In our new monthly series, student members of SLA from library and information science programs across the United States will share their thoughts and experiences in response to a themed prompt. In the upcoming months they will tackle topics ranging from student jobs to technology to professional development and more–so stay tuned!

Without further ado, meet the bloggers!

Amy Frazier

I’m currently a second-year student in the Emporia State University SLIM-Oregon program in Portland, as well as the student liaison for the Oregon chapter of SLA. I work at the Oregon Health and Science University library writing metadata for the Historical Image Collection, and intern in Collections Information at the Portland Art Museum.  I’m interested in digital collections, digital humanities, information literacy, and thinking about the Internet. Whatever happens next, I bet it’s going to be pretty cool.

Brianna Marshall

I’m a second year dual-degree Master of Library Science/Master of Information Science student at Indiana University’s School of Library and Information Science in Bloomington, IN. I currently work at the IU Digital Library Program, the Cyberinfrastructure for Network Science Center, the Kinsey Institute for Sex, Gender and Reproduction, and the Wells Library Teaching and Learning department. I am also Managing Editor for the blog Hack Library School. After graduating in May 2014, I would like to work with digital projects at an academic or special library. I blog at Not So Stern Librarian and post any projects I work on to my website. When I’m not doing library things, you can find me thrifting, quilting, or reading psychological thrillers.

Chealsye Bowley

Hi, I’m Chealsye. I am a MLIS and Museum Studies certificate student at Florida State University. I define librarian as being a curiosity curator. Currently I am a Graduate Assistant in Digital Scholarship working on open access projects at FSU, and am a Curatorial Assistant at Gadsden Arts Center. I’ve previously worked as a Library Assistant in a public library and as an archives intern at The Revs Institute for Automotive Research. My interests are museums, archives, and storytelling. I’m hoping my career takes me to the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, fingers crossed!

Esther Jackson

I am in the middle of my final semester, working towards my Master of Library Science at the University at Buffalo, the State University of New York.  My focus is on special libraries, with an emphasis on special collections, cataloging and preservation.  I also have interests in both social media and digital libraries. I currently work in the Interlibrary Loan Department at SUNY Buffalo, as well as in the Preservation Department.  I am also employed by my program for marketing work and desktop publishing, and serve as the president of the Special Libraries Association Student Group at SUNY Buffalo.  My other position is at the Western New York Book Arts Center where I am working to organize and their on-site library and archive, which includes a large collection of prints and artists’ books.  I am active in both SLA and ARLIS-NA, working with members of the later group on a thesaurus project for artists’ books to be presented at the annual conference in March of 2013.  When I’m not in the library, I’m in the workshop, pursing my interests in book arts and bookbinding, and working on the construction of my first book.

Samantha Barry

I am working on a Master’s degree in Information Resources and Library Science at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona. In my previous career, I was a marketing communications professional for 15 years, working as a writer and project manager. I am currently participating in an internship with the Pima County Public Library in Tucson. My project involves social media and storytelling, and I am working under the leadership of the Social Media Librarian. After my graduation in May 2013, I would like to work with public libraries in a marketing/social media capacity. I volunteer as the Home and School President of my children’s school, and in what little spare time I have I read, crochet, and tweet.