{"id":10056,"date":"2013-03-07T13:00:48","date_gmt":"2013-03-07T18:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/?p=10056"},"modified":"2016-06-30T00:49:28","modified_gmt":"2016-06-30T05:49:28","slug":"5-ways-to-get-library-job-experience-when-you-dont-have-a-library-job","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/?p=10056","title":{"rendered":"5 Ways to Get Library Job Experience (When You Don\u2019t Have a Library Job)"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Sean O’Brien, Head Editor, INALJ Colorado<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

5 Ways to Get Library Job Experience
\n<\/span>(When You Don\u2019t Have a Library Job)<\/span><\/h3>\n


\n\"seano1\"<\/a>So, you want to be a librarian!\u00a0 You\u2019re acing all of your classes, networking with your classmates and professors, and browsing job listings in order to get a feel for what\u2019s out there.\u00a0 You\u2019re well on your way to a career, and at this point all that\u2019s left is to finish your degree and pick out your dream job, right?\u00a0 Well, not exactly.<\/span><\/p>\n

The truth is that there are far more MLIS graduates than there are available jobs, and the oft-repeated blurb about waves of older library workers retiring (Any day now!\u00a0 We promise!) isn\u2019t exactly true.\u00a0 But fear not, we\u2019re here to help by suggesting some ways to get active in the library world and beef up that resume.\u00a0 Your ultimate goal should still be finding paying library work, but we know circumstances may not always allow for that while you\u2019re going through school.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

5. Volunteer at Your Local Library<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

What\u2019s better than paying someone to work for you?\u00a0 Having someone work for free!\u00a0 At least, that\u2019s how employers see it, and this is an idea we want to capitalize on.\u00a0 Typically volunteer work involves menial (but indispensable!) library maintenance tasks such as sorting and shelving books, you can find yourself assisting with displays, literacy programs, or organizing book donations, all of which is valuable resume fodder. \u00a0Plus, working in the library at all can be a great segway to the next paid position that comes up, as employers are always more comfortable hiring someone that they already know.\u00a0 Bonus points if you can volunteer at a library that you really want to work for after you graduate.<\/span><\/p>\n

Keep in mind, however, that the volunteer selection process for some libraries is just as formal and competitive as getting hired for a paid position.\u00a0 <\/span>The Chicago Public Library<\/a>, for example, holds interviews, fingerprinting, and even background checks for all of its volunteer applicants.<\/span><\/p>\n

You will also have to weigh whether or not your schedule will allow for volunteering.\u00a0 Going through graduate school, especially if you are working and\/or have a family, takes up a great deal of your time.\u00a0 You may not have a few hours a week to spare on more work.\u00a0 You also want to keep up high levels of energy and enthusiasm at your volunteer gig; this is an opportunity that can cut in either direction.\u00a0 There aren\u2019t many things more embarrassing than getting fired from a job where they aren\u2019t even paying you in the first place.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

4. Serve on a Committee or Task Force<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t have the time each week to volunteer?\u00a0 Maybe you want to get involved on a broader scale?\u00a0 Sure, sure, that\u2019s fine.\u00a0 If that\u2019s the case, consider volunteering to serve on a committee for <\/span>your state library association<\/a> or even the American Library Association.\u00a0 The ALA in particular boasts hundreds of committees and round tables, and you can sign up for them <\/span>here<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t be intimidated just because you feel like you might not have enough experience to be part of one of these committees; ideas and insight can come from anywhere.\u00a0 Plus, you\u2019re in library school!\u00a0 Certainly you have some thoughts on current issues?\u00a0 Even if you end up being less than a perfect fit for a particular committee, simply talking with the people headings them get your name out there, and shows that you want to get involved.<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Do an Internship<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Maybe you\u2019re interested in doing something that will count toward your degree, since you\u2019re putting so much time and effort into it anyway.\u00a0 Why not do an internship?\u00a0 Ask your academic advisor or favorite faculty members about it; certainly one of them knows someone who would be willing to set something up for a bright, eager LIS student such as yourself.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

Besides all of the aforementioned \u201ctreat it like a real job\u201d advice, you want to make sure you strike while the networking iron is hot.\u00a0 Internships don\u2019t typically last all that long, so make sure you make a really good impression, and try to snag a letter of reference or two.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Become active in Social Networking, LISTSERVS, and Message Boards<\/span><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

An easy (and rewarding) way to get some exposure is to become active in the library social networking community.\u00a0 Join a couple of discussion boards or listservs at <\/span>www.ala.org<\/a>.\u00a0 Start commenting on your favorite library blog\u2019s posts, such as <\/span>http:\/\/lj.libraryjournal.com\/blogs\/annoyedlibrarian\/<\/a> or\u00a0 <\/span>http:\/\/www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org\/<\/a>.\u00a0 Heck, even Reddit has a library subreddit at <\/span>http:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/libraries<\/a>.\u00a0 Whatever you pick, just jump in and start talking.\u00a0 If nothing else, you\u2019ll gain an appreciation of trends and issues in the profession.\u00a0 Keep in mind, though, that this is still working toward professional goals, so keep your language, typing, and tone appropriate.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Volunteer for INALJ!<\/span><\/b><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

\"inalj<\/a>You didn\u2019t think you were getting out of this without a plug for INALJ, did you?\u00a0 Seriously, though.\u00a0 It\u2019s yet another great way to network and get your name out there.\u00a0 Plus, when the best job openings are posted, you\u2019ll know about them first.\u00a0 If you are interested in helping out, email ineedalibraryjob@gmail dot com for details.\u00a0 You can tell her I sent you.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Sean O’Brien, Head Editor, INALJ Colorado 5 Ways to Get Library Job Experience (When You Don\u2019t Have a Library Job) So, you want to be a librarian!\u00a0 You\u2019re acing all of your classes, networking with your classmates and professors, and browsing job listings in order to get a feel for what\u2019s out there.\u00a0 You\u2019re…<\/p>\n

Read more \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[145],"tags":[69,3592,3630],"class_list":["post-10056","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-articles","tag-article","tag-blog","tag-inalj-colorado"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1WoMK-2Cc","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10056","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10056"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10056\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10056"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10056"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10056"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}