Crowdsourcing, Digital Volunteering and Science by Gabrielle Spiers, Senior Editor One of the great things about the internet is that it brings people together from all over the world and allows them to collaborate on projects. Many people have heard of the Citizen Archivist Dashboard, which is part of the National Archives. It allows people…
Tips for a successful internship or practicum by Gabrielle Spiers, Senior Editor As a former intern who did a practicum during library school I have experience from the the LIS student perspective. I know my LIS program is far from the only one to require a practicum. Additionally, I currently run an internship program…
Library School: Some Thoughts in Hindsight by Gabrielle Spiers, Senior Editor I graduated from library school in August 2012 which I realize is not really that long ago. However I feel it is just long enough ago that I am able to reflect on the experience with the distance and perspective I did not…
by Valarie Swayze, Senior Editor, INALJ Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware Find a Mentor, Be a Mentor Serving as a mentor is an excellent opportunity to serve others that can also contribute to your own personal and professional growth. A mentor can be anyone who is willing to invest time and commit to helping one…
by Valarie Swayze, Senior Editor, INALJ Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware Cover Letters & Resumes: Perfecting the Basics Here is a compilation of tools to help you get your cover letter and resume prepared for your next job application. These resources offer a myriad of opinions for formatting, how to convey your personality, and what…
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 Joy Rodriguez, former Head Editor, INALJ Delaware previously published 7/10/13 Job Search Stress? Time for a Break! Everyone agrees that the job search process can be an emotional roller coaster. We feel excited when we get the call for the interview and disappointed when we get no response. Or, we feel over the moon…
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 Joy Rodriguez, former Head Editor, INALJ Delaware previously published 8/1/13 Exploring Alternative Library Careers via Linkedin Groups Joining groups on Linkedin is a great way to expand your professional network and keep track of the latest information in the LIS world. Several articles have been written on how to manage and network via LinkedIn…
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 Emma Pinault, Head Editor, INALJ Delaware “Can I help you find anything?” A Few Thoughts On Reader’s Advisory You’re walking through the stacks, offering a friendly, helpful smile to every guest you see. Perhaps pausing, beside a particularly perplexed-looking patron with a question: “Can I help you find anything?” “I’m looking for a good book!” Recommending…
by Emma Pinault, Head Editor, INALJ Delaware Introverts Can Network, Too! Networking and making connections in your field is vital to career success, whether you’re just starting out and looking for a job or looking to move up into a more challenging position. We all know this. But not everyone is a people person, and the field of…
by Emma Pinault, Head Editor, INALJ Delaware Starting Your Job Search Early – Tips for Library School Students As a library student, you’ve already got a lot on your mind, keeping up with your classes, and it can be easy – particularly around final exam week – to lose sight of larger end goals as you…
by Emma Pinault, Head Editor, INALJ Delaware Staying Sharp While You Search If you don’t find a librarian position soon after you finish library school, it can be a challenge to keep your skills sharp and your knowledge of the field up to date during an extended job search. This can be even harder if…
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…
by Emma Pinault, Head Editor, INALJ Delaware The Association of Research Libraries’ Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Academic and Research Libraries Confused about fair use and how it applies to your library? Academic librarians, especially, often find themselves setting guidelines on what is a fair use of the library’s copyrighted materials, or…
by Joy Rodriguez, Head Editor, INALJ Delaware Casting a Wide Net in your Job Search I recently accepted a position as a temporary part-time medical librarian at a local hospital even though I don’t have a health sciences or medical background. My focus in library school was on digital libraries and information organization and when…
This interview is over 1 year old and may no longer be up to date or reflect the interviewee/interviewees’ positions by Joy Rodriguez, Head Editor, INALJ Delaware Changing Library Career Tracks After Graduation, Britt Foster . . . Solo Librarian When she graduated from library school in 2011, Britt Foster planned on working as a…
by Richard James, Head Editor, INALJ Delaware Grass is Greener? In the corporate/commercial world, it’s becoming a reasonable expectation that many employees, particularly younger ones, are not going to commit long-term to their new employer. Cultural and economic shifts on both sides of the employer/employee divide have taken us a long way from the type…