Info Career Trends November 1, 2002 vol. 3, no. 6 ISSN 1532-0839 Published by Lisjobs.com - http://www.lisjobs.com E-mail: editor@lisjobs.com In This Issue (Specialization): 1) Editor's Note 2) The Joy Of Being Solo 3) I'm Still a Librarian 4) So, You Want to Be a Systems Librarian? 5) To Be a Music Librarian 6) One Day I Walk: How I Changed Specializations -- and Survived! 7) Choosing To Change: From Public To Law Librarianship 8) What's Online? Recommended Resources 9) But I Want To Hold It In My Hand! Print Resources 10) Administrivia, Copyright, Subscription and Removal Instructions ======== Editor's Note Whether you're entering the field for the first time, contemplating a change, or simply curious about what your colleagues in other environments do all day, explore several specialties vicariously through the eyes of today's contributors. ICT is now accepting queries for March ("jobs, salaries, and raises") and for May ("building a career"). If you have advice or experiences to share, e-mail editor@lisjobs.com. Contributor guidelines are available at http://www.lisjobs.com/newsletter/theme.htm#contrib . If I don't get back to your comments or queries quickly, please be patient -- in line with January's upcoming theme, our firstborn child entered the world in October, and is testing the limits of "multitasking" in the time-honored manner of newborns everywhere! On another note: If you're willing to take a few minutes to share your experiences with publishing in the library literature for a forthcoming book on writing for publication, please fill out the online survey at http://www.lisjobs.com/pub4libsurvey.htm . - Rachel (editor@lisjobs.com) ======== ADD CONTENT TO YOUR WEB SITE WITH NO KNOWLEDGE OF HTML! Bookworm: The Readers Advisory Book Review Web Application BookWorm allows you to create searchable book reviews for your web site, with no knowledge of HTML or programming. Approve all book reviews before they are published, allowing staff and patrons to contribute without losing control of web content. BookWorm colors and headings are controlled by a simple web form to match the look of your existing web site; cover images are automatically displayed. We host and maintain BookWorm, so you can concentrate on content! Visit http://www.ourbookreview.com to see how quick and easy BookWorm is to use. ======== The Joy Of Being Solo by Judith Siess (jsiess@ibi-opl.com) I am a solo librarian -- and proud of it! I would never want to be anything else. A solo librarian is the only librarian or only professional in a library or information center. Another term for a solo is OPL, for one-person librarian. OPLs do it all: ordering, cataloging, reference, bibliographic instruction, online searching, filing, budgeting, and so on. They may have a part-time assistant, volunteers, or -- if they are lucky -- some full-time clerical assistance, but the OPL is the only trained librarian on staff. An OPL has no counterpart in the organization performing the same job to whom he or she may turn for help, advice, or job-related sympathy. In addition, a solo probably works for a nonlibrarian, a boss who does not really understand what the OPL does or how it is accomplished. A solo knows exactly what is going on in his or her library: what is being checked out, the questions being asked, who is using the library; all successes (and, of course, failures!) of the library are also those of the OPL. Most OPLs work in special libraries. The collection is often small and the library is part of, but not considered critical to, the parent organization's main mission. Many OPLs work for corporations, but there also are solos in law firms, hospitals, departmental libraries in universities, schools, churches or synagogues, prisons and jails, as well as in many small public libraries or branches of larger libraries. How many OPLs are there? No one knows for sure, but the Special Libraries Association estimates that at least one-half of their over 14,000 members are solos. That means there are at least 7000 OPLs in North American special libraries alone. In fact, there are about 1000 members of the Solo Librarians Division of SLA. I have found that about 80 percent are OPLs by chance, only 20 percent by choice. However, many that started by chance now like it so much they wouldn't go back to a large library. Guy St. Clair (the father of the OPL movement) observed four common traits of OPLs: OPLs love their work; OPLs communicate; OPLs are sophisticated; and OPLs are confident. A solo must also have confidence in making good decisions, an entrepreneurial attitude, comfort with networking, proficiency in gathering supporters, a lot of flexibility, good time management skills, the ability to balance priorities, a love for the profession, the ability to cope with many bosses and patrons who think they are each the only client, a readiness to take risks and learn something new every day, passion and enthusiasm, and a willingness to dive into any task. Why would anyone want to be a solo librarian? The three most common reasons are independence, variety, and an enhanced feeling of self- worth. OPLs enjoy the ability to "run their own show," i.e., set their own schedules and plan their own priorities, with a minimum of supervision and interference. They value the close relationships they have developed with their customers, and the wide variety of tasks that must be done (including those pesky clerical ones) keeps them busy and from being bored. OPLs have the freedom to be creative in their solutions. They gain the respect of their colleagues by being the sole information authority in the organization. Solos also have the opportunity to shine and show others what trained information professionals can do. However, there are drawbacks. These include professional isolation, lack of clerical support, reporting to a non-librarian, lack of management support, lack of job security, frustration at not being able to "do it all", lack of status, and lack of control concerning policy, personnel, or budget (or all three). The lack of feedback and interaction with other professionals takes its toll; there is no one with whom to brainstorm, and some OPLs tire under the strain of constantly having to explain themselves and their work to managers who do not understand them. But OPLs are not alone. They are all connected by the very fact that they are solos. Any other OPL in any library in any country will understand exactly how they feel; there is an instant bond. There are many formal and informal networks of solos around the world. In the UK there is the One-Man Band Section of ASLIB, Special Libraries in the Midlands (SLIM) in