by Veda Darby Soberman, former Head Editor, INALJ Hawaii previously published 12/16/13 Cold Feet About Cold Calling Cold calls have long been used by businesses to sell their services or products. We all dread those telemarketing calls, and junk emails, and we easily hang up or press delete to avoid the sales pitches, but cold…
by Naomi House, MLIS Why I Quit My Library Job and Why I No Longer Want One I have worked in libraries for the last ten years but as of December 2013 I have been working only outside of libraries doing my other job, renovating and selling old houses, and forming a new partnership. I have…
by Aimee Graham, former Head Editor, INALJ Georgia Parting Words from a Parting Editor My journey began with INALJ in the summer of 2012. I was in a whirlwind, trying to complete my Masters of Science in Information Science from the University at Albany, SUNY within one year, and juggling work, family, four summer classes…
by Amanda May, former Head Editor, INALJ North Dakota previously published 10/21/13 5 Free Reader’s Advisory Resources There are many free reader’s advisory resources available on the Internet. Here are five of my favorites: Based on the Book – This resource is made available through the Mid-Continent Public Library. This page is a compilation of…
by Brad McNally, former Head Editor, INALJ Ohio previously published 8/12/13 3 Things to Remember about Gaming in the Library I won’t lie: I love gaming. Luckily, many patrons in my library seem to as well (it helps that they are teens). Not everyone working in libraries feels the same about gaming in general, and…
by Amanda Viana, Head Editor, INALJ Massachusetts previously published 5/13/13 4 Reference tools that save my life (on a daily basis) (editor’s note: Astrid is no longer available- add in the comments your nominees for #4) Diigo: There are quite a few social bookmarking sites out there, but Diigo has been my professional go-to site…
by Ruth Lincoln, Senior Assistant, INALJ DC Step-up your job hunt with more steps “Job hunting” bears little resemblance to the “hunting” of our primal ancestors. We both may forage for the biggest prize (cavemen: meat and fish; recent library grad: a tenure-track position with benefits), but the librarian’s hunt burns fewer calories. All that…
by Leigh Milligan, Head Editor, INALJ Wisconsin previously published 9/12/13 What I Learned From a Traumatic Experience: How to Store Important Documents Around 9 PM on July 26, 2013, I suffered from the most traumatic experience of my life. My apartment was destroyed in a fire that destroyed 48 other apartments along with my own.…
by Joy Rodriguez, former Head Editor, INALJ Delaware previously published 8/1/13 Exploring Alternative Library Careers via Linkedin Groups Joining groups on Linkedin is a great way to expand your professional network and keep track of the latest information in the LIS world. Several articles have been written on how to manage and network via LinkedIn…
by Julie Watson, former Head Editor, INALJ Pennsylvania previously published 8/19/13 Unmotivated? Discouraged? Click Here Staying positive during the job search can be challenging, especially if you are not currently employed. When times get tough, I find inspiration in quotes. Sometimes I’ll pick a one for the week and use it like a mantra. Anytime…
by Lisa Iannucci, Senior Assistant, INALJ New Jersey Be Proactive About Pest Prevention It’s no secret that pests of all types are an issue in libraries, archives and cultural institutions; cockroaches, ants, termites, bedbugs and assorted rodents can take up residence in the unlikeliest locations. Even the cleanest, most organized establishment can have issues with…
by Billy Hinshaw, former Assistant, INALJ Minnesota previously published 12/18/13 So You Want to Be a Law Librarian? Law librarianship is a great career avenue for those who either a) are library professionals interested in legal work, or b) are former attorneys or legal professionals seeking an alternate career. Regardless of background, law librarians use…
by Ruth Lincoln, former Head Editor, INALJ Washington, DC previously published 12/17/13 Connect with the Library World When You Don’t Work in a Library Look inside any organization, university, or business, and you’ll probably find a few people with an MLS. They might be called “Knowledge Manager”, “Information Architect”, or any number of titles (see…
