If you don’t find a librarian position soon after you finish library school, it can be a challenge to keep your skills sharp and your knowledge of the field up to date during an extended job search. This can be even harder if you’re working full time in an unrelated job while searching for library positions. Here are a few ideas to keep in mind:

1)      Stay in touch with old library school classmates. These people are your future professional network, and the ones who are working in libraries right out of school can tell you a lot of things your professors never mentioned.

2)      Get to know your local libraries. These can be another great networking opportunity, and another great resource for gaining practical experience. Introduce yourself to the librarians. Spend half an hour every other week getting to know the databases and other electronic resources your local libraries offer. And don’t limit your exploration to the local public library – if there’s a university or community college near your town, find out what their policy is on visitors and go say hello.

3)      If you have some more spare time, see if your local library needs volunteers. It’s not the same as working at the reference desk, but it’s still a possible way to get to know professionals in the field.

4)      Find a few amusing or inspiring library blogs and add them to your reading list. This can be a way to keep up with developing trends outside your local area. It can also provide a morale boost, reading about exciting things happening in libraries, when you are getting discouraged with your search.

It can be hard to keep up your knowledge and enthusiasm if you’re searching for a long time, but staying focused and seeking out opportunities to learn and network in your area can help.