interned for the USC Press.

Everyone at USC Press has supported me, and I feel confident in what I am learning from them.

-- Emma Silvis

“That experience really solidified that this was something I wanted to do and was passionate about,” said Silvis. “Of course, I knew books got on shelves somehow, but never really thought about publishing as a career until my internship with the USC Press.”

Under the direction of Associate Editorial Director Aurora Bell, Silvis learned various aspects of the publishing business during her internship with USC Press.

“We work with authors from the early stages of developing an idea through scholarly peer review and preparing the manuscript for production,” said Bell. “Emma is learning to write about projects for different audiences, including framing them for internal discussion and marketing them to the wider world; gaining a nuanced understanding of scholarly disciplines by researching appropriate peer reviewers; and developing advanced word-processing skills to prepare manuscripts for copyediting.”

“You might say I loved the work because I am nosy,” joked Silvis. “I enjoy seeing what other people write. Publishers get an author’s words and ideas out to the bookshelves.”

The experience with the USC Press led Silvis to continue her education this year, enrolling in a dual master’s degree program in English and library and information science (MLIS).

“I think the library science field is so forward thinking. It is ever expanding, especially in the areas of technology and diversity, equity and inclusion. This master’s degree program will certainly help me stay engaged, learning and growing no matter what career I end up in,” said Silvis.

This fall semester, Silvis earned an opportunity to further her pursuits in publishing as the USC Press’s first MLIS graduate assistant. The assistantship is open to both journalism and MLIS students.

“USC Press has been planning, internally and with the College of Information and Communications, to establish a graduate assistantship for some time, as a way to provide CIC graduate students with work experience and an opportunity to explore a new career pathway,” said Bell. “By a fantastic coincidence, Emma, one of our former undergraduate interns, was matriculating into the MLIS program when we launched the partnership, and we invited her to apply.”

As a graduate assistant, Silvis continues to build on the skills she learned during her internship.

“I am enjoying more responsibilities now,” said Silvis. “I am now drafting and publishing correspondence on my own and working on manuscripts from the ground up.”

The USC Press publishes about 35 new works each year, featuring critically acclaimed titles in Southern history, literary studies, African American and Jewish studies, civil rights and more.

“Everyone at USC Press has supported me, and I feel confident in what I am learning from them. I’m looking forward to my future career, whether it be in academic publishing or trade publishing. New York City is a hot spot for trade publishing, though I would also love to work at a University Press like USC.”

Silvis credits both the MLIS and English programs for preparing her for the work she’s doing at the USC Press. Bell agrees and said that degrees in MLIS or journalism offer students valuable perspectives on the publishing business.

“Studying library science gives one a deep understanding of some of the ways that books make their way out into the world and are actually discovered, read, and used,” said Bell. “This is valuable context for publishing professionals.”

Though her path to publishing isn’t typical, Silvis believes the skills she is learning in both degree programs, coupled with her work at the USC Press, are uniquely preparing her for her dream career in publishing.