I was looking for an on-campus job in hopes of starting to accumulate work experience in the U.S. while in college. I saw the Japanese Libraries Student Assistant position, and since I had just transferred from Japan, I thought my language skills would be a perfect fit for the position. I also hoped to continue learning Japanese while in the U.S.

In addition, the position involved many practical library skills, such as maintaining book collection inventories and collaborating with librarians and scholars. I was also able to organize, scan and analyze a large amount of special collections material in person, which I thought would be very beneficial to me as an Art History major.

I worked with a variety of Japanese books, manga and newspaper materials that came from both acquisitions and donations. My responsibilities included organizing materials through spreadsheets, conducting academic analysis and writing public-facing blog posts that highlighted the library’s collection.

I would come to work before or after my classes and start the day by checking in with my supervisor. After discussing ongoing projects, I would focus on the tasks assigned for the day. One of the things I appreciated most about the role was the communication and support I received from my supervisor, Ann Marie Davis. Her guidance, encouragement and leadership helped shape my professional growth and showed me what strong mentorship can look like.

I worked closely with one of my coworkers, who was also a student at Ohio State, to transcribe and translate nearly 300 issues of the pre-war Japanese manga newspaper Jiji Manga. We uploaded the information to the University Libraries' Wiki to attract more patrons, promote our rich collection and make these materials more accessible.

During the project, I also wrote two blog posts about the newspaper, which are available on the University Libraries website. My role was to transcribe important headlines and the titles of each section of the newspaper.

The experience was very memorable not only because it was meaningful work, but also because it gave me the opportunity to learn more about Japanese history through firsthand, primary sources from nearly 100 years ago. The feeling of handling such fragile historical newspapers was truly amazing and unforgettable.

When I first started, I was still learning how the American workforce operates. Through my work in the libraries, I gained experience working on academic projects and communicating with professionals both within and outside the university. Those experiences helped prepare me for pursuing a full-time career after graduation.

Working in the Special Collections and Area Studies department gave me the opportunity to be part of a diverse and welcoming community. I was surrounded by librarians and student employees from many different backgrounds, which made it an ideal environment to gain professional experience while adjusting to life in a new country.

Ohio State offers more than just a strong academic experience. Students have access to a wide range of on-campus employment opportunities that provide valuable hands-on experience and help prepare them for future careers. Those opportunities can make a lasting impact on both personal and professional growth.