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…
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…
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…
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…
by Sheela Sur, former Head Editor, INALJ Washington, DC previously published on 3/25/13 The Importance of Saying Yes: My Job Hunt Story After our first round of INALJ Head Editor articles were posted, I believe Kristen Jaques’s (INALJ Maine Head Editor) “What I Learned During My Two and a Half Years on the Job Market”…
by Kristen Jaques, former Head Editor, INALJ Maine What I Learned During My Two and a Half Years on the Job Market I know that many librarians out there got their first professional jobs much more efficiently than I did. It took me two and a half years to get hired as a librarian. I…
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…
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…
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…
This interview is over 1 year old and may no longer be up to date or reflect the interviewee/interviewees’ positions by Kristen Jaques, Head Editor, INALJ Maine Sarah Lauderdale, Head of Reference at the Hamilton-Wenham Public Library Sarah Lauderdale is a seasoned library professional who has been happily employed in her dream job for over…
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…
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…