by Kate Kosturski, Senior Editor, INALJ Ontario and INALJ Quebec So What CAN a Librarian Do Outside the Library? Last month, I wrote about all the types of non-traditional library jobs that are out there for the MLS degree holder – and I do hope you got some good ideas for your own job search. But, I am sure many…
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 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 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 Sarah Roark Schott, former Head Editor, INALJ Arizona previously published 6/18/13 Do You Have Business Cards? Like many of the new archivists I know, I am a contract project archivist. This means I am only guaranteed two years of work at the institution I work with right now, not an employee who is expected…
by Christina Wilson, Senior Assistant, INALJ Canada previously published 7/15/13 Boldly Go “Speed Networking” and Beyond …. Embarking on a job search has given me courage to boldly go where I’d never think to go before. On a Wednesday night in early June, this quest took me to my first ever speed networking event. Organized…
by Leigh Milligan, Senior Editor, INALJ Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee Positivity and Leadership through Tweet Chats So a few months ago, Naomi announced that she would be starting #INALJchat. I did not really know what this would entail, as I never did a tweet chat before or spend much time on…
by Marian Mays, Former Senior Editor, INALJ UK, Nunavut, Yukon, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island Librarians, Technological Literacy, and Those Who Get Left Behind The common person would assume that all librarians are extremely tech-savvy. Sadly, this isn’t always the case. This weekend, I attended the Montana Library Association’s Annual Fall Workshops. While there, I…
by Kate Kosturski, Senior Editor, INALJ Ontario and INALJ Quebec Let’s Get Digital (Humanities) When one often thinks of research in the humanities, the following quote from Friends comes to mind: Joey: What the hell does a paleontologist need a beeper for? Monica: Is it, like, for dinosaur emergencies? “Help! Come quick, they’re still extinct!” In other words, the…
by Alexandra Janvey, former Head Editor, INALJ Iowa previously published 6/24/13 Using Social Media for the Job Search Social media has become an increasingly popular pastime within the last few years. However, sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn can also be utilized professionally as an effective job search tool. Social media is just another…
by Valarie Swayze, Senior Editor, INALJ Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware 9 Tips for Getting Back to Work! This is a very exciting time for me as I plan my transition back to the field of librarianship. Leaving my dream job as an archivist in a museum library was a difficult decision for me:…
by Lauren Bourdages, Senior Assistant, INALJ Ontario Good Questions to ask Interviewers Some of you probably already know that I recently ended my job search by getting hired. I’m now in my first full time position in the industry as a Reserves and User Services Associate at the library of one of my alma maters. I’m super…
by Clare Sobotka, Senior Assistant, INALJ Idaho Practicing for the Interview Very few people can eloquently wing an interview. For most of us, polishing our interview skills takes repeated practice, usually with a good dose of failure before we can perform well enough to impress a hiring committee. Official interviews are the best way to get experience,…
by Tracy Wasserman, Senior Assistant, INALJ Florida Meet Michael Rodriguez: INALJ Assistant Editor, Librarian & Faculty Meet Michael Rodriguez, INALJ Florida Assistant Editor and Faculty Library at Hodges University in Naples/ Fort Myers, Florida * Photo credit to Lynn Elliott, Florida Library Association, via Flickr Tracy: Tell us about your history in working in libraries. Michael:…
by Jennifer Devine, Senior Assistant, INALJ Maryland Social Media and the Job Search Today’s internet driven world gives a whole new component to the job search! When applying to a job or if there is an institution that I want to work for there are several actions that I take with social media. One of the first…
by Christina Wilson, Senior Assistant, INALJ Alberta and INALJ Manitoba Volunteer to Boost Your Career Although I’ve worked full time in my field as a library and information professional since graduating from library school, I’ve always found time to volunteer as well. While I enjoy contributing to my community, volunteering has helped me gain valuable experience and learning opportunities that were…
by Kate Kosturski, Senior Editor, INALJ Ontario and INALJ Quebec Easy Tips for Time Management – er, Maximizing Your Productivity The Doctor and the TARDIS. Cher’s belief that she could turn back time. Marty McFly in Back to the Future. Bill and Ted and their Excellent Adventures. All these people make the concept of time travel – and by…
by Africa Hands, former Head Editor, INALJ Kentucky previously published 9/9/13 Writing Begets More Writing In this, my last post as Head Editor of the Kentucky INALJ page, I wrap up my three-part series on writing, with my notes from the third speaker on the ALA NMRT Writing and Publishing webinar. As you will recall,…
by Naomi House, MLIS It is Never too Early to Job Hunt: Some Resources for New & Returning LIS students One frequently asked question that I get from new MLS/MLIS/LIS and soon to graduate students is how early should they begin to apply for jobs? I say start looking (even just to get familiar with…
by Sean O’Brien, former Head Editor, INALJ Colorado previously published 8/6/13 7 of My Favorite Professional Development Websites Summer is here, and that means we’ve probably all got a little bit of extra free time. You could spend that time outside, but why would you want to do that? It’s hot out there, and there…
by Kiersten Bryant, former Head Editor, INALJ California previously published 10/30/13 How Does This Networking Thing Work? I will be attending a library conference soon and have been looking for advice on how to network at these events. I currently work in the apparel industry in a position that is in no way related to…
by Raymond Pun, reference and research services librarian in New York University Shanghai Working Abroad As a Librarian: Challenges and Opportunities Ahead Thinking about working abroad? There are growing opportunities to work abroad as a librarian or information specialist these days. However, when you consider working abroad as an adventure, there will be tons of unexpected challenges…
by Holly Boyer, Senior Editor, INALJ ALA NMRT can help you find a job and succeed in your career The American Library Association New Members Round Table wants you to succeed. They want you to be successful so much, they’re willing, able, and really excited to help you along the way. How, you ask? By…
by Kate Kosturski, Senior Editor, INALJ Ontario and INALJ Quebec Change Does Not and Will Not Suck You may have noticed that we went through a few changes here at INALJ last month – state page editors replaced by senior editors, and what on earth are these new senior assistant jobs? This was a subtle change,…