INFO 200 Information Communities
Taught by Prof. Adele Reid (Fall 2016)
INFO 200 was one of my favorite classes because it prepared me for this program, as it taught me a lot about the information science profession. Before enrolling into this program, my understanding of librarianship was limited and attributed to my experiences working as a Library Aide for the County of Los Angeles. INFO 200 transformed my view of the LIS field by realizing that information serves as a gateway that creates and unifies communities that share a common interest while defeating geographical barriers. Although the curriculum focused on online communities, learning about online communities prepped me for courses such as INFO 275 Library Services for Diverse Communities and INFO 282 Library Management and Project Management.
INFO 202 Information Retrieval Design
Taught by Prof. Tonia San Nicolas Rocca (Fall 2016)
Taught from a business perspective, the professor effectively conveyed the importance of information security, information management, and information design. The assignments provided in this course furthered my understanding of these areas and provided me with hands-on experience in learning how to design catalog systems for potential clients. A lot of information and planning goes into producing a catalog system. Furthermore, this class would prepare me for INFO 246 Information Technology Tools and Applications were I would create advanced applications that displayed information for retrieval.
INFO 203 Online Learning: Tools and Strategies for Success
Taught by Prof. Cindy Runnels (Fall 2016)
In my previous years of study, I became accustomed to the styles of MLA and Chicago for formatting papers. APA is a style that I was not familiar with, but this class helped me in that area. In addition to learning APA, Professor Runnels also taught us how to use applications and tools such as Canvas, BlackBoard, and WordPress. Although this class held shorter weeks when compared to other courses, the information learned was beneficial because it familiarized ourselves with tools and applications we would later use in the program.
INFO 204 Information Professions
Taught by Prof. Cheryl Stenstrom (Fall 2017)
This course exposed me to various career paths within the LIS profession and taught me to perform environmental scans. Within the LIS profession, there are opportunities for LIS professionals to engage their careers in traditional and non-traditional settings. The job market has risen in opportunities for LIS professionals, and this class sharpened my abilities to dominate the workforce by applying skills in multiple professional settings. Furthermore, my knowledge involving environmental scanning prepares me as a future public librarian, where I can engage in assessing internal and external factors to develop plans that will lead the library to become a thriving community.
INFO 210 Reference and Information Services
Taught by Prof. Johanna Tunon (Spring 2017)
I was thrilled to take this course because of my interest in reference work. I have some experience answering basic reference questions at my library, but my experience is limited since we have been instructed to direct all reference questions to the librarian and library assistants. Although I continue to yearn for experience in reference services, this course offered other insights related to reference and information services. For example, discussing the architectural and interior design of libraries, particularly in reference areas, provided a thorough analysis that examined why these spaces have changed. Reference service areas need to act as agents that encourage patrons to ask questions, and there are multiple ways to make these areas appealing to patrons. My biggest takeaway, however, is learning that reference help is a means of supplying patrons with the correct tools to access and assess information that best fit their information needs.
INFO 220 Resources and Information Services in Professions and Disciplines
Taught by Prof. Nancy Friedland (Fall 2017)
INFO 220 is where I learned most about technology. In this class, we discussed current Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technologies, digital research tools, data cycles, and more. I found it fascinating to learn that there are risks in using OCRs because technology changes quite rapidly and to learn about the diverse tools available on the web that can help people communicate or advance in creative projects. Learning about the Dirt directory broadened my options for later projects. Research projects on databases and digital texts served as a great introduction to projects that focus on literature and scholarly work. Being introduced to digital projects made me wish I would have known about them sooner, especially during my undergraduate years. As a future ILS representative, I hope to introduce teens and college students to these sources. A lot exists on the web, and I may be romanticizing, but projects like these don't appear on your search page unless you know you are searching for it.
INFO 232 Issues in Public Libraries
Taught by Prof. Ruth Barefoot (Spring 2018)
I was eager to take this class because of my interest in public librarianship. I wanted to learn how to address issues within the library while observing my current practices where I work. In INFO 232, however, I gained a deeper understanding of what it means to be a librarian. The performance of librarians across the globe provided new insights, thus transforming my aspirations. I want to be a librarian that is proactive and creates opportunities for community members. A librarian that eliminates prejudices and proposes new library initiatives. This class provided me with the opportunity to learn from libraries in Croatia, Australia, and Egypt, all leaders of change.
INFO 241 Library Automation
Taught by Prof. Timothy Dickey (Spring 2019)
Library Automation examined multiple technology applications commonly used in libraries. In studying library automation, I learned about the vendors behind commonly known libraries online learning tools and catalog systems. For most of my SJSU student life, I became aware that many libraries across the United States use the same tools as my library. By performing field work, I reconnected with virtual reference services to learn about libraries that use different systems, thus introducing me to new forms of library automation.