by Sarah Porter, former Head Editor, INALJ California previously published 7/24/13 Corrections at the Reference Desk Yesterday a patron corrected my grammar at the reference desk. I said “those ones” rather than “those”. She said I would hate her for the correction, but she could not resist. She couldn’t have been more right about hating…
by Christina Wilson, Head Editor of INALJ Alberta and INALJ Manitoba Meet Clive Maishment of The Alberta Library (TAL) I’d like to introduce readers to one of Alberta’s outstanding library organizations and its visionary and effective leader. Formed in 1997, The Alberta Library (TAL) is a consortium of 49 member libraries serving over 300 locations in Alberta. It was established…
By Harold Rougeux, INALJ Alaska Assistant What I’ve gained from working as a temp librarian After what seemed like an endless string of applications and interviews, I finally had a solid job offer on the table. It had come kind of unexpectedly. I had just finished doing a short online presentation as part of the…
by Angie Solis, Head Editor, INALJ Missouri Acing the job interview – Surviving the Interview (Part 3 of 4) In Part one and two we discussed pre-interview prep and personal and professional interview prep. Both these articles were written to get you to this day. The BIG day! INTERVIEW DAY! So now that we’ve made it here…
by Naomi House, MLIS, INALJ Founder and Editor Strategizing for the Job Hunt In October 2013 I was not only furloughed but also lost my job in the great and tremendously wasteful federal government shutdown. I wrote an article Furloughed & Job Hunting: why strategizing 1st is the key to success, with advice about what…
by Yandee Vazquez, former Head Editor, INALJ Texas previously published 6/21/13 Laugh a little! Webcomics for Librarians I am a huge fan of webcomics. The medium is itself fascinating in terms of sustainable self-publishing, the development of the community’s writers/illustrators alongside and yet apart from the more established world of syndicated comic strips and graphic…
by Adrith Bedore Bicchieri, former head editor, INALJ Maryland previously published 8/9/13 When a Sprint Becomes an Ultramarathon: Tips for an Extended Job Search The end of July marked one year of job searching for me, an anniversary I’d rather not have celebrated. A job search of any length longer than you had cared,…
It can be easy to get down after reading misinformation on the web about #Libraries so starting today on Twitter I am tweeting using the #LibrariesAre hashtag sharing news articles about the awesome range of services, or tagging #SaturdayLibrarian friends and asking for their thoughts, as well as tweeting and thanking specific libraries that have…
by Sandra Hoyer, former Head Editor, INALJ Washington. previously published 12/5/13 10 Library-Themed Businesses I’d Love to Frequent Some Day Here are 10 library-inspired places that I would love to visit. The Library in Rome, Italy. – Run by a library aficionada, this off the beaten path bar offers a cozy spot for both wine and…
This interview is over 1 year old and may no longer be up to date or reflect the interviewee/interviewees’ positions by Mary-Michelle Moore, Head Editor, INALJ California Cairie R…. Lambda Archives & INALJ Success Story Mary-Michelle: How did you find your current job? Cairie: On the INALJ California page. My most current position at Lambda Archives was…
by Claire Schmieder, now Senior Editor, and formerly Head Editor, INALJ New Jersey previously published 12/4/13 Patience, Grasshopper It’s official – after an eleven-month job search, I have accepted a position with the Alice Paul Institute. You’re looking at their new Program Associate, folks, and I am so, so excited about the work I’ll be…
Marian Mays, Senior Editor, INALJ How to Survive Your MLS Distance Program: 6 Tips from a Recent Grad The transition to full-time online classes can be extremely tough, especially for new students. Online classes can make you feel isolated, require more personal diligence, and can be a time management nightmare. Plus, MLS programs don’t always offer students…
by Jess Bruckner, Assistant Editor, INALJ Virginia The Condition in Which You Leave Your Library Position If you’re leaving a library position, the condition in which you leave your job has an impact. Before you move on, you should make a mental checklist of things that need to be done so the new person is on track…
by Fallon Bleich, Senior Assistant for and former Head Editor of, INALJ Arkansas previously published 3/18/13 4 Sites That Every Librarian Should Know and Show I’m a giant techie and love discovering new sites and sharing them. As a librarian in training, it is even more fun to share the findings with patrons. Below are…
