SLA Student Chapter | November 2025 Newsletter
🍂 Embrace the autumn breeze! 🍂
Membership
The Special Libraries Association Student Chapter (SLASC) Executive Committee is looking to fill our open student leadership positions for the Spring 2026 semester! By joining the SLASC Executive Committee you’ll become a member of a diverse and inclusive community dedicated to aiding our peers learn more about and prepare for future careers in special libraries and archives. You’ll also cultivate meaningful connections, develop practical skills, gain valuable leadership experience, and may even produce evidence for Comps C, D, and M for your e-Portfolio!
We are currently accepting applications for the following positions:
Secretary
Archivist
1st Assistant Blog
2nd Assistant Blog
2nd Assistant Programming
2nd Assistant Social Media
2nd Assistant Comms
We meet on the second Monday of every month from 6:00pm to 7:00pm (PT).
The deadline to apply is November 30, 2025!
Find out how to apply here!
If you’re interested in applying or have any questions, please contact our Membership Team at sjsu.slasc@gmail.com.
Special Libraries News & Events
November 2025
You Read Cursive? Transcribing NYC Municipal Archives’ Slavery Archives
Join Black in Historic Preservation as we transcribe “NYC Slavery Records” for the NYC Department of Records and Information Services’ (DORIS) Municipal Archives.
“The Department of Records and Information Services invites volunteers to transcribe recently digitized documents of enslaved people. Spanning from 1660 to 1838, the records contain birth records, manumission certificates, and court minutes detailing the lives of enslaved people in the localities that would become New York City. The majority of these records were created with the passing of the 1799 Act for the Gradual Abolition of Slavery [in New York State] and provide a rare, though still somewhat faint, spotlight on a community that was integral to the growth of the city.”
Please note: Material in these volumes might contain language that some people might perceive as harmful.
What will you do?
Transcribe a minimum of one document. Most are less than one page long.
And, if you know how to read Dutch, even better! The majority of the Dutch documents need transcription.
Who is this for?
For descendants of enslaved Black people, preservationists, community advocates, cultural workers, historians, archivists, and anyone interested in reading primary sources about chattel enslavement in the US, especially in New York City.
This event is a virtual event hosted by Black in Historic Preservation, not hosted by NYC DORIS.
When: November 6, 2025 from 3:30pm - 5pm (PST)
Where: Online Event
For more information: https://www.blackinhistpres.com/bihp-events/can-you-read-cursive-transcribing-nyc-municipal-archives-slavery-archives
Please join the SLA Southern California Community for an in-person library tour of the American Cement Association Library. Additionally, we will also be able to tour the Calportland Cement Laboratory and take a stroll through the Wildlife Habitat Certified Pollinator Garden. An optional dutch treat lunch at a local restaurant after the tour will be organized based on interest.
Date: Wednesday, November 12th
Time: 10am ~ 12pm library/lab/garden tour
Place: Calportland Crestmore Center for Technical Excellence, 1490 Rubidoux Blvd, Jurupa Valley, CA 92509
RSVP: Louisa Verma at library@cement.org by Monday, November 10th (participation limited to 20); please let me know if you are interested going to lunch after the tour when you RSVP.
December 2025
SLA Southern California Community’s is seeking presenters for their Professional Development Day. It will be held December 5th and looking for poster presentations, lightning talks, and session presentations. Share your student experiences, internships, or job experiences. Submit proposals to https://bit.ly/4oUSVzE
January 2026
The MLGSCA/NCNMLG 2026 Joint Meeting is happening January 16-18 in Las Vegas, NV. This is an affordable, really good opportunity to network and learn in a small(er) and friendly environment with fellow CA, NV, AZ medical librarians. Please find more information and register here: https://mlgsca.wildapricot.org/2026-Joint-Meeting
Events & Programming
ESupPORT Group Presents: Graduation & Thesis Q&A
Spring graduation is around the corner!
Whether you’re preparing for your ePortfolio, considering the thesis track, or just making sure everything’s on schedule, this session will help you feel prepared for the finish line.
Join MLIS alum Sam Warriner and faculty member Dr. Bernier for a straightforward conversation about what to expect as you wrap up your program. They’ll break down the graduation process, walk you through the thesis option, and share real-world advice to help you navigate your final semester with confidence.
This session is open to all MLIS students—whether you’re nearly done or just planning ahead. Don’t miss this chance to get clarity and support as you move toward graduation.
Note: This session will not be recorded, and no student work will be shared, in order to respect privacy and academic integrity.
Date/Time: 11/17/25, 5-6 pm PST
Registration: https://sjsu.zoom.us/meeting/register/dCeluONmSFGVNfGGNkwcqw
Missed a previous event? Check out our event archive on the website here.
Scholarships, Fellowships & Professional Development Opportunities
November 2025
Gwendolyn S. Cruzat MLA Scholarship
A scholarship of up to $2,500 is awarded annually by the Medical Library Association (MLA) to a student who shows excellence in scholarship and potential for accomplishment in health sciences librarianship. In 2023 the MLA Scholarship was renamed to honor longtime MLA member Dr. Gwendolyn Cruzat, AHIP, FMLA. Known as a global leader in the library profession at large, Cruzat is one of the few librarians of color recognized with FMLA. The deadline to apply is Tuesday, November 15, 2025!
