School of Information Sciences

Creswell accepted into Librarian-in-Residence program at Library of Congress

Marilyn Creswell

Leep student Marilyn Creswell has been accepted into the Librarian-in-Residence Program at the Library of Congress. In addition to the experience she will gain working in the U.S. Copyright Office, Creswell will participate in enrichment assignments, receive professional mentoring, and take part in library-wide activities.

Creswell, who holds a BA in economics from Pomona College and a Museum Studies Certificate from Northwestern University, decided to pursue her MS in library and information science with the goal of being a museum collections manager.

"Librarians are the experts in cataloging, organizing, and making collections accessible," she said.

She chose the iSchool at Illinois because of the program's ranking and flexibility, which she needs in order to continue her work and travel.

"While I entered the program only thinking about museums, my interests have only grown. It turns out that museums are not the only institutions with unique collections. The special collections track has opened my eyes to opportunities in archives, rare book collections, special libraries, government records, and digital asset management. Copyright is a delight and it is relevant to absolutely anyone; every iSchool student should take the class! There is also a special place in my heart for map collections," said Creswell.

She also recommends the iSchool's mentoring program, which she calls "inspirational, edifying, and a total joy."

Updated on
Backto the news archive

Related News

Reynolds prepares for a career in global tech

Growing up on the south side of Chicago, BSIS student Devon Reynolds always saw his future in technology. He discovered the information sciences program during his senior year of high school and was drawn to its balance of challenging coursework. Choosing the iSchool at Illinois felt like a natural next step. 

Devon Reynolds

Spectrum Scholar Spotlight: Mariana Guerrero

Eight iSchool master's students have been named 2025–2026 Spectrum Scholars by the American Library Association. This "Spectrum Scholar Spotlight" series highlights the School's scholars. MSLIS student Mariana Guerrero earned a bachelor's degree in Spanish language and literature from Rockford University.

Mariana Guerrero

PhD student Fobazi Ettarh passes away

PhD student Fobazi Ettarh passed away on January 28, 2026. Ettarh entered the doctoral program at the University of Illinois in 2022. She held an MLIS from Rutgers University and bachelor's degree in English and sociology from the University of Delaware. Prior to joining the iSchool, Ettarh served as an academic librarian at Temple University Libraries; California State University, Dominguez Hills; and Rutgers University. She was also a school library media specialist at Hawthorne (NJ) Public Schools.

Fobazi Ettarh

iSchool International: Studying abroad in Japan

BSIS+DS student and undergraduate ambassador Alex Soja discusses his meaningful experience studying abroad in Japan, where he got the opportunity to live independently in Tokyo and gain a more global perspective.

Alex Soja 2026

Raji selected for IAPP Westin Scholar Award

PhD student Mubarak Raji has been selected as an IAPP Westin Scholar Award honoree for the 2025-2026 academic year. The annual awards were created by the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) to support students who are identified as future leaders in the field of privacy and data protection. Honorees receive a $1,000 cash award; two years of membership with the IAPP; three complimentary exams for IAPP certifications (CIPP, CIPM, CIPT); and unlimited access to online training for the recipient's selected IAPP certification exams.

Mubarak Raji headshot

School of Information Sciences

501 E. Daniel St.

MC-493

Champaign, IL

61820-6211

Voice: (217) 333-3280

Fax: (217) 244-3302

Email: ischool@illinois.edu

Back to top