Community Profiles
Community Profiles
Get to know our students, alumni and instructors by reading about their backgrounds, interests, professional goals, favorite courses, accomplishments, careers, and more fascinating experiences. These stories cover a wide range of topics and showcase the talents of our vibrant global community.
Community Archives Volunteer Looks Forward to Career in Librarianship
“I really enjoy connecting youth and family to their favorite things while finding pathways to empower them. Librarianship is a career that will let me connect those things as well as also allow me to serve my community on a larger level.”
Monica Vega Latona
MLIS Student (degree expected spring 2020)
Library Assistant, Sacramento Public Library
Sacramento, California
Bethany Winslow Welcomes the SJSU Community into the Virtual World
“We have to stop thinking in analog. The virtual world has been around for 16 years now. It’s time to join in!”
Bethany Winslow, M.S.Ed.
Instructional Designer, San José State University
Community Virtual Library Hypergrid Resources Project Head
San José, CA
Catching Up With Dr. Michele Villagran
“As we continue to work in diverse workplaces, we have to consider how our own understanding, practices and behaviors impact how effective we are in our interactions.”
Michele A.L. Villagran, Ed.D, MSLS, MBA., MDR.
Assistant Professor, SJSU School of Information
CEO and President, CulturalCo, LLC
Alhambra, California
Media Literacy Advocate Using her MLIS Degree to Promote Information Literacy
“I thought I had to work in a library in order to honor my MLIS degree. Now, I am working for libraries, which is even better!”
Donnell Probst, MLIS 2018
Associate Director, National Association for Media Literacy
Education
St. Louis, Missouri
Dr. Daulby Prepares Students for a Future in Information Governance
“We can’t just think in terms of traditional records and information management anymore. Information Governance is where this field is going.”
Lisa Daulby PhD, IGP, CRM
Lecturer, San José State University iSchool
INFO 298 Student Helps Improve iSchool Support Services
“I have found librarianship to be a vocation for me. I was called to this work.”
Jessica Walker
MLIS (degree expected Spring 2020)
Children’s Services Aide, Oakland Public Library
Oakland, California
Graduate Fellowship Award Winner Sets Her Focus on Under-Resourced Communities
“I love being a student at the iSchool because the time we save in not having to commute to a campus means more time we can spend on learning!”
Deana Uribe, (degree expected 2020)
Messenger Clerk, Los Angeles Public Library System
Los Angeles, California
MLIS Graduate Finds Home in Academic Librarianship
“Volunteering counts, too! You don’t need to rely only on internships to gain library work experience.”
Jerry Limberg, ‘17 MLIS
Librarian, Saddleback Community College
Adjunct Professor, Palomar Community College
Carlsbad, California
iSchool Student Terry Schiavone Published in Peer-Reviewed Journal
“There are a lot of feels when anticipating the possibility of your own work being published.”
Terry Schiavone
MLIS Student (degree anticipated 2020)
Digital Processing Specialist
Penn State University Libraries
Librarianship Opens Career Opportunities for iSchool Graduate Dedicated to Adult Programs
“My iSchool education opened my eyes to what is possible in the library field.”
Jenny Shonk, ‘16 MLIS
Continuing Education and Outreach Librarian
Finger Lakes Library System
Ithaca, New York
International Studies and Legal Work Lead to a Career in Law Librarianship
“With the iSchool MLIS classes, I was able to tailor my assignments to fit my library work.”
Jessica Pierucci, ‘16 MLIS
Research Law Librarian
Foreign, Comparative and International Law
University of California, Irvine
MLIS Skills Prove Valuable in Marketing the 21st Century Library
“At the iSchool, I felt support from the very beginning in the first introductory course all the way through.”
Jasmin LoBasso, ‘19 MLIS
Marketing Division
Kern County Library
Bakersfield, California
MLIS Student Finds Success Taking a Non-Traditional Path
“Prospective students may think that an online program means students will be isolated and alone in their work. I’ve made great friends! They’ve been so supportive both in and outside of my classes.”
Rachel Hatcher
MLIS Student (degree expected 2021)
Library Technician, Santa Barbara Unified School District
Santa Barbara, California
MLIS Student Focuses on Community in Library Outreach
“The fact that I can stay ahead of the undergraduate students who walk through my library’s doors says so much about the quality of what the iSchool is teaching us.”
Rosa Conrad
MLIS Student (degree expected 2021)
Library Services Specialist, California State University San
Marcos
Fallbrook, CA
iSchool Alumna Enjoys Role in Online Student Outreach
“I had such kind and encouraging advisors when I was a student here. It’s gratifying to be able to give back.”
Sheila Gurtu, ‘99 MLIS
Student Outreach Specialist
San José State University
Family and Travel Open the World of Librarianship to MLIS Graduate
“Focus on people. Libraries are about people.”
Tameca Beckett, ‘18 MLIS
Reference and Access Services Librarian
Dover, Delaware
iSchool Alumna Finds Second Career at SJSU
“To those of you second-career people…it isn’t easy, but it CAN BE DONE…and it is worth doing!”
Ann Agee
Academic Liaison Librarian & Online Learning Librarian
King Library, San José, CA
iSchool Student Uses the MLIS Program to Forge Her Career Path
“Don’t be afraid to live in the academic gray areas. Take the opportunities this program has to offer and run with them.”
Havilah Steinman
MLIS Student, SJSU
Oceanside, California
iSchool Alumna Explores Both Archives and Public Librarianship After Graduation
“One of the reasons I chose to do SJSU’s program was because I needed to continue to work. There was no way that I could just go to school full time, and SJSU is really flexible in that regard. One semester I took five classes, worked, did the e-Portfolio and I look back and don’t know how I did it, but somehow I made it all work.”
Patricia Delara
Librarian, Daly City Public Library
Daly City, CA
iSchool Graduate Finds Exciting Opportunities in Los Angeles
“Try to meet other people working in the field or who are studying similar things. I was really glad I got to work in a public library while I was going to school. The internships also helped me meet a diverse group of people with different skill sets, so just try to get out there as much as you can. Build your network out not just up, as we were told during the Academy Gold program. Build connections with your peers so you can all bring yourselves up in the process.”
Gerard Collins
Resident Archivist, LA as Subject
Burbank, CA