iStudent Blog: Community and Engagement
Symposium Recap of “Latinos: Contributing to the Fabric of the Nation”
Hispanic Heritage Month
Published: February 7, 2024 by Eori Tokunaga
As part of the national celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, the San José State University iSchool hosted a free online symposium in collaboration with REFORMA titled “Latinos: Contributing to the Fabric of the Nation.” The symposium began with a warm welcome by Dr. Anthony Chow and keynote speaker Loida-Garcia Febo. Following the opening remarks, Dr. Chow introduced the panel of guest speakers, featuring leaders in the LIS field: Supervising Librarian at New York Public Library Elisa Garcia, Academic Engagement Librarian at University of Massachusetts Isabel Espinal, and 2023-2024 REFORMA National President David Lopez.
Conference Presentation Insight: Tips & Pointers Part 2
Published: February 6, 2024 by Kesheena Doctor
This past fall semester was an extremely busy time for me. Not only was I working part time and taking a full course load, I also presented at two conferences! For those unaware, presenting at a conference takes a lot of preparation and careful planning.
SJSU Designates February 19 as Day of Remembrance of Japanese American Internment in WWII
Published: February 3, 2024 by Matsuko Friedland and Nicole Azof
The SJSU iSchool is proud to share that SJSU President Dr. Cynthia Teniente-Matson has issued a Presidential Directive permanently designating “February 19 as a Day of Remembrance for the harm done to Americans of Japanese descent who were forcibly detained, incarcerated and stripped of their possessions under the misguided sense that they posed a security risk during World War II”. On February 19th, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, authorizing the U.S. Army to forcefully remove Japanese Americans from their homes and jobs. This greatly impacted the lives of Asian communities everywhere, including Japanese American employees and students processing their own community members and students abandoning their studies at San Jose State College. Prejudice and hysteria played key roles in the initiation of this order.
Attending ALA’s LibLearnX for Educational Growth in the Field
Published: January 29, 2024 by Shannon Broden
In January 2024, with assistance from the SJSU iSchool travel grant, I traveled to ALA’s LibLearnX in Baltimore, MD. While part of my reason for attending was to be part of a panel presentation, I also had the opportunity to network and attend programming to enhance my own education of the field outside the classroom.
Conference Presentation Insight: Tips & Pointers Part 1
Published: January 25, 2024 by Kesheena Doctor
While an iSchool student, I’ve been able to attend conferences, get networking opportunities, and gain professional development. However, I have had little experience with presenting at conferences until this year, most notably at the 2023 International Conference of Indigenous Archives, Libraries, and Museums and the International Indigenous Librarians’ Forum 2023.
An Interview with iSchool Alumni: Chlöe Van Stralendorff
Published: January 14, 2024 by Kesheena Doctor
As part of the iSchool I’ve attended many conferences and met working professionals. I have also met many iSchool alumni, who have been very generous with their time and expertise. We often chat about the profession, the iSchool, recommended iSchool courses, and even how to survive INFO 289 e-Portfolio.
Interview with Bridging Knowledge Scholar: Molly Ouellette
Published: December 3, 2023 by Kesheena Doctor
I was first introduced to the iSchool while researching scholarship opportunities for Native American students. As part of an Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) funded grant, the iSchool partnered with the Alaska Library Network, the American Indian Library Association, and the Alaska State Library to form the scholarship program, Bridging Knowledge: Supporting Indigenous Scholars into the Field of Librarianship.
Honoring the Past & Planning for the Future: Indigenous Perspectives on Library and Information Sciences
iSchool Presents Online Symposium November 3
Published: October 30, 2023 by Eori Tokunaga
Please join the SJSU iSchool as we celebrate Native American Heritage Month with our 3rd annual symposium, featuring speakers from the National Museum of the American Indian, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI).
Rural Libraries of Ukraine during the Ongoing War
iSchool Presents Online Symposium October 18
Please join the SJSU iSchool for our 3rd symposium on the work of Ukrainian libraries and librarians during the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war.
Attending My First Small Conference
Published: October 12, 2023 by Kesheena Doctor
At the beginning of this August, I was able to attend the 2023 Zine Librarian unConference, a conference for zine librarians and zine library workers, which is a specialized subset of librarianship. I was excited to represent the iSchool at this conference, meet new librarians in the field, and learn more about how zines can support librarianship.
Symposium Recap of ‘Celebrating LGBTQIA+ Librarianship in Tough Times’
Pride Month Symposium
Published: August 31, 2023 by Eori Tokunaga
As part of the national celebration of Pride Month, the San José State University iSchool hosted a free online symposium on July 5th, 2023, titled “Celebrating LGBTQIA+ Librarianship in Tough Times.” The symposium began with a brief introduction of keynote speaker, Deb Sica, by Dr. Anthony Chow. The symposium also featured a panel discussion with speakers Melinda Borie, Ana Elisa de Campos Salles, Michael Wallace-Davis, Jr., SJSU iSchool Alumnus Angela Ocaña, and SJSU iSchool Alumnus Dontaná McPherson-Joseph.
Symposium Recap of “Juneteenth Celebrates Freedom!”
