The American Library Assocation recently shared a column titled, Ten Reasons Why You Should Participate in Your School’s Student ALA (SALA) Chapter. Check it out and then read on for what motivated some of our chapter’s officers to get involved. We hope it inspires you to take advantage of your membership with ALASC, whether that’s joining us for events or taking on a leadership position.
Beth Cartier, Virtual Events Coordinator:Â Meeting other students while attending an online program can be challenging. Joining ALASC is a great way to meet others who share the same professional interest outside of the classroom. By joining ALASC and volunteering for the virtual events coordinator role, I have gained new friendships as well as developed new leadership skills that I can continue to use in my professional career.
Violet McCrigler, Blogging Assistant: I was inspired to get involved with ALASC because student groups enhance the online learning environment. My first semester in the program, I worried that online education might be isolating or lonely, but by attending virtual events with ALASC and other groups, I realized that I had an amazing opportunity to connect with classmates and colleagues all over the world. I enjoy being a part of the team and taking an active role in my iSchool experience.
Joyce Peng, Social Media Manager:Â I joined ALASC because I wanted to challenge myself by taking on a leadership role in a student chapter and to network and meet fellow iSchool students. Joining ALASC definitely made me feel more close to the iSchool and close to the library profession. I feel like I have gained important leadership, organizational, and teamwork skills through my time in ALASC.
Stacy Rivas, Blogging Assistant: I joined the ALASC to meet fellow iSchool students, to push myself outside of my comfort zone by trying something new (blogging), and to build experience in a new field (going back to school to get my MLIS represents a career switch from teaching for me). Since I love to read and loved talking with my students about books, taking on a leadership role in an organization that celebrates books and reading felt like a good fit for me.
