{"id":76471,"date":"2014-07-10T11:30:33","date_gmt":"2014-07-10T16:30:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/?p=76471"},"modified":"2014-07-09T21:31:49","modified_gmt":"2014-07-10T02:31:49","slug":"creating-or-recreating-your-library-network-after-a-move","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/?p=76471","title":{"rendered":"Creating or recreating your library network after a move"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Mary-Michelle Moore, Head Editor,\u00a0INALJ California<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Creating or recreating your library network after a move<\/span><\/h3>\n

\"MaryMichelleMoore\"<\/a>Whether you\u2019re just starting out in the library community or trying to make new connections after a\u00a0recent move \u2013 trying to create a network from scratch can seem overwhelming. Happily, librarians are a\u00a0sharing group so there is always someone you can ask for assistance \u2013 and if they don\u2019t have the answer\u00a0they will refer you to someone who will. Here are five ideas to get you started below \u2013 but let me know\u00a0in the comments what your network building tips are!<\/p>\n

1. Start a wide search then drill down<\/strong><\/p>\n

While the prospect of starting with a national group (eg. SLA or ALA) may seem counter-intuitive, the\u00a0greatest strength of these organizations is their size. Since they are large, they have many sub-chapters\u00a0based entirely on geographic proximity. Start by looking at article postings, calls for participation and\u00a0other official announcements put out to members of the community to see what\u2019s happening in your\u00a0neck of the woods. You may be able to find groups of like-minded librarians nearby by subscribing to\u00a0list-servs and making a point to reply or comment on emails from people who are in your vicinity.<\/p>\n

Your next stop should be your state library association\u2019s webpage \u2013 the same principle of find the widest\u00a0group and drill down will work here as well. Don\u2019t forget – since there are many librarians who are\u00a0active in the large organizations, your local library association may have different names and faces in\u00a0addition to the people you see active on the national stage. By checking both the state and national\u00a0organizations for connections you can find out if one group is more active in your area than the other.\u00a0Your state\u2019s library association may be active around the capital or a major city, but you may have a\u00a0geographic-based subgroup of a national organization in your own back yard.<\/p>\n

2. Decide what you are looking for<\/strong><\/p>\n

Instead of starting with where you are located why not start looking for the kinds of things you want\u00a0to do? Are you interested in teaching, try finding a local branch of the American Association of School\u00a0Librarians<\/a>? Museums, try the American Alliance of Museums<\/a>? Want to work in a law library \u2013try the\u00a0American Association of Law Libraries<\/a>? If a type of organization has a librarian working in it there\u2019s\u00a0probably an association or alliance that you can reach out to for contact. Make a comment on a post or\u00a0attend a networking event to find a way to connect with people in your field.<\/p>\n

3. Find connection online<\/strong><\/p>\n

Are you already following someone on Twitter? Are you a Tumblarian<\/a> or love Pinterest? Reach out to\u00a0someone who you already share a connection with. If you\u2019re looking to network where you\u2019re already\u00a0active, it\u2019s easy to get the conversation started and you can ask for advice. If you share a group on\u00a0LinkedIn and you connect with someone who is working where you want to work, they may have some\u00a0wonderful insights on who to talk to for that next internship or know about a positions that\u2019s been\u00a0approved but not yet been posted.<\/p>\n

Start chatting with ALA ThinkTank on Facebook or reach out to groups on LinkedIn \u2013 everyone using\u00a0social media is trying to connect with someone. Just be aware that not everyone uses the same social\u00a0sites for job hunting \u2013 be respectful of people who want to keep Facebook private but will connect via\u00a0Twitter or who will accept messages on LinkedIn but prefer you not email.<\/p>\n

4. Go back to school<\/strong><\/p>\n

Does your alumni association have a local branch \u2013 you may want to do some digging not only on the\u00a0alumni page but see if someone has created something informal? Do you live near a university that\u00a0offers a MLIS program? While their websites may hold information focused on students, it has the\u00a0added benefit of letting you know which organizations are active in the area.<\/p>\n

5. Visit the library<\/strong><\/p>\n

When in doubt, visit the reference desk of the library where you want to work. You can drop by the\u00a0reference desk or send an email if they offer that service and introduce yourself as a new librarian in the\u00a0area. Ask what organizations that librarian belongs to, or if the can refer you to someone who may share\u00a0a specialty or interest in line with your career goals. This is a wonderful option if you\u2019re having trouble\u00a0interpreting the different association acronyms \u2013 the librarian may have insight to a library association\u00a0you would otherwise have missed!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Mary-Michelle Moore, Head Editor,\u00a0INALJ California Creating or recreating your library network after a move Whether you\u2019re just starting out in the library community or trying to make new connections after a\u00a0recent move \u2013 trying to create a network from scratch can seem overwhelming. Happily, librarians are a\u00a0sharing group so there is always someone you…<\/p>\n

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