by Michele Frasier-Robinson, Head Editor, INALJ Oklahoma Internet Resources for Education As an academic librarian, one of my responsibilities is creating and maintaining subject research guides for multiple disciplines. Part of this task requires locating quality Internet resources to add to each guide. Thus, I am always on the hunt for accurate and reliable Internet…
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Articles
Your Biggest Weakness in 4
by Diana La Femina, Head Editor, INALJ South Carolina Your Biggest Weakness in 4 The point of an interview is to sell yourself. That should be the goal of every answer you give. You’re the best person for this position, the only choice, and this is why. But how do you answer the dreaded weakness…
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Post-Thanksgiving: A Reflection on What I’m Thankful For
by Yandee Vazquez, Head Editor, INALJ Texas Post-Thanksgiving: A Reflection on What I’m Thankful For With Thanksgiving behind us and the holidays ahead, I wanted to take some time to reflect and thank those that have helped smooth the path of my library science education, job search, and job. Sometimes I forget to acknowledge how…
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Public Libraries: The Compromise
by Rebecca Tischler, Head Editor, INALJ Tennessee Public Libraries: The Compromise I recently read an article on the MacLean’s website called, “Thanks for the Tip, I’ll Get It on Amazon,” by Brian Bethune, which explained that even though bookstores are having problems with sales, people still come into the stores to browse, or to ask…
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How to Be Happy
by Julie Watson, INALJ Pennsylvania Head Editor How to Be Happy Student loan debt. A tight job market. Rejection letters. Uncertainty. Stress. Worry. Fed-up. Frustrated. Happy? No, “happy” is not a word often associated with job-seekers. Do you dream of the day when you land your dream job (or let’s face it, any job)? That…
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Should You List your Disability on your Cover Letter or Resume?
Should You List your Disability on your Cover Letter or Resume? by Roselle Pendergast, Head Editor, INALJ Minnesota As a person who does not feel disabled despite being deafened in one ear and wearing a cochlear implant in the other, I’ve never listed my disability in the cover letter or on my resume. Regardless, I…
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How Soon Is Too Soon? Putting Yourself Back on the Job Market
by Aimee Graham, Head Editor, INALJ New York State How Soon Is Too Soon? Putting Yourself Back on the Job Market After I completed my MSIS from the University at Albany I was eager to take any position with “librarian” or a relevant term in the title; I was starting at the bottom of the…
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5 Tips on Combating the Big Bad Stress Monster
by Leigh Milligan, Head Editor, INALJ Wisconsin 5 Tips on Combating the Big Bad Stress Monster With the holidays coming up, it sure can be the most wonderful time of the year, but also, the most stressful time of the year. The hustle-bustle of gift buying, event planning, cooking holiday meals can all contribute to…
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Go Ahead, Be a Little Bossy
by Fallon Zschiegner-Bleich, Head Editor, INALJ Arkansas Go Ahead, Be a Little Bossy If you had told me a year ago that I would not only be doing metadata in my non-library job but that I would WANT to do metadata…well, I would have laughed in your face. Yet, in the three months since I’ve…
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Unique Library Programs: Stuffed Animal Sleepover
by Brad McNally, Head Editor, INALJ Ohio Unique Library Programs: Stuffed Animal Sleepover Before I worked in my current position in higher education institution, I was working in the children’s department of a public library. I think one of the coolest programs we ever were able to pull off was the Stuffed Animal Sleepover Story…
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Avoiding Managerial Mistakes with Cooperation and Consistency
by Courtney Butler, Head Editor, INALJ Idaho Avoiding Managerial Mistakes with Cooperation and Consistency I am in a supervisory position for the first time in my professional career, and it is interesting being on the other side. We have all had bosses and supervisors that were belittling, incompetent, unrealistic, or just plain unpleasant to work…
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5 Things I’m Grateful For (Librarian Edition)
by Mary-Michelle Moore, Head Editor, INALJ Vermont 5 Things I’m Grateful For (Librarian Edition) It’s the end of the year – which means that it’s time to start reflecting on what has happened this past year and to start making plans for the upcoming one. It’s also the season to take reflection on what I’m…
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A Multi-Title Book Club
by Ashley Crace, Head Editor, INALJ West Virginia A Multi-Title Book Club Like many of you reading INALJ articles, I LOVE book clubs. I love talking about books with other people who love talking about books. One of my favorite aspects of public librarianship is the opportunity to take part in and even lead book clubs. This…
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Getting the Most from Your Workout
by Lisa Huntsha, Head Editor, INALJ Sweden Getting the Most from Your Workout If you’re like me, you frequently let yourself skip the gym because you have more pressing things to do. Stop that. Here are some suggestions for making your workout doubly productive so you won’t have any more excuses: Listen to a podcast.…
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Staying Focused during the Job Hunt
