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 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,…
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 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 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…
This interview is over 1 year old and may no longer be up to date or reflect the interviewee/interviewees’ positions By Elena Bubelich, Head Editor, INALJ Quebec Mykola Krupko, Hospital Librarian In this blog post I would like to continue to share experience of job search of some graduates of MLIS programs in Quebec, Canada. In…
Valarie Swayze, Head Editor, INALJ Massachusetts Share Your Passion-Be a Library Advocate! One of the best qualities you can share during a job interview is your passion for what you do. Library advocacy is an ideal activity to demonstrate your knowledge and enthusiasm for your area of interest. Advocacy is a mutually beneficial endeavor as you help…
by Fallon Bleich, Head Editor, INALJ Arkansas Small Talk at Conferences: How to Survive It I have major social anxiety and therefore going to ALA conferences can be a huge chore for me. It’s not that I don’t love seeing all my fellow librarians and learning awesome new things, it’s that I have to face the dragon known…
This interview is over 1 year old and may no longer be up to date or reflect the interviewee/interviewees’ positions by Rachael Altman, Head Editor, INALJ Illinois Meet Megan Ashley, School Librarian and INALJ Assistant Editor Favorite Library you have been to? I studied at Loyola University Chicago for my undergraduate degree, and spent a lot…