Community Profiles: Alumni
Food for Thought
“I wasn’t sure I saw myself as a librarian. But having gone through [the MLIS program], I now understand the professionalism associated with this role. Now I have a larger view, and the values behind this role and why we do what we do.”
Sharon Tani
Pasadena, California
iSchool Alumna (MLIS, 2011)
Talking TechSoup for Libraries with Alumna Ginny Mies
“I love doing the research and finding librarians who have done a really amazing project… I love finding them, giving them the platform to tell their story, supplementing libraries with all of the resources we can, and allowing other libraries to find their story and get help for themselves.”
Ginny Mies
San Francisco, California
iSchool Alumna (MLIS, 2013)
The Story of Paula Pereira: Immigrant, Teacher, Librarian and Self-Published Author
“The book I wrote is the book I wish I’d read when I was an ESL student.”
Paula Pereira
Norwalk, California
iSchool Alumna (MLIS, 2009)
Patty Mapes Turns Teacher-Librarian and Earns Post-Master’s Certificate
“I feel like I am officially a teacher-librarian… Having the Post-Master’s Certificate validates and qualifies me for my position.”
Patty Mapes
Atlanta, Georgia
iSchool Alumna (Post-Master’s Certificate, 2015)
Baby Steps: Librarians and Reading Readiness
“I’m passionate about this, and that makes all the difference. I love what I do, and it’s so important for children. It’s been a really good experience, and so worthwhile.”
R. Lynn Baker
Frankfort, Kentucky
iSchool Alumna (MLIS, 2015)
All San José Libraries Are Mary Nino’s Libraries
“More and more, libraries—public as well as academic—are becoming places of community, places where people gather, where they display what they’ve created, where they work to create and collaborate. It’s really fascinating: it’s really about community.”
Mary Nino
Associate Dean, SJSU King Library
iSchool Alumna and International Advisory Council Member
The Sky’s the Limit for iSchool Special Libraries Association Chapter Presidents
San José State University School of Information alumna and student lead the Silicon Valley Chapter of the Special Libraries Association.
Virtual Collaboration with the iSchool’s Diverse Community Leads Yolande Wilburn on an LIS Adventure
Yolande Wilburn always wanted to go back to school for a master’s degree, and she looked to her own childhood for career inspiration. “I love the library, grew up there as a child, and found it to be a great way to escape,” Wilburn says. “My family wasn’t wealthy, and I’d go to the library and read all I could about places, and it was like being there.”
Librarians Will Save Us All
Alumna Brandy Buenafe loves her work. She’s not only a librarian, but a public safety bastion.
iSchool Graduate Alison Jantz: We don’t have all the answers, but we can find them
Alison Jantz found her niche, added an MLIS, and landed her dream job: director of a theological library.
Public Libraries and the Community
2010 San José State University School of Information alumnus Chris Brown went through the MLIS program with the understanding that his educational experience would be the foundation that would enable him to practice LIS work—but that the real learning process would take place by just jumping into the workplace and being a librarian.
Alumna Brighid Gonzales Garners National Award for Research Paper on Linked Data
Alumna Brighid Gonzales followed up her San José State University School of Information graduation in May 2014 by receiving an award for outstanding student writing at the annual conference of the American Library Association (ALA) in June.