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News

iSchool Director Transitions to New Leadership Role at SJSU
Dr. Sandra Hirsh Accepts Associate Dean Position

Dr. Sandra Hirsh

The San José State University School of Information announces a change in leadership effective March 16, 2020. Dr. Sandra Hirsh is transitioning from her role as director and professor at the iSchool to associate dean for academics in the SJSU College of Professional and Global Education. 

“Serving as the iSchool director over the last 10 years has been the highlight of my career! I am very proud of what we have accomplished during this period,” Hirsh stated.

Community Profile

Sisters Share MLIS Studies, Pursue Individual Librarianship Paths

“We feel lucky to be a part of the library world. Librarians are such a loving group of people, and our iSchool experience has been great so far!”

Kelsey Flynn
MLIS Student 
(degree expected spring 2021)
Adult Services Specialist, Lockport Library
Lockport, Illinois

Korey Flynn
MLIS Student 
(degree expected spring 2021)
Adult and Teen Services Specialist, Woodridge Library
Woodridge, Illinois

Career Blog

Free, Online iSchool Career Workshops: What Are You Waiting For?

Published: February 27, 2020 by Greta Snyder

Drum roll please. The answer is the next one! Did you know the SJSU iSchool offers free, online iSchool Career Workshops? It’s time to get the most out of your iSchool experience by learning from the ultimate career resource, iSchool Career Consultant Jill Klees. If you missed this month’s workshop “Your LIS Career Starts Here,” this post will catch you up and prepare you for the next workshop slated to be March 4, 2020 5-6pm PT, focusing on informational interviews. So, take the reins and jump start your career with iSchool Career Workshops:  free, live, recorded and awesome.

MARA Blog

#SpotlightSeries: First Year MARA Student, Rebecca Sharp

NARA Logo

Published: February 20, 2020 by Kenna Wulker

Our MARA students come from a variety of career backgrounds. Some may already be in the Archives/Records Management profession, while others are continuing their education in hopes of landing that perfect position. First year MARA student Rebecca Sharp shares her experience working for NARA, the National Archives and Records Administration, while taking on the MARA program. Read on to learn more!

Career Blog

Exploring iSchool Opportunities Beyond the Classroom

Published: February 6, 2020 by Greta Snyder and guest blogger Karen Pfeffer

With the semester in full throttle, you’re becoming a pro at juggling school, work and life. Be confident that you can continue to grow as a multi-tasking pro and take on one of the most rewarding and best career-building parts of SJSU iSchool: opportunities beyond the classroom. You’ve got to get extra-curricular to really take full advantage of your experience at iSchool.

Community Profile

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

Community Profile

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

Career Blog

Job Hunting in 2020? Join Me!

Published: January 9, 2019 by Greta Snyder

Is the new year the time for your next career move? It’s always good to keep your eyes open for opportunities, but when the pressure is on to find a new job everyone could use some tips and inspiration. Join me as a share my what I learn in my job seeking process as a new LIS professional.

Career Blog

2020: The Year of Time Management and Self-Care

Published: December 28, 2019 by Greta Snyder

Self-care might be a trending buzzword, but that’s for a good reason. In today’s working world, boundaries with technology can be tricky to navigate. While the Internet and portable, relatively affordable or freely accessible technology increasingly put information and communication at our fingertips, the downside, however, to this infinite access is that it also means we feel like we have to be available and working all the time.

News

SJSU Alumna Wins ALA’s I Love My Librarian Award for Outstanding Contributions to Public Librarianship
Congratulations to Maria Papanastassiou!

Maria Papanastassiou

San José State University alumna Maria Papanastassiou, who completed her Master of Library and Information Science degree in 2013, is the latest SJSU Spartan to win the I Love My Librarian Award, conferred annually by the American Library Association. The Kids’ World Assistant Manager at Arlington Heights (Ill.) Memorial Library, Papanastassiou was one of 10 winners announced on December 10, 2019, which included three academic, three public, and four school librarians.

MARA Blog

#SpotlightSeries: Getting Involved
MARA Student Nick Zmijewski is appointed to ArchivesSpace board

Published: December 3, 2019 by Kenna Wulker 

Getting involved in the professional archives and records organizations can be a great way to network, learn, and gain valuable experience. Organizations such as ARMA, SAA, AIIM, and others are great places to get started. Current MARA student Nick Zmijewski did just that and was recently appointed to the board of ArchivesSpace as the vice chair of governance board! Read through this interview to learn about Nick’s experience.