Home: Spotlight
Dipping Your Toes in the Water: Conference Poster Presentation as an iSchool Student
Published: May 4, 2022 by Laura Darlington
In April, the Art Libraries Society of North America (ARLIS/NA) held their 50th annual conference in Chicago, and I had the pleasure of attending and presenting thanks to the SJSU iSchool. Last year, I logged on to ARLIS/NA’s virtual conference, yet after two years of remote learning and pandemic isolation, I felt eager for an in-person experience.
Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
iSchool Presents EDI Symposium May 10
Published: May 3, 2022 by Guadalupe Martinez
In 1990, the United States designated the month of May as Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month to commemorate their rich history and cultural legacy. Asian identity includes people with heritage from East Asian, Southeast Asia, and South Asia. The umbrella term Pacific Islander includes peoples of Oceania and Native Hawaiians. AAPI identity is globally and culturally diverse. LIS professionals continue to play a significant role in addressing a range of information needs and advocacy work.
Student Chapter of the Year Award Goes to ALASC
iSchool Students Recognized for their ‘Incredible Work’
The American Library Association Student Chapter at the San José State University School of Information has been awarded Chapter of the Year. This is the fifth time the ALA Student Chapter has won this prestigious award. One of the main reasons ALASC was chosen was due to their member engagement, as well as the chapter’s ability to create opportunities for leadership, especially during the pandemic.
Publication on Dementia Services Propels iSchool Instructor to Award Winner
Dr. Timothy Dickey Receives 2022 RUSA Award
Dr. Timothy Dickey was awarded the 2022 RUSA Margaret E. Monroe Award for Library Adult Services. On winning the award, Dickey stated, “I am deeply humbled and tremendously honored by the award, which recognizes so many aspects of my professional life as a librarian, a faculty member, an author, and as someone dedicated to professional service.”
A Mother and Daughter’s MLIS Journey
“You start with a love of books and go down to questions of who is the keeper of the information, and how do we keep it safe, and how do we organize it in such a way that future generations can find it, and all that stuff… It’s very cool.”
Julie Tilsner MLIS
Long Beach, CA
Community Impact: Call for Conference Posters
Published: March 17, 2022 by Hilary Meehan
The SJSU iSchool invites graduate students to submit posters for presentation at the upcoming California Library Association (CLA) and American Library Association (ALA) conferences. Posters should represent the student’s research projects, innovations and/or internship experiences as related to a specific information community.
Scholarly Research: Publishing and Presenting
Published March 2, 2022 by Hilary Meehan
Hello, SJSU iStudent virtual community! I’m Hilary (she/her/hers), your new iStudent blogger. I look forward to addressing your school-related information needs effectively and comprehensively. Additionally, I encourage you to communicate to me your ideas, comments, questions, and concerns regarding the blog. You may use the comment box at the bottom of each blog post or contact me directly at hilary.meehan@sjsu.edu. I look forward to hearing from you and commit myself to respond to your messages.
Scholarships Lessen Financial Worry and Reaffirm Career Path
Spring 2022 Scholarship Winners Announced
This spring, the School of Information at San José State University awarded a total of 44 scholarships valued at $124,000 to new and continuing students enrolled in its master’s degree programs.
Celebrating Black History Month
Published: February 22, 2022 by Guadalupe Martinez
At San José State University, our ongoing and upcoming calendar events and resources aim to uplift and honor the legacies of our diverse communities. Join us in celebrating Black History Month, highlighting the historic contributions and movements within the Black Diaspora.
Six iSchool Graduates Selected for ALA’s 2022 Emerging Leaders Program
The American Library Association has announced its Class of Emerging Leaders for 2022. Six graduates of the Master of Library and Information Science program at the San José State University School of Information have been chosen for this prestigious title. They are Emily Aaronson, ’15 MLIS; Bryan Duran, ’18 MLIS; Lauren Hall, ’20 MLIS; Victoria Montes de Oca Perez, ’17 MLIS; Kristin Peers, ’16 MLIS; and Patricia Zeider, ’16 MLIS.
Reassess Your Self-Assessment for 2022
Published: January 3, 2022 by Jillian Collins
The career self-assessment is yet
another amazing iSchool tool. The
self-assessment is a template for you to conceptualize the
functions, people, and setting you want for your career. It’s
2022, a new year with obstacles beyond your control. Consider the
optimism and strengths gained both academically and personally to
map out important aspects of interactions, duties, and physical
work environment.
