James Nickras

What do you like about your job?

My job includes a mix of behind-the-scenes planning and direct work with students, which keeps things interesting. Part of my role focuses on shaping the library’s resources — helping decide what books, journals and digital materials best support teaching and research. I also work on issues related to scholarly publishing and how research is shared and accessed.

As a member of the Information Literacy and Academic Outreach team, I have opportunities to teach information literacy and help students with research questions. I enjoy helping students move from feeling overwhelmed to feeling confident about finding and using credible information.

I also collaborate with faculty and academic departments to understand what they need for their courses and research. That can mean expanding digital offerings like e-books and audiobooks, strengthening subject areas in the print collection or planning materials for the new Library Commons building. The variety means every day looks a little different.

Can you give me a brief timeline of how your career led you to UIS?

I graduated from Kent State University in 2002 with a master’s degree in information and library science. I originally planned to work in public libraries, and I did that for several years. Early in my career, I moved between jobs fairly often, which turned out to be a great learning experience. I worked for companies that provide libraries with digital materials like research databases, e-books and audiobooks. That gave me an inside look at how libraries decide what materials to buy and how they make them available to their communities.

Over time, I became especially interested in the behind-the-scenes work of building and managing a library’s collection, essentially helping decide what books, journals and online resources a library should offer.

In 2014, I took a job at a small college library in Cleveland, Ohio, where I was responsible for managing the library’s academic journals. Later, at a college in Minnesota, I expanded that role. I not only oversaw journals but also helped make sure students and faculty could easily access online research tools, articles and other digital materials from anywhere.

At UIS, I continue to manage the library’s collections, but I also work directly with students to teach them how to find, evaluate and use those materials effectively for their research.

Where have you lived and traveled?

As an adult, I have taken very few weeklong trips. To make up for that, I moved frequently, usually for work.

I grew up in Ohio and have spent much of my life there, but I’ve also lived on the New Jersey shore, in Queens in New York City, and most recently in greater Minnesota, where I spent nine years. Before each move, I rarely had connections beyond a job offer, but I’ve come to value the experience of starting fresh, meeting new people and learning the character of a place over time. Illinois, where I moved last summer, is the fifth state I’ve called home.

When I do travel for leisure, I tend to prefer day and weekend trips; usually to explore cities, browse independent bookstores and record shops and seek out interesting places to hike.