by Gabrielle Spiers, Head Editor, INALJ Montana Staying Focused during the Job Hunt I was on LinkedIn not that long ago and I came across this article about job crushes. The article really resonated with me because I have been doing that for a long time. So what is job crush? It is when you imagine…
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Story Time Resources
by Shelley Macon, Head Editor, INALJ Florida Story Time Resources It is not easy to put together cute, clever, and effective story time programs week after week. Even the best of us run out of ideas or can use a little inspiration every now and then. Not to mention the fact that it can be…
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5 Free Online Reference Resources
by Amanda May, Head Editor, INALJ North Dakota 5 Free Online Reference Resources There are a lot of great free resources on the Internet that can be used during reference transactions. Here are five of my favorites: Healthline BodyMaps – This site allows users to explore the human body in 3D. BodyMaps includes male and…
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5 LIS Items on My Holiday Wish List
by Courtney Baron, Head Editor, INALJ Georgia 5 LIS Items on My Holiday Wish List It’s that time of the year! The holidays are approaching. While normally I look forward to having some time off from my insane schedule, for those of us who are job hunting, it can bring increased anxiety and disappointment. I’ve…
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All about Accreditation
by Kate Kosturski, Head Editor, INALJ NYC All about Accreditation Do you know what library school accreditation is? Perhaps you are applying to library school and heard how important it is to go to an “ALA Accredited Library School.” Or you may have perused job listings on INALJ and noticed that one of the requirements…
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Conference Qualms
by Scottie Kapel, Head Editor, INALJ Oregon Conference Qualms I’m writing this from a table at the back of the exhibitors hall at the AASL 16th National Conference in Hartford, CT. This is my first conference, and so far the experience has been very rewarding, in terms of both stimulating sessions and generous swag. Thanks…
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Why Every Profession Needs a Librarian or Information Professional
by Sara Dixon, Head Editor, INALJ Kansas Why Every Profession Needs a Librarian or Information Professional **I do not usually take to ranting, especially online. This month, I make an exception.** This last week, as I was trying to change over my license and tags back to Kansas from Florida, I had what I imagine…
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Four Rules for Book Club Success
by Amanda Viana, Head Editor, INALJ Massachusetts Four Rules for Book Club Success When I started my first professional position about a year and a half ago, I had to take over some duties which were totally new to me. One of the most important was facilitating the library’s two book clubs. Not only were…
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2 Differences between Corporate and Academic Libraries
by Jennifer Crutchfield, Head Editor, INALJ Connecticut 2 Differences between Corporate and Academic Libraries I have been working as a corporate librarian for several months and wanted to share a couple points of comparison that I have found to be the biggest differences between a small academic library and a corporate library. These only my…
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Customer Service Tips for Introverts
by Emma Pinault, Head Editor, INALJ Delaware Customer Service Tips for Introverts As an introvert working in a library, I’m pretty sure I’m not alone. While not all of us fall into this personality type, many of us were attracted to librarianship because we enjoy quiet time spent with books. Working with patrons, however, requires honing our…
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Nobody Doesn’t Like a Candidate with Fundraising Knowledge
by Ryan Nitz, Head Editor, INALJ Alaska Nobody Doesn’t Like a Candidate with Fundraising Knowledge Pretty much no matter where you look, libraries–like basically all other nonprofit organizations–are looking for ways to find more money. Whether they’re searching for special project money, general operating funds, or whatever, it’s not very likely that you’ll run across…
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Teens LOVE Welcome to Night Vale
by Shayna Monnens, Head Editor, INALJ South Dakota Teens LOVE Welcome to Night Vale If you haven’t experienced the phenomenon that is sweeping the podcast world, be ready for one of the most interesting teen friendly things out there. As a teen librarian, I am ALWAYS searching for new things that will hook the teens,…
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The Only Thing We Have to Fear
by Nena Schvaneveldt, Head Editor, INALJ Utah The Only Thing We Have to Fear Overcoming fear is still a big issue for me. I will find myself in a difficult situation and see two options: the easy way and the right way. Of course, the right way often involves a change or confrontation, which makes…
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Extreme Resume Makeover: Library Technician Edition
by Lauren Bourdages, Head Editor, INALJ Ontario Extreme Resume Makeover: Library Technician Edition As a job seeker, one thing I inevitably spend a lot of time doing is reading career advice blogs and one take away from them is new advice and tips for resume writing. I enjoy writing, and I think, hope, that I…
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We Wish You a Merry Bloomsday, and a Happy Book Year!
