Published: April 7, 2020 by Havilah Steinman

While the iSchool at San José State University is a fully online school, COVID-19 has a drastic effect on the LIS community. Our classes are not affected, but everyone is dealing with the effects this global pandemic has on their respective communities and personal lives. Below is a roundup of resources that may be helpful in this difficult time. 

Library 2.0 Online Webinars

Recordings of the iSchool-sponsored Library 2.0 Worldwide Virtual Conference series are always free, and for a limited time, their other webinars are too. Recently, they also hosted a special pandemic conference, Serving the Needs of Communities in Crisis, which is also recorded and available online. This excellent virtual community offers great resources to displaced librarians in love with their craft.

SJSU iSchool Social Media

Our leadership has sent out emails to ensure students about the stability of our programs, but you may want more interaction while stuck at home. SJSU iSchool’s Twitter account is regularly posting helpful and engaging content about mental health and other important COVID issues. They also regularly post on Facebook!

Virtual Community Opportunities

This is an excellent time to jump into a student group or professional association. In response to COVID-19, the majority of the student groups at the iSchool have responded by scheduling open Zoom meetings and events for the iSchool student body. Check out the student group page and the iSchool calendar for more information.

COVID-19 Resources

San Jose State University updates the health advisories page on its website regularly and is a great resource for curated information. For information on COVID-19 relief private companies and governmental entities are offering to help people, check your local law library website, or the Twitter feeds of your city or county. Our hearts go out to you in this difficult time. Feel free to share in the comments how COVID-19 has affected you and what you’ve been doing to remain hopeful in this season.