Community Profiles: Public Librarianship
Inspirational Trainer and Podcaster Maurice Coleman
“I like it when someone is successful, and I helped them get there.”
Maurice Coleman, SJSU Podcaster
Baltimore, Maryland
Transitioning From Bookstores to Librarianship
Leo Buckley is an MLIS student in his first semester at San José State University. He is of Irish heritage and is a quarter Japanese.
Leo Buckley, MLIS student
San Francisco, CA
Learning and Working Through Illness with Valerie Tohom
“There’s so many resources out there for students – don’t let your status as a student hold you back! A lot of people like that you’re a student because they know you have a desire to learn.”
Valerie Tohom, MLIS expected ‘24
Los Angeles, CA
Becoming an Instruction Librarian with Michael Stephens
“Now I like to say it’s a class in humanism and library services masquerading as a technology class because we do a lot with technology, but it really, really is about making connections with people. And how we might help them and serve their needs to live good lives in whatever information environment these folks are in.”
Michael Stephens
SJSU iSchool Professor
Checking out BookTok with Mychal Threets
“I think we just have fun with it. Me and the people who work on Library TikTok pride ourselves on embracing the cringe. I think as more and more people see library coworkers having fun with TikTok, you’ll see them start to submit ideas or be willing to participate themselves.”
Mychal Threets, ‘18 MLIS
Fairfield, California
Creating User-Friendly Libraries with Library Consultant Aaron Schmidt
“User experience is the framework that allows us as librarians to think about our services from the perspective of how our communities interact with them. It’s this great but also common sense idea that people have needs and expectations. Instead of approaching our services, our buildings, and our websites to solve needs for the library, we need to flip that around and listen to our communities and design things for them instead of designing things for us.”
Aaron Schmidt
SJSU, iSchool Instructor
Finding Support Through Library School with Alejandra Reyes
“I’ve learned that librarianship is about building relationships. Yes, we have a lot of resources. But as a librarian, it is our job to like to see which resources work for each specific person. Librarians have to be adaptable – they always tell you to have a backup plan because you never know. I feel like that’s what we are. We’re adaptable. We’re flexible. We’re ready to help.”
Alejandra Reyes, ‘20 MLIS
Los Angeles, CA
Alessandra Gonzalez on Working as a Library Communications Manager
“The degree helped, but everything outside of it just put me onto another level – all the experience, all the people I connected with, the opportunities that came from joining clubs and working is unreal. I honestly don’t think I’d have all the opportunities I have right now if I didn’t get involved or put myself out there.”
Alessandra Gonzalez, MLIS ‘21
Anaheim, CA
Fostering Community in Special Libraries with Max Gonzalez Burdick
“The roles that libraries or archives play in actively impacting the Hispanic or Latinx community is limitless. I have also conducted bilingual storytimes in both English and Spanish, not only to help the Hispanic community but to also help civilians who wish to speak in Spanish. It’s really a collaborative effort in trying to enrich the community with diversity; a much-needed sentiment in everyday life.”
Max Gonzalez Burdick
SJSU MLIS, Expected Spring ‘23
Christina Chavez Nelson On Finding Her Destiny in Library Work
“I would definitely tell my younger self, don’t get married to the idea of the traditional journey. That’s not gonna be your life. You’re gonna do it in all different kinds of ways. And you know what, that’s okay, too. Just keep going with whatever is working for you. Life really is too short and you don’t want to sit there with your what-ifs.”
Christina Chavez Nelson
SJSU MLIS Projected ‘26
Adulting: Teaching and Writing About Life Skills with Kimberli Buckley
“I want to be a mentor. That’s my goal. [When] working with a staff I really like to find out what their strengths are, what areas they really enjoy or don’t like as much, so then we can build on that and make it so that they can be successful.”
Kimberli Buckley, ‘11 MLIS
Preserving Family History with Harold T. Pinkett Student of Color Award Winner Erin Castillo
“The award has really been the cherry on top to say, ‘you’re on the right path. Just keep going. Trust your instincts, follow your interests and what you enjoy.’ That’s what the award means to me – that my idea is something that is not available in every community right now, but could be beneficial.”
Erin Castillo, ‘23 MLIS
Los Angeles, CA
Paving The Way In Youth Librarianship with Jane Gov
“You need to know that you’re going to fail. I think there’s this perception that all of my programs are successful, and they’re not. That’s a misconception. It’s not that they’re failures, there’s always a learning curve.”
Jane Gov, ‘11 MLIS
Pasadena, CA
Understanding Good Library Management with Tiffany Duck
“I like being a manager. I know it can be stressful but I really like it. I think it gives you the opportunity to help shape people’s work and help them grow and get to where they want to go professionally.”
Tiffany Duck, ‘13 MLIS
Suffolk, VA
A Life of Libraries with Stephanie Saba
“I love libraries. I love this profession. You just meet so many amazing people every day…I just love it. Like I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.”
Stephanie Saba, ‘12 MLIS
Pacifica, CA
Jessica Pryde On Diversifying Your Career and Your Bookshelf
“I definitely recommend trying things out – take the classes that you’re interested in, do various types of internships if you can afford it. Get certain jobs if you can’t, and just sort of let your interests take you. You could find something perfect for you that you just didn’t expect.”
Jessica Pryde, ‘09 MLIS
Tucson, AZ
Student Carlos Bugarin: Leadership, Librarianship, and Lending a Helping Hand
“Everyone inspires me. Everyone has something different to contribute. The people I’ve interacted with have helped drive my passion for working with/helping others out. It’s like composing research in Library and Information Sciences - you start with a general idea, and it sharpens as you do more research.”
Carlos Bugarin, MLIS (degree expected Spring 2023)
San Diego, CA
Adrienne Bogard’s Role as a Floating Librarian
“We have policies and procedures that are across the board, that everybody follows, so the big stuff is all the same no matter where you are. But then things like workflow, the collection, how the collection is laid out, that changes from library to library. When you first start it can be quite challenging to remember all the details of the branch you’re working at that day.”
Adrienne Bogard, iSchool MLIS Student
Librarian at the Allen County Public Library
Fort Wayne, Indiana
MLIS Student, Librarian and Community Advocate
“I just want people to know that there is importance in working in rural communities… The community that recognizes you, and gets to know you, there is this bond that I can’t explain.”
Hope Saldivar, MLIS Student (degree expected spring
2023)
Library Associate, Yolo County Libraries, Knights Landing
Branch.
Davis, California.
iSchool Alumna Provides Access to the Spanish Speaking Community
“Being the Multilingual Collections manager allows me to continue to raise awareness about the library that connects, engages and resonates with diverse Angelenos.”
Anna Avalos, ’07 MLIS
Multilingual Collections Manager
Los Angeles Public Library