by Veda Darby Soberman, former Head Editor, INALJ Hawaii previously published 11/6/13 Footloose and Fancy Freelancing If you are unemployed, underemployed, or just looking for a change, why not consider freelancing? A lot of the skills and knowledge of the information professional are sought after in the freelance market. Beyond the usual suspects of writer, editor,…
by Stephanie Leigh Taylor, former Head Editor, INALJ British Columbia previously published 8/1/13 How to Get Out of the Job Search Head-Space and Do Something Else with Your Time You’ve been clicking refresh on your email like you’re waiting for your Nigerian pen-pal to send you your millions. You’re checking your phone like someone’s having…
by Sean O’Brien, former Head Editor, INALJ Colorado previously published 10/10/13 4 Things to Keep in Mind during a Difficult Job Search I have been trying to avoid writing this sort of posting for some time, mostly because the other article authors have done a pretty good job discussing it. However, I know that the…
by Anastasia Chiu, MSLIS 5 Ways to Maximize Your Graduate Assistantship Experience ALA recently announced its new Opportunities Exchange search interface for the Financial Assistance for Library and Information Studies Directory, allowing library school students and applicants to find ways to fund their studies more easily. Many of the opportunities listed in FALIS are assistantships, either…
by Melody Townley, Educational Media Specialist Be Your Own Patron Recently, a student asked if she could interview me. Her class was in the process of completing a research project on careers. One question she asked me was, “Does your job involve problem solving?” I responded, “My job IS problem solving!” It got me thinking about…
by Ruth Kitchin Tillman, previous Head Editor, INALJ Maryland previously published 12/19/13 Why Job-Hunting Isn’t Like Dating Sometimes, the hunt for a job and for a date can seem awfully similar. You scan websites looking for good matches. You visit networking events hoping to meet someone who has similar interests to your own. You exchange…
by Sarah Dashow, Senior Assistant, INALJ Newfoundland, Northwest Territories, Nunavet & Yukon To co-op or not to co-op? I can’t say I know any statistics on how many people go through library school with little to no professional or working background in libraries or information science, but I do know that I am one of those people.…
by Naomi House, MLIS A Change You Might Not Even Notice Next week INALJ will undergo a significant change in its volunteer structure…and if I was not sharing this with you you might not even notice once it happened. That is intentional. The change is to lesson the time each volunteer spends on INALJ, while concentrating…
by Julie Watson, former Head Editor, INALJ Pennsylvania previously published on 10/29/13 The Art of Job Seeking It’s easy to feel stuck when you are job seeking in this economy. Try un-sticking yourself by tapping into your inner artist: Innovation – Artists think outside the box to overcome challenges and/or respond to opportunities. They don’t…
by Mary-Michelle Moore, Head Editor, INALJ California Creating or recreating your library network after a move Whether you’re just starting out in the library community or trying to make new connections after a recent move – trying to create a network from scratch can seem overwhelming. Happily, librarians are a sharing group so there is always someone you…
by Emma Pinault, Head Editor, INALJ Delaware Spreading the Word About Library Events Whatever educational or entertaining programs your library offers, it’s important to know how to get the word out. Whether you’re starting a book club, teaching a computer class, or inviting a local author to talk about a book, few things are as frustrating as planning an…
by Angie Solis, Head Editor, INALJ Missouri Acing the job interview – Personal and Professional Interview prep Part 2 of 4 Last time we talked about Pre-Interview Prep to be the best interviewee you can be. Now that we have mastered the skills to prepare for anything an interviewer is going to throw at you, it’s time…
by Clare Sobotka, Head Editor, INALJ Idaho Taking a Break and Leaving Town Recently I left home and work behind for ten days and traveled to another state for some family business. It wasn’t a vacation per se, but once I had left town I realized how badly I needed to get away for a while. I had…