by Alexis Rohlfing, Head Editor, INALJ New Hampshire We Wish You a Merry Bloomsday, and a Happy Book Year! The holidays are upon us, and while you may be snuggling in with a toddy for another viewing of Charlie Brown Christmas or It’s a Wonderful Life, have you ever thought about all the fun book…
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November Book Reviews from Annie Bahu & Rachael Altman of INALJ Illinois
by Rachael Altman, Head Editor, INALJ Illinois November Book Reviews from Annie Bahu & Rachael Altman of INALJ Illinois In the spirit of National Novel Writing Month and Illinois Reads, Annie Bahu and I have rounded up a list of books we recently read and wanted to share with the INALJ community. Happy reading! The…
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What Is a Librarian?
by Nicole Usiondek, Head Editor, INALJ Michigan What Is a Librarian? I have been fortunate to have a full time professional position for just over six months now. My experience has been that people who are not in the library field typically view librarians in three ways: the boring spinster who likes quiet and books,…
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A Customer Service Cheat Sheet
by Kristen Jaques, Head Editor, INALJ Maine A Customer Service Cheat Sheet If you’ve been browsing job postings lately, you’ve probably observed that for many library positions, excellent customer service skills are expected, if not required. The ability to work well with the public can be developed with experience, but for some of us, it…
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Librarians & Libraries in Comic Books
by Mychal R. Ludwig, Head Editor, INALJ New Mexico Librarians & Libraries in Comic Books LIS workers of all categories are quite commonly utilized in fictional settings, as main and supporting characters, as well as for incidental run-ins with those primary persons. How exactly are those info-professionals portrayed, in both personality and in comportment? Does…
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Volunteering in Storyland
by Ashley Mancill, Head Editor, INALJ Alabama Volunteering in Storyland We all have heard how volunteering can serve as job experience and provide those who are seeking a career in librarianship an opportunity to network. But it can be beneficial in other ways, too. Some find it relaxing while others say they find satisfaction in…
Articles
Telecommuting
by Erin Kinney, Assistant Editor, INALJ Alabama Telecommuting One option for working is telecommuting, also known as telework. When my husband took a job across the state, we did the commuter marriage thing for a few years, but it wore on us. I was fortunate that I could telecommute in my former position, as it…
Articles
Celebrate! Commemorate! And Tell the Story Well!
by Christina Wilson, Head Editor, INALJ Alberta Celebrate! Commemorate! And Tell the Story Well! I moved to Alberta in 2007 to take on a position as Emerging Technologies Librarian for The Alberta Library, a consortium serving all libraries in the province. As it turned out, it was a significant year to be working for Alberta’s…
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Are Librarians Taking over the World?
by Tiffany Newton, Head Editor, INALJ Missouri Are Librarians Taking over the World? Libraries are everywhere. I can’t think of one town that doesn’t have at the very least a public library. Schools also have libraries, colleges and universities have libraries, organizations like law firms and zoos have libraries. Hospitals have libraries; there are libraries…
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Finding the Right Library Job Is Kind of Like Dating
by Kathleen Kosiec Finding the Right Library Job Is Kind of Like Dating Ok, I can’t take credit for this analogy, but if you really think about it, isn’t finding the right library job a lot like dating? Let me count the ways. Searching and applying for jobs (Flirting) Ahh, the fun stage. You’re searching…
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Other Benefits of Volunteering
by Nena Schvaneveldt, Head Editor, INALJ Utah Other Benefits of Volunteering When I was 14, I started volunteering at a local hospital. My parents wanted me to get experience and give back, as well as help my college applications stand out. For several years, I volunteered in order to get something in return. Even in…
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Designing Your Web: Learning HTML, CSS, XHTML, and More
by Sarah Deringer, Head Editor, INALJ Mississippi Designing Your Web: Learning HTML, CSS, XHTML, and More Read many job descriptions these days, and you might find certain skills needed that include being able to design websites using HTML, CSS, XHTML, Javascript, PHP, MySQL, and a number of other coding languages. You may have had some…