Birmingham, SLIL (Special Librarians in London), and SLIC in Cambridge, and the Workplace Libraries discussion list and the Industrial and Commercial Libraries Group of CILIP include many solos. Germany has two groups, the OPL Commission (Kommission für One-Person Librarians im Berufsverband, Information Bibliothek e.V.) and the Initiative Fortbildung für wissenschaftliche Spezialbibliotheken under verwandte Einrichtungen (Initiative for Continuing Education in Academic and Research- Oriented Special Libraries). Australia is the home of the One-Person Australian Libraries (OPAL) special interest group of the Australian Library and Information Association, with regional groups in six of Australia's states and territories (Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, and Western Australia). The first formal OPL organization was the One-Person Library Support Group of the Toronto Chapter of SLA, Israel has a relatively large and active solo population, an OPL group has recently been formed in Austria, and another is forming in Switzerland. One OPL says it all: "I love doing what I do. I cannot imagine not being involved with all aspects of running a library. It keeps me learning and constantly on the go." Judith Siess worked as a solo librarian for nearly twenty years, in libraries as diverse as biotechnology, aerospace, agricultural economics, and industrial process control. In 1997 she founded Information Bridges International, Inc. She is the editor and publisher of The One-Person Library: A Newsletter for Librarians and Management, was the first Chair of the Solo Librarians Division of SLA, and is the author of four books: The SOLO Librarian's Sourcebook (1997), The OPL Sourcebook (2001), Time Management, Planning and Prioritization for Librarians (2002), and The Visible Librarian: A Management and Advocacy Primer (due in 2003). ======== *** Post your resume online: http://www.lisjobs.com/resumes.htm ======== I'm Still a Librarian by Carol Hendren (CHendren@ccla.lib.fl.us) I began my library career before I was a professional, as manager of a small-town public library. In this capacity, I covered all the bases, from story hour, to ordering materials, to raising the flag in the morning and lowering it in the evening. The library system I was a part of was wonderful, and I loved the work, but I still felt that there was something more. I later moved on to teaching high school in the same small town, where I soon found that I was a great teacher -- but a lousy disciplinarian! Several years later, time and circumstance brought me to a town with an excellent library school, and I decided to pursue my MLIS. My focus throughout graduate school was public libraries, where I believed I could make a difference. Graduate school being a place of lofty ideas which don't always connect with the real world, however, I found that when I graduated I was ill-prepared for what life in a public library was really like. My first job after graduation was at the main branch of a large public library in a large city. I was in middle management, due to some fairly irrelevant previous management experience that had appeared on my job application. The job proved to be roughly 90% management and 10% librarianship. Mostly I made and remade schedules for 27 employees, conducted job interviews and reviews, and tried to put out fires among a largely disgruntled staff. I served a year and a half, and started sending out resumes. The first one I sent out, and the one that ended up landing me a job, was to CCLA (College Center for Library Automation) in Tallahassee, Florida. I argued with the friend who showed me the job ad, convinced that a public librarian could not possibly fit in a system which managed the library automation for all the community college libraries in the state of Florida. Yet they were looking for someone who had experience with serials and acquisitions, two areas with which I was familiar, and with the same software vendor, which was also the case. So, drawing on those strengths, I went from resume to phone interview to in-person interview -- all somewhat incredulously. Then I got the job. On my first day, while going through orientation, I was asked how I felt about working in an office with no books. By that time, I was so burned out from working at the public library that it sounded just fine to me. As it has turned out, I have had the opportunity to work closely with staff at all 28 of our institutions, first as a software trainer and now as a consultant. What I've learned is that helping librarians help students is every bit as rewarding as standing on the front lines. I don't work in a management capacity, so I don't evaluate anyone's contribution, I just help out with contributions of my own. It feels like this way I get the best of all worlds. One of the best things about my position is that it has allowed me to grow as a professional without being pigeonholed. My expertise now lies both in more traditional areas, such as collection development and serials management, and in less traditional areas, such as project management and software consulting. I've conducted workshops. I've counseled managers on dealing with difficult personnel problems. I've helped staff solve workflow issues which might have appeared small, but which make all the difference in a day's work. Of course, I wouldn't think of discounting my earlier practical library experience; without it I would lack many of the skills that make it possible for me to function well in my current position. I know what making do on a minimal budget is like. I know how a serials department ideally runs (I used to manage one, among my other duties). I know about the principles of collection development and how to make an online acquisitions system work for you. And most importantly, I understand that customer service is the bottom line. Graduate school didn't offer any courses for positions like mine. Training and consulting were absent from the curriculum. And yet, if you think about it, there's a real need for both in our profession. They help grease the wheel of progress, move people out of "stuck" positions, and give them strategies (large or small) for success. When I meet people and tell them what I do, I have to confess that I start out by telling them about my job, and end up by telling them that I'm a professional librarian. It's not that I'm not proud of my profession, it's just that so many people view it in such a narrow way. This includes members of our own profession, other librarians, who sometimes act as if I'm not doing the "real" work of librarianship because I'm not out on the front lines. Rather, I