Two Master of Library and Information Science alumni and a current student from the School of Information at San José State University were selected to attend the American Library Association’s (ALA) fourth annual Leadership Institute.

Two Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) alumni and a current student from the School of Information (iSchool) at San José State University were selected to join the American Library Association’s (ALA) fourth annual Leadership Institute.

To be eligible for the institute, which is held in Itasca, Illinois, applicants were required to have at least five years of library work experience and be prepared to assume a higher administrative or managerial role in their careers.

iSchool student Erica Freudenberger said she’s “thrilled to be chosen to take part in ALA’s Leadership Institute,” adding, “I applied because of my interest in leadership and the desire to continue to learn and grow.”

In addition to being a student at the iSchool, Freudenberger is the library director at Red Hook Public Library in Red Hook, New York, and is particularly interested in forging connections with colleagues.

“I’m super excited about having a chance to play with the smart kids and geek out on library leadership. I love the theme of ‘Leading to the Future’ and can’t wait to see what it’s all about,” Freudenberger said.

Earlier this year, Library Journal named Freudenberger one of the 2016 “Movers and Shakers,” a prestigious honor bestowed upon change agents, educators, tech leaders, innovators, and community builders in information organizations.

Anthony Costa, a fall 1999 graduate of the iSchool’s MLIS program, is a library services coordinator at City College of San Francisco and received a scholarship from the California Community Colleges Council of Chief Librarians (CCL) to attend the institute.

“It was the CCL invitation for scholarship applications that got me interested in the ALA institute. Without the support and encouragement of my colleagues from the CCL, I would not have applied to attend. After being awarded the scholarship by my colleagues, I felt a responsibility to bring a return on their investment back to the California Community Colleges (CCC) and our library programs,” he said.

Alumnus Matthew Davis (’10 MLIS) was encouraged by management at the San Francisco Public Library (SFPL), where he works as the San Francisco documents librarian, to apply to the ALA Leadership Institute.

“I think it [Leadership Institute] will help my career by expanding my network of contacts in the library community and provide me with outreach skills to better work with the city agencies of San Francisco,” Davis said. “I feel very excited for this opportunity and look forward to working with my fellow librarians at the institute.”

Davis is also excited about his upcoming exhibit at the SFPL. The exhibit curated by Davis, “Fear of an Atomic Age! Government Documents from the Cold War,” opens July 15 and runs through Dec. 15.

For more information on the institute, visit the ALA Leadership Institute’s website.