Introductory Statement

Hello,

I'm Ryan Kawaguchi, and this is my ePortfolio, completed in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the Master of Library and Information Science Degree (MLIS) at the School of Information of San Jose State University (formerly known as the School of Library and Information Science). I chose the ePortfolio option for the culminating experience for my MLIS because I feel it is important for you, the evaluator, to see the full sum of the learning experiences I have completed in the course of the last 2.5 years, rather than to make their judgment of my worthiness to receive the MLIS on the basis of arguments/observations made in one thesis. There are five main components of this ePortfolio. The first is this statement, introducing the reader to my ePortfolio. The second part is a statement of the professional philosophy which will guide me in my professional life as a librarian. The third part, and the main body of this project, are fourteen statements of competency corresponding to the fourteen core competencies of the School of Information. These statements will describe my knowledge of each competency, as well as the experiences, learned at the iSchool or otherwise, which prove I can use this information to serve the needs of library patrons as an LIS professional. The fourth part of this assignment is a statement of conclusion, summarizing the core message and philosophy embodied in this ePortfolio. Finally, I have written a statement of affirmation, verifying the evidentiary artifacts I am incorporating into each of the fourteen statements are my own work, that other people I have worked with to produce group projects are properly credited for their work, and that the privacy of all individuals contributing to many of the evidentiary artifacts is adequately protected.

I have made every effort to save most necessary class materials in preparation for the completion of this ePortfolio. I even saved materials from the INFO 203 course required of all students entering the program. The scope of the materials varies widely because of the nature of different classes. Some classes had group projects, some classes required special internet applications (I can remember a database website required in INFO 202), and some of the coursework is spread across various blogs, presentation sites (e.g., Brainshark) and even videos on Youtube. I saved most of my discussion forum posts in a question and answer format, and did not include the entire conversation (merely my posts to the discussion forums). I saved about 80 percent of course-related material to Google Drive. To ensure the course material is available for entry into this assignment, I devised what I call a “quadruply redundant” system where the items are saved not only to Google Drive, but also to the Instructure Canvas servers, and two flash drives.

If you are interested in learning more about my current activities, you can view my resume at LinkedIn.

Here is a list of courses I completed for the Master of Educational Technology program:

Core Courses:

LIBR 200 - Information and Society

LIBR 202 - Information Retrieval

LIBR 204 - Information Organization and Management

LIBR 285 - Research Methods in Libraries

LIBR 289 - Advanced Topics in Library and Information Science

Additional Elective Courses:

LIBR 210 - Reference and Information Services

LIBR 234 - Intellectual Freedom Seminar

LIBR 241 - Library Automation

LIBR 244 - Online Searching

LIBR 248 - Beginning Cataloging and Classification

LIBR 250 - Instructional Design for Information Professionals

LIBR 265 - Materials for Young Adult Services 15-18

LIBR 266 - Collection Management

LIBR 275 - Library Services to Diverse Communities