The 18^th issue of the fully student-run Student Research Journal is now available online. Featuring an invited contribution from Assistant Professor Deborah Hicks and articles written by current students and recent graduates representing three distinguished universities, the San José State University School of Information’s research publication explores a vast array of topics.

Editor-in-Chief Greta Snyder touts the issue as a “must-read” and “bigger and better than ever” with a compelling sneak-peak into Hicks’ research on Twitter as a platform for library and information science professional discourse on diversity, and a record six graduate student articles covering genealogical plagiarism, health informatics in public libraries, and game-based learning.

Articles and Authors

• Greta Snyder – SRJ: Leading the Genre-Defying LIS Profession. Editor-in-Chief Snyder, an SJSU iSchool student graduating with an MLIS degree in fall 2019, looks at the LIS profession continuing to innovate through research and sharing professional practice, emphasizing that per the 2019 iSchool MLIS Skills at Work Report, 68% of jobs seek communication skills and 22% research skills, demonstrating the value of SRJ in leading the way.
• Dr. Deborah Hicks – Understanding Diversity and Intellectual Freedom as #corevalues. SJSU iSchool Assistant Professor Hicks, recently awarded a grant for research into the influence and impact of Twitter in the LIS field, provides a sneak-peak at this project. Hicks identifies that professional organizations to articulate values of diversity and intellectual freedom within the context of emerging forms of online communication and community-building tools, such as Twitter.
• Lisa Lowdermilk – The Information Behaviors of Fiction Writers: A Systematic Approach to an Understudied Information Community. Lowdermilk, a recent SJSU iSchool alumna, researches an understudied community, recommending more networking and sharing between fiction writers would empower a community of current and future storytellers.
• Katherine S. Richers – Genealogical Plagarism and the Library Community. Richers, a current SJSU iSchool student enrolled in the MLIS degree program, addresses this prescient topic in the context of emerging mechanisms of big data, artificial intelligence, and increasingly digital health records, with an ethics focus on increasing access while maintaining integrity.
• Michelle Leasure – Her Story:  Accidental Library Instruction. Leasure’s article suggests crucial future directions for libraries to integrate game-based learning into information literacy programming and instruction to increase inclusion and accessibility. Leasure is a current MLIS student at Valdosta State University.
• Heather Elia – Public Libraries Supporting Health and Wellness:  A Literature Review. Looking at the role of public libraries and professional organizations in addressing community health, particularly the recent opioid crisis, Elia adds to the dynamic discourse on this key topic. Elia is currently earning her MLIS at Syracuse University.
• Emily Mercer – Mission Driven Recordkeeping:  The Need for RIM Staff in U.S. Nonprofit Organizations. Mercer, a current SJSU iSchool student enrolled in the MARA program, argues that nonprofit organizations would benefit from bringing on LIS professionals to develop mission-aligned recordkeeping strategies.
• Ali N. Sadik-Ogli – Zine Authors’ Opinions about Public and Academic Library Collections of Their Work. Sadik-Ogli, a recent graduate of the MLIS degree program at SJSU iSchool, reviews a pioneering study focusing on the circulation and collection of zines from the perspective of zine authors themselves, suggesting new directions for born-digital or self-produced records with innovative and inclusive collection development.

The full issue is available at https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/ischoolsrj/.

About Student Research Journal

The Student Research Journal promotes graduate and professional research in the library and information science field and asks crucial questions on current and emerging professional issues from a local, national and global perspective. By advocating for the value of research to further intellectual inquiry and innovation in our field, SRJ contributes critical insights to inform everyday professional practice in the field and specifically cultivates robust graduate student research through a rigorous peer review process. As SJSU’s only fully student-run, double-blind peer reviewed, open access research journal, SRJ leads the way for the university, the College of Professional and Global Education, the iSchool, and LIS graduate research.

Editorial Team

Snyder credits the success of this landmark issue, with the most student articles published to date, to the exceptional leadership of outgoing Managing Editor Rachel Greggs and the entire editorial team and advisory board.

Greggs, who is graduating in December 2019 from SJSU iSchool with her MLIS degree, will pass the managing editor baton to current Copy Editor Phyllis Pistorino. In addition, SRJ bids farewell to graduating Copy Editor Channon Arabit and is “honored” to welcome onboard Brianna Limas and Justin Sana to the team as copy editors. Snyder introduced the spring 2020 content editor team: Claire Goldstein, Esther Momand, Terry Schiavone, and Havilah Steinman.

Call for Submissions for May 2020 and Beyond

SRJ invites original research, book reviews, critical review essays, and evidence summaries from graduate students at any university on topics in the fields of librarianship and information science and archives and records management and related theory, policy, ethics, application, case studies and professional practice. Submissions are accepted on a rolling basis and undergo rigorous peer review. Issue 10, Volume 1 is slated to be published in May 2020.

Questions about the submission process can be emailed to Snyder at sjsu.ischool.srj@gmail.com. Students interested in applying to join the editorial team are encouraged to visit the official SRJ website. SRJ is also on Twitter and Instagram and provides multi-media student resources at SRJ Student Resource Blog.