The 19^th issue of the Student Research Journal, a fully student-run online publication of the San José State University School of Information, is now available online. Featuring an invited contribution from SJSU iSchool Professor Lili Luo and articles written by current students and recent graduates representing the SJSU iSchool, State University of New York at Buffalo, and Valdosta State University, the research and reviews presented in this issue delve into relevant topics to library and information science professionals, especially during these nationally and globally trying times.

“SRJ is proud to share this amazing issue and looks forward to continuing to thrive despite all the challenges we all currently face during this time and to be a beacon of hope to maintain momentum through sharing professional best practices and prescient research.” — Greta Snyder

Authors and Articles

• Greta Snyder – SRJ Thriving During Challenging Times. Former Editor-in-Chief Snyder, a recent graduate of the Master of Library and Information Science program at SJSU iSchool, recognizes the commendable work of the Student Research Journal editorial team and contributing authors who have shown strength during difficult and unprecedented times.
• Dr. Lili Luo – Online Community for Librarian Researchers: Experience of Academic Librarians. Professor Luo, who is also the director of the Center for Information Research and Innovation at SJSU iSchool, emphasizes the importance of virtual professional communities as supportive networks that allow for the sharing of information and expansion of dialogue.
• Stephanie Jackson – African-American Mental Health Community: Information Needs, Barriers, and Gaps. SJSU iSchool student Jackson explores the body of research on mental health communities for African Americans and identifies issues with availability and visibility of resources. Along with these issues, Jackson discusses the pressures – both internal and external – that the African-American mental health community faces.
• Sebastian C. Galbo – Collection Development Challenges in Slavic & East European Libraries: A Literature Review. State University of New York at Buffalo MLIS student Galbo discusses collection development practices of specific global collections, challenges that librarians face when developing the these practices, and addresses what is being done to combat these challenges.
• Anthony M. DiGiovanni – Electronic Library Collections and Users with Visual Impairments: Challenges, Developments, and the State of Collections Policies in Academic and Public Libraries. DiGiovanni, the director of cataloging at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania and an SJSU iSchool graduate student, discusses the issues faced by visually impaired library users and the laws and collections policies that relate to the problem of inaccessibility due to visual impairment.
• Kelsey Simon – Emotional Labor, Stressors, and Librarians Who Work with the Public. Simon of Valdosta State University writes from a position of experience as a former public library customer service worker. Simon discusses emotional labor and the consequences that it has on librarians.
• Phyllis Pistorino – Intercultural Competence for Community College Librarians. Former Student Research Journal managing editor and recent SJSU iSchool graduate Pistorino writes on the necessity for community college librarians to expand services to acknowledge and foster cultural diversity. As hubs of cultural diversity, Pistorino focuses on community colleges, though the concept can be applied elsewhere, as well.
• Mollie L. Coffey – Library Application of Deep Web and Dark Web Technologies. Coffey, a 2018 SJSU iSchool alumna and interlibrary loan specialist, explores the Deep Web and Dark Web as tools that library and information science professionals need to become familiar with as information searching techniques turn toward the Internet.
• Anna Morrissey – Book Review: Fake news and alternative facts: Information literacy in a post-truth era by Nicole A. Cooke. SJSU iSchool student Morrissey reviews Fake News and Alternative Facts: Information in a Post-Truth Era by Nicole A. Cooke and relates the main points to the library and information science profession.
• Sagan Wallace – Review of The Librarian’s Guide to Homelessness: An Empathy-Driven Approach to Solving Problems, Preventing Conflicts, and Serving Everyone. Wallace, a library supervisor at Oregon State University and a SJSU iSchool student, reviews Ryan Dowd’s germane work on the issue of homelessness itself and how librarians should approach the practice of servicing the homeless community.
• Megan Price and Greta Snyder – Research Publications in Web of Science Shift from Bitcoin to Blockchain, with Focus on Computer Science, Engineering, Telecommunications, and Business Economics. SJSU iSchool alumnae and former editors of the Student Research Journal, Price and Snyder provide an evidence summary on the current research available on blockchain technology and its importance to the library and information science field.

“The impressive range of graduate student and practicing professional research published in this issue demonstrate that SRJ remains committed to escape velocity and sharing innovative LIS research.” — Greta Snyder

The full issue of the Student Research Journal is available online at https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/ischoolsrj/.

About Student Research Journal

The Student Research Journal is a student-run, double-blind peer-reviewed, open access journal that promotes research and reviews related to the library and information science fields from both current and recent graduate students. Run online and based at the School of Information at San José State University, the Student Research Journal offers students the chance to work through the peer-review process and publish meaningful work that will contribute to the critical discourse of the LIS field while introducing graduate students to the publication process.

Editorial Team

Former Editor-in-Chief Snyder and Managing Editor Pistorino bid farewell to the Student Research Journal in their last issue on the editorial team. Their unyielding dedication to and venerable work on the journal are commended by incoming Editor-in-Chief Catherine Liebau-Nelsen and Managing Editor Sarah Wilson.

In addition, the editorial team recognizes outgoing content editors Terry Schiavone, Claire Goldstein, and Esther Momand, as well as outgoing Copy Editor Havilah Steinman for their excellent contributions to the Student Research Journal.

Call for Submissions for August 2020 and Beyond

The Student Research Journal 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. Volume 10, Issue 2 is slated to be published in December 2020.

Questions about the submission process can be emailed to Liebau-Nelsen at sjsu.ischool.srj@gmail.com. Students interested in applying to join the editorial team are encouraged to visit the official Student Research Journal website and engage on Twitter and Instagram. Multi-media student resources are also available on the journal’s Student Resource Blog.