Natasha Finnegan: Aspiring for Library Leadership and Management
“I like doing a lot of things, I could never put myself into a box (when it came to a career,) but when I started working in a library, I knew it was where I was meant to be.”
Natasha Finnegan, MLIS Student (expected graduation date in
spring 2022)
Salisbury, MD
MLIS Career Pathways: A Look at Academic Librarianship
Published: November 17, 2021 by Leslie Parry
Last month the iSchool Student Services team hosted a new Lunch and Learn Workshop as part of their ongoing series on MLIS pathways. The topic was academic librarianship and featured School of Information faculty members Dr. Deborah Hicks, Alison Johnson and Dr. Linda Main. What makes this pathway unique? As Taryn Reiner, student support specialist, explains, “Academic libraries are found in institutions of higher education – in community colleges, private colleges, major universities or specialized research institutes.” They employ about 26,000 professional librarians and account for 48 percent of the positions analyzed in the most recent MLIS Skills at Work report. The roles and responsibilities of academic librarians are diverse; they include instruction, research support, project management, technical services, reference and outreach. Over the course of the hour-long program, the panel shared their thoughts on the classes, skillsets and experiences that can best prepare students for work in this field.
Meet Dr. Darra Hofman, Ph.D, J.D.
Our New MARA Program Coordinator
Published: November 2, 2021 by Melissa Prunty Kemp
American Library Association Awards Seven iSchool Students Spectrum Scholarships
Congratulations to the 2021 Spectrum Scholars!
The American Library Association awarded a total of 60 highly competitive Spectrum Scholarships this year to “exceptional students” across the U.S. and Canada who are pursuing a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science. Seven of those recipients are students enrolled in the fully online and ALA-accredited MLIS program at San José State University’s School of Information.
Attending Professional Conferences as a Student
Published: October 25, 2021 by Leslie Parry
I recently attended my first professional association conference as a San José State University School of Information student. I’ll admit I was a little apprehensive. Would I be out of my depth? Would there be other attendees like me – students, newly arrived to the profession – and would our curiosity be welcome in lieu of experience? Thankfully, the Special Libraries Association Annual Conference (held virtually in August) helped relieve some of my impostor syndrome. I attended fascinating programs, met multidisciplinary professionals around the world and participated in fun icebreakers from the comfort of my living room.
Alumnus Randall White on Changing the World with Informatics
“The informatic principles I am able to provide and assist a lot of our graduate students and our principal investigators with allow them to publish works that are pushing humanity forward.”
Randall White, ‘20 MS in Informatics
Computational Research Technical Consultant
Stanford University
Tulsa, OK
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
Why Join a Student Group?
Published: September 17, 2021 by Leslie Parry
Student groups are a cornerstone of the San José State University School of Information. They offer professional connections, personal camaraderie and the chance to hone valuable skills outside of the curriculum, particularly in the areas of leadership and communication. So what does it mean to take part in one of these groups? What opportunities do they offer at the iSchool and beyond? These were a few of the questions posed at the Fall Student Group Meet & Greet, which featured the American Library Association (ALA), Society of American Archivists (SAA), Special Libraries Association (SLA), REFORMA and ASIS&T student chapters, as well as the Student Research Journal, the First Generation Student Group and VCARA. Over the course of the presentation each organization had the opportunity to introduce themselves, talk about the benefits and responsibilities of student group involvement, and connect with potential new members. Read on for a lightning round introduction to these award-winning organizations. (You can also view the entire presentation on the ALA student chapter’s YouTube channel).
The SJSU Writing Center: An iSchool Student’s Secret Weapon
Published: September 2, 2021 by Leslie Parry
Fall semester is finally here! Whether you’re just beginning INFO 200, preparing your e-Portfolio, or simply trying to recover your student brain after summer vacation, you’ll likely be tackling some major assignments in the coming months (or – gulp – weeks). Need help with a research paper? Want a refresher on citations or abstracts? Can’t be sure whether to use “who” or “whom”? The San José State University Writing Center offers a host of excellent free services – and a number are designed specifically for graduate students. From tutoring to live-chat sessions, how-to videos and handouts, the Writing Center can help you navigate the complexities of academic writing (or just master the nuts and bolts). Writing skills will be an asset in school and beyond, so there’s never a wrong time to reach out. I spoke with Michelle Hager, Director of the SJSU Writing Center, about the most useful resources for School of Information students.