Spotlights

• Cindy Hohl Library services Director of Policy Analysis

  As a leader, there is no greater opportunity than to serve others, and when you add a career in librarianship to that vision, you will never work another day in your life. Librarianship is a calling.

• Selena Aguilera Community Engagement Librarian

  Libraries are one of the first places to see what's going on in a community and address the needs.

• Stephanie Weis Business Intelligence Analyst

  I am so excited to put the skills I've developed at SIS to use and thankful for the experiences I've had with SIS Tech.

• Rachael Clark Collections Strategy and Assessment Librarian

  We're a generous profession. Librarians want to help others succeed.

• Halimah Rosanally Digital Marketing Specialist

  My Project Management class was essential; everything in that course I could directly apply to my work.

• Amber Harrison Academic Services Officer I

  I want to help ensure that all communities feel safe and welcome here at the School of Information Sciences.

• Rafia Sultana Data Governance Analyst

  The most exciting part of working with large data sets is to discover insights that drive decision making for businesses and organizations.

• Nandita S. Mani Library services Dean of University Libraries

  The degree was instrumental in my career, as it propelled me to go into health sciences librarianship.

• Michelle Jahra McKinney Archives and digital content management Director of Archives

  There’s no ignoring the progressive role archives and collections have played in telling a dynamic American story.

• Charlotte Tito Library services Reference Librarian

  The public library is the heart of a community and there is no better place to work.

• Kathy Lester Library services School Librarian (retired)

  I love what I do. I’ve always believed that education can make a huge difference in people’s lives and that all students deserve a good education.

• Jasmine Parker Library services Youth and Teen Services Librarian

  Parker spoke with the SIS about her experiences as a woman of color in the field of library and information science.

• Kevin King Library services Head of Community Engagement

  King received the Michigan Library Awards' Lifetime Achievement Award.

• Lance Werner Library services Executive Director

  Werner received the 2023 Urban Libraries Council (ULC) Advocate of the Year Award.

• Bonnie Russell Information management Project Manager

  People often don’t recognize just how many jobs are filled by librarians that aren’t housed in libraries.

• Regina Gong Library services Associate Dean for Student Success & Diversity

  Gong was named to the 'Library Journal' 2023 list of Movers & Shakers.

• Logan Lazalde Archives and digital content management Digital Archivist

  Thorough documentation captures decision-making, promotes efficiency, and allows your colleagues and successors to understand and continue your work.

• LaTeesa James Library services Health Sciences Informationist

  All of the faculty played an integral part in helping me to develop as an information professional.

• Robert Browning Archives and digital content management Student

  My practicum experience made things real and showed that I can do the work of an archivist.

• Grace Moore Archives and digital content management Research and Data Specialist

  This internship and Wayne State changed the course of my career.

• Stacey Ogea Library services Branch Services Manager

  I love being able to encourage someone who is growing in this profession.

• Ginny Schneider Archives and digital content management Patricia B. Knapp Awardee

  I really appreciated that assistance from the faculty at Wayne State.

• Jill Turner Library services Library Professor

  Turner is the recipient of the School of Information Sciences 2022 Distinguished Alumni Award

• Andrew Wilhelme Archives and digital content management SIS Student

  My assignment to complete my archival administration practicum at the Labadie Collection made my youthful aspirations a reality.

• Louis Jones Archives and digital content management Reuther Library Field Archivist

  If we’re able to inspire people with the stories that are told with the records we keep, those are treasured moments to reflect on.

• Tiffany Dinwiddie Library services SIS Recent Graduate

  Wayne State has been instrumental in laying the foundation of my education and career. I’ve felt supported and have been surrounded by diversity.

• Megen Rehahn Drulia Information management Partnership Development

  After working for SIS for more than 15 years, Drulia has started a new role in partnership development at Chicago-based Blueprint.

• Calvin Battles Library services Adult Services Coordinator

  If we want to do positive things in the community, we have to work with local organizations to combine resources.

