This document provides advice for MLIS graduates on translating their skills to a career in information architecture (IA). It outlines key skills from the MLIS that are applicable to IA such as empathy for users, understanding of information behavior, and valuing structured data. The document advises MLIS graduates to become comfortable talking about their skills as an information professional, document their work in a portfolio, and get involved in their local user experience community through groups and events.

1. taking your MLIS
to the streets
rachel price
translating your MLIS to a career in IA

2. who am I?
user researcher
information architect
partner at factor
UW iSchool alum
president of ASIS&T PNW
board member of IxDA seattle
organizer of the IA/UX Meetup
bandleader

4. IA SKILLS

5. empathy for people

6. a love of information.

7. a strong desire to clean
up messes.

8. a strong desire to clean
up messes.
“the world is going to need an army of
sensemakers prepared for the
information-based challenges
that lay ahead.”

9. MLIS
SKILLS

10. empathy for people

11. empathy for people
an inherent belief in a service-oriented
approach towards information.

12. a love of information.

13. a love of information.
deep understanding of information
seeking behavior

14. a strong desire to clean
up messes.

15. a strong desire to clean
up messes.
a belief in the value of structured data.

16. MLIS brings more to the
table.

17. MLIS brings more to the
table.
academic rigor in user research
theoretical grounding in info behavior
an approach to IA that is actually about information

18. MLIS
SKILLS

19. BE THE TRANSLATOR

20. get comfortable talking about yourself as an
Information Professional

21. get comfortable talking about yourself as an
Information Professional.
be honest, but not overly humble. you know things.

22. get comfortable talking about yourself as an
Information Professional.
be honest, but not overly humble. you know things.
know your audience.

23. get comfortable talking about yourself as an
Information Professional.
be honest, but not overly humble. you know things.
know your audience.
document your work, and turn it into a portfolio.

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26. get comfortable talking about yourself as an
Information Professional.
be honest, but not overly humble. you know things.
know your audience.
document your work, and turn it into a portfolio.
pull people along past the word library.

27. get involved in the
community.

31. thank you
r.audrey.price@gmail.com

32. further resources
Run for student leadership roles!
Volunteer to help with community UX events!
Local professional groups:
IxDA Seattle
IA/UX Meetup
UXPA Seattle
UX Book Club
AIGA Seattle
Greater Seattle UX (East side)
Content Strategy Meetup