Info Career Trends March 1, 2004 vol. 5, no. 2 ISSN 1532-0839 Published by Lisjobs.com - http://www.lisjobs.com E-mail: editor@lisjobs.com In This Issue (Contributing to the Profession): 1) Editor's Note 2) Career Q&A From the Library Career People (moving from special to academic librarianship) 3) Reach Out to Give Back 4) Giving Back to the Next Generation 5) Mentoring Tenure-Track Librarians 6) Supporting the LIS Field: The Personal Development Payback 7) Giving Back 8) What's Online? Recommended Resources 9) But I Want To Hold It In My Hand! Reviews: Keeping Current and Straight From the Stacks 10) Administrivia, Copyright, Subscription and Removal Instructions ======== Editor's Note Librarianship as a profession is made up of its practitioners -- librarians, library workers, and information professionals. Librarianship as a field is defined by what we make of it, and by what we contribute to it. When we make the effort to remain professionally active, when we give back to the field by helping others, we are helping to create something bigger than any one of us. Today's authors have given back to the library field in a variety of ways: mentoring new professionals, volunteering, outreach and community involvement, speaking, recruiting, networking, writing. When you read their words, think about how you can yourself best contribute to the profession and to the development of your colleagues. Realize that, by giving back, you are also contributing to your own professional development. Every way in which we participate in the profession builds our abilities, our personal network, and our knowledge. Info Career Trends would like to give you the opportunity to yourself contribute! Authors are needed for upcoming issues on continuing education (May - please query soon, deadlines fast approaching), diversity (July), and presenting yourself professionally (Sept.). Contributor guidelines are available at http://www.lisjobs.com/newsletter/theme.htm#contrib , and queries can be e-mailed to editor@lisjobs.com. If you'd rather give back anonymously, and/or be quoted in an upcoming book, I'm looking for people to answer a few questions about what library staff are looking for from their managers. The survey is available at http://www.lisjobs.com/managedsurvey.htm . A plain-text version is also available for those who prefer not to use the online form. - Rachel (editor@lisjobs.com) ======== *** ADVERTISEMENT *** DARTMOUTH COLLEGE - HANOVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE Dean of Libraries and Librarian of the College Dartmouth College invites nominations and applications for the position of Dean of Libraries and Librarian of the College. We seek to appoint an energetic leader to guide an accomplished staff with a reputation for high-quality scholarly support. S/he should be a skilled manager who understands and is sensitive to the traditional academic library and the innovations and challenges brought to it by rapidly emerging information technologies. Additional information is available at http://diglib.dartmouth.edu/about/dean_lib.shtml . All applications, nominations and inquiries should be directed to: Professor Katharine Conley, Dean of Libraries Search Committee, Dartmouth College, Office of the Provost, 6004 Parkhurst Hall, Room 204, Hanover, NH 03755-3529 ======== Career Q&A From the Library Career People (librarycareerpeople@lisjobs.com) Q: I am currently in a special library setting, working on controlled vocabulary issues for a digital images company. My intention in going to library school was to get a position as a reference librarian at a university. How do I make the transition? TA: What do they say - that the pathway to library school is paved with good intentions? In all seriousness, many of us go into library school with one career plan in mind, and come out with a job in something else. I work on a campus with a library school, and have worked closely with some of these graduates. I have first-hand experience with students who enter school wanting to be a reference librarian, but discover a passion for preservation, special collections, archives, or something else they stumbled across (in the classroom or a field experience). Once you have taken a job in one area and then decide to get back to your first love, though, how do you make that transition? First, you need to assess your own skill set and think about how you can extend those skills to other situations. For example, in your current job, you may work with individuals from the digital images company. Think of these people as your “customers,” or “patrons,” and think of the work you do for them in terms of public service. Do you work with them to answer their questions? Do you consult reference materials? Do you perform a mini reference interview with your customers to gather more information about their requests? Some, or all, or none, of these may apply, but what I am trying to convey is the need to examine your skill set to find transferable skills. Transferable skills are those that you pick up in one context but that can carry over to new situations. Computer skills, customer service skills, budget, management and supervisory experience — these are all examples of transferable skills. Think about the skills you have and how they may fit into the new career opportunity you may be pursuing. That leads us next into assessing the needs of the new position. Susanne will be touching on job searching and gaining relevant experience. SM: Making the move from one type of position, or one type of library, to another can be a daunting prospect. I think many librarians either have a fear of being typecast or a fear of breaking out of their “safety zone.” If they are working in a public setting, how can they make the switch to medical or academic? If they have only worked in technical services, how can they switch to public services? This fear can lead to missed opportunities and can make perfectly hirable and motivated librarians afraid of looking for and accepting alternative roles and positions. The good news is that times, and roles, are changing. Librarian roles are not what they used to be, and stereotypes, at least within the library world, are slowly dissolving. Librarians are overall becoming more and more diversified. Traditional positions are getting harder to find in today’s rapidly-changing environment, as librarians are obtaining a variety of skills and taking on multiple roles within their libraries. A reference librarian position can no longer be interpreted as just sitting behind a reference desk and waiting for patrons to ask questions. In today’s world, it can also mean answering and managing virtual reference transactions, keeping up with changing technology and troubleshooting technology issues, developing and teaching library instruction classes, creating marketing and outreach strategies, dealing with privacy and copyright issues, and selecting and reviewing library resources - to name just a few reference-related tasks. As library environments change, librarians who are in more traditional roles or who wish for a little more diversity need to take active roles in redefining their positions within the library. Finding that "dream job" may be impossible, but finding a position that matches both your interests and your skills is very attainable. You can make the job-hunting process easier by having a willingness to relocate and keeping an open mind about positions and institutions that you might not normally consider. Relocating will allow you to greatly expand your search and go where the job is. Whether or not this is realistic for you, and for some it is not possible, you will still need to be creative and comprehensive in your search – as well as patient. Keeping an open mind about librarian roles and titles may open up more doors. If you are looking for an academic position, how about considering a job in a “special academic” library, such as one focusing on health sciences, law, or art? And, if you are looking for a reference position, think about considering a position that includes reference tasks such as desk hours as part, but not necessarily the majority, of its duties. Many positions, especially at universities, are becoming more diversified. You may find an electronic services position that includes regular reference desk hours, for example. But, be careful...don’t just apply for a job for the reference aspect of it, you should be interested in all aspects of the job. Also, reference positions typically go hand-in-hand with instruction, so be prepared to teach. As you begin your job search, try to be as exhaustive and thorough as you can. Look at ads in journals, trade magazines, association web sites, e-mail job lists, and job-related web sites. Be sure to look closely at the descriptions, the qualifications, and the requirements for each position before applying. Titles can be deceptive, so do not rely on these alone to accurately or completely describe the position. Take the time to write a good and detailed cover letter that emphasizes your transferable skills and your experience as it relates to the position at hand. Reference librarians need good technology skills, as well as excellent communication skills, and the experience you have gained in your present position will only help to enhance your resume and entice potential employers. Job sites and e-mail lists to utilize in your search include: LIBJOBS: http://www.ifla.org/II/lists/libjobs.htm Lisjobs.com and Library Job Postings on the Internet, combined postings: http://www.lisjobs.com/jobs/ ALA's Library Employment Resources: http://www.ala.org/ala/hrdr/libraryempresources/libraryemployment.ht m OR http://makeashorterlink.com/?W18323197 ALA’s Employment Opportunities: http://www.ala.org/ala/education/empopps/employmentopportunities.htm Another way to stay current and involved in what interests you is by joining and participating in associations. Two that you may want to look into are the Reference & User Services Association (RUSA, at http://www.ala.org/rusa/ ) and the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL, at http://www.ala.org/ACRL/ ). To assist you in your job search, you may want to obtain more relevant experience and skills. This could include taking classes, finding a mentor, volunteering, or just doing some research. Related experience of any kind will add weight to your resume and show potential employers that you are motivated and willing to learn new things. Continuing education classes, workshops, conferences, and symposia are always good ways to network, learn new skills, and keep up with technology. ACRL’s Professional Tools page ( http://www.ala.org/ala/acrl/acrlproftools/professional.htm ) has information on e-learning workshops. Its Office of Leadership and Management Services (ARL/OLMS) offers online classes ( http://www.arl.org/training/ ) and webcasts on a variety of topics. Also, local chapters of associations and state library associations typically offer classes or symposia for their members. For technology-related classes on topics like Dreamweaver, XML, or MS Access, look into local or online computer learning centers. Volunteering is an excellent way to network with the library community and to learn about different types of positions and library systems. Many public library systems have volunteer programs that may allow you to get experience in teaching, reference, circulation, cataloging, or numerous other library tasks. The experience you crave may be right under your nose. Find out what you can do at your current job to gain relevant experience. Is there someone who can mentor you? Can you spend time learning and performing reference duties? Some libraries even offer “exchange programs" between departments such as cataloging and reference, or acquisitions and archives. Talk to your supervisor and find out if this is possible. I know librarians who have switched jobs but stayed within the same institution by doing this. At the very least, do your homework and research the ins and outs of the position. Find competencies, best practices, guidelines, and standards dealing with reference librarianship and/or academic librarianship. Read the current literature to stay informed of trends and initiatives going on in reference services, especially virtual reference and its many tools, and be prepared to use this information in your interview. TA: And, speaking of the interview...You have assessed your experience and strengths, found an opportunity that matches both your interests and skills, and created a resume that expresses your skills and how they match the needs of the new position. Now, an institution has called you for an interview. This is your opportunity to once again express your enthusiasm for the position, and to reiterate how your skills closely match the institution's needs. Think of your experience in terms of the needs of the position and be sure to convey how your skills will transfer from one context to another. Inevitably, someone will ask why you are making the switch from a special library to an academic library. Be sure to have an answer prepared -- and, you’ll need something more than “it’s what I went to library school for.” Again, speak in terms of the position. Hiring organizations want to hear that you want THEIR job, not just ANY job in an academic library. You can begin with something like: “I always thought I would work in a university library, but an excellent opportunity (the special library) came along. I decided it was something I wanted to pursue in order to gain valuable skills and experience.” Then, get more specific: “I recently saw this opportunity and it reinforced my desire to get back the university, working more directly with students and faculty. I like the challenges presented in the position and believe my experience in [X, Y and Z] closely match the needs of this position.” Bring your transferable skills into the conversation, and match them to the position’s required and preferred qualifications. In any organization, people want to hire the best candidate, the one who most closely matches the needs of the position and the organization. It will be your job as that candidate to educate those making the hiring decision, showing that your skills, although gained in a different environment, will transfer to their organization and that they make you the best-qualified candidate. If you take the time to assess your skills, closely examine the qualifications of the position during your job search, and prepare to discuss how your skills closely match the needs of the organization, you will have the information you need for a successful interview. Good luck with your search! [ed.: See also the May 2001 ICT on "changing careers" - scroll down to read: http://www.lisjobs.com/newsletter/archives2001.htm ] *** Have a question for the Library Career People? E-mail it to librarycareerpeople@lisjobs.com, and you could see it answered in an upcoming column. Sorry, we cannot provide personal responses. *** About the Authors Tiffany Allen is currently serving as the Assistant Personnel Librarian at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Prior to her work in academic librarianship, Tiffany worked in a variety of libraries, including a small non-profit library and a large corporate research library. Susanne Markgren is Reference Coordinator and Web Librarian at the Levy Library, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, in New York City. Her career experience encompasses a variety of positions in different types of libraries, including public, special, and academic. ======== *** Post your resume online: http://www.lisjobs.com/resumes.htm ======== Reach Out to Give Back by Tanzi Merritt (Tanzi.Merritt@mail.state.ky.us) When we think about giving back to our profession, we typically think of association and institutional committee work, publishing, or mentoring. However, there is another way to give back to the profession that many of us neglect: getting involved in non-library organizations and volunteering for community projects. There are a number of benefits to community service. Naturally, working for a cause that you believe in is personally rewarding, and your work is a small step toward improving your community. But community service also opens avenues for librarians to educate others about and advocate for libraries, helps break down stereotypes of librarians, and provides opportunities for recruitment. Education and Advocacy For several years, I have been involved with the Lexington Young Professionals Association (LYPA). This organization came into being a few years ago as a result of a study that indicated that a majority of the young talent in our city was choosing to move to larger cities with more social and cultural opportunities. LYPA provides young professionals in Lexington with social and networking opportunities. At first, I thought that the networking opportunities were not valuable to me. Unlike the other members, who are bankers, sales professionals, and attorneys, I am not in a profession where I need to draw in new business and make sales. However, as people continued to ask questions about my job, and I was able to tell them about the many services they could get at their public libraries, I realized that I *could* make sales: I could sell the library. These individuals represent a large number or professions, but many of them had not visited a library since finishing their degree. Many had no idea that the information they could get from the area libraries could help them grow their businesses and save money. Now I take every possible opportunity to tell members about the wealth of services provided by libraries. I do the same when I work with other organizations for which I am an active volunteer. Hand-in-hand with educating others about the library comes advocacy. When you can convince powerful people in your area of the importance of the library, you are advocating for its continued support. After being involved with the LYPA for several years, I am now on the Board of Directors. In this position, I come into contact with many political and business leaders in the community, and use these opportunities to tell them of the importance of libraries. I have also been asked to speak to a number of community and business organizations about library services. Breaking Stereotypes I have been surprised at the reaction I often get when I tell people that I am a librarian. They are usually shocked, and always claim that I am too *something* to be a librarian - too outgoing, too fashionable, too interesting. As an avid library user, I have always known that librarians are as varied in their appearance, age, and interests as are the members of any other profession. Instead of taking offense, I am amused, and take the opportunity to tell others about how cool librarians are. I tell them about the librarians that I know that ride motorcycles, play in punk bands, proudly display their tattoos, belly dance, and do all sorts of other things that librarians are thought to be too boring, uptight, or conservative to do. I let them know that we don't spend our days shelving books, and that our jobs are increasingly complex and technologically-oriented. In addition, I let them know that a job as a librarian typically requires an MLS and often an additional advanced degree, and that this is not a profession for those that want a no-stress work environment or one that doesn't require constant updating of knowledge. By the time I'm finished, the people that I talk with see librarians in a whole new light. I have a great time busting those stereotypes! Recruitment Recruiting others to the profession is another benefit of being visible in the community. I've been involved with my high school and college alumni associations and have had opportunities to talk to members of my classes about librarianship and how rewarding and challenging it has been for me. I shared some information about the profession with several individuals who shared my college major but were struggling to find a career. Two are now attending graduate programs in library science. Volunteering to work with children and young adults is a great way to let kids know that they can consider being a librarian when they grow up. Katie Dunneback, Reference Librarian at Westchester Public Library, volunteered to work at her high school's career fair. Katie says of the experience: "If they see someone who is both young and cool in this career, they might be more inclined to think of it as a career option." Career Development So, you are probably wondering how all of this outside work can make you a better librarian. You will learn how individuals in your community view the library, including those that rarely cross its threshold. You may learn about their misconceptions, as well as about programs they would like to see the library offer. You can determine what confuses them and what can be done to make using the library easier for them, then take this information back to your library and act on it. You may gain contacts and skills that can help you in your job. Amy Mullin, Reference Librarian at San Juan College, spent several years working with her local poetry community, organizing readings and events. Of this experience she says, "It gave me a lot of experience in organizing programs that I've used in every library job, and I made valuable contacts in the Southwest literary community." While community service is not always one of the first things that we think about when we talk about "giving back" to the profession, it is a valuable way to promote your institution and the profession as a whole - and you just might have some fun in the process. Tanzi Merritt is the Senior Reference Librarian at the Kentucky Virtual Library. She received her MLS from the University of Kentucky in 2001, and is involved with ALA's New Members Round Table, the Kentucky Library Association, and several organizations in her local community. ======== *** Write for publication! http://www.lisjobs.com/pub4lib/ ======== Giving Back to the Next Generation by Michael Yunkin (Michael.Yunkin@ccmail.nevada.edu) When we think of librarians "giving back to the profession," we generally think of how we can assist or further educate our fellow librarians. Research and publishing, for example, certainly fall into the "giving back" category, as do organizing professional development events or doing committee work. It is important, however, to remember two groups that could truly benefit from the wisdom of experienced librarians: library school students and potential recruits. As a member of the former group (and an academic library intern), I have mainly been affected by my coworkers' efforts outside the traditional methods of "contributing." Contributing in Non-traditional Ways Here is a short list of some of the ways in which librarians' contributions have helped me, along with some suggestions for how experienced librarians can get involved outside of traditional methods: * Post to e-mail lists. Many, if not most, library school students are lurkers on one or more lists. For those not currently working in a library, this may be the only regular contact we have with librarians "on the front lines." From the librarian action figure to the complexities of the MARC format, we take great interest in learning about the current trends, controversies, and happenings in the library world. * Share your experiences. This is closely related to posting on lists, but applies, not just there, but to one-on-one contact, journal and web publishing, teaching...anywhere librarians interact with students. PLEASE give us your stories and your advice. And never be afraid to be brutally honest. Even now, in the face of budget cuts and library closings, too much of the library literature is devoted to professional cheerleading. We want to hear the dark side, too. How do you deal with difficult customers, bankrupt vendors, or demanding supervisors? What do you do when the public demands filters or rejects vital tax initiatives? What have you done to increase librarian salaries or supplement your own income? Many of us entered library school hearing about the calamitous dearth of librarians, only to find a steep decline in job postings. We're disenchanted. Be honest with us. * Don't limit this sharing of your knowledge to library students. Do your friends know what you do? Does your family? Mine certainly don't. ("So, you shelve books all day, right?") When I tell people I'll soon be a librarian, there's always a long pause, followed by something like: "You must really like reading, huh?" Let's face it, unless we tell people what we do, we can't expect them to know - making recruitment of good people needlessly difficult. * Create a librarian web site or blog (or, you have a piercing where?). Like so many of my younger classmates, people often say to me, "You're going to be a librarian?" Enough articles have already been written on the public image of librarians, so I won't beat this long-expired equine. I will say, though, that it's heartening to look online and see that librarians are just like everyone else. Sites like "The Modified Librarian" ( http://www.bmeworld.com/gailcat/ ), "The Ska Librarian" ( http://www.geocities.com/WestHollywood/Village/3497/ ), "The Renegade Librarian" ( http://www.renegadelibrarian.com/ ), and countless others may not be to everyone's taste, but they really help to put a human face on the profession for potential librarians. And this movement need not be just for the "alternative" among us! Where is "The White-water Rafting Librarian," "The Ex-Marine Librarian," or "The Volunteer Firefighter Librarian"? Everyone's stories and opinions are equally welcome and equally worthwhile. Let's hear them! * Share the professional literature. Every month, one of the librarians where I work gathers all his journals and newsletters together in a folder and passes them around the department. He also forwards online library publications, like Shelflife, First Monday, and the illustrious Info Career Trends. This has been a great boon for me, since tracking down all this material would be time- consuming, and no grad student I know could possibly afford to subscribe to any print journals beyond American Libraries. Share your subscriptions, or put a shelf for current literature in the break room - it will be appreciated, I promise. * Request student volunteers for your library. Library school students can always use more experience, and some library schools offer practicum credit for work on outside library-related projects. I imagine most web-savvy students would jump at the chance to help put together an online exhibit or redesign a department's web page. In fact, as I write this, many of my classmates who aren't currently employed at a library are worried about how they'll fulfill their practicum requirement (while most libraries, I would guess, would LOVE more volunteers!). Post volunteer opportunities at your local library school, and you may be surprised how many students want to help. But wait! What's that you say? There is no library school near you? That is the beauty of the web! As more schools put classes and entire programs online, library students are now everywhere. I have classmates in Nevada, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, Utah, California, Texas, Arizona, Minnesota, Mozambique, and probably other places that I am not even aware of. Wherever you are, there are likely students nearby in need of experience. * Get involved in Career Days. For every great person who chooses librarianship as a profession, there are hundreds who have never considered it. This is an unfortunate marketing failure of both our representative organizations and our library schools. Participating in high school (and earlier!) career days is a great way to introduce young minds to the profession, and becoming involved with college/university career-planning centers could open a whole new world of opportunities, both for librarian recruitment and for eager graduates in search of a rewarding career. Whether for professional fulfillment or just plain old resume fodder, if you're looking for opportunities to give back to the profession, don't forget the next generation of librarians! Michael Yunkin is currently working toward his MLIS from the University of North Texas, and is the Technical Services Intern at UNLV Libraries in fabulous Las Vegas. ======== Love the newsletter? Make a PayPal donation to its upkeep: https://www.paypal.com/xclick/business=rachel%40lisjobs.com ======== Mentoring Tenure-Track Librarians by Karen Evans (Libevak@isugw.indstate.edu) So, you have been asked to mentor a new librarian? Congratulations! Being asked to serve as a mentor is an indication that your administration and/or peers believe you have the skills and ability to assist a new employee settle into his or her position. Don't simply look at mentoring as one more job duty. Mentoring gives you a chance to rejuvenate as a librarian. The majority of new employees arrive with enthusiasm for their new position. Do not destroy their excitement! Instead, use their eagerness to reconnect with the discipline. Remember how excited you were when you were offered your first library position? When your first article or book review was published? If you are feeling jaded about being a librarian, let mentoring draw you back into the excitement of the profession. Establish Expectations Discuss your duties and goals as a mentor with your mentee (the newly hired librarian). Are you a hands-on mentor who will check in every day or once a week? Will you be more laid-back, and just be available to answer questions or offer encouragement? Encourage the mentee to ask questions or request clarification on duties or committees. Some mentors and mentees set up weekly appointments for the first few months to discuss any issues or questions that have come up. Remember, your job is to help the new employee feel comfortable in his or her position. The first few weeks may be a confusing time for a new employee; trying to learn a new library layout, meet new faculty and staff, and settle into the duties of a new position. Make it easier for your mentee. Take the person on a tour of the library, pointing out the staff lounge or the quiet places to conduct research. Introduce them to faculty and staff, always including their position with their name. Take the mentee out for coffee or perhaps lunch - try to get away from the library. Your mentee may be more comfortable asking questions without the chance of anyone overhearing. Encourage questions about the library, campus or position. Be wary about personal questions concerning faculty or staff. Tackle Tenure Being a newly employed librarian and on the tenure-track can be overwhelming for some librarians. Give the new librarian a couple of weeks to settle into the position and the library. Then, re- introduce the idea of tenure-track and the responsibilities of tenure. One of the most important details of staying on the tenure track is reminding the new librarian to keep a copy of everything, whether electronically or on paper. Book reviews, thank-you letters, recommendations...anything that the librarian wants to include in a final tenure review should be kept. Some librarians file copies under various headings (Reviews, Thanks, etc.), while others simply place copies in a box awaiting final review. It is much easier to locate copies in a box or file, than trying to remember a publishing company from six years ago. In discussing the tenure-track process with your mentee, you should cover the basic tenets of tenure: publishing, professional organizations and campus involvement. Some universities use Professional Development, Scholarly and Service. The basic premise for all these areas is involvement and production. If the mentee is new to professional publishing, suggest that they start small. Introduce the idea of reviewing for library sources. Library Journal, Choice, and ARBA are a few of the publications available. Suggest that the mentee contact relevant publications (many have reviewer information on the web) to determine if they are accepting applications for reviewers. Reviewing is a great way to introduce the process of publishing on a deadline. Offer to co-write an article with your mentee, or introduce them to another librarian with similar research interests and suggest they think about co- writing an article. Advise your mentee to keep a list of possible article topics they are interested in pursuing. Professional organizations are an important area for the tenure- track librarian. Again, it may be best to advise the new librarian to start small. Encourage him or her to join the state library association. Many state organizations have local units, which are always interested in new members. Joining will give the new librarian a chance to become involved with a professional organization and to meet and network with other librarians in the state. Often the local and state organizations have an annual conference where the librarian could present or preside over a presentation. Remind mentees it is fine to start small - as long as they progress along with their tenure process. National organizations are another option. Holding office or chairing a committee on national level should be an ultimate goal for a tenure-track librarian. Again, suggest that your mentee start small by volunteering for a national committee. Often, it takes more than one volunteer form to be accepted for a committee. If not chosen the first time, they can apply again the next year. Another option is to volunteer to write articles for a committee newsletter or conduct research for a committee. Presentations are another aspect of the tenure-track process to discuss with a mentee. Presentations can be made on campus, or at local, state, and national professional conferences. It is, again, often better for newer librarians to start at the local level. The conferences are smaller, which may be more comfortable for a librarian presenting for the first time. If the mentee is uncomfortable with speaking before groups, poster sessions are another option for a first-time presentation. The important aspect is for the mentee to become involved and active within these organizations. Although professional library organizations are an important aspect of tenure, the new librarian also should become involved with library and campus committees. Volunteering is also an excellent way to network with other librarians and campus faculty. Advise your mentee to be sure and keep a list of committees and dates for final tenure review. As a mentor, you should assist your mentee in deciding how involved to be with professional and campus organizations. This is an important decision for the mentee to make. Becoming too involved and overextended with organization work may leave the mentee without enough time to make deadlines. This reflects poorly on the mentee, and is often a difficult reputation to overcome. There are many ways to be a good mentor to a new employee. The guidelines discussed here should assist you in deciding how to mentor in your library. Karen Evans is an Instruction Librarian at Indiana State University. ======== Have technology responsibilities in your library? Check out The Accidental Systems Librarian! Information and links online at http://www.lisjobs.com/tasl/ . ======== Supporting the LIS Field: The Personal Development Payback by Barbara J. Arnold (bjarnold@wisc.edu) Librarians and information specialists that are leaders continue their professional development and support the profession in a number of ways. They are active in a professional organization at the local, state, national, or international level. They support their professional school by joining their alumni associations and serving on committees. They serve the profession in general by recruiting, and they continue to develop their knowledge and skills through research, teaching and publishing. Information technology, the economy, and the politics of the library and information studies field affect the way librarians do their jobs. This field is changing and being changed by professionals both inside and outside of our field. It is critical for librarians, both at the beginning of their careers and throughout their professional life, to support their profession, their colleagues and their professional schools. Being involved in this way helps you to continue your education, introduces you to wonderful people, and can help make libraries more effective institutions for all of our client groups. Act Locally There are LIS organizations to match just about every service interest and every subject area you can imagine. In the Madison, WI, area, for example, the State Agency Librarians meet to share information, to support each other in times of need, and to work on legislation that affects the document depository program. The South Central Library System is a public library system that serves libraries in Dane and four other southern Wisconsin Counties. The system has a multitype library committee that schedules tours of area special libraries and co-sponsors continuing education programs on personnel, safety, and technology issues. The committee also plans social functions, which help put names and faces together. It takes very little commitment to be part of either of these organizations, and the payback of inexpensive educational programming and networking or mentoring support far outweighs the time and effort involved. The Wisconsin Library Association has units organized around types of libraries (Academic, Public, School or Special). Other units are focused on service outlets like children and young adults (YSS) or media and technology, and there are also issues-oriented sections like the Wisconsin Genealogy and Local History, Library Advocacy, Intellectual Freedom, and Social Responsibilities roundtables. Conferences at the state level help you connect with librarians of all types. The costs for travel are less than for national conferences, and friendly, familiar faces make conference presenting less stressful. Contributions to newsletters are welcome. There are great ways to test your abilities and interests in holding an elected or appointed office. Reunions help you reconnect with classmates and LIS faculty. Think Globally If you like to travel, joining a national or international organization like SLA or IFLA gives you opportunities to connect with leaders in the field. As you contribute conference programs, write articles for publication, or stand for office, this type of association can provide ways for you to travel to different locations around the United States and the world. Lasting friendships are made by serving on a task force or committee, or by lunching with new people during a conference program. Participating in a pre- or post-conference field trip not only takes you to interesting sights and sounds, but the other participants already have interests in common. If large organizations seem too impersonal, specialized organizations like the Music Library Association or the Church and Synagogue Library Association can provide a smaller more cohesive association. Support Your School An ALA masters degree provides students and alumni with the theoretical, conceptual and practical knowledge and skills necessary for a beginning library or information agency professional. It is impossible for LIS faculties to teach to every information agency environment, nor can they anticipate all of the technology or information policy changes coming in the future. It takes time to modify curricula and to recruit and hire new faculty. For these and other reasons, it is important for alumni to keep in contact with their library school and alumni association. Monetary contributions to the school can provide more flexibility to hire adjunct lecturers that are close to the action. Funds can also assist in bringing important leaders to the school to meet with students and faculty. Contributions to scholarship funds can help recruit more heterogeneous master's and doctoral students. Alumni can also provide important information on the job market and how the content of librarians' jobs are changing. Advice on what libraries and information agencies need in new employees help the schools adjust curriculum requirements and elective course offerings. You can serve current students by serving as a mentor, by hosting them at local professional meetings or advising them on job searching techniques. If you are far from your LIS school, you can still support both it and the profession by actively recruiting talented young people to consider a career in the field. Encourage and support student library employees. Staff a table on a middle school career night or community career expo. Reach out to a community group that is different from your own. See what their information needs are, and check to see if those needs are being met by the social institutions in your area. I have had a wonderful experience mentoring a high school student that is participating in the Information Technology Academy on the UW-Madison campus. My mentee is now in 10th grade. She was born in a refugee camp in Thailand, and is Hmong. I am sharing things related to information literacy, and she is sharing information about her family's history and the Hmong language and culture. Participation Leads to Payback As an active member of professional organizations, you will have many opportunities to continue your professional development, make new and lasting friends and support the future of our profession. If you are balancing work and family, serve at the local level or mentor a student by e-mail. In turn, you will have lots of issues to discuss and consider - great topics for newsletters, newspaper or periodical articles. You may even find ideas for your first great American novel. However you choose to support the field, you will find that the time and effort required repays you with so much more in return. Barbara J. Arnold is the UW-Madison SLIS Admissions and Placement Adviser. She has over 31 years of professional library work experience in every type of library. She has served in her current position since 1985. Her professional association work helps recruit news students, keeps her connected to her school's alumni and helps keep her advising connected to the real world. ======== *** Advice, articles, and salary information for librarians: http://www.lisjobs.com/advice.htm ======== Giving Back by Jody Lloyd Thompson (jlloyd@library.gatech.edu) For the past year, I have been the acting head of the Georgia Tech Archives and Special Collections. My main responsibilities are to plan, evaluate, implement, and develop detailed policies and procedures for the archives and special collections. Basically, I protect and maintain historical materials. I am lucky to have this opportunity to be head of an archives. In most cases, one would have to be in the profession for at least ten years before applying for this type of position. I have only been in this profession for five years, but I was trained by the best! My former boss and mentor prepared me for this adventure. For the past few years, I have watched and learned from her, but now, it is my turn to show what I have learned, my turn to give back to the profession, as my mentor has done for me. How To Give Back, On And Off The Clock There are numerous ways to give back to one’s profession. In the archives field, one can reach this goal by publishing, lecturing, mentoring, creating online resources, or participating in professional organizations. Following are some of the ways I have been able to participate in these activities and contribute to the archival profession. On occasion, I have spoken at conferences and given lectures to the archives and library community. In 2002, for example, I presented at the annual conference of the Georgia Council of Media Organizations (GaCOMO). There, I discussed the value of historical records and the best handling and storage procedures for archival materials. I am also a part-time instructor at Emory University’s (Atlanta, Georgia) Center for Lifelong Learning. I instruct students unfamiliar with archival standards and methods, while using personal materials and student collections. Although this course is offered only twice a year, many students are interested in learning how to maintain and preserve family collections. In addition to the speaking engagements and lectures, I am also on several committees, which promote the use and access of historical materials. In 2002 and 2003, I was the chair of the Georgia Archives Week Planning Committee. As chair, it was my responsibility to promote a statewide celebration of the value of historical records in Georgia. I served as the primary contact with other archival repositories, libraries, and vendors sponsoring Georgia Archives Week. This committee called attention to libraries, archives, historical societies, and local government agencies working in preserving Georgia’s documentary heritage. Participating organizations had the opportunity to stage an event, exhibit, lecture, workshop, etc., for their local community. In order to aid the participants, the committee and I developed an event guide, which gave them program ideas, event planning checklists, and information on how to work with their local media. Outreach Online resources are another way for me to contribute to the archival profession, and the Georgia Tech online tutorial is a perfect example ( http://www.library.gatech.edu/archives/tutorial/ ). In 2002, my coworkers and I designed and created this tutorial with the undergraduate and graduate students of several Georgia Tech campus departments in mind. Before the students visit the archives, I request that they review the tutorial, which helps give them an understanding of archival standards and polices. This online resource discusses the main objectives of the archives, which are preservation and providing accesses to users. The tutorial gives examples of primary and secondary resources, citing of sources, and demonstrates proper archival standards and policies. The intent is to encourage students to visit the archives, and the ultimate goal to have students walk away with an understanding and appreciation of the materials and the archives. Finding additional outreach opportunities to engage faculty and staff in the use of the archival collection is an important aspect of the archival profession. For instance, I have been involved with Georgia Tech’s Literature, Communication and Culture program. The professors and I worked together to develop a class that uses primary resources to study the role of Georgia Tech during the Victorian era, with special emphasis on culture and industry. Professional Development It is very important to be a part of professional organizations. I am a member of the Society of American Archivists (SAA) and the Society of Georgia Archivists (SGA). Both organizations provide opportunities for professional development and networking, such as annual meetings, workshops, committees, and e-mail lists. As a member of these organizations, individuals enjoy the benefits of newsletters, journals, professional publications, continuing professional education, and career opportunities. Holding office or heading a committee is a great way to contribute within these professional organizations. For SGA, I am the Subscriptions Manager. This gives me the opportunity to meet members and subscribing institutions. Being Part Of Something Special All these various ways of contributing to the profession have helped my career. Teaching at Emory, being the Acting Head of the Georgia Tech archives, and being a member of the Society of Georgia Archivists have opened new doors for me. I hope to encourage others to go into the archival profession; it is a truly fascinating field. Jody Lloyd Thompson is the acting head of the Georgia Tech archives. She has a Master of Arts and a Bachelor of Arts degrees in History from Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia. ======== *** Your ad here: http://www.lisjobs.com/ratecard.htm#newsletter ======== What's Online? Recommended Resources PLA's Participation in Job Shadow Day http://www.ala.org/ala/pla/projects/publiclibrecruit/jobshadowday.ht m OR http://makeashorterlink.com/?G16332197 Info Career Trends, Nov. 2001 - Mentoring & Networking http://www.lisjobs.com/newsletter/archives2001.htm UI Current LIS Clips: Continuing Professional Development http://www.lis.uiuc.edu/clips/2002_10.html Mentors: What Are They Good For? http://www.liscareer.com/brookover_mentoring.htm The Battle of Getting an Article Published...Notes From the Front http://liscareer.com/bowman_publishing.htm ======== But I Want To Hold It In My Hand! Print Resources Cohen, Steven M. Keeping Current: Advanced Internet Strategies to Meet Librarian and Patron Needs. Chicago: ALA Editions, 2003. ISBN 0-8389-0864-0. $35.00. Purchase from Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0838908640/librarisjobsearc/ Interested in discovering the best ways to keep up with the latest professional resources, both for your library and for your own career development? If your answer isn't "yes," it should be. According to Cohen, best known for the professional development weblog "Library Stuff" ( http://www.librarystuff.net ), keeping current is a professional necessity. However, because it's easy to get overwhelmed by the deluge of online information, librarians need to develop strategies to help make sense of it all. Using a friendly, approachable tone, Cohen explains the best sites and tools librarians should consider using to keep up professionally. After delving into a brief history of current awareness tools, the author provides useful suggestions on how to track search engine developments, monitor web sites for new material, read and create weblogs, and read and process web sites via RSS feeds. Specific tools and sites such as Search Engine Watch, Research Buzz, and Blogger are explained and annotated. Pros and cons of each method are mentioned throughout. The price is a bit steep for such a slim volume (92p + index), but it's packed with information, and all librarians should be able to find some useful tips here. Sarah L. Johnson, Reference Librarian at Eastern Illinois University's Booth Library, has written and spoken widely on career issues for librarians. She maintains Library Job Postings on the Internet ( http://www.libraryjobpostings.org ) and is the co-author of The Information Professional's Guide to Career Development Online. --- Kane, Laura Townsend. Straight from the Stacks: A Firsthand Guide to Careers in Library and Information Science. Chicago: ALA Editions, 2003. ISBN 0-8389-0865-9. $34.00. Purchase from Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0838908659/librarisjobsearc/ Laura Kane does a good job of presenting many of the options that are available to LIS students today. I especially liked the sample job descriptions presented at the end of each chapter. The fact that the majority of the book is in the words of the jobholders is also a significant improvement over previous books on this topic. However, the book still did not quite live up to my expectations. What I would rather have read was the descriptions of each job completely in the words of the individual in that position, not in the interview-like format used here. Additionally, most of the jobs described are "traditional" positions. There is a section on "nontraditional librarianship," but that only focuses on "corporate and freelance." What about jobs like library webmaster, LIS faculty, or those with library networks? I recommend this book for those currently in LIS programs still wondering where they'd like to end up post-graduation and to those considering pursuing an LIS degree, as it will give them a good overview of the potentials of the field. Reviewed by Michael Sauers. Michael has been the Internet Trainer for the Bibliographical Center for Research (BCR) for more than six years and is an adjunct faculty member of the University of Denver's LIS program. He has published six books on Web design and library Technology. ======== Info Career Trends is copyright Lisjobs.com and Rachel Singer Gordon. Permission is granted to forward this newsletter in its entirety as long as the contents remain unchanged and this copyright message is included. For permission to reprint articles in this newsletter, contact the individual authors. If no author is listed, contact editor@lisjobs.com. If you find this newsletter useful, please consider becoming a voluntary subscriber for $10(USD)/year. 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