• LaVentra E. Danquah Library services Library Director

  One of my favorite parts of the job is seeing the professional development of staff.

• Sue Todd Library services Library Director

  Libraries have existed for such a long time because we’ve always adapted to the newest technology to be able to support our patrons and communities.

• Dave Moore Archives and digital content management Digital Asset Manager

  Alumnus Dave Moore uses the tools of today to tackle the problems of yesterday at the iconic Detroit-based company, Carhartt.

• Emily Polet-Monterosso Library services Children's Librarian

  SIS student Emily Polet-Monterosso donated a kidney to a stranger in 2019 and climbed Mount Kilimanjaro to bring awareness to living donation.

• Robin Jourdan Information management Retired Research Librarian and Technology Futurist

  A 1994 SIS alumna, Jourdan returned to Wayne State to pursue a master of fine arts degree from the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts.

• Thomas Perriard Library services Access Services Specialist

  The library world – finding and acquiring knowledge to help people and the systems that make it work – I find it fascinating.

• Maria Nuccilli Information management Digital Collections Librarian

  SIS really encourages students to go out and get real-world experience and for that I am grateful. I would say this is what prepared me the most for my career so far.

• Allia McCoy Library services Social Sciences Librarian

  The most surprising thing I learned when I joined the program is how multi-faceted the opportunities are in the field of library and information science.

• Shatha Baydoun Library services Faculty Librarian

  I received tremendous support and guidance from the SIS faculty from the first class I took to the last one.

• Leah Giordano Library services Library Director

  I love feeling like I am a part of changing a person's life for the better. Being a librarian is truly, deeply satisfying work.  ​

• Anne Heidemann Library services Tribal Librarian

  Being able to give back and serve a community – that’s at the core of who I am.

• Brent Domann Library services Reference Librarian

  Wayne State’s program was flexible enough that I could work to gain experience while finishing my degree.

• Crystal Jolly-Washington Library services Children's Librarian

  I am so proud to have held the position of Diversity Graduate Student Assistant for SIS. It gave me the opportunity to spread the word about viable career options in LIS to underrepresented groups.

• Jesse Alexander Lopez Library services Art Librarian

  Wayne State introduced me to the profession and emphasized the importance of getting practical/professional experience during graduate school.

• Allie Penn Archives and digital content management Librarian/Information Specialist

  You never really understand the complexities of archives until you're in an archive working with materials.

• Matthew Wilcox Archives and digital content management Audiovisual Archivist

  When you come across inspirational items in an archive, it's what gives you the passion to want to make them accessible to the public.

• Karen Turk Library services Librarian I

  I'm proud to say that my education at Wayne State has helped me stay employable in a field that has changed drastically since I first graduated in 2007.

• Jodi Coalter Information management Life Sciences and Outreach Librarian

  Jodi Coalter received the University of Maryland's 2021 Gemstone Honors Program Librarian of the Year Award.

• Amy Hermon Library services Library Media Specialist

  Hermon is is the host of School Librarians United, a weekly podcast for and by school librarians.

• Theo Gill Library services Library assistant

  I realized that I wanted to pursue a career in librarianship and chose WSU because of its program and its availability.

• Heather Kapanka Library services SIS Student

  Today’s media centers need to have a balance between a strong collection of books to support a love of reading while also providing opportunities to learn about digital citizenship and information literacy.

• Ana Corral Library services Resident Librarian

  Part of the reason why I picked Wayne was because it had so much practical application...One of the great things about Wayne is the projects I did have informed the way I’ve approached things here. That kind of practical knowledge is something I was really looking for.

• Sheila Garcia Library services Liaison Librarian

  I would encourage anyone to not be afraid to speak up. It is a small profession, so I know that some people feel very self-conscious about speaking up at times, but this is what makes it great. You want to hear everyone’s perspective, you want to make sure your perspective is also represented...

