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Naomi House’s interview with success story Allison.
Naomi: How did you find your current job?
Allison: I saw the listing for my position on both INALJ and the city HR alert that I had signed up for two years ago
Naomi: Favorite library you have been to?
Allison: My favorite Academic Library is the USC Doheny Library. My favorite Public libraries are Thousand Oaks and Santa Monica.
Naomi: Favorite book?
Allison: The Giver
Naomi: Favorite thing about libraries/ library technology?
Allison: I love that libraries have something for everyone. They act as community centers for any type of community.
Naomi: Any websites or feeds or blogs we should be following?
Allison: In regards to job hunting I like Open Cover Letters, Hiring Librarians, and Ask a Manager. I also frequently checked libgig.com, lisjobs.com. For Publication opportunities I follow A Library Writer’s Blog and Dolores’ List of CFPs, and for a little humor I like the library comic strip Unshelved.
Naomi: Best piece of job hunting advice?
Allison: Network, Network, Network! Everyone is a potential connection. Let people know that you are looking and let them see your passion for the field. I landed my first library job after casually talking to a stranger at a non-library event. It turned out she was the local library director and they had an opening.
My second piece of advice is to get involved and get your name out there! Help out at a variety of libraries and with library organizations. Submit your work to be published and present at conferences. The library community is very small and interconnected.
Allison Coltin is a Reference Librarian at the Thousand Oaks Library where she staffs both the Adult and Children’s Reference Desk. She has been hoping to work at this amazing library for years and was thrilled when she saw they were finally hiring. She was previously a Library Supervisor in Interlibrary Loan at the University of Southern California. She earned her MLIS at San Jose State University and stays involved with her Alma Matter as the Past President of SLISConnect. She is also the President-elect of her community’s Rotaract Club and a new mom.