Published: August 3, 2017

Being in an online graduate program isn’t all about research and writing papers, listening to lectures and posting on discussion forums. It is that, but there is also a large community of SJSU iSchool students just waiting to get to know you.  As a budding library and information science professional, you should know how to get to information through your fingertips via iSchool social media. Whatever your pace and social media style, there’s a lot to choose from.

Socialize at Your Own Pace
Social media can be an overwhelming realm with the ability to suck away time faster than an intergalactic black hole. It’s really all a matter of knowing where to find the information you seek in a form that is timely and digestible. There are the lengthier blog posts and the rapid-fire Twitter conversations that are not interchangeable. I’d be hard-pressed to make a comprehensive Twitter post based on the information I impart here at the iStudent blog. But when you’re looking for just a quick bit of information that happened within the hour, then a tweet is what you need.

Facebook Pages and Facebook Groups
Come join the conversation on the iSchool’s Facebook page or see what some of the active and interesting SJSU student groups are doing through their own social media sites. The SJSU School of Information Facebook page is updated regularly (i.e., daily if not more) to spark your interest in topics like technology and learning, conference highlights, scholarship opportunities and iSchool curriculum offerings. There are career tips, links to iSchool blogs (like this one) and important faculty news items.

The SJSU American Library Association Student Chapter (ALASC) posts regularly on its Facebook page, keeping you up to date with student chapter elections and interesting posts relating to public libraries. If you’d like to join the Society of American Archivists Student Chapter (SAASC) of the SJSU School of Information, you can follow what’s going on with the group through their SAA SJSU Student Chapter Facebook page, which is not open to the public but available when you ask permission to join. The iSchool’s Special Libraries Association student chapter (SLASC) also has a group page and if you’d like to be in on those conversations, you can ask current and former chapter members. The Association for Information Science and Technology (ASIS&T) student chapter has a Facebook group page, where you can find information about essay competitions and other group events.

Another way to be social and innovative at the SJSU iSchool is to be a part of the Visual Center for Archives and Records Administration (VCARA) in Second Life. They have both a Facebook page and a blog you can follow by subscribing through your RSS feed. To optimize your inbox and get important updates and information, be sure to check this comprehensive list of iSchool blogs.

Get the Information You Need and Want Through Twitter and Pinterest
If you’re already a social character (pun intended), then join the Twitter conversation. Keep up with the iSchool to find out details about current conference happenings, course offerings, career workshops, student group events and oh so much more. The iSchool’s Twitter account will also remind you about Job Tips Tuesday on Facebook and share tweets from professional groups like the Society of American Archivists (SAA) and the American Library Association (ALA).

One of my favorite (and sometimes hazardous in terms of how much time I spend) social media sites is Pinterest, and the iSchool has dozens of Pinterest boards to keep you informed and inspired. I’m a huge fan of their Lovely Libraries board and secretly dream of remodeling my house accordingly. There is a great board—Meet Our Faculty— that introduces iSchool instructors and promotes their accomplishments. Another essential board for current iSchool students and recent graduates is the Explore Career Pathways board. As a recent graduate, you can bet I’m keen on exploring the board entitled 10 Tips for Acing the Job Interview, too. Other fun boards include Reader’s Advisory, National Library Week and Library Displays.

If you are a prospective student and love the Pinterest platform setup, then you can use your social media savvy to apply for a scholarship. It’s true—the application process for the Director’s Scholarship for Excellence includes creating a Pinterest board that expresses your interest and career intentions in the world of library and information science. This fall 2017’s winners have pinned  their own personal journey towards librarianship and study at the SJSU School of Information, featured on the board Why I Want to Be an Information Professional. I even ended up creating a similar board—entitled My Envisioned Library Future–just for the fun of it, and I enjoyed it so much that I still pin on that board and use it for inspiration.

The iSchool is Picture-Perfect on Instagram
If you love images and getting to put a face with a name for your online faculty and classmates, be sure to visit and follow the SJSU iSchool on Instagram. You can find photos of faculty, students and alum mugging for the smartphone camera at recent conferences, updates and notices for future installments of the online Library 2.0 conferences, and even shots of the iSchool community on vacation. I recently posted a few of my pictures from the ALA conference in Chicago and there are also some great shots of the 2017 and 2016 graduating class virtual convocation.

The great thing about these iSchool sites is that there’s something for everyone and everyone can be a part—faculty, students, alumni, prospective students, friends, family, information seekers or prospective students. However it is you like to socialize online, please join us on one or more (or many more!) social media sites and share—we’d love to hear from you!

For related stories, check out these posts:
Connect with Information Scientists and Fellow Students Through the SJSU iSchool ASIS&T Student Chapter

Choose Your Own Adventures in Special Libraries (featuring the Special Libraries Asscociation Student Chapter (SLASC)

A Week in My Life at ALA Annual Conference

image courtesy of jscreationzs