Career Blog: Choosing a Career
Alternative LIS Career Spotlight: Working at EBSCO
Published: March 23, 2023 by Hannah Nguyen
Have you ever explored working for a library vendor? Vendors in
the library and information science space make a massive impact
by serving libraries all over the world. Many of these
organizations share the same philosophy and goals as information
professionals, and your experience and field of study should make
you a competitive candidate. I spoke with Tammy Ross, the Senior
Product Marketing Manager at EBSCO Information Services (and
iSchool alumni) about her career with one of the largest research
databases serving libraries.
Getting Started in Medical Librarianship – Q & A with Katie Eidem
Published: February 22, 2023 by Hannah Nguyen
Have you been curious about medical librarianship? Medical
libraries fit under the umbrella of special libraries and allow
you to support the medical community by improving access to
critical health and medical information. On any given day, you
might be working with patients, practitioners, students, or the
general public. Although many medical librarians have degrees
related to the medical field, it isn’t a requirement. So how
should you get started?
How to Choose Your Career Pathway
Published: February 1st, 2023 by Hannah Nguyen
Many students enter grad programs without a clear direction or
lose sight of their original focus once they realize how many
career options are available. Since
a significant amount of iSchool students are making a career
change, it is understandable that they want to be sure they’re
making a wise decision. So, let’s discuss some ideas and
resources that will help you make a pathway choice you can feel
confident about!
Take a Virtual Selfie of Your Career Preferences with this Valuable Tool
Published: October 19, 2020 by Jillian Collins
Imagine asking yourself a set of “career preference” questions five years ago, the same questions five years from now, and those very same questions today: would the three of ‘you’ agree that you prefer working within a youth library, or that you prefer academic libraries? How many co-workers make up your ideal work setting? And do you like what you are doing? Depending on how much work experience you’ve had so far, you may not be sure about your responses, but that just means that now is the perfect time to take advantage of one of the most useful career resources, the self-assessment. Even better, keep it updated as you progress through the program and you’re exposed to new ideas and career options. Consider the self-assessment as an extremely valuable career check in and check list.
A Diploma and a Plan: What to Do After Graduation
Published: June 26, 2018 by Evelyn Hudson
If you just graduated a few weeks ago and are wondering, “What am I supposed to do now?”—the iSchool offers excellent webinars that answer that very question.
For example, the “Graduated – Now What?” webinar explains the smart steps to take once you toss your tassel. Jill Klees, iSchool Career Liaison, hosted this helpful webinar.
It’s Parliamentary: Leadership in a Government Library
Published: May 19, 2018 by Evelyn Hudson
Think your MLIS degree will keep you in the background? Think again.
“New MLIS holders are often reluctant or don’t quite understand how quickly they will find themselves in management and leadership positions,” Dr. Cheryl Stenstrom explains.
With this knowledge, how can we as MLIS students prepare to be successful leaders?
Library Leadership: Taking Charge in the Public Library
Published: April 6, 2018 by Evelyn Hudson
Many employers look for leaders. But what does that mean in the library world? A new series of webinars aims to answer that question.
Books Behind Bars: An Inside Look at Correctional Librarianship
Published: March 30, 2018 by Evelyn Hudson
As students deeply entrenched in the library world, you’ve probably read about the recent controversy over books in New York correctional institutions. If not, let me catch you up. This past January, it was reported that inmates would no longer be able to receive packages except from a few carefully selected vendors. This would mean that families can no longer send comfort items from home, including books, and inmates only have access to the few books sold by the approved vendors.
The Wonderful World of Disney’s Animation Research Library
Published: February 9, 2018 by Evelyn Hudson
Special librarians, such as those at Disney, provide library services in a non-library-based environment.
LIS Jobs in Pharma and Beyond
Published: November 7, 2017 by Kate M. Spaulding
Are you interested in a career outside of academic or public libraries? Are you curious about LIS jobs in the pharmaceutical industry or another STEM area? Do you want to know what job titles to search for beyond “librarian”? Then I wholeheartedly recommend you watch a recent Career Development webcast: Information Management Roles in Pharmaceutical Companies.
Transferable Skills and the LIS Degree
Published: November 1, 2017 by Kate M. Spaulding
Are you interested in a career outside of a traditional library environment? SJSU’s Student Chapter of the Association for Information Science and Technology (ASIS&T) has an outstanding webinar coming up! On Thursday, November 2 at 5:30pm Pacific, join ASIS&T and Jill Klees for “Transferable skills and the LIS degree: How to market your LIS skills to job markets outside of libraries.”
LIS Jobs in Pharma: What They Are, Where They Are, and How to Land One
Published: October 20, 2017 by Kate M. Spaulding
Have you thought about a LIS career that’s NOT in a library? If so, or if your curiosity is piqued, join the Career Development team on Wednesday, October 25 at 5:30pm Pacific for LIS Jobs in Pharma: What They Are, Where They Are, and How to Land One. Mindy Beattie, Associate Director of Library & Information Sciences at Gilead Sciences, will present via Collaborate, and it sounds both interesting and informative.
New Career Pathway: Data Science
Published: September 22, 2017 by Kate M. Spaulding
There’s a new career pathway: Data Science. Check out the suggested courses that can help you land the “sexiest job of the 21st century.”
The iSchool recently introduced a new career pathway – Data Science. Perhaps this doesn’t strike you as very library-sounding? It may not seem so at first, but after learning a little more about what data science is, it makes total sense.
Bridget Thrasher – From Earth Science PhD to Stanford Librarian
Published: September 8, 2017 by Kate M. Spaulding
As part of my effort to explore the available LIS career paths, I reached out to some SJSU iSchool alumni to learn about their jobs. The third stop on this career tour was Bridget Thrasher (previous stops: Digital Music Librarian and Public Librarian).
Your LIS Career Starts Here
Published: Tuesday, September 5, 2017 by Kate M. Spaulding
Whether you are a new iSchool student or tackling your eportfolio, Jill Klees wants you to know what tools are available to you as you navigate the LIS world. On Wednesday, September 6, she’s holding a Collaborate session to help you jumpstart your career: Your LIS Career Starts Here.
Aisha Washington – From Teacher to Public Librarian
Published: September 1, 2017 by Kate M. Spaulding
As part of my effort to explore the available LIS career paths, I reached out to some SJSU iSchool alumni to learn about their jobs. The second stop on this career tour was 2011 graduate Aisha Washington. She’s a Librarian at San Mateo Public Library, which is how I know her (I’m a Library Assistant there).
Stefanie Vartabedian – From Music Nerd to Apple’s Digital Music Librarian
Published: August 4, 2017 by Kate M. Spaulding
2016 graduate Stefanie Vartabedian takes us on her career journey and shares the best career advice.
Dr. Franks and MARA Career Paths
Published: June 6, 2017 by Kate M. Spaulding
“We have seen a rise in the number of positions available using the term ‘Information Governance’ in the title,” says Dr. Franks.
Insight Abounds in the 2017 Emerging Trends Report
Published: May 30, 2017 by Kate M. Spaulding
This year’s snapshot report of LIS jobs has a wealth of information and career tips; it’s very much worth your while to look through the slides.
Supercharge Your Career with an Internship
Published: May 16, 2017 by Kate M. Spaulding
Did you know the iSchool maintains an Internship Database? It does! There are virtual and on-site positions, as well as both paid and unpaid internships. You can search by city, organization type, keyword, and more; you also can save listings that intrigue you. The opportunities in the database have all be vetted by the school, so you can be confident that: