This answer is provided by our first guest author, Cheryl Kohen.

Q: I’m just starting to use the online social networking site LinkedIn, but I’m unsure how this will help me effectively network.  What are some tips when searching this social media site?

CK: Created in 2003, LinkedIn is an online network website listing professionals from all over the globe, with over half of the members from outside of the US.  In fact, LinkedIn just reached the over 50 million member mark this year, meaning that there are now more professionals to network with than ever before!  Use this professional network to search for other users who directly relate to you career interests, find job opportunities, and research companies.

When creating a profile on LinkedIn, use the most recent and most relevant pieces from your resume.  Also, update your status often with professional information, such as a conference you recently attended, or a presentation you recently gave (in-class or at work).  Now that you’ve made the choice to create a LinkedIn profile, stay active with it.  Keeping your profile accurate and timely will help build your online brand, and be another way that potential employers may find information about you.

There are several ways to use the advance searching features on LinkedIn especially when you are still exploring career paths.  For example, find job titles that you aspire to have, and search for them as a job title in the advance search options.  By searching these titles, you can view professionals who are connected to you that hold these jobs, and learn more about these positions.  Additionally, if you are interested in learning more about alternative careers for librarians and information professionals, but are unsure what these positions are even called, use the job site LibGig and view the many categories that they’ve created for job titles.  Again, search these job titles (e.g. Information Architect) as a job title in the LinkedIn advance people searching, and find people in your network who hold these positions.

Once you’ve located a professional that you wish to connect with on LinkedIn, see which contacts you have in common with and request an introduction.  These introductions could lead to informational interviews, where you explore more about a career path by interviewing a professional who currently works in a field you are interested in.  To learn more about informational interviews, read Quintcareers.com Informational Interviewing Tutorial.

Aside from searching for individuals, users may also search LinkedIn for company information.  The company information in LinkedIn, though not as comprehensive as other reference sources, will provide the user with some key statistics of the institution, along with searching for additional professionals to connect with.  User information provided in the company profiles include listings of current employees who are using LinkedIn, former employees, new hires, recent promotions and changes, and the most popular LinkedIn profiles from that organization.

Want more LinkedIn tips?  See social media expert, Guy Kawasaki’s famous blog entry on the top Ten Ways To Use LinkedIn.

Q: I graduated with my MLS in 1998 but when I returned to my home state, I could not find a job. I took a job in insurance and hoped a business librarian position would open up. I have never had a library job except during high school and as an undergraduate. I really want to get into children’s/young adult librarianship. I am trying to read as much children’s and young adult literature as I can (since I did not have any course work while obtaining my degree) and I am volunteering at my children’s elementary school. What else can I do to make myself more marketable? Should I take more continuing education classes? Is it more realistic to think I will have to move to secure a position? Any advice is greatly appreciated!

SM: Well, the job market is not any better today than it was in 1998, so I’m afraid you have some work ahead of you. I’m happy to hear that you have stopped hoping for a job to come along, which is the first step in making yourself more marketable…. and this means getting the skills and experience that employers want.

Ask yourself the following questions:

1. If you had to choose, which would it be: children’s librarian or YA librarian? You should decide on one area of focus. There are many differences between the two roles especially when it comes to technology and to material/resources, but there are also many similarities when it comes to duties (outreach, marketing, preparing programs and book talks, etc.). Do your research and find out what each requires and which best matches your skills and interest. I’ve listed links to competencies below.
2. Are you willing to spend money and time to make it happen? Ongoing professional development is increasingly important for gaining and maintaining skills, and it also looks good on a resume. I highly recommend taking classes that focus on YA or children’s librarianship, especially since you did not take any in library school. I also recommend technology classes (e.g., social networking, gaming, web site development, graphic design). Fortunately, many classes are now offered online. And, get as much library experience as you can. Look into volunteer opportunities, and jobs, at your local public library. Talk to the librarians there, ask them about their daily duties and see if they can offer advice. Find out what organizations they are involved in, and see if you can get involved (both locally and nationally) as well. Library organizations can be excellent venues for networking and mentoring.
3. Are you able and willing to relocate for a job? Being geographically mobile will always help in the job search, because you will be able to apply for many, many more positions. If this is not possible, then you need to find all the libraries in and around your area and see if they are hiring, look at their jobs ads, and find out what you need to do before you can apply for positions. Most children’s librarians and YA librarians work in public libraries; and public libraries may require that a.) you take a civil service exam, and that b.) you reside in the city or county of that particular library system.
4. Are you also considering school librarianship? The role of school librarian, or library media specialist, may be another option for you if you enjoy working with children, but you will most likely need to get additional education and/or certification to qualify for a position in a public school. Private schools usually do not require teacher certification.

Congratulations on pursuing your dream job. I hope you find it.

Sites to check out:

For Young Adult Librarians:

Competencies for Young Adult librarians, developed by YALSA, The Young Adult Library Services Association, a division of the American Library Association (ALA)

Online courses for YA librarians

YALSA wiki

YALSA blog

For Children’s Librarians:

Competencies for librarians serving children, developed by ALSC, Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association (ALA)

Association for Library Service for Children, ALSC’s blog:

New Grant Will Support Youth Services Students Seeking Advanced Degrees

Online courses for children’s librarians

Finding Your Niche as a Youth Services Librarian by Sophie R. Brookover

American Association of School Librarians (AASL)

Q:  How do we define goals in the digital/virtual libraries?  How have professions changed?   What are the goals to be  accomplished?   How do we define ourselves as professionals? Please give me some directions of where the careers are going?

A:  Well, this is quite a huge question, and I’m sure we won’t address everything in this response.  But let’s give it a try…

TA: First, I believe we, as a profession, define our goals in a digital library the same way we define them in a traditional library setting.  I find the following, from Wikipedia, especially relevant as we consider the definition of libraries and their goals: “modern libraries are increasingly being redefined as places to get unrestricted access to information in many formats and from many sources. In addition to providing materials, they also provide the services of specialists, librarians, who are experts at finding and organizing information and at interpreting information needs.”  So, basically, our goals continue to be finding, arranging, and providing access (both in the short and long term) to information.  I think the significant differences are that (1) types of information are changing, i.e. from paper to electronic; (2) information sources are changing; and (3) information tools are changing, and continue to evolve as quickly as we learn them.  And on top of all of this, the expectations of our users are changing.

So, as library professionals, what does this mean for us?  First, I think we need to see professionals with an attitude of openness, flexibility and an ability to continue to learn and grow.  With technology changing so rapidly, we need employees who not only have the skills needed today, but also the ability to test, evaluate and learn the technologies of tomorrow.  Second, professionals will need a solid foundation and academic training in the aspects of librarianship.   Cataloging may not be called cataloging anymore, and reference may be called public service and instruction, but we’re still talking about the core curriculum in most of the major library schools.  And finally, and perhaps most importantly, we need professionals who remain committed to the fundamental values of librarianship: free and open access to information, regardless of format, location or method of access.

My final suggestion would be take a look at various vacancy announcements to see what employers are looking for in new employees.  Preferably you can do this while you are still in school so you can then shape your coursework and work experience to meet these identified needs.

SM: I think the most challenging part of our profession in the digital age is remaining relevant to our users. I agree with Tiffany, that the fundamentals of librarianship (collecting, preserving, organizing, providing access to information) have not changed –  just everything else, including our users. They expect, and demand, that libraries provide certain resources, certain technologies, and certain services. We need to do everything possible to meet those needs, or they will go elsewhere. As our users get more technologically advanced, and as information-seeking tools get easier to use and more universally accessible, it will be more and more difficult for libraries to maintain their relevance in society, and in academia. In this light, I think we should be reevaluating our goals on a regular basis.

Although our libraries and our roles have been in a state of rapid change in the last decade or so, we are still librarians and can still define ourselves the same way our predecessors did in generations past. We just need to work hard to fit that definition into the current day and combine it with excellent customer service.

Professional goals that all librarians should be considering might include:

• Staying current with new technologies and experimenting with new tools
• Reaching out to patrons in new ways
• Redefining roles in order to better suit the needs of the patrons and the skills of the librarians
• Marketing the library, its services and resources
• Collaborating with colleagues, other libraries, consortia, to provide better services and more resources across different departments or different libraries (joint licensing, ILL and document delivery, reciprocal borrowing, collaborative instruction, etc.)
• Learning from each other

Q: What are online portfolios? Why should I care about them? And, how do I get one?

TA: As someone in an academic library who works with recruitment and filling librarian positions, and who works with MLS students during their time in school and during their job hunt, I know what I like to see in an online portfolio and I know what I recommend to students and early career librarians. Also, I hear from former students about what they keep in their online portfolios and experience they’ve gained and want to share with others. Recently, I posed a few questions to a group of previous students about online portfolios. I wanted to know if they had one, what they chose to include (and conversely, what they chose to leave out), and finally, what they would recommend to others starting this process.

Several people commented on the components of an online portfolio. Portfolios were viewed as an extension of a candidate’s cover letter and resume, and are a good way to demonstrate technical competencies in web design and coding. The most common sections included in an online portfolio were work history, education, research interests, selected projects, and contact information. Some candidates also chose to list their MLS/MIS courses on the online portfolio, and included only “selected” relevant courses on their resume.

A few things to avoid include being overly personal with the information shared as part of your portfolio. This is a professional marketing tool, so please don’t tell me about your recent Vegas trip and certainly don’t include photos of the event — What happens in Vegas really should stay in Vegas! Also, from what I’ve seen and heard from others, the best design is clean and simple. Keep it neat and professional, and think of it as an effective communication tool that extends the power of your cover letter and resume.

Other avenues to building a professional online presence include blogs, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other online networking tools. One word of warning… be sure to maintain some distance between the online personal you, and the online professional you. You should consider locking down privacy settings on social networking sites like Facebook so that only friends can see your personal information. Keep private information private, and make it easy for potential employers and professional colleagues to find your professional information on the web.

SM: Like the students that Tiffany spoke with, I think of an online portfolio as an extension of one’s resume and as another place to share professional information in order to promote one’s skills and competencies. I also think of it as a place where I can provide more details about specific aspects of my work experience and my education history and as a repository that allows me to store my professional documents in one offsite location (i.e., not my personal or work computer) making them more accessible me and to those who may want to view them.

Years ago, after learning HTML, I put my resume on a web page with a few hyperlinks and naively called it an “online portfolio.” I currently have a super condensed version of my CV on my institution’s website. These, in reality, are just resumes on a web page. The online portfolio is, and should be, so much more than this. A traditional portfolio looks a bit like this, a multi-pocket folder filled with all your professional documents. Think of an online portfolio as exactly the same, just online. It is a place that allows you to present and organize your materials in a manner and style that suits your needs, a place that makes sharing your materials much easier, and a place that allows for more freedom and creativity than the formal structure of the cover letter and resume.

An online portfolio is a good investment for librarians who are actively looking for employment and for contentedly employed librarians who just want a space of their own that they have complete control over, outside of their institution’s web server. I strongly believe that professionals who have acquired materials over the years should be maintaining some kind of ongoing professional file and updating their resumes on a regular basis regardless of job stability. It is both satisfying and motivating to have an organized and up-to-date folder (online or in print) of your professional materials.

I set out to create my own online portfolio this Fall. I have been an academic librarian for over a decade now and I’ve acquired many documents over the years that move around with me, from computer to USB drive, to inboxes, to different computers. And, I need to maintain a portfolio for tenure requirements, which means lots of printing and sorting and stapling. I desperately needed one place where I could both store and display these documents. As I researched what others are doing in this arena, I discovered that the plethora of free online “social tools” have become ideal portfolio platforms. Not only are they free, they offer security, lots of storage space, backups, searching and commenting capabilities, and are very easy to use – no web skills required. What better time to create, upload, display and archive your professional profile than now?

After contemplating exactly what I wanted my online portfolio to do, and weighing the many options, I choose to use a wiki. I wanted it to be clean and simple in its design, and I wanted to be able to easily cut and paste text from other documents without much editing. I used different pages within the wiki to create distinct sections for my materials such as publications, experience, presentations, and web design.

As social and professional sites expand, evolve, and intertwine, more and more people will be putting their portfolios online and thinking of them as just another link on their networking chain.

To reiterate what Tiffany mentioned above – when creating your online portfolio:

• Be creative in a clean and simple way
• Keep it organized and professional
• Include documents, materials, presentations, etc., that highlight your skills and experience
• Only include materials you would show a prospective or current employer
• Be cognizant when naming things (URL, pages, folders, etc.)
• Go beyond your resume and cover letter
• Make it easy to navigate
• Make your contact information visible
• Make sure you can download it (back it up)
• Keep it up-to-date
• Use it to promote yourself

These are some articles and ideas that I found useful in my research, please let us know if you have additional resources or a portfolio you want to share.

Articles:

Functional and Stylistic Needs of Every Online Portfolio
by Christopher A. Brown

Online Portfolios, or “WOW! Look at Everything I’ve Done!”
by Kim Moody

Punch Up Your Portfolio
by Katie Dunneback

Using Del.icio.us to Create an Easy, Always Updated Online Portfolio
by Michele Martin

Build a Killer Online Portfolio in 9 Easy Steps
by Skellie

Creating a Successful Online Portfolio
by Sean Hodge

Examples and How-To’s:

Creating ePortfolios with Web 2.0 Tools
by Dr. Helen Barrett

Michele Martin’s delicious Portfolio

The Information School, University of Washington, Sample MLIS Student’s Online Portfolios

SM’s Online Portfolio

Q: I am a reference librarian and I am trying to obtain experience in creating web pages. I would also like to join committees or groups that focus on, or deal with, web design issues, but I am having trouble finding any such groups. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks!

SM: The first thing you should do is to seek out people in your own library, librarians or non-librarians, who are doing web work. See if you can get some hands-on-training and mentoring from them. You should also find out if any local organizations or companies offer classes in HTML or web design, and find out from your supervisor if you can get funding for taking classes. While you’re at it, talk to your supervisor about your desire to obtain experience in creating web pages. He or she might have some ideas that could benefit you in your current position. It is always a good idea to let your supervisors know that you are eager to learn and take on more, or different, responsibilities.

You can also look outside your current place of work. Some library organizations have special interest groups, or SIGs, which focus on specific areas of librarianship or specific technologies. These groups bring people together to learn, discuss, and make connections. If your local library organization does not have a pertinent SIG, you can help start one. If you can’t find local classes, communities, or groups to join, then try going online. I have listed just a few resources below that you might find useful.

Knowing how to create web pages from scratch and understanding the basics of HTML and good design can be very valuable skills for librarians, even if they are not their library’s webmaster. Librarians, in many cases, are the ones who create and maintain the web pages for their libraries; but some libraries (often large library systems) have their web pages created by design firms. Find out if you are able to contribute to your work environment by creating web pages, however minor, for your library’s site. If not, then you might want to see if any of the organizations that you belong to (which do not have to be library related) could use assistance in creating web pages or starting a web site. The best way to learn, of course, is always by doing. Best of luck, and have fun!

Online Tutorials

W3Schools.com
http://www.w3schools.com/html/default.asp

PageTutor.com
http://www.pagetutor.com/html_tutor/index.html

HTML Goodies
http://www.htmlgoodies.com/primers/html/

Free Online Courses (registration required)

E-Learning Center
http://www.e-learningcenter.com/free_html_course.htm

WebTech U
http://www.webtechu.com

Other Useful Sites

Accessible Design for Library Web Sites
http://senna.sjsu.edu/lmain/isdaccess/home.html

“For designers of library Web sites, this Accessibility Handbook is an interactive “How To” guide that shows how to implement a variety of innovative ideas and practical solutions for the smooth integration of accessible elements into each step of the design process.” Library Success: A Best Practices Wiki
http://www.libsuccess.org/index.php?title=Website_Design

“Library Success was created by Meredith Farkas to be a collaborative space for librarians to share success stories and inspire each other to do great things in our own libraries.”

WebJunction: An Online Community for Library Staff
http://webjunction.org/do/Home

“WebJunction is a cooperative of library staff sharing and using online resources that enable us to identify and embrace appropriate technologies and apply them to our daily work.”

WebMonkey: The Web Developer’s Resource
http://www.webmonkey.com

“The site that’s been teaching people how to build websites of their own since 1996.”

Conferences

Internet Librarian
http://www.infotoday.com/il2007/

“The only conference for information professionals who are using, developing, and embracing Internet, Intranet, and Web-based strategies in their roles as information architects and navigators, Webmasters and Web managers, content evaluators and developers, taxonomists, searchers, community builders, information providers, trainers, guides, and more.”

Usability Week 2007
http://www.nngroup.com/events/

“Takes you beyond the typical conference experience, offering a three-day usability camp, a three-day intensive session on interaction design, and several specialized, day-long tutorials that get both broad and deep on core usability topics.”

Q: I don’t have time to read the library journals and I don’t have access to many of them. Can you recommend some online resources, that I can read for free, that will keep me informed and up-to-date with the profession?

SM & TA: Good question! With so many library-related blogs, on so many different topics, written by so many engaging and knowledgeable writers, it is surprisingly easy to keep up with the profession. You can find blogs and online newsletters (such as this one) that will keep you entertained and informed, as well as update you on library careers, technology, higher education, conferences and events, resources and tools, and much, much more. We have listed just a few that we (or our colleagues) read regularly.

Blogs:

ACRLBlog: http://www.acrlblog.org
“Blogging by and for academic and research librarians.”

Beyond the Job: http://librarycareers.blogspot.com
“Professional tips for librarians: Articles, job-hunting advice, professional development opportunities, and other news and ideas on how to further your library career.”

The Distance Education Librarian: http://distlib.blogs.com/distlib/
“Comments on the world of distance librarianship.”

The Kept-Up Academic Librarian: http://keptup.typepad.com/academic/
“Helping Academic Librarians ‘Keep Up’ With News and Developments in Higher Education.”

Librarian.net: http://librarian.net
Jessamyn West’s blog.

Librarian Central: http://librariancentral.blogspot.com
“Your official site for Google tips, news, and updates.”

LISNews: http://www.lisnews.org
“A collaborative weblog devoted to current events and news in the world of Library and Information Science.”

LISNews – This Week in LibraryBlogLand: http://twil.lisnews.org
A roundup of blog posts from around the library blogosphere from the previous week.

Resource Shelf: http://www.resourceshelf.com
“Where dedicated librarians and researchers share the results of their directed (and occasionally quirky) web searches for resources and information.”

The Shifted Librarian: http://www.theshiftedlibrarian.com
Jenny Levine’s blog.

Stephen’s Lighthouse: http://stephenslighthouse.sirsidynix.com/
Stephen Abram’s blog.

Tame the Web: Libraries and Technology: http://tametheweb.com
Michael Stephens’ blog.

Newsletters:

FreePint Newsletter: http://www.freepint.com/issues/
“FreePint is a global network of people who find, use, manage and share work-related information. Members receive this free twice- monthly newsletter, packed with tips, features and resources.”

Jinfo: http://www.jinfo.com/newsletter/
“The twice-monthly Jinfo Newsletter contains advice and tips from recruitment consultants and information professionals.”

MLS: Marketing Library Services: http://www.infotoday.com/MLS/
“MLS will provide information professionals in all types of libraries with specific ideas for marketing their services.”

Staying informed about the profession and current with new trends and resources will also help you when you’re looking for a job, or just looking to further your career. E-mail us at librarycareerpeople@lisjobs.com with your favorite library-related blog or newsletter, and we will list them in a future column. Enjoy your reading!

Q: I am interested in becoming an information specialist, preferably working out of my home. I have several years of experience in searching medical databases, the Internet, and some legal databases, and would like to learn how to do indexing and abstracting. I have contacted the AIIP (Association of Independent Information Professionals) and joined as a student, and will take some classes this fall but have not decided on which ones. I am already enrolled in a Certificate in Translation program, but it will take me a while to complete since I will be going part-time over the next few years. Any advice or direction would be most appreciated. Thank you.

SM: It sounds like you know exactly what you want and are already on the right track to achieving your professional goals. An information specialist’s job can be quite diverse, challenging, and exciting; like many other roles within the information industry, it is changing all the time. A white paper put out by the AIIP discusses the history of the independent information professional, from its roots in the 1960s, to listing examples of how these professionals can serve business and industry today. “Independent information professionals provide information services to organizations of all sizes and types, either in conjunction with existing staff or by contract. Although document retrieval and delivery, literature surveys, and data-gathering are still the mainstay of some information brokerages’ work, other companies gather data, analyze it, and provide comprehensive, high-quality substantive reports that play a key role in their clients’ decision-making process.”

As an independent information professional, you will need to be very proficient with technology and also be able to keep current with new resources and programs that may help you in your work. Not only are you finding and gathering information, you may also have to manipulate it, analyze it, and present or package it in different ways.

If there is one piece of advice I can give you, it is network, network, network! You will depend a lot on the guidance, experience, and recommendations of others in your field. You should try to contact (or network with) independent information professionals in your area or online and see what kind of advice they can give you. Another option, while you are still taking classes, is to see if you can do an internship with an information specialist. Talk to your school’s career advisor and see if he or she can help you find information specialists that would be willing to work with you.

Information Today is publishing a book called Information Services Market Place: The World Directory of Independent Information Professionals (ISMP): a “comprehensive directory of individuals working in this segment of the information industry, ISMP is the authoritative source for companies looking to hire or outsource work and for professionals seeking other qualified professionals for subcontracting projects and networking.” It is scheduled to be out, in print and online, later this year; you can submit your information for a free listing.

Another way to network is to attend conferences and meetings, if this is financially feasible for you. Taking classes in indexing and abstracting is an excellent idea, and getting a certificate in translation will certainly help you market yourself to potential clients. The more skills you acquire, the more marketable you will be.

Whether you intend to be a freelancer, work as an independent contractor, or start up your own home-based business, working for yourself can be extremely rewarding and exceptionally intimidating at the same time, especially when you are first starting out. You really need to know what you’re doing and be able to market yourself as well as your skills and services. In other words: exude confidence. I have listed some sites and resources below that may help you as you learn more about becoming an “independent information specialist.” Best of luck!

Additional Resources:

American Society for Information Science and Technology

American Society of Indexers

Association of Independent Information Professionals (AIIP)

NFAIS (National Federation of Abstracting and Indexing Services)

Potts, Kevin. “Starting a Business: Advice from the Trenches.”

The Riley Guide – Steps in Starting Your Own Business

SLA

United States Small Business Administration

Q: I work in a small academic library that employs three librarians, two paraprofessionals, and eight to ten student workers. Many academic libraries desire their librarians to have a second masters degree, usually for tenure, although our institution does not have tenure. I am the only one of the three librarians who does not have a second degree. I want to pursue a second degree, but my director is not supportive of my desire to go back to school. It’s very frustrating, as I want to continue my professional development. In addition, our institution offers a tuition benefit and work release time to take classes. Help!

TA: On the surface, this seems like a difficult situation to resolve. On one hand, you have your desire to pursue further education; on the other, you have your director’s desire to keep his/her relatively small staff on the job, not in class. You need to use this as an opportunity to work on your negotiating skills. Start by looking at the issue from your director’s point of view, and then try to address these concerns in your discussions about pursuing a second degree. Your goal is to make this a win-win situation.

You have many daily opportunities to negotiate: new assignments from a supervisor, a project timeline, plans for action in a library committee, scheduling shifts with student assistants. In any of these, you look at what works best for everyone affected, yourself included, before coming to a successful resolution. This situation is no different. Let’s take a look at some of the possible pros and cons of pursuing a second degree:

Pros: continued professional development; subject knowledge will enhance job performance; your institution provides tuition benefits and work release time; taking classes shows you are engaged in the university and in your profession. Cons: with a small staff the director may need you on the job, not in class during the day; the director may feel that you will be more marketable after a second degree and worry about your leaving; the director may also be hearing concerns from other staff members about picking up the slack if you are away at class or working on assignments; the director may not value a second degree as much as you do.

There are of course many other possible pros and cons, but, starting with this list, let’s see how we can bridge the gap and make this a winning situation for everyone.

First, you will need to address the director’s concern about your absence. Look at possible course schedules – is there a way to minimize your time away from work during the traditional workday? Perhaps you could take a class during your lunch break, or an evening class after work? Easing into classes in this manner will reassure everyone (the director included) that your coursework will not affect your professional work.

Next, have a frank discussion with your director about why you would like to pursue an additional degree. Discuss how you have mapped out a plan to ease into classes with minimal disruption to your work schedule. Explain your need for continued professional development and lifelong learning, and that another masters degree enhances the subject expertise necessary for today’s information professional.* Point out that taking classes will make you feel more engaged at work and in your university community. Finally, emphasize that your ultimate goal is to better serve the patrons in your own institution.

You may not be able to change your director’s opinion about the value of a second degree, but after hearing how important it is to you (and how careful you’ve been to allay these concerns), he/she may allow you to pursue it. If the answer is still a firm no, in addition to pursuing additional educational opportunities, you might want to consider pursuing other professional opportunities.

*In its Statement on Professional Development, the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) explains: “Professional development is an important manifestation of the academic librarian’s commitment to personal excellence. It is a necessary response to a rapidly changing environment.” The statement goes on to comment on the responsibilities of librarians and of academic institutions in supporting professional development.

SM: It sounds like you are in an exceptionally difficult position, and there is no easy answer. Ultimately, if you really want to continue your education, and this is the right time both personally and professionally, then go for it! Try to make it work in your present, albeit not ideal, situation. However, my cautious side can sense some possible dangers. Moving forward may create tension and animosity in the workplace, which could make your work environment miserable and which could also affect your attitude, your school work, your outlook on the profession, and your happiness.

Keep in mind that not all institutions grant tuition reimbursement (much less release time), so you may not have this assistance in your next position. This is a wonderful opportunity that will surely benefit your career as an academic librarian and potentially open up new doors for you in the future. On the other hand, getting a second masters degree while you are working will probably take several years. Are you prepared to either tough it out in your present position, or potentially lose the tuition reimbursement if you leave your job?

It is impossible to look into the future, and often difficult to think outside of your present environment, but this may be a time when you might want to try. The ACRL Statement on Professional Development (linked above) makes some important, expansive observations on the profession and offers excellent advice that applies directly to your situation.

Tiffany’s suggestions are great… weigh the pros and cons and come up with what is right for you, at this time. Map out a plan and have a discussion. If you can come up with a plan that shows how this degree will benefit not only you, but your workplace, and you can convince your boss that the (minimal) time off from work will not negatively affect the library or its employees or patrons, then you have a pretty good chance of getting the approval and support that you desire. Good luck!

Q: I’m currently working in another profession, but would like to get back into librarianship. How do I stay active in librarianship while not working in the field? How do I get back into working in a library? And how do I upgrade my skills for the current job market?

TA: Perhaps the single most important thing is to STAY ACTIVE. Join professional associations, become active in your local library, and network, network, network. Tell everyone you know that you want to get back into (or break into) the library field. A friend of a friend of a friend may know of just the right position.

By joining a professional association, and attending their events, you will be able to make professional contacts and keep your skills up to date. You will also be taking a proactive approach by staying active in the field, even while not working in a library. Look into ALA, MLA, PLA, SLA, or any of the state-level professional associations that closely match your professional interests. Additionally, professional associations often offer career assistance, such as on-site placement centers at annual conferences and resume reviewing services. Take advantage of the workshops or online classes offered by these organizations. They are a good way to keep your skills current, and also to meet new people and expand your network of professional contacts.

Secondly, get involved in your local library. Join the Friends of the Library, volunteer for activities, and attend open library events in your region. This goes back to the first point, networking.

Third, consistently review professional journals, publications and web sites. Watch for announcements of new positions and look for transferable skills – supervisory experience gained in another organization would directly translate to supervisory responsibilities in a library position. The same would be true about experience managing a budget or overseeing a project or program. Examine your experience and determine how it would match the needs of the position (and be sure to explain the parallels in your cover letter). You may also want to consider an informational interview with a professional in your area of interest. An informational interview is simply that – an interview to gain information about a profession or a new area. You should make an appointment (don’t just “drop in”), and stay for only 15-20 minutes (unless invited to stay longer). Ask about the field, the person’s area of expertise and how they got where they are today.

Staying active in a profession in which you are not currently working is a lot of work, and requires a great deal of dedication. But in the end, if it scores you the job of your dreams, it’s all worth it.

SM: Tiffany’s ideas are excellent. It is extremely important to network and to get hands-on experience. To supplement, I would say – get online! This is an exciting time to be entering the library profession. With so many online resources (e.g., web sites, articles, job boards, and e-mail lists) freely available, keeping up with the profession and updating your skills are not as difficult as you may think.

Join library-related e-mail discussion lists. Do some lurking and find out what topics, resources, and ideas librarians are currently discussing. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and voice your opinions. These discussion lists exist to support our profession and its members. They are also a great way to find out about new jobs and new opportunities to stay active in the profession. I would recommend NEWLIB-L, which is geared for new librarians, those who are considering becoming librarians and others in the field who are interested in imparting wisdom and advice to the aforementioned groups. LIBJOBS would also be helpful, not just for finding out what jobs are available, but also for looking at job descriptions, requirements, and salaries to get an idea of what is out there and what is expected of librarians in different positions, in different institutions and in different states or countries. There are plenty of other librarian discussion lists that you may want to consider joining, depending on what aspect and/or subject area of librarianship you are interested in. You can search for more lists on the Library-Oriented Lists & Electronic Serials site.

Another option for updating or refreshing your skills is to take classes, either online or in-person. Associations, universities and colleges, and private companies alike are now offering a variety of classes and distance learning opportunities geared for librarians and library students. The Special Libraries Association (SLA) offers a Virtual Seminar Series, and the Simmons College GSLIS holds online workshops as part of their Continuing Education series. Taking a class or two will not only update your skills, but also give a boost to your resume and show a future employer that you are serious about keeping current in the profession.

In addition, look at the Advice section of Lisjobs.com for some helpful articles and information on getting started in librarianship. Check out the LIScareer.com site, and the new book, Jump Start Your Career in Library and Information Science by Priscilla K. Shontz. Good luck!