As told to Anne Ford American Libraries asked seven librarians—public, academic, and school; urban and rural—their thoughts about the many directions in which their profession finds itself pulled. “At the end of the day, somebody is dying.” Chera Kowalski Assistant to the Chief of Staff Free Library of Philadelphia Chera Kowalski has received national media … Continue reading Other Duties as Assigned
“Our Teen Squad programs are driven by youth interests while focusing on work readiness and 21st-century skills development,” says Kate Aubin, teen educator at PPL. “With our diverse community partners, we provide interactive and engaging competency-based programming that builds relationships and connects teens to workforce development opportunities.” One such offering under the umbrella of Teen … Continue reading Career Readiness for Teens
First, ALA Editions acquisitions editor and Dewey Decibel contributor Jamie Santoro speaks with Caitlin Williams, author of Be Opportunity-Minded: Start Growing Your Career Now (ALA Editions, 2019), about tips for those on the job hunt and job market trends. Next, Dewey Decibel host and American Libraries associate editor Phil Morehart talks with David Connolly, recruitment … Continue reading Dewey Decibel Podcast: Get a Job!
Fortunately, the traits that bring librarians to the profession—diligence, curiosity, intelligence, and flexibility—are the same ones that can win them a position. And American Libraries is here to show you how. Just a few of the things we cover in this special package: How to network without feeling like a phony The LIS skills that … Continue reading Good Job Hunting
That’s why we’ve enlisted National Résumé Writers’ Association President Mary Jo King and San José (Calif.) State University School of Information Student and Alumni Career Consultant Jill A. Klees to give the thumbs-up or thumbs-down on several common résumé practices. Nay: Objectives Once, many résumés led with a section titled “Objectives,” listing what the applicant … Continue reading Résumé Yea or Résumé Nay?
What’s the first thing someone should think about when negotiating salary? Research. If there is one aspect of job negotiation that is tailor-made for someone with an LIS background, it’s this. Exhaust every available resource to come into any negotiation armed with evidence to support the worth of your expertise and services in a position. … Continue reading The Salary Question
Applying for a job “I know we’re all guilty of this in the HR profession: We sometimes create a very lengthy list of qualifications in our job postings. I have heard that that can be daunting to early-career people. I would suggest they go ahead and apply but try to amplify in their cover letter … Continue reading HR Confidential
Focus on the job seeker, not just staffing needs. Many job announcements have become no more than a dry HR position description pasted into an email. Remember that this is an advertisement, and your goal is to attract the interest of terrific candidates. Save the laundry list of infrequent duties for later in the process, … Continue reading Help Wanted
We talked with Sara Kelly Johns, retired school librarian, online instructor, and school library activist; Kathryn Kjaer, head of library human resources at University of California, Irvine; and Jill Klees, career consultant to students and alumni at San José State University School of Information. Finding a Job Don’t neglect networking. According to a 2016 survey … Continue reading Advice for Every Phase
How do you make networking effective and meaningful for your career and community? Library professionals affiliated with the American Library Association’s (ALA) New Members Round Table (NMRT) share their strategies for connecting with colleagues and building relationships. 1) Get in the mindset. “You have to go in looking for a positive interaction,” says Athanasia Fitos, … Continue reading 11 Tips for Meaningful Networking
Librarians realized this when their union, the University Council of the American Federation of Teachers (UC-AFT) Unit 17, filed grievances against the UC administration regarding disciplinary actions for such things as managers reprimanding librarians over product assessments and conference presentation titles. Their grievances were rejected. The union’s contract expired September 30, and at press time … Continue reading Unions 101
At “Under the Hood: Exploring Academic Library Resident Programs in Practice,” a September 28 panel at the third National Joint Conference of Librarians of Color in Albuquerque, New Mexico, three librarians of color talked about the benefits, challenges, and outcomes of their current and recent residencies. Moderated by Madison Sullivan, business research and instruction library … Continue reading The Reality of Residency Programs
