This is intriguing – comment by “B” at http://bit.ly/gYGL6k : Some of my former co-workers (who were also hiring managers) nixed applicants that responded “Because I love books” to the question “Why do you want to work in a library?” While such a black and white approach to hiring makes me a bit squeamish, I do strongly encourage job applicants to be a bit more creative in their response. Apparently “Because I like books” is such a common response (among the entry-level crowd, at least), that giving a different (thoughtful and honest) answer is a quick way to nail the […]
Categories Library Jobs & Careers
274 posts
Thanks to Rich Allen, Technical Services Librarian at Winthrop Public Library in Massachusetts , for sending this link. The Boston Globe recently ran a story called “Checking Out the Future.” It highlights the Simmons program but also explores the increase in technology use and required skills for new grads. These lines echo some of the things I’ve written about in “Office Hours:” (emphasis mine) Library science used to be the realm of career changers. Bookish types, having put in some years in the work world, would enroll in a graduate program with dreams of one day making a living surrounded by the […]
I believe in the power of stories. I think everything we do in our libraries contributes to the story we tell – signage, customer service, the atmosphere of the building and how we interact with our users – both in person and online. At this moment in time, a library’s story is written everyday by what users find or don’t find inside, how the staff meets those users needs and what is said about the facility in line at the grocery store and online at Yelp or Google reviews. I’ve travelled a lot in the last few years, mostly for […]
My new column is up at Library Journal: http://bit.ly/hmosLw “I like books.” This is one answer to the introductory question I ask when meeting a class for the first time: “What brings you to librarianship?” The answers vary just as LIS students do, whether they’re recent college graduates or those returning to school for a second career in libraries. The “books” answer begs the question, “Do you mean the content or the container?” Students starting graduate school who want to work in libraries with stacks filled with books may be aiming for the wrong profession. Archives and rare books collections will […]
Brilliant! Please take a few minutes and watch Peter Bromberg’s video from ACPL. I was honored to take part in this series in 2008: http://www.youtube.com/user/askacpl#p/a/5C3DEAAE3B8A1DBE/0/PzBC8q_hTHY
I’m so happy to see John Schumacher named a Library Journal 2011 Mover & Shaker! John was a student in three of my classes. His work – with a strong focus on serving the needs of children – was outstanding in all of them. It’s so good to see him putting his skill set into practice. Congrats Mr. Schu! This makes John Schumacher (aka Mr. Schu) an xtreme librarian: he uses a high level of exertion—along with some gear and stunts—to get kids reading. Examples of his xtreme tactics include visiting Anderson’s Bookshop almost every day, “so that there […]
What’s the coolest emerging tech librarian title you’ve seen lately? “Geospatial Librarian” is rather HOT – what are some others? I’m working on a little project today, need some insights…
Roy Tennant has a lovely post up at LJ: http://blog.libraryjournal.com/tennantdigitallibraries/2011/02/18/an-open-letter-to-new-librarians/ Roy offers some advice for success in librarianship, including these that speak to me: Focus your efforts where you can make a difference. Identify some things that you can do that are within your talents, that deeply interest you, and for which you can envision potential success. This may mean starting small and working your way forward incrementally. Big things can be accomplished this way. Savor success. The small ones as well as the big ones. Did you get that report finished? Good on you. Crack open the bubbly. Savor […]
I’m enjoying the writing at this blog: http://hacklibschool.wordpress.com/ From the About page: The Web is our Campus. This is an invitation to participate in the redefinitions of library school using the web as a collaborative space outside of any specific university or organization. Imagine standards and foundations of the profession that we will create, decided upon by us, outside of the institutional framework. Ideas like the democratization of the semantic web, crowdsourcing, and folksonomies allow projects like this to exist and we should be taking advantage of it. What will the information professions be next year if we define it […]
My new “Office Hours” column is up at LJ. It’s about challenges: http://bit.ly/f0PuQe Slackers not wanted At a recent focus group for a research project for the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiatives conference, a small group of librarians and library IT support staff shared their insights about the changing educational landscape. They all agreed that the requirements for supporting a university’s mission are changing, just as our students are changing (see “Can We Handle the Truth?” Office Hours, LJ 1/11, p. 44). One librarian noted a particular challenge: “some librarians are coasting to retirement—they’ve checked out.” Coasting, in library school and in our jobs, […]