by Gabrielle Spiers, Head Editor, INALJ Montana Learning how to be a good manager I must admit that managing others was never something that I particularly wanted to do but as sometimes happens in life it is something that I have been doing for quite awhile now. Like many other things it is something that I think you…
by Emily Guier, Head Editor, INALJ Wyoming Interview Basics for First Time Job Hunters As the school year winds up, I’ve been thinking a lot about teenagers job hunting for a summer job or internship and approaching the dreaded interview for the first time. A lot of advice I would give a first-time job hunter are…
by Nicolas Resteiner, Head Editor, INALJ Mississippi What is Library School All About? (Written by Someone Still in School) I recently saw a forum posting that made me pause and think about what most students expect from library school. The poster in question lamented that he only went for a library degree because it “seemed more marketable than…
by Alexis Rohlfing, Head Editor, INALJ New Hampshire A Quest: One Productivity App to Rule them All There must be something in the air in June and July that attacks the productivity apps that I love. Many people scrambled to find a new feed reader last year when Google Reader shuttered, myself among them. I had a similar…
Stephanie Noell, Head Editor, INALJ Texas Lessons from Previous Paradigm Shifts Information professionals tend to be very passionate individuals. We thrive on providing access to information and pointing users to the best possible resources. This enthusiasm can guide us through lengthy, enriching careers filled with paradigm shifts at every level. In an effort to grasp what…
Rebecca Kluberdanz, Head Editor, INALJ New York State Why Didn’t I Get the Job and What Should I Do Next? For me, and I am sure many others, the most frustrating thing about the job search is not hearing why I didn’t get the job or even an interview! Is it my experience level? Is it…
by Rebecca Vogler, Head Editor, INALJ Ohio Creating Research Guides for Events or Special Occasions In academia, research guides, like LibGuides, are often used to help students find resources in a particular subject area or class topic. Many will list databases, textbooks, e-journals, websites, and reference works. They are an amazing resource, especially for those who are…
by Clayton Hayes, Head Editor, INALJ North Dakota Is Homestuck the future of the digitally-native publication? Several months ago I got into a discussion on reddit about the online comic/story/cult known as Homestuck. For those of you unfamiliar, Homestuck is a label-defying piece of online storytelling created by Andrew Hussie. Started in 2009 as a single page, Hussie…
by Grey Maixner, Head Editor, INALJ Vermont Slide into Your New Job: How to Ace the Presentation One of the most challenging aspects for someone interviewing for an academic librarianship position is the presentation. I have yet to come across someone who hasn’t had to give one, and nearly all of my colleagues, coming straight out…
by Heidi Greathouse, Head Editor, INALJ Utah Developing Relationships in Life—How can this benefit in the workplace? In the past couple of months since I moved here to Portales, I have had to say goodbye to a lot of people, but also meet new ones. I have been thinking of how important it is to have relationships…
by Suzanne Schultz Pick, Head Editor, INALJ UK Applying for public library jobs in the U.K. – What to expect There are lots of fellow librarians on social networks such as Twitter, and Facebook. Plenty of librarians can give you insight on what hiring libraries may be looking for in a new employee. I asked public librarians on…
by Rachael Altman, Head Editor, INALJ Illinois previously published 11/7/13 The Embedded Librarian: Never Underestimate the Power of Human Connection I recently attended the Special Libraries Association Education Division (SLA DEDU) webinar, “Embedded Librarianship” presented by David Shumaker, faculty member at the School of Library and Information Science at the Catholic University of America and…
by Ashley Mancill, Head Editor, INALJ Alabama previously published 9/19/13 Knowledge Is Power: Awesome Websites for Learning Library Skills I became interested in library work shortly after leaving the fast-paced and closely related field of publishing. Although I was confident that my work experience was relevant and that I had quite a few transferable skills,…
