iStudent Blog
iStudent Blog
Students in all of our programs, as well as applicants, will find the iStudent Blog a gold mine. Written by a current student, this blog provides important information and resources and useful advice, including posts about courses, career pathways, online learning, time management, student groups, conferences, and financial aid.
Sign Up Today for the Library 2.0 Free Virtual Conference on Open Data
Published: June 4, 2019 by Havilah Steinman
Library 2.0 has partnered with the iSchool to open up professional training to current students, alumni and information professionals around the globe! Library 2.0 hosts regular webinars and several free conferences a year focusing on different topics of interest to library and information professionals. Tomorrow, Library 2.0 is excited explore the topic of Open Data!
A Snapshot of Corporate Archives
Published: May 15, 2019 by Havilah Steinman
What does Citi Center, Levi Strauss & Co., Vanguard, Cargill, Carhartt Inc., IBM and The Chautauqua Institution have in common? They all have corporate archives! The Society of American Archivists Student Chapter (SAASC) hosted a fantastic event where archival professionals offered insight into their industry. For the sake of brevity, this post will focus on Citi Center, Levi Strauss & Co. and Carhartt Inc., but keep a look out for the article representing the other presenters on our Medium page later this year. Hosted by Sarah Thornton, iSchool student and chair of the SAASC, this invaluable event opened up the archival world to students at the iSchool.
Day in the Life of SRJ Managing Editor – Rachel Greggs
Published: May 9, 2019 by Havilah Steinman
Welcome to the next installment of our Day in the Life of an iSchool student series! This week’s post provides an inside look into the scholastic and professional achievements of the Student Research Journal (SRJ) Managing Editor Rachel Greggs.
New Tool: MLIS Career Pathways Course Intersection
Published: May 5, 2019 by Havilah Steinman
Students at the San José State University School of Information have an excellent Advising Toolkit available to them when choosing electives to take during their program. A core part of this Advising Toolkit for students in the Master’s of Library and Information Science program are the 14 Career Pathways, ranging from Data Science to Special Librarianship. Another exciting tool within the Advising Toolkit has just been introduced called the MLIS Career Pathways Course Intersection. This tool allows students to find classes that intersect with two or more Career Pathways at once.
Peer Mentorship: An Opportunity to Strengthen Information and Communication Skills
Published: April 16, 2019 by Havilah Steinman
Students at the iSchool in the Master’s in Library and Information Science and Post-Master’s Certificate programs have excellent classes to choose from. Every new student begins with INFO 203 Online Learning at the beginning of their program to become acclimated to the rigorous academic expectations of their work, as well as the technology used in the program. Peer mentors are a pivotal part of the INFO 203 process, and Debbie Faires, director of online learning, has just opened up the application for peer mentors in the Fall 2019 semester! This past semester, I had the opportunity to work alongside several other INFO 203 peer mentors. In this post, I share some of their insight about how the mentorship experience benefited them.
Student Organization Leadership Elections Open in April
Published: March 27, 2019 by Havilah Steinman
On Tuesday, March 19th, leadership from the majority of the student groups at the iSchool presented at Leaders Wanted: Why and How to Get Involved in Student Organizations hosted by Sarah Thornton, Chair at the Society of American Archivists Student Chapter.
ALA Annual Conference Insights with ALASC and Leigh Milligan
Published: March 7, 2019 by Havilah Steinman
The American Library Association’s Student Chapter here at the iSchool hosted a wonderful event about the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference earlier this week. The conference, which will take place from June 20 to June 25 in Washington, DC is an excellent opportunity for students to make new connections, broaden their perspective and above all have fun with other like minded librarianship professionals!
Day in the Life of iSchool Student – Amy Wallace
Published: February 19, 2019 by Havilah Steinman
Our next Day in the Life series installment is here! Meet Amy Wallace, soon-to-be MLIS iSchool graduate! She is the head librarian at Bethany Christian Schools and hails from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Some of her favorite classes she completed while studying at the iSchool include Interpersonal Communication Skills, Marketing of Information Products and Reference Information Services. Wallace shared, “These classes really helped me to expand my idea of what it takes to be a librarian, as well as grow my confidence in my work. I know that these courses, specifically, have done a great deal to prepare me for my career.”
