iStudent Blog

Overview

iStudent Blog

Students in all of our programs, as well as applicants, will find the iStudent Blog a gold mine. Written by a current student, this blog provides important information and resources and useful advice, including posts about courses, career pathways, online learning, time management, student groups, conferences, and financial aid.

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iStudent Blog

I Survived the e-Portfolio (and How You Can Too)

Published: November 26, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro

On the first day of INFO-289, I woke up to see I had been added to Dr. Anthony Bernier’s advising site in Canvas with a dozen or so other students. I already knew Dr. Bernier from my work on the School of Information Student Research Journal, so it was nice to see a familiar face. Advisors are assigned randomly and you don’t know who your advisor is until the semester starts. Now I’m writing this article having completed my e-Portfolio several weeks early. My goal with this post is to give you a window into the process and share practical tips that will set you up for success when the time comes for you.

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Thankful for iSchool

Published: November 18, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro

Around this time last year, I wrote an article about the reasons I’m thankful to be a student at the School of Information. Now I’m at the end of my program and I have even more reasons to share with you. I also wanted to hear from you, so I reached out to my peers to find out what they are feeling grateful for as we start winding down for the Thanksgiving holiday. In addition to the flexibility, variety, professional development opportunities and supportive environment I highlighted in 2017’s post, here’s four more of the many reasons I’m grateful to be an iSchool student.

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Learn About Technology Trends at the iSchool

Published: November 13, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro

According to a new Gartner report, the top 10 strategic technology trends for 2019 include AI-driven development, virtual reality, augmented reality, blockchain and digital ethics. You have the opportunity to learn more about some of these trends during your time at the School of Information. Being prepared about technology trends that could impact your future work as an information professional will help you navigate the changes and to maximize them. Not to mention iSchool Director Dr. Hirsh shared with students that employers are looking for candidates with technological skills in her most recent virtual coffee chat

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At Home Ergonomics for Online Students

Published: November 5, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro

All of the programs offered by the iSchool are virtual, which means students are often studying at home. Whether you have a fully equipped home office or you tend to just use your laptop on the couch, taking a moment to educate yourself about ergonomics and making a few adjustments could make you more comfortable and prevent injury.

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Key Takeaways From the Fall 2018 Director’s Forum

Published: October 29, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro

Five p.m. is a little late for me to have coffee, so I brewed myself a herbal tea and sat down at the computer for the last virtual coffee chat of my iSchool career. Every semester, Dr. Sandra Hirsh, professor and director at the School of Information, hosts an informal coffee chat via Zoom to provide news and updates, as well as connect with current students and answer their questions. If you missed this semester’s forum, read on for some of the key points. You can also watch the full recording here

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Social Crisis Management Conference Highlights

Published: October 22, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro

All SJSU School of Information students are encouraged to attend the Library 2.0 conferences, or watch the recordings at the very least. They’re free, online and offer valuable experiences that extend your classroom learning. You get to hear from information professionals across the world working in all types of environments. It’s also a great networking opportunity. The third and final Library 2.018 conference of the year, “Social Crisis Management in a 21st Century World” took place on October 17. Read on for some of the highlights, then head over to the Library 2.0 website to watch the recordings.

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Exciting Classes for Spring and Summer 2019

Published: October 15, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro

I can’t believe I don’t have to think about spring and summer classes this time around! I’m excited to be in my final semester working on my e-Portfolio but at the same time sad that my iSchool experience is (almost) over. I can still help you with your class choices though! There are several things to factor in when making your decision about how many units you want to take and which classes. This post should help you – I’ll highlight some classes that I think look interesting and make sure I cover all the key points about nailing down your schedule.

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Build Your Leadership Skills at the iSchool

Published: October 1, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro

Do you see yourself leading others? Are you the next library director or branch manager? Even if you don’t aspire to be in a leadership position, leadership skills are important at any level. Leadership capabilities can help you work collaboratively with others and look ahead to new trends or issues that can impact your work environment. You might also find yourself supervising interns or volunteers. Whatever your career goals, the iSchool offers plenty of opportunities for building your leadership competence including courses, volunteer roles and some paid positions.     

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Are You Ready to be an Online Student?

Published: September 24, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro

For many of the incoming students to the SJSU School of Information, their experience with online classes is limited or non-existent. That was certainly true for me, having never taken any online classes before. This can be a cause for concern for students wondering what the online environment will be like, if they’ll miss the face-to-face interaction or just not really knowing what to expect. The iSchool provides many resources to showcase what life is like as a virtual student and to help you adjust to the new learning environment should you decide to enroll. In this article, I’ll share some of those resources and offer some points to consider in determining whether you’re ready to earn your degree on the World Wide Web.

