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.
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, MLIS ‘99
Student Outreach Specialist
San José State University
iSchool Student Outreach Specialist Sheila Gurtu spent a good portion of her childhood at the public library, so it is no wonder that for her libraries “have always felt like home.”
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
Tameca Beckett has packed a lot into the last 10 years and to hear her future plans it looks like that trend will continue for at least the next 10 as well!
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
Student Engagement Librarian Uses Data to Better Connect With Students
“It is important to find meaningful ways to connect with and support our users that we haven’t historically served as well, especially in the nation’s current climate. To me this means having cultural competency, knowing who your users are, having skills that support them and making sure you are meeting their needs in a way that is relevant and useful to them.”
Steven Deineh, Instruction and Student Engagement Librarian
MiraCosta College
Oceanside, CA
MLIS Graduate Advances Career as Collections Assessment Specialist
“Take advantage of the one-credit classes and internships while you are a student. There are a lot of interesting topics and opportunities that you might not know about otherwise.”
Kayla Kipps, Collections Assessment Specialist
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, VA
MLIS Student’s Career Objective is to Empower Others
“In terms of the program, what has surprised me quite a bit is how responsive the professors have been and how much they seem invested in how their students succeed. I know there are a lot of students so I can see how it could be difficult for professors to show that they care for each individual, but I got the sense that they all want us to succeed in this field and to grow and gain as much knowledge as we can while we are taking courses with them.”
Andrew Chae
Substitute Teacher and MLIS Student
East Bay, CA
Stanford E-Resources Coordinator Values Community at the iSchool and Beyond
“Being a part of the student chapter of SLA was very helpful in making connections, some of whom I keep in contact with still. There are two other librarians on Stanford campus who are members of the local SLA chapter. Being a member is something that is appreciated at my job by people in higher positions, who understand the value of taking part in these associations.”
Yael Hod, Electronic Resources Acquisitions Coordinator
Stanford University Libraries
Palo Alto, CA
Metadata Librarian Stays Current With Post-Master’s Certificate in Web Programming
“As a metadata librarian, I like to work on projects that will be beneficial to my institution, but also in areas where I see a need. I like to collaborate with others and stay up-to-date on what is new in the field. It is so important to keep yourself connected with the professional community.”
Marina Morgan, Metadata Librarian
Florida Southern College
Lakeland, FL
Teacher Librarian Gains Credential and Connections at the iSchool
“I think that being at SJSU has made me more open minded about all the things technology is allowing us to do. I also enjoy having the freedom to work at my own pace in my own time. I think that has been really convenient and helpful as a working professional.”
Indira Chakrabarti
Teacher Librarian
Union City, CA
iSchool Blog Writer Looks Ahead to Career in Content Management
“I recommend getting a student assistant job and getting involved with whatever looks interesting to you. Join student groups, be on a committee, do things to help build your resume while you are in school. I learned so much from being the blog writer and just talking and interviewing other people about what they do, what they did, what they are interested in, what their advice is, etc.”
Priscilla Ameneyro, ‘18 MLIS
Content Specialist at VSP Global
Sacramento, CA
Post Master’s Certificate Student Presents on Book to Action Program at CLA Conference
“This program has given me the opportunity to do something that I have always wanted to do in a structured way and also provided me with the framework for my sabbatical project.”
Anthony Lin
Librarian, Irvine Valley College
Irvine, CA
Community College Librarian Looks to the iSchool’s Open Classes for Continuing Education in the Field of LIS
“It has worked extremely well for me to be able to continue to take classes and be involved in academic studies but not be a degree seeker. It is a great opportunity to continue my education and be excited about my career.”
Anne Chernaik
Librarian, College of Lake County
Grayslake, IL
Sarah Edwards Obenauf Uses MLIS and Advanced Certificate as Librarian at New Mexico Tech
“I am putting the [advanced] certificate to good use now at the library at New Mexico Tech. We are trying to figure out how to get our archives up and running online. The classes that I took in digital asset management are definitely going to translate over into the real world sooner rather than later.”
Sarah Edwards Obenauf
Public Services and Instruction Librarian, New Mexico Tech
Albuquerque, New Mexico
MLIS Student Joy Kim Expands Experience with Multiple Internships
“Every internship was so unique and different. The greatest takeaway is that librarianship comes in all shapes and sizes! I was grateful to experience so many ways to be an information professional and I loved all of them! It will be really hard to decide where to end up after I finish the program this fall.”
Joy Kim
MLIS Student, SJSU
Bay Area, California
Melissa Ward Brings Tech Experience and Energy to the ALASC
“Being a part of the ALASC has been a highlight of my time at SJSU. I love the library tours that the ALASC hosts at various libraries including the one where I work at Blizzard Entertainment. Being able to go behind the scenes to see what everyone is doing that is so different has been really fun.”
Melissa Ward
Chair, ALASC
Irvine, California