Financial Aid, Scholarships, and Grants
Published: February 13, 2019 by Havilah Steinman
Financial aid and the FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid, can seem overwhelming to students initially embarking on their journey to higher education. March 2, 2019, is the Priority Application Submission Deadline, and while it is still a few weeks away, it’s important to get geared up now.
iSchool Best Practices with Vicki Steiner
Published: February 5, 2019 by Havilah Steinman
The first few weeks of the semester are crucial to gear up for what’s ahead in your classes. Whether you’re a new student taking one core class or a continuing student with a couple semesters under your belt, these words of wisdom from Vicki Steiner are sure to help you get prepared! Steiner is not just a faculty advisor and lecturer here at the iSchool, she is also an alumni and completed her MLIS in 2010! I have shared our conversation regarding iSchool best practices with you below.
Tips for iSchool Success from New Student Orientation
Published: January 22, 2019 by Havilah Steinman
Can you believe the new semester begins on January 24th? On January 14th, over 80 students gathered to participate in a New Student Orientation and prepare for the start of classes. A full scope of material was presented, which was helpful for incoming students as well as for all of us students continuing our program. Here I share some highlights I gleaned from the orientation that I hope will be useful to you!
Day in the Life of New iStudent Blogger – Havilah Steinman
Published: January 12, 2019 by Havilah Steinman
My name is Havilah, and I am your new iStudent blog writer. I am honored to take over this assistantship from Priscilla Ameneyro, who heralded wonderful content on the blog for over a year! I reside in Oceanside, CA, have been in the MLIS program since Spring 2018, and I can’t believe how quickly the time has passed.
Star Blog Posts of 2017 and 2018
Published: December 3, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro
I thought it would be fun to look back at all the articles I wrote as the lead writer for the iStudent Blog over the last year or so and share my favorites with you. I’ve had the opportunity to interview students, alumni and faculty and write about topics ranging from student loans to setting goals. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading my articles and found them helpful too.
At Home Ergonomics for Online Students
Published: November 5, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro
All of the programs offered by the iSchool are virtual, which means students are often studying at home. Whether you have a fully equipped home office or you tend to just use your laptop on the couch, taking a moment to educate yourself about ergonomics and making a few adjustments could make you more comfortable and prevent injury.
Social Crisis Management Conference Highlights
Published: October 22, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro
All SJSU School of Information students are encouraged to attend the Library 2.0 conferences, or watch the recordings at the very least. They’re free, online and offer valuable experiences that extend your classroom learning. You get to hear from information professionals across the world working in all types of environments. It’s also a great networking opportunity. The third and final Library 2.018 conference of the year, “Social Crisis Management in a 21st Century World” took place on October 17. Read on for some of the highlights, then head over to the Library 2.0 website to watch the recordings.
Exciting Classes for Spring and Summer 2019
Published: October 15, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro
I can’t believe I don’t have to think about spring and summer classes this time around! I’m excited to be in my final semester working on my e-Portfolio but at the same time sad that my iSchool experience is (almost) over. I can still help you with your class choices though! There are several things to factor in when making your decision about how many units you want to take and which classes. This post should help you – I’ll highlight some classes that I think look interesting and make sure I cover all the key points about nailing down your schedule.
Eight Bonuses I Didn’t Expect From Doing an Internship
Published: October 8, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro
I’m sure you already know internships are a great way to build valuable work experience while earning credits towards your degree. I was fortunate enough to participate in two internships, one at the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, CA, followed by a summer internship at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
Are You Ready to be an Online Student?
Published: September 24, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro
For many of the incoming students to the SJSU School of Information, their experience with online classes is limited or non-existent. That was certainly true for me, having never taken any online classes before. This can be a cause for concern for students wondering what the online environment will be like, if they’ll miss the face-to-face interaction or just not really knowing what to expect. The iSchool provides many resources to showcase what life is like as a virtual student and to help you adjust to the new learning environment should you decide to enroll. In this article, I’ll share some of those resources and offer some points to consider in determining whether you’re ready to earn your degree on the World Wide Web.
20 Signs You’re an iSchool Student
Published: Monday, September 17, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro
The hard work of this semester has only just begun, so I thought I’d keep it light this week with a post about being a student at the SJSU School of Information. I’m sure you’ll relate to a few of these signs from my list and hopefully chuckle at a couple of them too! If you’re a new student or thinking about applying to the iSchool, here’s a little preview of what’s in store.
Work-From-Home LIS Careers
Published: September 10, 2018 by Priscilla Ameneyro
When you think of library and information science or archives and records administration careers they are usually tied to a place, that is, a library or archive! While there are many types of jobs physically located in a library or archives building, many LIS career options lend themselves to working from home.