by Cassidy Charles, Senior Assistant, INALJ NYC Associating with State and Regional Associations Last Spring, Mary-Michelle Moore wrote a series about Professional Organizations. She highlighted the different division in ALA, diverse professional LIS associations, and additional professional LIS associations. When looking down the long list of professional organizations to connect with you may want to consider reaching out…
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 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 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 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 Stephanie Noell, Senior Assistant, INALJ Texas Testing the Regional Conference Waters Regional library conferences are a great way to get involved in professional organizations. You can present a paper, volunteer for the conference, organize a meet up for your listserv/ committee/gaming group (Call of Cthulhu anyone?), or just go to listen to great talks…
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 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 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…
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…
Rachel Loria, Head Editor, INALJ Colorado When you’re too poor for ALA Las Vegas (but still want to show you care about those libraries!) Although I understand that most conference attendees are—to at least some extent—sponsored by their respective organizations, I still cannot help but feel slight librarian-envy at the Facebook status and Twitter updates I have been…
by Jennifer Devine, Head Editor, INALJ Maryland Why you should and how you are able to partake in American Library Association Annual Conference when not attending If you’re like me and you’re not attending or able to attend the ALA Annual Conference this year you are still probably flooded with information from your e-mail, on Facebook, twitter, other…
by Holly Boyer, Head Editor, INALJ Virginia (originally published 6/6/14 & last updated 6/26/14) Your Unofficial Guide to Socializing at the ALA Annual Conference 2014 Going to Las Vegas for ALA’s Annual Conference this June? If you are, I bet you’ve been struggling to plan your schedule when there are so many amazing programs to attend (did…
by Mandi Goodsett Tips for Learning on the Job There has been a lot of discussion about how well the LIS degree is preparing students for the professional library world, and there will most likely be some big changes in the near future. However, librarianship continues to be a very hands-on kind of profession, with…
by Josh Rimmer, Head Editor, INALJ West Virginia Closing the Digital Educational Divide Whether your degree is obtained through online schooling, or acquired the traditional route in person is irrelevant in the end after you graduate –academic pitchforks up. What matters is being active in the professional librarian conversation. What do I mean by being active? Local…