Employment at the Blough-Weis Library can give students the opportunity to explore their interest in libraries, but one student took this interest to the next level with her graduation plans.
Student Manager Jena Lui, a senior publishing & editing and creative writing double major, has chosen to continue her studies through the library sciences graduate program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Although she is unsure what sector she will focus on, her interests lie heavily in research.
Jena’s love for libraries started at a young age, eventually leading her to spend much of her free time in middle school and high school at local libraries.
“Growing up, I ended up using the library a lot as a resource,” Jena said. “It’s an easy resource for people to get what they need, like books and readings.”
Jena’s affinity for reading and writing brought her to Susquehanna’s English and Creative Writing Department. Eventually, she was hired as a front desk attendant for the Blough-Weis Library, spending much of her undergraduate time in the campus library, which gave her a strong foundation that she plans to use in her future career.
“There’s a lot that goes into becoming a librarian that I’ve learned by working at the front desk,” Jena explained.
Throughout her undergraduate studies, Jena developed a passion for research that was paired with a knack for helping others.
“Over time, I kind of realized that I like helping people find information that they need. Especially during research projects, I would often find myself helping others with research, which is something that librarians do often,” Jena said.
Although none of Jena’s career plans are definite, she has clear interests she hopes to pursue.
“I can see myself as an academic librarian, so working at a college or other institutions like that. But if I’m going into the research side, then that could open up so many things, so it’s not entirely clear at the moment,” Jena said.
It’s no surprise that with her love for history that Jena’s favorite aspect of the Blough-Weis Library is the archives. Currently, she is working on a project that consists of sorting through materials from the former Women’s Resource Center.
“The collection of history that went into what Susquehanna is now is amazing,” Jena said. “Unless there is someone keeping record of each little thing we’ve done, we wouldn’t even know what happened.”
While reflecting on her time at SU, Jena notes how impactful the library was to her success.
“I want to say thank you to the librarians on this campus because they’ve helped me get where I am now. Especially Amir [El-Chidiac}, who helped me with my grad school applications,” Jena said.
She also has immense gratitude towards the English and Creative Writing Department for providing her with the positive reinforcement she needed to pursue her passions. Specifically, she credits Dr. Heather Lang for instilling a new level of confidence in her.
“I’ve taken a lot of classes with her [Dr. Lang] and along the way she helped me realize that I’m really good at the things I do,” Jena said.
When asked what kind of advice she would give to other students considering a future in library sciences, Jena confessed that you shouldn’t stress over the school you plan to attend. In fact, after speaking with an SU alumnus, Jena realized that most library sciences programs will provide you with the necessary accreditations to get a job in the field. Therefore, Jena urges her peers to look for schools that have the needs of their students at the forefront.
“When you are looking at grad schools, look for a school that really promotes their interest in their students,” Jena explained. “You want to go to a school that cares about you and cares about the field you are going into.”
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