January 2019

Greetings from the Graduate Student Advisory Council (GSAC)

Welcome to 2019 at the iSchool! It has been my honor to serve you over the past year as President of GSAC. I am grateful for board members Jacquie Kociubuk, Sarah Myers, and Bridget Garnai, and to our faculty advisor, Mary Anne Nichols. I’m also excited by the fresh ideas of incoming GSAC President Haley Shaw and Vice President Mallory McCorkhill. I know that your student experience will be enriched through their leadership.

I encourage you to get involved! “You didn’t come this far only to come this far.” Converse with peers on our student forum, join a student organization, or dial in to GSAC’s monthly meetings. Graduate studies are no different from professional life in that connection, networking, and participating in the process are vital components of long-term success. We are not isolated students; we are a community. Take advantage of it!

Please meet Haley, profiled below. We are always willing to help – or connect you with someone who can!

Sincerely,

Dawn Sedor
President, Graduate Student Advisory Council

For more information or opportunities to serve with GSAC, please contact Dawn Sedor at dsedor@kent.edu

Join the Student ALA Chapter.

The ALA (American Library Association) Student Chapter at Kent State aims to connect and involve the iSchool’s graduate students with ALA and its affiliate organizations. The Student Chapter hosts events, meetings, and programs throughout the semester to provide networking, professional development, and community service opportunities to current iSchool graduate students both virtually and in-person. Membership in the student chapter is free, though professional membership in ALA is always encouraged. If you are interested in joining us please fill out our short membership form at https://goo.gl/forms/hyOtYyOWgAKGsicv2. For more information follow our blog at https://alastudentchapterksu.wordpress.com.
 

For more information contact Chapter President Jacquie Kociubuk at jkociubu@kent.edu

Haley Shaw, MLIS Candidate 

Haley is an MLIS candidate specializing in Museum Studies. In December 2018, she was elected President of GSAC for the upcoming year. Learn more about her below:

What is your academic background?

“I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology and Classical Civilizations at Ohio University. I minored in Music and completed the Museum Studies certificate program. In my time at Ohio University I worked at the Music and Dance Library as a student assistant. I started the MLIS program at Kent State in Fall of 2017.”

What brought you to the iSchool at Kent State?

“It was actually my boss, Greg Sigman, at the Music and Dance Library who inspired me to seek out this program. He earned his MLIS here at Kent State. When I researched the program further and found I could specialize in Museum Studies, I realized the iSchool had everything I wanted in a Master’s program.”

What is your current job?

“I am a graduate assistant. In this position I split my time working with Dr. Rebecca Meehan and in the Reinberger Children’s Library Center. I also am interning in the MuseLab this semester.”

Tell us about becoming President of GSAC.

“I am excited to take on the role of GSAC president this year. I hope to use the position to help my fellow grad students feel more connected to the program. Having been an iSchool student working from Colorado my first year and working locally this year, I know how tough it can be to feel connected to the program when you aren’t nearby. I hope to bridge that gap by encouraging communication between students and holding events that can be attended virtually as well as in person.”

Do you have any advice for your fellow students?

“The biggest piece of advice I can give to other students is to not be afraid to seek out opportunities. Be it an internship or volunteer position, gaining hands on experience will enhance your experience in this program. I interned at the Denver Art Museum last spring and the work I did there really complimented my coursework.”

News from the Reinberger Children’s Library Center & Marantz Picturebook Collection

RCLC’s Annual New and Used Children and Young Adult Book Sale

On December 11, 2018, the Reinberger Children’s Library Center held its annual book sale from 9:00am to 1:00pm. The sale included children’s picture books, young adult novels, non-fiction, and used books in excellent condition. Proceeds benefited the iSchool Children’s Fund.

For those interested, books are still available for purchase in the Reinberger during its normal hours of operation.

Pricing:
Hardback picture books: $5.00
Hardback nonfiction: $3.00
Hardback novels: $3.00
Paperbacks: $1.00
Used : 2 for $1.00

Contact Michelle Baldini, Director of the Reinberger Children’s Library Center, at mbaldini@kent.edu for more information about the Reinberger and Marantz collections.

News from the MUSE Lab

The MuseLab is excited to welcome three iSchool students from the Fall 2018 Museum Communication course who will be completing their CE projects by bringing the exhibit designed by their class to life in the gallery. This spring, the wall gallery will feature posters designed by Valora Renicker’s Visual Communication Design class which present poems from the Wick Poetry Center’s Traveling Stanzas project. Join the MuseLab for a series of Exercises for the Quiet Eye (EQE) workshops and campus events with Dr. Annie Storr of Brandeis University on March 11 and 12, 2019. EQE is an approach to guided looking that fosters close observation and patient reflection. These workshops and events will help participants learn how to approach museum objects more thoughtfully and effectively, and influence other aspects of learning or communication through these new techniques. Find dates and times for these exciting opportunities on the calendar in this email and stay tuned for more details and sign-up information. Free.

                                
The MuseLab manager and volunteer paint a design inspired by Cuban tiles for an exhibit about Cuban-American storyteller Alma Flor Ada. Stop by the MuseLab to see the exhibit and try out some innovative virtual reality exhibit techniques. 

To explore how you might find your muse here, make an appointment to visit by calling 330-672-5846 or emailing kflatham@kent.edu.

Follow MuseLab on Facebook and Twitter for updates on exhibits and other news.

The Society of Ohio Archivists (SOA) is pleased to announce four scholarships available to students (2 awards), and new archival professionals (2 awards) with three years or less experience in the workplace to attend their annual spring meeting on Friday, May 17, 2019 at the Hilton Akron/Fairlawn Hotel.
The scholarship consists of conference registration (including lunch), a one-year membership to SOA, and a $100 travel stipend.  Awardees are required to submit a photograph and write about their experience for publication in the Ohio Archivist newsletter. Learn more at http://www.ohioarchivists.org/scholarships/.

ALA/OLC Connection

Not sure how to begin navigating the maze of professional organizations? Look no further! As an iSchool student, you can join both ALA and OLC for only $42 at https://www.ala.org/cfapps/jntapp/index.cfm?urlcode=ST-OH. Since an ALA student membership costs $38, the OLC membership opportunity is a steal for just $4 more! Benefits of OLC membership include professional development opportunities (including a discounted public librarian certification), regular updates on exciting library-happenings and news, and discounts at conferences and events.

For more information about the joint ALA/OLC membership program and other joint state library memberships, visit http://www.ala.org/aboutala/joint-membership-program.

Questions? Contact your OLC Student Representative Sarah Myers at smyers56@kent.edu.