All Jobs for INALJ can be found here: http://inalj.com/?p=1441 Updated daily
Naomi House’s interview with success story Chelsea.
Naomi: How did you find your current job?
Chelsea: I actually found two part-time jobs. The first was posted on the Oregon State Library Jobline and on INALJ. The other position is to do a research project for an academic library and it came about through networking.
Naomi: Favorite library you have been to?
Chelsea: My favorite libraries are the Wilkinson Library in Telluride, Colorado, and the Silverton Public Library because they got me through some tough times and onto the path the led me here. I have soft spots in my heart for both, even though they’re quite different from one another.
Naomi: Favorite book?
Chelsea: I like books that are telling of the human experience, including triumphs and tragedies and that expand my horizons. I read a lot of African fiction but these days, I’ve been on a nonfiction kick. I’m almost done with The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson. It’s powerful and gripping and I’ve learned a lot that I didn’t know about Jim Crow and the great migration, but mostly I’m in awe of the research that went into writing it. From that perspective, I think any librarian would be impressed with it!
Naomi: Favorite thing about libraries/ library technology?
Chelsea: Very simply put, libraries help people!
Naomi: Any websites or feeds or blogs we should be following?
Chelsea: I would just recommend that job seekers have active Twitter accounts, not just for the networking but because it’s such a great way to share and find library-related information.
Naomi: Best piece of job hunting advice?
Chelsea: Remain active in the library community, even if you don’t have any great leads. Volunteer and network whether it’s online or in person. It’s important that you feel connected and that you are making a contribution even if you aren’t employed, plus others will take note!
I’ve worked in libraries in Tanzania and in South Africa, at the Denver Public Library, and now, I’m starting a new position at the Tigard Public Library in Oregon. It’s a beautiful library and my time will be divided between reference and technology instruction. In addition to working in public libraries, I’m interested in research about libraries, or how we can collect and use data to show why libraries matter and to continuously improve services and plan for the future. I was a research fellow at the Library Research Service in Colorado, and now I’m embarking on an impact study at a local university here in Oregon. It’s really neat to get to see libraries from these two perspectives, plus I feel that I’m at my best when I’m so busy!