Monthly Archives: June 2014

INALJ at ALA

by Naomi House, MLIS INALJ at ALA Looking forward to #ALAAC14 (the American Library Association 2014 Annual Conference) in Las Vegas, June 26-July 1!  I will be speaking on 3 panels and hosting a very informal INALJ meetup.  See details below. June 28: Become a Social Media GURU in Your Job Search @ ALAJoblist Placement…

DAM: A Career Opportunity for LIS Pros

by Kiersten Bryant, former Head Editor, INALJ California previously published 12/10/13 DAM: A Career Opportunity for LIS Pros One of the things that we try to emphasize here at INALJ is that there are many career options for MLIS holders other than working in an academic, public, or school library. The skills we have gained…

Be Who YOU Are; Not Who You THINK the Employer Wants You to Be

by Ruth Lincoln, Head Editor, INALJ Washington, DC previously published 8/6/13   How to Stand Out: Be Who YOU Are; Not Who You THINK the Employer Wants You to Be Everyone wants to stand out in the job-application process, and we’re often told personalization is the best course: Tailor your resume and cover letter for…

So, you think you might want an MLIS?

by Sarah Porter, former Head Editor, INALJ California previously published 4/5/13 So, you think you might want an MLIS? A few months ago, an acquaintance thinking about pursuing an MLIS sent an email inquiring about my personal experience with earning an MLIS. Her main objective was to hear if I thought it was worthwhile. More…

They Lend What??? The Magical World of Unique Lending Libraries

by Sandra Hoyer, former Head Editor, INALJ Washington previously published 9/26/13 They Lend What??? The Magical World of Unique Lending Libraries I have always been fascinated by unusual lending libraries and the spectacular items they have for users. I think libraries (whether private, public, academic or special) in general could truly benefit from taking an…

5 Attitudes to Change on the Job Hunt

by Nena Schvaneveldt, former Head Editor, INALJ Utah previously published 4/2/13 5 Attitudes to Change on the Job Hunt Last month, I wrote about how changing my attitude and viewing my circumstances as choices really made me feel a lot less helpless. The line between a good attitude and a bad attitude can be really…

Tips for Learning on the Job

by Mandi Goodsett Tips for Learning on the Job There has been a lot of discussion about how well the LIS degree is preparing students for the professional library world, and there will most likely be some big changes in the near future. However, librarianship continues to be a very hands-on kind of profession, with…

What to Expect When You’re Interviewing: The Fabulous Five

by Amanda Marie Yetter, former INALJ Maryland Head Editor previously published 5/20/13 What to Expect When You’re Interviewing: The Fabulous Five This blog posting was designed for individuals who already have their degree and are now trying to determine the best possible ways to market, flaunt, and gloat about having an MSLS.  So, let me…

4 Steps to Impress in Your Cover Letters

by Scottie Kapel, former Head Editor, INALJ Oregon previously published 5/1/13 4 Steps to Impress in Your Cover Letters Remember last month when I wrote on and on about how difficult resume writing can be? Well, I lied. Writing a resume is nothing in comparison to writing a cover letter. That said, writing a cover…

5 Things I’ve Learned Serving on Search Committees

By Bradley Woodruff, Head Editor, INALJ Wisconsin 5 Things I’ve Learned Serving on Search Committees If you’re given a chance to serve on a search committee, do it. Do it for the free meals. Do it for the cross-campus connections you’ll make. But most of all, do it because you’ll learn about life on the other side…

Closing the Digital Educational Divide

by Josh Rimmer, Head Editor, INALJ West Virginia Closing the Digital Educational Divide Whether your degree is obtained through online schooling, or acquired the traditional route in person is irrelevant in the end after you graduate –academic pitchforks up. What matters is being active in the professional librarian conversation. What do I mean by being active? Local…

Why I Turned Down my First Professional Library Job Offer

by Natalie Kahn Why I Turned Down my First Professional Library Job Offer They offered me the job. I haven’t even received my MLIS in the mail yet, but a small college has offered me the HEAD Librarian position. They offer a little more money, fine benefits, and the seemingly limitless opportunity to explore every and any…

The Transformative Powers of Library School

Jennifer Reisch, Head Editor, INALJ NYC The Transformative Powers of Library School On the day that my son turned 8 I turned into an idiot. I spent years lost in the abyss of stupid ideas, ridiculous requests, inability to comprehend even the simplest ideas. Really, it was a mystery, even to the know-it-all himself, how two dolts like my husband…

Reader’s Advisory – If You Liked HBO’s True Detective

by Renee Holden, Head Editor, INALJ Nebraska Reader’s Advisory – If You Liked HBO’s True Detective As a fiction librarian in a public library, I often get patrons who have watched compelling shows or movies and want to read fiction books that are similar to what they have seen on TV or at the movies. The latest TV…

Home Collection Conservation Practices and Tips

by Mychal Ludwig, Head Editor, INALJ New Mexico Home Collection Conservation Practices and Tips Whether a children’s librarian, an academic library systems administrator, or a special collections archivist, everyone has physical items and collections that they’d like to protect and preserve at home. As someone with both training in conservation techniques and the proud owner of various personal collections…

5 Tips for Conquering the Exhibits Hall

by Leigh Milligan, Head Editor, INALJ Pennsylvania 5 Tips for Conquering the Exhibits Hall Since its conference season and there are a lot of great conferences coming up such as ALA Annual, SLA’s conference and many others, I figured I would do another conference tips article since my last one Ten Conference Tips for a First Timer was…

Adjusting to Part-Time Work

by Amelia Zavala Vander Heide, Head Editor, INALJ NYC Adjusting to Part-Time Work It does not matter if you are finishing library school, relocating, or just looking to jump to a new position the amount of part-time versus full-time librarian work can be disheartening. It seems like everyone knows someone who is piecing together full-time work through multiple jobs.…

Paying your way through conference season

Angela J.A. Kent, Head Editor, INALJ-Virtual Work Paying your way through conference season Many information professionals and students, myself included, are currently gearing up to attend some of the industry’s largest annual library conferences. While there’s been no shortage of articles on conferences, there is one aspect that I thought was worth adding my two cents. Let’s talk…