by R.C. Miessler, Head Editor, INALJ Indiana previously published 7/8/13 A Rejection Letter to the Rejection Letter Dear HR Departments, I regret to inform you that getting four job rejection letters last week was a bit of a downer. My applications weren’t really close to each other timewise, but I figure that since the new…
by Veda Darby Soberman, Head Editor, INALJ Hawaii previously published 7/9/13 How to Break Out of the Library Field & Feel Good About It I am sure some INALJ followers have noticed that INALJ posts more than just what are considered traditional library jobs. If you look at the page I edit, INALJ Hawaii, you…
by Ashley Crace, former Head Editor, INALJ West Virginia previously published 7/5/13 10 Tips for the First Day You have searched, applied, and interviewed for a very long time (it definitely feels that way). Finally, you land a job! And, your first day is suddenly just around the corner. The job search can really become…
by Brad McNally, former Head Editor, INALJ Ohio previously published 11/4/13 Not a Dying Career Field Last week, I heard a question at work that will make many of the folks here on INALJ cringe: “So, libraries, huh? What does it feel like to be in a dying career field?” I don’t even know how…
by Sarah Roark Schott, Head Editor, INALJ Arizona previously published 11/1/13 How I Really Feel about Volunteering There have been some great articles here at INALJ about the pros and cons of volunteering, and why you should or should not consider doing it. Overall, I think everyone here acknowledges that volunteering can be a great…
by Mary-Michelle Moore, Head Editor, INALJ California and former Head Editor, INALJ Vermont previously published 9/30/13 How Many Librarians Does It Take to Change a Light Bulb? Recently, I came across a rather unusual submission requirement mentioned on an INC.com blog; it was a short video segment with Jennifer Walzer, CEO of Backup My Info.…
by Kiersten Bryant, former Head Editor, INALJ California previously published 7/2/13 The 1-2-3 Method for Building-Up Your Online Presence I’m still a relative newbie to using social media to create an online presence to gain recognition from employers and influencers. I know that it’s very important in the job hunt these days to have an…
by Sarah Roark Schott, Head Editor, INALJ Arizona previously published 10/1/2013 My Experience Leaving the MLS off My Resume Last month I wrote about leaving the MLS off your resume when applying for entry level library jobs and non-library positions. Many of you shared your stories and commented on that article, so I thought I…
by Elinor Crosby, Head Editor, INALJ Nova Scotia Community-Led Librarianship: Resources for the Job-Seeker According to Rangnathan’s fifth law, libraries are growing organisms. This is so relevant right now as more and more libraries and library systems are changing the way they serve their patrons. By placing more emphasis on giving patrons what they want and…
This interview is over 1 year old and may no longer be up to date or reflect the interviewee/interviewees’ positions By Elena Bubelich, Head Editor, INALJ Quebec Meet Josiane Doucet-Alarie In this blog post I’d like to introduce my assistant who has helped me to find job offers since November 2013. That month the page of…
by Courtney Baron, former Head Editor, INALJ Georgia formerly published 7/26/13 I Found my Dream Job but I’m Not Qualified Sound familiar? As Head Editor of the INALJ Georgia page, I post jobs in the LIS field on a daily basis. Of course, many catch my eye. It can be difficult to see these amazing…
by Samantha Read, Head Editor, INALJ New Brunswick Project Management and the Job Interview These days you’ll see a lot of job titles with “Project Manager” in either the title itself or as a major function of the duties of the position. Similarly to Interpersonal Skills, Project Management is one of those transferrable skills we all may…
by Sara Dixon, Head Editor, INALJ Kansas Test Your Library Trivia Knowledge One of my favorite programs that we do at my library is Trivia Thursdays. It’s one of the very few programs we have for the adult crowd, and it’s starting to gain a following. Since we do not have evening hours at the library, and since…
Mary-Michelle Moore, Head Editor, INALJ California Top 10 Tips for Reluctant Networkers It’s nearly summer, which means.. Conference season! In addition to the chance to go to presentations and sightsee this is one of the best ways to network with your fellow librarians. Below are ten great tips for networking with colleagues at in-person events. 1. Know…