Ana D. Cleveland MLA Scholarship
A scholarship of up to $2,500 is awarded annually by the Medical Library Association (MLA) to a student who shows excellence in scholarship and potential for accomplishment in health sciences librarianship. The scholarship is announced at the annual conference of the association, where the recipient will also receive a one-year student membership in MLA and free inclusive student registration at the association’s annual conference. This scholarship is supported by the Lucretia W. McClure endowment fund. The deadline to apply is Tuesday, November 15, 2025!
Beverly Murphy MLA Scholarship for Underrepresented Students
A scholarship of up to $2,500 is awarded annually by the Medical Library Association (MLA) to a student who shows excellence in scholarship and potential for accomplishment in health sciences librarianship. The scholarship is announced at the annual conference of the association, where the recipient will also receive a one-year MLA student membership and free inclusive student registration at the association’s annual conference. The deadline to apply is Tuesday, November 15, 2025!
Medical Informatics Career Development Grant
The Medical Informatics Career Development Grant was established in 1997 by the Medical Informatics Section, now the Medical Informatics Caucus. It provides for a career development activity that will contribute to the advancement of the field of medical informatics. This grant may be used for MLA professional development opportunities offered through MEDLIB-ED that meet the grant criteria. The deadline to apply is Tuesday, November 15, 2025!
December 2025
Charles A. Lindbergh Chair in Aerospace History
The Lindbergh Chair is open to established and recognized senior scholars with distinguished records of publication who are at work on, or anticipate being at work on, books in aerospace history. Residency in the Washington, DC area is a requirement. Interaction with Museum professional staff is highly desired and expected, including attendance at selected professional seminars and colloquia. The incumbent will be expected to engage in work leading to a major publication and participate in the Museum’s work-in-progress series is expected. The deadline to apply is Monday, December 1, 2025!
Daniel and Florence Guggenheim Fellowship
The Guggenheim Fellowships are competitive three- to twelve-month in-residence fellowships for pre- or postdoctoral research in aviation and space history. Candidates are encouraged to pursue programs of research and writing that support publication of works that are scholarly in tone and substance and intended for publication as articles in peer-reviewed journals or in book form from a reputable publisher (in the case of post postdoctoral applicants) or in a doctoral dissertation (in the case of pre-docs). The deadline to apply is Monday, December 1, 2025!
Kudos Corner!
Let’s Celebrate YOU!
Are you graduating this semester? Do you have an upcoming birthday and would like to be featured in the newsletter?
Here at SLASC, we want to celebrate and uplift our peers. If you have a fellowship, internship, job, graduation, birthday, or any other celebration happening we want to cheer you on! If you are interested in sharing your celebrations with us and being featured in one of our monthly newsletters, please reach out!
Tell us more about you in the Membership Questionnaire, your interests in the SLASC Newsletter Questionnaire, and your celebrations in the Kudos Corner! Questionnaire. We look forward to celebrating with you!
Email the SLASC Communications Director, Emily Stockton, at emily.stockton@sjsu.edu if you have questions or would like more information.
📚🎊Congratulations Madison Henson on the Fall 2025 Leathers Scholarship!🌟
We are proud to celebrate Madison Henson and her achievement of the 2025 Leathers Scholarship! The Leathers Scholarship recognizes a full-time MLIS/MLS student who demonstrates exceptional promise and a commitment to pursuing a career in public librarianship. This prestigious award honors James Allen Leathers, a visionary leader and advocate for public libraries in Missouri. This is Madison’s first scholarship and we are overjoyed for her triumph. Congratulations, Madison, on this well-deserved achievement!
🥳🎉Congratulations Gianna Brassil on the Rooted & Relational Archives Fellowship!📚
We’re thrilled to share that Gianna Brassil has been named the 2025 Rooted & Relational Archives Fellow at the Center for Puerto Rican Studies (CENTRO) at Hunter College! In this exciting fellowship, Gianna is gaining hands-on experience with reparatory and bilingual description, community-centered archival practices, and efforts to enrich and diversify the archival record. Way to go, Gianna! Your dedication to inclusive, relational approaches to archival work inspires us all.
🌟📚Congratulations Erin Robinson on the VRA’s 2025 Tansey Travel Award !🎉
We are elated to share that Erin Robinson was awarded a Tansey Travel Award which allowed her to attend the Visual Resources Association (VRA) Conference in Portland, Oregon last month. “The Tansey Travel Award program was started in 1993 with initial funding by its namesake, founder and long-time member Luraine Tansey. She received the Association’s Distinguished Service Award that year and requested that her honorarium be used to assist other VRA members with their professional development.” While at the conference, Erin presented a poster on her current community fellowship through Digital Ethnic Futures Consortium.
Blog Posts
Interested in learning more about the unique world of special libraries and collections? Visit our latest blog posts for insights, interviews, and stories that highlight how these collections preserve knowledge and inspire discovery.
We Value Your Input!
If you have thoughts, questions, or suggestions on what you’d like to see more of in our program and events, feel free to reach out to us. No matter what you’re interested in, your voice matters! Your feedback helps us shape the future of our chapter into more meaningful experiences for everyone.
We’re excited to hear from you and look forward to incorporating your ideas into our future events!