2023 Juneteenth Symposium
Published: August 22, 2023 by Eori Tokunaga
As part of the national celebration of Juneteenth 2023, the San José State University iSchool hosted its second annual symposium on June 20, 2023, titled “Juneteenth Celebrates Freedom!” After a brief introduction, Dr. Anthony Chow passed the microphone over to professional storyteller, consultant, and writer Binnie Tate Wilkin who served as the keynote speaker for last year’s symposium.
SCA Conference was a ‘Good First Experience,’ says Student
Published: August 8, 2023 by Sarah Lewis
The Society of California Archivists
conference was such a great experience. The highlights for
me were the local library and archive tours, presenting a poster,
and networking with professionals with diverse experiences.
The first day of the conference brought lots of opportunities to explore libraries and archives in Sacramento. This was my favorite part of the experience! I was only sad I had to choose and couldn’t attend a tour every hour.
Symposium Recap of “Self-Care, Challenges, Solidarity”
Asian American Women Leaders
Published: August 6, 2023
As part of the national celebration of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, the San José State University iSchool hosted a free online symposium on May 26, 2023, titled “Self-Care, Challenges, Solidarity: Asian American Women Leaders.” The symposium opened with a warm welcome and brief story by Dr. Anthony Chow, followed by a presentation from co-keynote speakers, Annie Pho and Alanna Aiko Moore. Prior to their introductions, the speakers began with a land acknowledgment: “We’d like to start today with a land acknowledgment in recognizing that the Indigenous people, who are the original inhabitants of the land that all of us are on were dispossessed of their land through violence, through murder, through deceptive processes, and colonialism…and since land acknowledgments are often done without action, Annie and I have made a donation today to the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center in support of the land that we are on.”
Attending ALA Annual Conference and Exhibition
Published: July 30, 2023 by Kesheena Doctor
This past June I got to attend the ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition in Chicago, Illinois. I intended to attend as many conferences as I could while an iSchool student. However, I originally had not planned on going to this year’s ALA Conference but some unexpected opportunities arose that allowed me to attend.
Symposium Recap of ‘Earth Day 2023′
Sustainability and Libraries
Published: July 27, 2023 by Eori Tokunaga
As part of the national celebration of Earth Day 2023, the San José State University iSchool hosted an online symposium on April 22, 2023, titled “Earth Day 2023: Sustainability and Libraries.” After a brief introduction about Earth Day and the Seeking Immortality Project with the Northern Cheyenne Tribe in present-day southeastern Montana, Dr. Anthony Chow handed over the microphone to ALA past-president and current iSchool Wellness Ambassador, Loida Garcia-Febo. The symposium also hosted a panel discussion featuring experts in the field of information science, librarianship, and sustainability: Nick Buron, Kristin Jacobi, Leah Plocharczyk, Dawn Frood, and Dr. Amir Abtahi.
California Conference on Library Instruction
Published: July 21, 2023 by Blanca Garcia-Barron
The California Conference on Library Instruction is an annual one-day conference in the California Bay Area. The conference began in 1973 as a forum for academic librarians to exchange ideas and present their work. This year’s conference, hosted by the University of San Francisco, focused on labor and power dynamics in academic libraries. The theme, Power and Empowerment: Labor, Agency, and Dynamic Relationships in Academic Libraries, explored cross-departmental collaborations and projects. With the generous funding from the SJSU iSchool’s student travel grants, I was able to attend and present at this year’s conference. Though this conference is geared towards academic librarians, the call for proposals and theme were flexible enough to encompass all academic library workers.
Attending the ALA Annual Conference was ‘Absolutely Priceless’
MLIS BIPOC Students Encouraged to Apply for Spectrum Scholarships and Travel Grants
Published: July 10, 2023 by Kathrina Johnson
My name is Kathrina Johnson, and I am a current MLIS student in SJSU’s iSchool. In August of 2022, I received the happy news that I had been chosen as a recipient of the ALA Spectrum Scholarship. The Spectrum Scholarship program recruits and provides scholarships to American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, Middle Eastern and North African, and/or Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander students pursuing a graduate degree in Library Science to assist them in obtaining the degree and leadership positions within the profession and the ALA.
Symposium Recap of “Deaf Culture & History”
Best Practices and Lessons Learned for Libraries and Educators
Published: July 10, 2023 by Eori Tokunaga
As part of the national celebration of National Deaf History Month, the San José State University iSchool hosted a free online symposium on April 13, 2023, titled “Deaf Culture and History: Best Practices and Lessons Learned for Libraries and Educators.” The symposium began with a brief introduction by Dr. Anthony Chow, followed by a special thanks to Dr. Mary Bolin and the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) Committee who were the organizers of the event. The key. note speaker, Dr. Rhonda Jennings-Arey, was introduced alongside the ASL interpreters from Partners in Communication: Sheila Breger-Hall and Sharon Newman-Solo.
Things I Have Learned Working at a Public Library
Published: July 8, 2023 by Kesheena Doctor
Last November, I was offered a part-time position at New Orleans Public Library (NOPL) as a Library Assistant, and I’d like to share my experience. Though I plan on being an academic librarian, I understood any practical library experience would be beneficial to my education and career goals.