by Clare Sobotka, Head Editor, INALJ Idaho Reducing Eye Strain Being a librarian comes with certain occupational hazards that can make work and everyday life more unpleasant. Most of those hazards involve computer use. Currently at work I spend most of my time at a reference desk, and while I do use a computer there, the breaks are…
by Katherine Kimball Adelberg, Senior Assistant, INALJ Michigan The Beauty of Morning Pages Recently I undertook an experiment. My wonderful but demanding job was draining my creative resources. I found myself spending evenings on the couch, scrolling through Buzzfeed, Instagram, or the aww subreddit. Each of these have their place, especially at the end of a long day, but…
by Angie Solis, Senior Assistant, INALJ Missouri Vampires and Treasure and Librarians! OH MY! This month I wanted to do something a little different and a little fun. In honor of the new TV show coming out in December on TNT called “The Librarians“, I thought I’d countdown my favorite librarians in pop culture. This list is in…
by Christina Wilson, Senior Assistant, INALJ Alberta and INALJ Manitoba The Sport of Networking Recently I read an intriguing article in The Globe and Mail “Hockey Course Helps Women Break the Ice” (September 27, 2014) about “The Gal’s Got Game”, a networking company that developed a crash course on hockey specifically aimed at helping professional women get ahead in business by…
by Tracy Wasserman, Senior Assistant, INALJ Florida My Favorite Fictional Heroic Librarians Who doesn’t love a great story featuring a heroic librarian? TV shows, books, and movies have portrayed many librarians as not only heroic, but intelligent, industrious and doggedly stubborn. Librarians are a diverse bunch, and the world should know it! One thing they all have…
by Emily Woodcock, Senior Assistant, INALJ Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island Facebook and Twitter in the Workplace Many different organizations including libraries now have Facebook and Twitter accounts that are used on a regular basis. Below is a list of pros and cons to using Facebook and Twitter in the workplace. I currently work at small…
by Kate Kosturski, Senior Editor, INALJ Ontario and INALJ Quebec If You Want A Library Job, Look Outside the Library! Although our site has the word “library” in the title, we are so much more than jobs in a library. And often, we get feedback from friends and fans asking us to stick a little more to that word –…
by Angela Piccola, Assistant, INALJ Virtual Work Gaining New Perspectives During Hiring Woes When I found INALJ, the amount of resources and overall camaraderie almost overwhelmed me because it showed there is hope in this field. With the lists of alternative career keywords that fit within our skillset and the pages of updated jobs, it means so…
by Jennifer Devine, Senior Assistant, INALJ Maryland Starting your Job Search The beginning of your job search can seem daunting. What should you be doing? Where do you start? Well if you’re reading this you’ve found INALJ! *Pat your self on the back* you’ve discovered a great resource. We list jobs by states and provinces’ and provide…
by Diana La Femina, Senior Editor, INALJ Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, New Brunswick, Manitoba, British Columbia, Alberta The Anatomy of Your Resume A resume is a powerful tool. While your cover letter should be used to explain why you are the best person for this position, your resume should show who you are. It should…
by Ashley Mancill, Senior Assistant, INALJ Alabama Make a Lasting Impression in Your Exit Interview Most companies and organizations conduct exit interviews as a way of obtaining feedback that will (ideally) help improve the workplace and employee retention. From an employee’s perspective, this type of interview can be time-consuming (especially if scheduled close to the employee’s departure), cause uneasiness…
by Amy Steinbauer, Senior Assistant, INALJ California “My life fell apart… and then I had to go back to work” My father died last month. It was sudden, and quick, and has changed my life forever. I was headed back East for a friend’s wedding, and a visit; but once he got to the hospital, I bumped…
by Sarah Dashow, Senior Assistant, INALJ Newfoundland and Labrador, Nunavut, Northwest Territories, Yukon Surviving the first year: finding a mentor It’s the first day of your new job, and you have a lot to learn, and a lot of people to meet. Depending on what type of environment you are working in, there may have been an…
by Jennifer Stevenson, Assistant, INALJ Illinois The Top 4 Ways to deal with new administration I have been a librarian for ten and a half years, during this time I have worked in both public and school library settings. I have devoted a decent amount of time tomy chosen field. During my career, I have encountered many…
by Lauren Bourdages, Senior Assistant, INALJ Ontario The Importance of increasing Professional Involvement/Engagement among Library Support Staff So I started a new job in August. I now work in a University Library where I divide my time equally between the user services desk (our circulation and reference service point) and processing books and articles to be put on…
by Rachael Altman, Senior Assistant, INALJ Illinois Network. Network. Network. Taking that first step to put yourself out there can be intimidating, but it’s essential to take calculated risks in order to grow personally and professionally. Networking is about establishing a relationship and a rapport with this person so that you are the first person that comes to…
by Renee Holden, former Head Editor, INALJ Nebraska previously published 10/15/13 Zombies! They’re Coming for You! With Halloween just around the corner, and since zombies have replaced vampires as all the rage, I thought that some of my library’s most popular zombie reads would get everyone in the mood for the walking dead on Halloween.…
by Jennifer Devine, Senior Assistant, INALJ Maryland Happy Halloween: 10 Top Scary Reads this Halloween In the month of October Libraries, Archives, Museums decorate and prepare for Halloween with books for the season. Children grow up understanding Halloween is a day you dress up in a costume and collect candy from neighbors by trick or treating or…
by Veda Darby Soberman, former Head Editor, INALJ Hawaii previously published 8/7/13 Response to Rejection: A Networking Opportunity All job seekers will have been rejected for a position or two…or many. Those letters, phone calls or emails can each feel like a stab in the heart of to one’s hopes and dreams, but it doesn’t…
by Diana La Femina, Senior Editor, INALJ Canada previously published 5/16/13 5 Right Questions for an Informational Interview I can’t remember how I first heard about informational interviews, but I now believe them to be one of the most powerful and underutilized tools in any professional’s repertoire. (And by “professional” I mean anyone who’s serious…
by Jennifer Crutchfield, former Head Editor, INALJ Connecticutpreviously published 10/31/13 Where are the Books? A Cruise Ship Library Recently, I went on a week-long cruise to Bermuda. One of the first places we visited was the library. I was excited to see what the library looked like. The room was beautiful with comfortable seating. I…
This interview is over 1 year old and may no longer be up to date or reflect the interviewee/interviewees’ positions by Ta-Shirè Tribbett, Assistant for INALJ DC Meet LeoNard Thompson, Manager of Adult Information Services for DC Public Libraries I first encountered LeoNard Thompson through a retweet on my Twitter page. When I realized he…
by Jennifer Reisch, Senior Assistant, INALJ NYC Are You Cultivating Executive Presence? Have you ever been passed over for a promotion you know you should have gotten? Ever had a great idea or important feedback that was discounted without any consideration whatsoever? Been in a competition where you performed flawlessly but still were passed over for top awards? You…
by Mary-Michelle Moore, Senior Editor, INALJ California, DC, and Illinois What to do while you’re waiting – Library Assistant edition Congratulations! You’ve done it – you sent off a beautifully researched, proof-read, edited and complete application packet to your latest dream job listing. Now what? Well if you’re like me and many of my colleagues, you still have…
by Cassidy Charles, Senior Assistant, INALJ NYC Decoding the Job Posting As a senior assistant with I Need A Library Job I read through a lot of job posting every week. There is an art to writing a job posting and it is fascinating to read through the different ways similar jobs can be pitched – albeit…