Published: January 29, 2019 by Havilah Steinman

The School of Information at San José State University launched the much anticipated new website on Tuesday, January 8th! As a student who predated the new website, I thought it would be helpful to tour the website with you.

Hamburger Menu and Highlights

The website is now navigated by what’s referred to as a Hamburger menu, which is three stacked horizontal lines on the top right side of the page. Check out this fun YouTube video that further explores the history of the Hamburger menu.

When I click on the hamburger menu, several sections appear. On the top left, I have the ability to search the entire iSchool at SJSU website. Below this, there is a section labeled Quick Links, which can take me to consistently accessed pages, including Canvas and the King Library! As a student, I know I will be accessing the Class Schedules, Registration and Enrollment, Syllabi and Textbooks pages quite often. My navigation choice in the past was to Google my chosen search terms paired with SJSU and iSchool. This new organization is much faster, and all located in one place. 

Easy Access to the iSchool Calendar  

Next to the hamburger menu is a calendar icon, which directs you to the Upcoming Events Calendar. How great is it that this calendar is available from wherever you are on the site. In reviewing the calendar, it looks like there are quite a few events coming up in February, including Your LIS Career Starts Here on February 6th from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

By the way, I suggest attending as many virtual events as your schedule allows. Whether you’re a new student or have been here for awhile, these events help you to become more plugged in to the program and helps you build connections with faculty members, staff, and students who you may not otherwise meet.

Student Resources

A quick click on the plus sign next to the Student Resources section opens up a secondary menu. This section contains lots of helpful resources for current students which aren’t all included in the Quick Links section previously mentioned above. These include Financial Aid and Scholarships, Student Assistantships and Internships.

Student Assistantships provide a wonderful opportunity for students to build their resume while completing their program online. Be sure to pay attention to your email, because information about openings are shared via the iSchoolAlert notification system!

Another important part of the Student Resources menu is Academic Support, which includes links to Writing Support, and a list of Instructional Screencasts previous INFO 203 peer mentors have created specifically with new students in mind.

Finally, I would be lost without the Technology Support section, which is an incredibly helpful resource when technological difficulties arise. There’s a specific page for each type of technology the iSchool utilizes, including SJSU iSchool Canvas, Zoom and Saving Coursework.

Build Connections and Communities 

Let’s explore the welcome page, which features rotating alumni of the iSchools programs. On the left hand side, there is a clickable drop down menu titled “Find Your Program” where you can select one of the eight programs the iSchool offers:
 

• MLIS
• Teacher Librarian Program
• MARA
• MS In Informatics
• Digital Assets Certificate
• Post-Masters Certificate
• Open Classes
• PhD.

The 16 unit Post-Masters Certificate is an excellent option for librarian professionals who have already completed their Masters and are hoping to return to school to gain new skills in the field. The 9 unit Digital Assets Certificate is geared specifically towards professionals working towards better management of digital content. Both of these programs are fully online!

Many of the students I work with in my peer mentoring capacity talk about positive experiences in the open classes the iSchool offers. I suggest looking into this option if you have not quite picked a program yet!

A cursory scroll down the welcome page displays professional opportunities and networking. These include important options such as Professional Association Student Chapters, Student Research Journal, Internships, and Library 2.0 Virtual Conferences. I joined VCARA my first semester in the MLIS program and enjoyed meeting students that way! I also highly recommend applying for an internship once you have completed 19 units.

Career Resources

I am very excited to share a new discovery with you! At the very bottom of the homepage, the career in information section navigates me to a career direction page. This informative section offers a self assessment for prospective students to take if they are unsure which program would fit their needs. I took the assessment and found it helpful to re-establish my reasons for choosing to pursue my MLIS at the iSchool.

News and Events

Finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t make my way through the News and Events section of the hamburger menu with you. Check out the News page to see what alumni are up to in their chosen professions. To get involved and stay on top of events hosted by the iSchool and other Student Groups, check out the Upcoming Events Calendar!

Did you know that the iSchool has other blogs besides this one? Scroll on over to the Community Profiles blog and get an in depth look at what alumni and students are up to today. The blogs available on the News and Events offers links to our numerous other blogs. I want to specifically draw your attention to the Career Blog, which offers lots of helpful content for students currently seeking a new position!

I hope you’ve enjoyed our journey through the new website together. The new website design is streamlined, designed with users in mind and above all really beautiful! As always, feel free to submit questions or comments below.