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20 Signs You’re an iSchool Student

Published: Monday, September 17, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro

The hard work of this semester has only just begun, so I thought I’d keep it light this week with a post about being a student at the SJSU School of Information. I’m sure you’ll relate to a few of these signs from my list and hopefully chuckle at a couple of them too! If you’re a new student or thinking about applying to the iSchool, here’s a little preview of what’s in store.

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Work-From-Home LIS Careers

Published: September 10, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro

When you think of library and information science or archives and records administration careers they are usually tied to a place, that is, a library or archive! While there are many types of jobs physically located in a library or archives building, many LIS career options lend themselves to working from home.

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SLASC Members Tour Disney Animation Research Library

Published: September 4, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro

Several members of the Special Libraries Association Student Chapter (SLASC) had a rare opportunity to go behind-the-scenes at the Disney Animation Research Library (ARL) in Southern California. Motivated by a love of Disney and a curiosity about special libraries, these iSchool students got together (some travelling a considerable distance) to take a tour of a one-of-a-kind special library. In this post, I feature some of the highlights and insights of this tour from the participants. I also focus on the professional development benefits of signing up for these extracurricular activities and suggest ideas on how to take your own tours of places that interest you.

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New To iSchool? Gain Peer-to-peer Insight On Best Practices Here!

Published: Monday, August 27, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro

Welcome to the SJSU School of Information! Fall semester has just begun, so there’s no better time to create a success plan. As a student who is almost at the end of her program, I’m going to share some best practices and resources for new (and returning) students that helped me along the way. In this article, I’ll walk you through my recommendations for making the most of your iSchool experience from day one. 

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New Tool: Find An Elective Without A Core Course Prerequisite

Published: August 20, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro

You should already be familiar with the suite of tools available to help you develop your focused plan as part of the Advising Toolkit, including the Unit Planning Tool and MLIS Course Tracker. These tools can help make your life easier as you plan each semester towards completing your degree. With a wealth of classes to choose from and multiple career pathways, it can sometimes be overwhelming to narrow down your class decisions, not to mention checking if the class is intensive, how many units it is and whether or not there are prerequisites. Luckily, a new tool has been developed to save you time when trying to figure out which advanced classes you can take, based on what core courses you still need to complete

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Unexpected Benefits Of An MLIS Degree

Published: August 13, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro

From backyard projects to beefing up your resume, we’re going to talk about the less conventional benefits of your future degree. I hope this blog post gives you the confidence to transfer the skills you develop in school to your next job application or venture into uncharted territory. At the very least, this article should make you proud of your personal development every day you work towards your MLIS or MARA degree.

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Professional Associations: Info 200 Free Membership

Published: August 6, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro

So you’re about to start your first semester as an iSchool student, you just enrolled in INFO 200 and you’re not sure what professional association(s) to join. Lucky for you, I’m here to walk you through the complimentary one-year membership available to all MLIS students in INFO 200. I’ll also share some reasons why you should consider becoming a member with multiple associations, including student and local chapters.

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Get Social Media Savvy This Summer – Part 4: Blogs

Published: July 30, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro

Blogs are the original social media. Even before MySpace, which started as a blog style site, there was LiveJournal and Open Diary. We’re talking circa 1999 before y2k and broadband internet. In that sense, blogs have withstood the test of time. They can be very personal like diaries, but they can also be informational like academic journals (although never as formal or peer-reviewed). Some blogs include pictures, links and videos and others are just plain text. Most blogs allow comments (just like social media) but make sure you read the site rules before engaging in public discourse. The last thing I’d like to mention before diving into my lists of LIS blogs is that most bloggers make their contact information available should you wish to reach out to them.

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Get Social Media Savvy This Summer – Part Three: Instagram

Published: July 23, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro

In the third installment of the Social Media Summer series, we’re taking a look at Instagram. Instagram is a simple way to capture and share images and video. So why is Instagram relevant to an iSchool student? Well, aside from the fact that you can look at really cool pictures of libraries around the world, it provides a platform for visual learners to access information in a format that is best suited for them. If you are among the 40% of college students that are visual learners, which means you prefer to be taught through pictures and other visual aids, then Instagram might be the right social media choice for you.

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Get Social Media Savvy This Summer – Part Two: Facebook

Published: July 16, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro

Welcome to the second chapter of the summer series Get Social Media Savvy. Last week we talked about many of the great resources available on Twitter. This week we’re going to discuss another popular social media platform: Facebook. It’s not just for looking at pictures of your cousin’s puppy in Wichita anymore; you can leverage the platform to expand your professional network, keep up-to-date on changes in your field and discover upcoming events and job opportunities.