• SIS Shining Stars

  53 Outstanding Alumni who have made an impact on the world of library and information science

• Melanie Emerson Library services Dean of the Library and Special Collections

  Librarians and archivists help people learn and grow and that’s what I find really amazing about the profession.

• Carady DeSimone Archives and digital content management Archives Technician

  Making connections is the key to success in an online-only program. I would encourage students to get involved.

• Justine Cucchi Library services Digital Services Librarian

  Go for it and don’t give up – it is so important to get out there and build a brand for yourself. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

• Daniel Patton Library services Information Services Librarian

  If you have the time or opportunity to give back, I highly encourage you to do so.

• Sara Quimby Library services Library Director

  We had a series of internships that were really amazing. That gave me a very solid foundation of what it was like to be on the job as an art librarian.

• Edras Rodriguez-Torres Archives and digital content management

  "As an undergraduate student I had the opportunity to work on a digital collection that documented the history of a grassroots civil rights group. That experience spurred my interest in digital content management."

  Rodriguez-Torres is a librarian for Latin American and Caribbean Studies at the University of Michigan Library.

  Q: What's your name? What semester/year did you graduate?

  A: Hello, my name is Edras Rodriguez-Torres and I graduated with an MLIS in August of 2015.

  Q: Where are you from originally? Did you move here to go to school?

  A: I'm originally from Puerto Rico by way of Grand Rapids Michigan. I moved to Detroit to attend SIS and take advantage of the on-campus experience.

  Q: What other degrees do you have and where are they from?
  A: I have an Associate's degree from Grand Rapids Community College and a Bachelor of Arts in History from Grand Valley State University.

  Q: Why did you choose Wayne State School of Information Sciences?

  A: I chose SIS because of its fantastic reputation and its location.

  Q: What area did you specialize in? Why?
  A: I specialized in Digital Content Management. As an undergraduate student I had the opportunity to work on a digital collection that documented the history of a grassroots civil rights group. That experience spurred my interest in digital content management.

  Q: Where/What format did you take most of your classes? Why?
  A: I chose to take most of my classes online because of their availability.

  Q: Were you active in any student organizations?
  A: I was a member of ALA and a part of EMIERT (Ethnic and Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table).

  Q: How did your involvement in student organizations impacted your SIS experience?
  A: My involvement in ALA exposed me to many trends and issues of which I would not have been aware otherwise. It also gave me the opportunity to be eligible for, and be awarded participation in the 2015 ALA Student-to-Staff Program in San Francisco.

  Q: What are you most proud of in your time as a student at SIS?
  A: During my time at SIS I had the opportunity to work on many interesting projects and meet lots of wonderful people. Those experiences helped me to grow academically and professionally and that's what I'm most proud of.

  Q: Is there a professor who has really impacted your journey into becoming a librarian or information professional?
  A: Kim Schroeder was really influential during my time in the program. Her classes were always engaging and she is really knowledgeable. She also encouraged me to work on projects related to digital content management outside the classroom in order to gain hands-on real world experience.

  Q: What do you feel is the most important or surprising thing you learned about the library and information science profession at SIS?
  A: Although my perception of the profession was not limited to just that of the "traditional" librarian, I was really surprised how dynamic it truly is. LIS professionals work in all kinds of institutions and have so many different titles and roles. That is why it is important to keep up with current trends and techniques in order to be a flexible and forward thinking LIS professional.

  Q: Do you feel that SIS prepared you for a career in the information profession? Any long-term professional goals?
  A: SIS definitely prepared me for the profession. All of the things I've learned and the experiences I had during my time in the program encouraged and helped me to grow both academically and professionally. In the future I plan on pursuing my Ph.D. in History in order to further my research on the oral histories of the native peoples and immigrants of Detroit.

  Q: What advice would you give to someone considering SIS as their LIS school?
  A: My advice is to get involved! Whether it is student organizations, internships, or volunteer opportunities, getting involved is vital to your LIS education. It is truly the case that your degree and LIS education is what you make. Through these types of experiences you will learn about leadership and advocacy all while developing practical skills.