INFO 246 Information Technology Tools
Taught by Prof. Lori Lindberg (Fall 2017)
INFO 246 is a class I will never forget. Professor Lindberg taught us how to use several markup languages which include XML, XSLT, DTD, XPath, XQuery, RDF, and more. I entered this class without any knowledge on the subject, so there is no doubt that I struggled. However, Professor Lindberg was helpful and dedicated to ensuring we learned the material. I enjoyed learning and drafting XML sheets to structure data for retrieval systems.
INFO 250 Instructional Design Information Systems
Taught by Prof. David Loertscher (Spring 2017)
I cannot seem to recall why I chose to take this course, but I am glad I did. Although I do not have an interest in Teacher Librarianship, the readings and lecture provided an in-depth analysis behind the work and contribution of teacher librarians in academic settings that I can also apply to public librarianship. This class provided me with the opportunity to learn about school curriculums, collaborations between professionals, and how teacher librarians can prepare students for the information gathering process while teaching them about new emerging technologies. The lesson plans we created for this class also contributed to my learning because it is where I applied the curriculum I had learned in the course. Lesson planning also provided me with the opportunity to collaborate and network with real teachers.
INFO 266 Collection Management
Taught by Prof. David Loertscher (Fall 2018)
I took Professor Loertscher once more for INFO 266 Collection Management. In the first day of instruction, Professor Loertscher informed us that we would analyze the collection in our library system, which was great because I learned more about the library where I work. I knew the librarians did not order materials, but I also did not know where they came from or the process behind purchases and adding them to the catalog system. From this class, I learned that the librarians in the County of Los Angeles have very little control over their collections. The Collection Development Department evaluates each libraries collection. The problem behind their evaluations is that they don't always purchase materials that would benefit the community as a whole. This class also provided me with the opportunity to observe current practices which taught me there are gaps within the library where I work in addressing the needs of specific groups. Overall, I gained a deeper understanding of collection management from taking this course.
INFO 275 Libraries Serve Diverse Communities
Taught by Prof. Kristen Rebmann (Fall 2018)
This class taught me so much about cultural competence and how to address the needs of diverse groups. Performing community outreach in schools, religious institutions, and local government facilities may contribute to the expansion of knowledge within community members to learn about library services. Libraries today are located in areas considered equitable, offering a large number of services, from tax preparation to citizenship services, there are many opportunities where members can thrive.
INFO 281 Colloquial Contemporary Issues
Taught by Prof. Christine Hagar (Spring 2018)
This class was among one of my favorites because it made me look at LIS from a different perspective. Learning about the forms in which libraries address communities in times of crisis was very interesting because I never considered them as agents that could aid during unfortunate events. LIS professionals can provide information locating safety areas or use their facilities as safety zones for people to find shelter. The role of LIS is very transformative, and this class was a great way of demonstrating how libraries are more than just a place for books.
INFO 282 Seminar in Library Management
Taught by Prof. Sean Gaffney (Spring 2018)
Project management was a new subject for me, and I appreciate everything I learned in the course. As I reflect on the materials, project management is a great way to learn about leadership and project planning. Project management is about giving your crew a voice to share their opinions and creativity; it is about time management and addressing problems as they arise; it is about collaborating with groups and stakeholders, and learning how to apply excellent communication skills for the success of the project. Project management encompasses these factors to satisfy the goals of the project.
INFO 285 Applied Research Methods
Taught by Prof. Geoffrey Z. Liu (Summer 2018)
This class is where I learned how to perform qualitative and quantitative research, which served as new areas of study. The research I engaged in this course taught me the extents in which LIS professionals perform examinations, and a portion of it is statistical. Performing statistical analysis contributes to theory developments explored in any area of research; therefore it is imperative that LIS professionals receive training in these areas, to further advance in research methods. In short, it is about taking the information gathering process to a proactive state of information behavior.
INFO 287 Seminar in Information Science
Taught by Prof. Ziming Liu (Summer 2018)
Digital libraries were a hot topic for this course, and it taught me that many digital libraries are in peril. When digital libraries became a concept, there were many stakeholders involved, from LIS professionals to scientists, and many expressed enthusiasm for the subject. In recent years, however, one can argue that users feel quite different as they find themselves searching for resources that are not always available in digital libraries. As we enter a new era, it is crucial for digital libraries to evolve and aggregate the needs of information seekers. These modifications may include virtual reference librarianship and access to sharing data between users. I do not doubt that digital libraries will soon step up to the demands of users, as LIS professionals are current with remaining on the edge of new trends.