by Leigh Milligan, Senior Editor, INALJ Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee Jennifer Lau-Bond…ipl2 Manager of Reference Services I have been volunteering with the Internet Public Library (ipl2) since I started library classes at Drexel University in 2009. I loved volunteering with the ipl2 so much, I continued volunteering after I graduated and…
by Lisa Iannucci, Senior Assistant, INALJ New Jersey Roll With the Changes In the current employment environment, it’s important to be flexible, and to expect the unexpected, especially if your interests within the field are as varied as mine. I’ve been working in two academic libraries for over a year as well as doing volunteer archival work. Cobbling…
This interview is over 1 year old and may no longer be up to date or reflect the interviewee/interviewees’ positions by Whitney Zahar, Senior Assistant, INALJ Pennsylvania Interview with Dr. Candace Aiani: Library Director at Taipei American School Have you ever imagined working as a librarian in another country? Several colleagues on the INALJ blog have…
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 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 Josh Rimmer, Senior Editor, INALJ Missouri, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Kentucky, Louisiana How to Tread the Waters of Uncertain Job Prospects to Stay Afloat and Keep Your Head Above Water. No matter the amount of articles written about job hunting, or the amount you have personally read. The job hunt affects all of us differently,…
by Valarie Swayze, Senior Editor, INALJ Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware Ask the Teens! Five Resources to Help Build a Teen Advisory Board The library offers a unique experience to each member of the community. Similarly, each member of the community can offer a special contribution to the library. Teens are a talented group…
by Sandra Hoyer, former Head Editor, INALJ Washington preciously published 7/11/13 For the Love of Volunteers and Unpaid Interns Volunteers and unpaid interns are one of the greatest resources that businesses, organizations, and federal agencies can have; including libraries. These unpaid warriors are even more critical as institutions face dwindling budgets and shrinking staffs. One…
by Lisa Iannucci, Senior Assistant, INALJ New Jersey A Little Bit of This, a Little Bit of That When I first received my M.L.I.S. degree, I was dead set on a full-time position in the archives field. The Great Recession seemed to be abating, and the jobs numbers were on an upswing. However, New Jersey, where I make…
by Courtney Baron, former Head Editor, INALJ Georgia previously published 5/22/13 3 Ways to Get Library Experience without a Library Job I just finished my first semester of library school and I don’t have a library job. By the time I realized I wanted to be a librarian and decided to apply to my MLIS…
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 Lauren Bourdages, Senior Assistant, INALJ Ontario previously published 6/25/13 Lauren has since found a job!!! An open letter to my fellow job hunters for when you get discouraged If you’re like me, sometimes you start internally freaking out because here you are in your mid-to-late-twenties-to-early-to-mid-thirties and you’ve got all of this education but here…
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 Sara Dixon, Former Head Editor, INALJ Kansas So Long INALJ and Thanks for All the Fish! In February of 2013, I was desperate to get out of cubicle world and land my first post-MLIS librarian position. I had used INALJ while it was still a PDF digest that Naomi would email to countless addresses. And when she…
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…
by Aimee Graham, former Head Editor, INALJ Georgia Parting Words from a Parting Editor My journey began with INALJ in the summer of 2012. I was in a whirlwind, trying to complete my Masters of Science in Information Science from the University at Albany, SUNY within one year, and juggling work, family, four summer classes…
by Ruth Lincoln, former Head Editor, INALJ Washington, DC previously published 12/17/13 Connect with the Library World When You Don’t Work in a Library Look inside any organization, university, or business, and you’ll probably find a few people with an MLS. They might be called “Knowledge Manager”, “Information Architect”, or any number of titles (see…
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,…
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…
Lauren graduated from the Library & Information Technician program at Conestoga College in 2013 with the highest mark in the program that year. She focused on a few different areas of interest, Records & Information Management, Metadata and Digital Initiatives, and Library Instruction (Information Literacy & Emergent Technologies). She is currently working as…
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…
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…