Monthly Archives: August 2014

Writing Begets More Writing

by Africa Hands, former Head Editor, INALJ Kentucky previously published 9/9/13 Writing Begets More Writing In this, my last post as Head Editor of the Kentucky INALJ page, I wrap up my three-part series on writing, with my notes from the third speaker on the ALA NMRT Writing and Publishing webinar. As you will recall,…

Why Archives are Awesome: A Top 5 List

by Courtney Butler, former Head Editor, INALJ Idaho previously published 7/12/13 Why Archives are Awesome: A Top 5 List This past week I began an internship with the Missouri State Archives – the very last stepping stone before receiving my MLS with a specialization in Archives and Records Management. Though graduate archives programs have undoubtedly…

An open letter to my fellow job hunters for when you get discouraged

by Lauren Bourdages, Senior Assistant, INALJ Ontario previously published 6/25/13 Lauren has since found a job!!! An open letter to my fellow job hunters for when you get discouraged If you’re like me, sometimes you start internally freaking out because here you are in your mid-to-late-twenties-to-early-to-mid-thirties and you’ve got all of this education but here…

Know the Difference: Identifying Obstacles to Employment

by Ellen Mehling previously published 10/14/13 “Know the Difference: Identifying Obstacles to Employment” There is a curious thing I see frequently among those I advise: job hunters focusing on a smaller, though possible, less likely obstacle to employment and ignoring a much larger, definite difficulty – some have an almost superstitious fixation on a certain…

14 Twitter Feeds for Job Seekers to Follow

by Kiersten Bryant, former Head Editor, INALJ California previously published 9/25/13 14 Twitter Feeds for Job Seekers to Follow Need career or job hunting advice? Looking for a new job? Make social media work for you and use Twitter!  There are a lot of people out there that are full of professional advice that use…

Real Job Titles of Information Specialists in French

by Elena Bubelich, Senior Assistant, INALJ Quebec previously published 8/15/13 Real Job Titles of Information Specialists in French Since I’ve volunteered for I Need A Library Job, I have language issues. Quebec is a French-speaking province, so I assume that the most of the audience of INALJ Quebec are French-speaking too. As a result, I think…

Getting Your Foot in the Door

by Rebecca Tischler, Senior Editor, INALJ North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon Getting Your Foot in the Door At a library that I previously worked at, I started as a part-time assistant. I was really excited to get that job because I had been told that once I got my foot in the door, I…

How to Ask for a Reference

by Ruth Kitchin Tillman, former Head Editor, INALJ Maryland previously published 10/16/13 How to Ask for a Reference Asking for references can be as nerve-wracking as applying for a job. But if you collect yourself and prepare beforehand, it shouldn’t be. From a boss: Most hiring managers will want to talk to at least one…

The Job Hunter’s Lament

by Mary-Michelle Moore, Senior Editor previously published 8/29/13 The Job Hunter’s Lament Being a job hunter is not easy. In any economy, in any environment, this is one of the hardest things that you can undergo, job searching is tough. When you think about it, your job influences the rest of your life and relationships…

7 of My Favorite Professional Development Websites

by Sean O’Brien, former Head Editor, INALJ Colorado previously published 8/6/13 7 of My Favorite Professional Development Websites Summer is here, and that means we’ve probably all got a little bit of extra free time.  You could spend that time outside, but why would you want to do that?  It’s hot out there, and there…

Should You Accept That Job with the Unattractive Pay Scale?

by Kristen Jaques, former Head Editor, INALJ Maine previously published 9/30/13 Should You Accept That Job with the Unattractive Pay Scale?  When browsing through library job postings, it is easy to see that jobs for librarians vary greatly in pay.  Narrow it down to entry level jobs suitable for the newly-minted librarian, and you will…

4 Back to Basic Tips for Job Seekers

by Gabrielle Spiers, Senior Assistant, INALJ Montana previously published 8/21/13 4 Back to Basic Tips for Job Seekers Recently, I got the chance to read through resumes and cover letters – the experience prompted reiterating these tips. I realize that a lot of these are really basic, and I feel like they shouldn’t have to…

But I Can’t Move For A Job!

by Elinor Crosby, former Head Editor, INALJ Nova Scotia and PEI previously published 12/9/13 But I Can’t Move For A Job! What happens if you graduate from your Masters or Technician program and intend to stay in the city or town you went to school in? For some of us that is the only financially…

The Doctor Is In….the Library!

by Kate Kosturski, Senior Editor previously published 12/27/13 The Doctor Is In….the Library! For the last INALJ blog post of 2013, I decided to embrace the merry of the season (though not that Elf on the Shelf thing), and switch to something lighthearted about libraries…. 23 November 1963 was a momentous date for Britons, and…

How Does This Networking Thing Work?

by Kiersten Bryant, former Head Editor, INALJ California previously published 10/30/13 How Does This Networking Thing Work? I will be attending a library conference soon and have been looking for advice on how to network at these events. I currently work in the apparel industry in a position that is in no way related to…

Wardrobe Preparation: the interview

by Dan Trout, medical librarian at Edward G. Miner Library, University of Rochester Medical Center. Wardrobe Preparation: the interview Dress for the position that you want, not for the position that you have. I’ve worn a suit and tie to every interview that I’ve attended. You can always gauge the atmosphere and culture of an…

Nancy Kranich …Former ALA President

This interview is over 1 year old and may no longer be up to date or reflect the interviewee/interviewees’ positions by Claire Schmieder, Senior Editor previously published 5/6/13 This interview is from 2013 Nancy Kranich…Former ALA President and Rutgers University–Lecturer, School of Communication and Information and Special Projects Librarian Claire:  Your career path has been…

Ego Tripping at the Gates of the Library Job Hunt

by R.C. Miessler, former Head Editor, INALJ Indiana previously published 6/4/13 Ego Tripping at the Gates of the Library Job Hunt It’s been said a thousand ways in a myriad of contexts, but finding a library job right now is tough. This isn’t new news to any of us looking right now. What’s tough to…

4 Higher Education Blogs That You Should Be Reading

by Rebekah Kati, Senior Assistant, INALJ North Carolina previously published 11/19/13 4 Higher Education Blogs That You Should Be Reading I love to read blogs written by professionals and thinkers outside the library world in order to gain a different perspective of issues important to librarians and higher education in general. Below are four higher…

My House in New Orleans

by Naomi House, MLIS updated 10/28/14 – SOLD! My House in New Orleans My house is for sale! In my article, Why I Quit My Library Job and Why I No Longer Want One, I mentioned that currently my main income comes from renovating old houses and selling them. I have been flipping houses since…

Consider the Public Library

by Emma Pinault, Senior Editor, INALJ Florida,  INALJ Idaho, INALJ Indiana, INALJ Iowa, INALJ Kansas, INALJ Georgia, INALJ Hawaii Consider the Public Library Many of us, in college and in library school, fell in love with the academic library. It might have been a little intimidating to an undergraduate freshman, at first, but a good university…