Energy Drinks Database Design: Beta Prototype: Our group created an energy drink prototype database using the database management software Caspio. We designed this database for parents seeking to make informed decisions about their children’s energy drink consumption. We created database fields for categories including calories, caffeine content, sweetener type, and additional vitamins. We explored creating fields that offered various formats for both the database’s submission form for indexers and the search page for users. We landed on using a combination of multi-select dropdown menus, number ranges, and text entries for multiple fields. During the design stages, we developed a statement of purpose (SOP) to describe the collection and the target users for the database which guided design decisions and test parameters. We wrote a set of rules so others could accurately enter records into the database and analyzed feedback from an alpha evaluation to improve the design and implementation, then handed off the beta prototype to another group for testing and evaluation.

Brendan Rouse: “I am a first-year MLIS student. I worked with youth in community services for 10 years and needed a career change. I plan to pursue the Academic Librarianship Career Path. My goal is to work as a librarian at a university or community college.”

Elena Loper (she/her) is a first year MLIS student at SJSU. She previously worked at a school library as the collection development manager. Elena is passionate about diverse representation in fiction and nonfiction library collections, and hopes to continue this work as a graduate student and the library field. Loper is enjoying her graduate program immensely and working with her fellow students on projects.

Nicole Lohrman: “I am a single mother of three teenagers, returning to school to pursue my lifelong goal of becoming a librarian. I hold an undergraduate degree in Computer Science, and upon completing my Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) at San José State University, I aspire to become a Systems Librarian. In this role, I aim to leverage my experience, education, and skills to make a meaningful impact by serving others.”

Stephanie Bailon is a graduate of California State University, Fullerton, where they earned a Bachelor’s degree in Art History. Passionate about the intersection of art, culture, and information, Stephanie is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science. In addition to their studies, Stephanie works at a public library in Orange County, CA, where they apply their expertise in research and information management to support the community. With a deep appreciation for both the humanities and the value of accessible knowledge, Stephanie is dedicated to advancing their career in the library and information science field.[SG] For this project, we created a database for cataloging energy drinks for parents to use when deciding what drinks they will let their children have. We discussed each field, rules, and design choices for our search page and submission forms as a group. This was great practice for us to think like the user when designing a database. One of the most important aspects of IRS design.

Sos Grigoryan: “I am jumping into the LIS field with no prior experience. I am excited to learn more as I continue my work in the MLIS program at SJSU.”