Tag Archive for inalj maine

7 Tips for Leading a Lively Book Discussion Group

Kristin Jaques smiling in front of a library bookshelf.

by Kristen Lauderdale, former Head Editor, INALJ Maine 7 Tips for Leading a Lively Book Discussion Group Fall is an exciting season at my library! Adult programs will be starting up again soon, and this year will be my third year leading our small but dedicated book discussion group. Here are some tips and insights…

Not Feelin’ It: Tips for Improving Your Internship Experience

Not Feelin’ It: Tips for Improving Your Internship Experience by Josh Rimmer, Senior Editor   We’ve all been there. When a job, an internship opportunity, or volunteer experience transpires to be something completely different than what we thought. Rather than developing negative thoughts, it’s best to turn the experience into a learning opportunity. It’s okay…

The Art of Finding Room to Grow in Your Current Job

by Kristen Jaques, former Head Editor, INALJ Maine previously published 1/16/14 The Art of Finding Room to Grow in Your Current Job While those of us who currently have jobs in or related to our field are fortunate, many underemployed librarians and information professionals will tell you that this can be a mixed blessing.  Harsh…

How to Avoid HR’s Wall of Shame. Job Application Mistakes to Avoid at All Costs (advice from non-library HR pros)

by Josh Rimmer, Senior Editor, INALJ Missouri, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Kentucky, Louisiana How to Avoid HR’s Wall of Shame. Job Application Mistakes to Avoid at All Costs  (advice from non-library HR pros) Definitively not a prestigious accomplishment to include on your resume, but mistakes do happen. Did you come across an ideal job opportunity and…

Fines and Forgiveness

by Kristen Jaques, former Head Editor, INALJ Maine previously published 5/8/13 Fines and Forgiveness The handling of overdue charges is a point of contention among many libraries and librarians. Because of our profession’s lack of consensus on this issue, and because different libraries have different needs and serve different populations, I have experienced a wide range…

No Ouija Board Required! The Librarian Civil Service Exam

by Josh Rimmer, Senior Editor, INALJ Missouri, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Kentucky, Louisiana No Ouija Board Required! The Librarian Civil Service Exam While I have certainly tried it; however, I have yet to have my mechanical pencil hover over my ScanTron to deliver answers from another realm. Although maybe my lead breaking over the C bubble is…

Should You Accept That Job with the Unattractive Pay Scale?

by Kristen Jaques, former Head Editor, INALJ Maine previously published 9/30/13 Should You Accept That Job with the Unattractive Pay Scale?  When browsing through library job postings, it is easy to see that jobs for librarians vary greatly in pay.  Narrow it down to entry level jobs suitable for the newly-minted librarian, and you will…

Preparation, Preparation, Preparation, and…….Preparation.

by Josh Rimmer, Senior Editor, INALJ Missouri, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Kentucky, Louisiana Preparation, Preparation, Preparation, and…….Preparation. Preparing for a job interview is probably the least exciting of tasks to perform, but it should pay off in the long run, if you are diligent. When I think back to my first interview, I remember the mental…

Goldilocks Jobs: don’t wait for ‘just right’ to apply

Charissa Brammer, Head Editor, INALJ Maine Goldilocks Jobs: don’t wait for ‘just right’ to apply As a new professional, it can be difficult to find a job that matches your knowledge and experience exactly. Personally, I have a tendency to always look for that Goldilocks job position: the one that will fit everything that I have…

How to get a volunteer position

Charissa Brammer, Head Editor, INALJ Maine How to get a volunteer position Resume-building is something that has been on my mind a lot lately, as I have been applying for scholarships and grants and trying to build my LinkedIn profile to attract potential employers in a year when I graduate from library school and enter the world…

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…

One Librarian’s Holiday Reading List

by Kristen Jaques, Head Editor, INALJ Maine One Librarian’s Holiday Reading List  It is said that some dedicated professionals have a hard time learning not to “bring their work home with them.” As a public librarian and book hoarder, I am no exception. While my lovable, zany patrons will not be getting my home address…

What I Gained from Living and Working in a Small Town

by Kristen Jaques, Head Editor, INALJ Maine What I Gained from Living and Working in a Small Town From the moment I relocated to Simmons College in Boston for library school, I took right to city life and imagined that from then on, I would always work and live in the city.  When I graduated…

Outside-the-Box Jobs in Maine and Beyond

by Kristen Jaques, Head Editor, INALJ Maine Outside-the-Box Jobs in Maine and Beyond Hello, jobseekers!  If you’ve been perusing the job listings on the beautiful and fascinating INALJ Maine page lately, you may have noticed that I post an assortment of jobs which do not feature the word “library” or “librarian” in the title, and…

6 Things You Should Do After Your Library Job Interview

by Kristen Jaques, Head Editor, INALJ Maine 6 Things You Should Do After Your Library Job Interview The Scenario: Today you just had an interview with a terrific library where your skills and passion will truly be an asset.  Good job, you!  However, there is much more work to be done if you want to…