Title Awareness in the 21st Century by Lisa Iannucci, Senior Editor As a public librarian working part-time hours, I am constantly up against time constraints. Because one of my many responsibilities is collection development, it’s essential for me not only to remain current as far as what’s happening in the book industry but to stay abreast…
by Amanda Viana, former Head Editor, INALJ Massachusetts republished from 2/14/14 & 4/15/14 Dr. Taxlove, or: How I learned to stop crabbing and embrace tax season For everything there is a season. In public librarianship the year falls into distinct seasons: planning for summer reading in the spring, end of the fiscal year reporting, the…
You Are Not an Imposter! By Lisa Iannucci, Senior Editor I recently assumed increased hours and responsibilities at one of my part-time jobs–reason to celebrate, right? But after sitting down at my desk on day one of my new schedule, I felt nothing but dread. Reading through my email and daily schedule, I immediately felt my…
6 Career Journaling Techniques: Get Started Today! by Valarie Swayze, Senior Editor Have you ever kept a travel diary, fitness log, or a personal journal? Each helps us reflect on activities and can serve as a source of motivation in the future. A career journal is simply a record of your professional experiences kept on…
Librarians and Mass Media – Where are the Role Models? By Lisa Iannucci, Senior Editor I would like to think that we librarians lead fairly interesting lives. But apparently the powers that be in the entertainment industry seem to think we are capable of much more. A recent keyword search of the estimable Imdb.com yielded…
by Amelia Zavala Vander Heide ,Senior Editor, INALJ Massachusetts, Maryland, and Virtual Work Library School Redux If I knew then what I know now, I probably would have done some things differently, including taking a different course load in library school. This article is for those INALJ readers who are either currently in library school or are…
by Amelia Zavala Vander Heide ,Senior Editor, INALJ Massachusetts, Maryland, and Virtual Work Staying Healthy in the Stacks When I first started working as a professional librarian a little over a year ago, I went from working at a job where I was on my feet 6-12 hours a day to a job where I was…
by Amelia Zavala Vander Heide ,Senior Editor, INALJ Massachusetts, Maryland, and Virtual Work Teen Read Week: Learning to Love YA Lit This year Teen Read Week, October 12th-18th, will be celebrated in libraries across the country. You might be currently working in a public library, you might be interested in youth services and teen librarianship, or maybe…
by Amelia Zavala Vander Heide ,Senior Editor, INALJ Massachusetts, Maryland, and Virtual Work Interview Shopping for Every Budget Whether it is for the big interview or the first day of work, buying the right clothing can be difficult and hard on the budget. I believe that every interviewee should have a few essentials in their closet: a…
by Amelia Zavala Vander Heide ,Senior Editor, INALJ Massachusetts, Maryland, and Virtual Work Bumps, Bruises, and Blunders: Dealing with Embarrassing Moments at Work and on the Job Hunt We have all been there. You say or do the wrong thing in the wrong moment. You accidentally slip, fall, or let that swear word sneak out. That…
by Amanda Viana, Head Editor, INALJ Massachusetts previously published 5/13/13 4 Reference tools that save my life (on a daily basis) (editor’s note: Astrid is no longer available- add in the comments your nominees for #4) Diigo: There are quite a few social bookmarking sites out there, but Diigo has been my professional go-to site…
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…
by Amanda Viana, Head Editor, INALJ Massachusetts Sponsorship is the New Black I was in elementary school when I met my mentor. She was the warm and welcoming presence in my local public library and she was the knowledgeable and resourceful go-to Reference Librarian when I had a school report or just a curiosity. I have always been…
by Amanda Viana, Head Editor, INALJ Massachusetts 5 Ways to Keep Negativity at Bay There’s a lot of variety to the blog posts on INALJ; some are expert posts, some are tips & tricks, and still others are stories of professional journeys and growth. This post is a bit of all of the above. Lately I’ve been finding…
by Amanda Viana, Head Editor, INALJ Massachusetts Reflecting on my first year as a Head Editor As the end of the year approaches I, like most people, have found myself reflecting on the past year. It hasn’t quite been a year since I started as the Head Editor of the INALJ MA page, but a…
by Amanda Viana, Head Editor, INALJ Massachusetts Four Rules for Book Club Success When I started my first professional position about a year and a half ago, I had to take over some duties which were totally new to me. One of the most important was facilitating the library’s two book clubs. Not only were…
by Amanda Viana, Head Editor, INALJ Massachusetts Seminars and Webinars and Online Courses—Oh My! I’m insatiably curious; a committed lifelong learner. I think of it as one of my greatest strengths and one of my main motivators in working to make public libraries centers of lifelong learning. Since graduating in late 2012, I’ve been trying…
by Amanda Viana, Head Editor, INALJ Massachusetts Services vs. Service: What Keeps Patrons Coming Back for More? I recently had the pleasure of attending a customer service workshop hosted by the wonderful Sarah Sogigian and Deb Hoadley of the Massachusetts Library System. “Services, Smiles, and Support: How the Experience You Provide Creates Support for the…
by Amanda Viana, Head Editor, INALJ Massachusetts At the Crossroads: Taking the Next Step Post-MLIS In my library career, I’ve had a lot of different roles: volunteer, friend, part-time page, Library Assistant, Information Services Librarian, Library Trustee, and most recently, Assistant Director. Despite having graduated with my MLIS less than two years ago, lately I’ve…
by Amanda Viana , Head Editor , INALJ Massachusetts . . . Founders’ Day : what library outreach can look like Every community has its own unique events that bring people together. In the town where I work, the Founders’ Day Picnic is one of those events. Organized by the town’s Recreation Department (all volunteers), Founders’…
by Julie Watson, Head Editor, INALJ Pennsylvania INALJ Summer Reads – you’ll love these books! I asked some of my favorite librarians, who also happen to be INALJ volunteers, what books they are recommending this summer. Here’s what they had to say (and my recommendation as well): Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy…
by Amanda Viana, Head Editor, INALJ Massachusetts My Librarian Origin Story Something I’ve discovered over the past five years or so is that every librarian has an origin story. They range wildly from the most deliberate to the almost accidental, and each of them is as unique as we are. I’ve just taken two major…
by Amanda Viana, Head Editor, INALJ Massachusetts Leveraging the power of your state One of the things successful librarians do is get to know their community. They find a way to become imbedded in community events and get to know the characteristics that make their communities unique. Whether it’s finding the most popular town event…
by Amanda Viana, Head Editor, INALJ Massachusetts With Eyes Wide Open: seeing your learning and experience in a new light As an undergraduate English major I had a professor who was memorable mainly for her absurdly specific essay guidelines: ‘five sentences per paragraph, three paragraphs per page, go over and I won’t read it’. But…
by Amanda Viana, Head Editor, INALJ Massachusetts On the Other Side of the Table: Interviewing Not very long after starting my current position I assisted the Library Director in interviewing candidates for a Circulation Supervisor position. It was my first time on the “other side” of the table, and I found the process very informative.…