by Christina Wilson, Head Editor of INALJ Alberta and INALJ Manitoba You are Your Brand: job searching is your p.r. exercise In the olden days, perhaps 7 years ago, it was important to dress for success when attending a job interview, a library conference or a professional meeting, in order to present to the world, and potential new employers, your…
by R.C. Miessler, Head Editor, INALJ Indiana Recovering from the Job Search I never thought I would say this, but I’m kind of sad the job search is over. Well, sad isn’t the best word, perhaps. It’s more of a void, almost a depression. Now that I’ve been offered, and accepted, a librarian job, I’m not…
by Ashley Mancill, Head Editor, INALJ Alabama No Sad Sandwiches Allowed: Tips for Better Workweek Lunches As information professionals, we dedicate a lot our time to organizing and managing information and making it accessible to others. But when it comes to organizing our lunch boxes and making sure we have access to healthy, satisfying meals at work, we sometimes…
by Emma Pinault, Head Editor, INALJ Delaware “Can I help you find anything?” A Few Thoughts On Reader’s Advisory You’re walking through the stacks, offering a friendly, helpful smile to every guest you see. Perhaps pausing, beside a particularly perplexed-looking patron with a question: “Can I help you find anything?” “I’m looking for a good book!” Recommending…
By Ruth Lincoln, Head Editor, INALJ Washington, DC Do’s and Don’ts for your first ALA Annual conference The American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference is just a few weeks away. If you’re heading to sunny Las Vegas for your first (or 15th) conference, keep these tips in mind to reap the most from this great experience. Do: 1.…
Amanda Brooks, Head Editor, INALJ British Columbia A Primer For Conference Volunteers The INALJ community’s recent discussions about the ALA conference and Lisa Huntsha’s How Volunteering May Actually Be Hurting Your Job Hunt were added incentives to write my planned recommendation for volunteering for conferences. As Lisa pointed out, you should not volunteer in a role which replaces a…
by Amanda Viana, Head Editor, INALJ Massachusetts Sponsorship is the New Black I was in elementary school when I met my mentor. She was the warm and welcoming presence in my local public library and she was the knowledgeable and resourceful go-to Reference Librarian when I had a school report or just a curiosity. I have always been…
by Clare Sobotka, Head Editor, INALJ Idaho Dealing with Imposter Syndrome and Feeling Like You Belong I’d like to introduce something that I have struggled with in starting out in the field of librarianship. For my first library-related job after graduation with my MLS, I struggled with the feeling that once I had been working for a short…
by Katherine Kimball Adelberg, Head Editor, INALJ Michigan The Ins and Outs of Unconferences Have you ever attended an unconference? Neither had I, until I hosted one in March. It was an incredible experience; this was the first time I’ve ever seen participants in a training session stay late! I’m now an unconference convert. What is an unconference?…
George Hawtin, Head Editor, INALJ Saskatchewan Your Library Board: Who Are They? Why Are They Here? As a lifelong library lover and avid community volunteer, I applied to join my hometown’s library board in 2008. In my early twenties with little formal education or business experience, I loved the library, but I knew very little about librarians…
by Jennifer Crutchfield, Head Editor, INALJ Connecticut Tips to be professionally successful Being successful in our profession is what we all strive for. Whether in a library setting or any professional setting, keeping ourselves focused on being successful at what we do is important in our professional development. I would like to share some tips I use daily…
by Alphild Dick, Head Editor, INALJ Washington MLSing the Good Old Days– A Retrospective on the Degrees It was with no small amount of relief that a year ago this month I wrapped up my final year of graduate school and started working. It was the end of five years of graduate education, having (ridiculously) subjected myself to…
Valarie Swayze, Head Editor, INALJ Louisiana The Library as a Makerspace: Celebrating & Inspiring Creativity Libraries across the globe are participating in the Maker Movement to celebrate the inventions and creativity of local Makers while inspiring others to join the fun. A Maker Faire, an event created by Make: magazine, is known as the greatest show-and-tell on earth…