by Alexis Waide, former Head Editor, INALJ Minnesota “Why do you need a master’s degree to be a librarian?” Crowdsourcing an answer for an irritating question Recently, I went to a party attended largely by librarians and/or friends from library school. Several of us were discussing the minor annoyances of our respective jobs and one…
by Naomi Gonzales The Importance of Saying “No” I want to preface this piece by saying this is not an article on negativity, but taking care of yourself. We live in a very “yes”-oriented culture. A professional world where “sure I can do that”, and “I’ll take care of it” are phrases that abound because somehow,…
by Kristen Lauderdale, former Head Editor, INALJ Maine 7 Tips for Leading a Lively Book Discussion Group Fall is an exciting season at my library! Adult programs will be starting up again soon, and this year will be my third year leading our small but dedicated book discussion group. Here are some tips and insights…
Baby Face in the Workplace by Veronica Leigh Milliner, Senior Editor “Oh, I thought you would be older! But you have work experience, right?” This is a greeting from a coworker I was once met with on the first day of a job. As abrupt as it sounds, I would have been more taken aback…
by Sarah Deringer, former Head Editor, INALJ Mississippi Respectfully Declining a Job Offer There are times when you cannot accept a job offer. Whether it is because you do not feel like you fit into the culture, the job does not fit into your life goals, or the salary or benefits are not enough, you…
by Yandee Vazquez, former Head Editor, INALJ Texas previously published 10/28/13 & 10/2/2014 Applying for Jobs Outside of the US: A Few Places to Start and Some things to Consider I love living in Texas, but sometimes the itch to move starts setting in. It’s a need for new adventures, new experiences, a new place.…
by Stephanie Noell previously published 11/3/2014 Essential Research Mobile Apps for Librarians With so many people using their phones and tablets for everything, it is important for all of us to be aware of the mobile applications for research resources. Many of the research databases that libraries subscribes to have free mobile applications for their…
by R.C. Miessler, former Head Editor, INALJ Indiana previously published 8/16/13 & 9/25/14 Highly Desired: Straightforward Library Job Ads When searching for jobs, sometimes the requirements seem ridiculous. Some job listings appear to be a list of all the library buzzwords and trends over the past 10 years, which can be a bit discouraging when trying…
by Kristin Charles-Scaringi previously published 11/12/2014 5 Creative writing tips to enhance your communication skills Before I took my seat at the reference desk of a public library I could be found at a computer writing. I found that my professional background as a journalist and public relations writer, as well as my experience as a creative…
by Daniel Geary, Graduate Assistant at Princeton Theological Seminary, Rutgers Center of Alcohol Studies, and Rutgers Alexander Library previously published 11/19/2014 Get Practice Doing the Other Type of Interviewing Practicing interviewing is a no-brainer. You spent so much effort crafting a stand-out resume and cover letter being ready for an interview is important. Rehearsing answers and ironing…
by R.C. Miessler, former Head Editor, INALJ Indiana republished from 12/4/13 & 11/24/14 A Thank You Post to the Rejection Phone Call It might be that my favorite season is upon us, that I’m just feeling the spirit of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, or maybe the cynic in me is getting soft, but I feel…
by Scottie Kapel, former Head Editor, INALJ Oregon previously published 6/20/13 & 9/26/14 Keeping your head above water: How to stay positive during a long job hunt For many of you reading, you may very well be on your fourth, fifth, or sixth month of your job hunt. For others, you may have passed that…
by Ashley Mancill previously published 10/6/14 BANNED! 8 Lesser-known Books Banned in the United States Most of us have read or at least know some of the works that are on the American Library Association’s lists of banned and challenged books. From literary masterpieces, to edgy young adult fiction, to beloved tales and new classics in children’s…
by Sarah Roark Schott, former Head Editor, INALJ Arizona previously published 7/22/13 & 8/18/14 10 Minutes before the Interview I recently had the best interview. Seriously, the best interview! I’m not just saying that because during my last interview there was a crying baby. No, this time I felt super comfortable with myself and the…
by Diana La Femina previously published 9/8/14 The Power of Introversion I’ve been reading Quiet Influence: The Introvert’s Guide to Making a Difference by Jennifer B. Kahnweiler. It’s an interesting, short book explaining how introverts can make the most of their innate strengths and translate these strengths into their careers. Kahnweiler discusses six main strengths: taking quiet time,…
by Fallon Bleich previously published 11/13/14 One Library’s Quest to Start a Board Game Group Earlier this year, the reference department of the Bentonville Public Library, where I work, decided to put together some new adult programming. One of the programs that came out of their brainstorm was the TableToppers group, named for the Wil Wheaton YouTube…
by Margot Note, Director of Archives and Information Management for the World Monuments Fund previously published 12/17/14 Forty Resume Tweaks to Get You an Interview During your job search, a well-crafted resume is vital. As a representation of yourself, it is the first impression you make on potential employers. Like any piece of writing that has…
The (Pregnant) Elephant in the Room by Jen Park My husband and I had tried for a long time to have a baby. When I finally became pregnant I was in my last term of library school. I was thrilled and very, very nervous about applying for positions. Although I was working part-time in a…
by Ashley Mancill previously published 10/25/13 & 10/30/14 Green Spaces: 6 Structures Repurposed as Libraries I have a thing for repurposed buildings. One of my favorites is a pizza place in Pensacola that is located in the basement of an old hospital, supposedly where the morgue used to be. Eeriness aside, it actually has a…
Amber Clement: My Superior Librarian by Kevin Alexander I am very proud of my fiancée, Amber Clement. She grew up in the Upper Peninsula on the shores of Lake Superior near a small city which boasts the Soo Locks, with accessibility to Soo, Canada, the Mackinac Bridge and other amenities of wildlife and nature. She grew…
by Rachael Altman previously published 3/4/14 Thinking about making a career transition? Highlight your transferable skills. I enjoy a good challenge and I like to learn something new every day so I recently inquired about making a transition from an academic library job to a research position in a corporate or legal environment. I received many useful,…
by Claire Schmieder, Volunteer Manager previously published 8/5/14 You Worry About You (Taking Charge of My Narrative) Both of my boys had the same wonderful Kindergarten teacher. Like most educators, she has tons of bite-sized bits of knowledge for her students. Occassionally, I would end up applying those bits to my own life and one in particular…
by Sarah Roark Schott, former Head Editor, INALJ Arizona previously published 2/26/14 A Few Tips for Transitioning into the Private Sector In October I accepted a position as an Aircraft Records Analyst with a company based in Oregon. I applied for the job on a whim because it looked interesting, it was in the town I wanted to…
My Husband: The Linebacker Librarian by Jaclyn Butz Jesse Butz is 6’2, 365 pounds and looks like a football linebacker. Once, forever ago, he DID play football, but that was many years and a broken back ago…now he’s a librarian. When people walk up to the reference desk at the public library where he works,…
Appreciating Your Staff: It’s Not All Fun, Games and Parties by Laura Birkenhauer This month, I was thrilled to be appointed head of the Staff Appreciation Committee at my library. Planning parties? Thanking awesome staff? Totally up my alley. My first thought after the initial excitement? “Wait… I’m the head of the Party Planning Committee.…