support the front lines, and I'm proud of it. I would advise anyone who is considering a non-traditional, out-of- the-library position to pursue it and see where it takes you. Don't assume that just because you don't have experience that directly matches the position offered -- and you rarely will -- that you are out of the running. Build on your strengths and on anything that connects with the requirements of the position. If you succeed, you may find (as I have) that it opens up many more professional doors than a traditional position ever would. If you don't succeed, keep trying! Most importantly, remember that you're still a librarian. Carol Hendren received her MLIS from LSU/Baton Rouge in 1993. Prior to that, she worked as branch manager of Sardis Public Library in Sardis, Mississippi, part of the Northwest Regional Library system. After receiving her MLIS, she went on to work as a Ready Reference Manager for Memphis and Shelby County Public Library and Information Center, and is currently employed with College Center for Library Automation in Tallahassee, Florida, as a Library Services Consultant. ======== *** Find a library job! http://www.lisjobs.com ======== So, You Want to Be a Systems Librarian? by Marianne Foley (foleym@buffalostate.edu) When I tell people that I am a systems librarian, they frequently ask: "What does that mean?" Unfortunately, there is no standard response, because descriptions differ greatly among libraries. A systems librarian may administer the OPAC, serve as the library webmaster, or manage online databases. One systems librarian may oversee a few "dumb terminals" with access limited only to the catalog, while another supervises multiple computer labs with an array of equipment and applications. Below I describe my experience in this burgeoning field of librarianship, discuss some of the problems I have encountered, and provide recommendations for librarians and library students who may be considering systems librarianship. Great Expectations I took on the role of systems librarian at a college library slightly less than a year ago, after spending two years as a reference librarian in a university. Prior to entering library school, I taught college mathematics, worked as a biostatistician, and toiled as a systems engineer. Systems librarianship seemed like an ideal way to combine librarianship with my technical background. During my interview, the position was described as a liaison between the library and the campus computing services department; in other words, the person to monitor the status of library computers and report problems to computing services. At that time, the library contained 166 workstations, with approximately 100 devoted to student use. Reality Since I have been in the position, the number of computers I manage has grown to almost 230 (about 170 for student use), primarily because all general computer labs on campus have been relocated to the library. Most of the computers are PCs with the Windows 98 or XP operating systems, although we also offer a few eMacs. In addition to computers and their peripheral components, I have responsibility for a host of software applications, including the full Microsoft Office Suite, e-mail functions, web browsers, statistical and mathematical applications, several programming languages, and sophisticated graphic design software. I also oversee a digital printing network, an electronic classroom, and the only public photocopiers on campus. Networked printing consists of several laser printers and a pay-for- print system that charges patrons a nominal fee while allowing staff to print for free. This system controls printing by collecting files before they reach the printers, deducting fees from student debit cards through the use of an attached card reader, and then sending the files on to the printer. The photocopiers also utilize debit cards, although they are not networked. I have ultimate responsibility for the debit card system as well. My staff orders the cards, maintains the machines that dispense cards, collects fees, deposits the funds, and provides patron refunds when problems arise. Aside from managing equipment, I also supervise humans. Two clerical positions and a changing cast of over 20 student assistants report to me. The students assist patrons in the library computer labs. So Much to Do, So Little Time With a population of 12,000 undergraduates and graduate students, and as the only computer facilities on campus open to everyone, library workstations receive a lot of use and abuse -- which leads to frequent problems. The print management system has many points at which the process can break down: the printers, the network, the card reader, the antiquated computer that controls the system, and, of course, the user. Add to that minimal expertise on campus and a manufacturer in New Zealand, and you have the potential for many hours of downtime. The photocopiers spend a great deal of time "out of service" due to a poor design and very heavy use. When I began the job, many of the existing student assistants either lacked basic technology skills or did not grasp the concept of the "work ethic." Within two months of starting, I had to fire a student for repeated insubordination -- something library school courses rarely address. I have since discovered that the "systems librarian as liaison" scenario described during my interview was idealized. Computing services personnel are located in a separate building and rarely understand the pressing nature of help calls from the library. Consequently, I spend a great deal of time performing tasks that computer services should carry out: diagnosing and repairing malfunctions (both hardware and software), investigating network faults, answering complex technology questions, and averting printing disasters. At the same time, I am expected to work at the reference desk and fulfill the many requirements of a tenure-track faculty position. Solutions Needless to say, my "To Do" list soon comprised an entire notebook. Fortunately, my director heeded my requests for help and agreed to hire a technically savvy student assistant who has proven to be a godsend. He repairs most of the hardware problems, solves many software conundrums, and has developed a good rapport with library staff. The library is considering replacing the photocopiers before the current contract expires. Computer services plans to upgrade our print-management computer with a less archaic model. To alleviate problems with the student assistants, I developed a skills test to evaluate prospective hires, installed a time clock to increase accountability, and created guidelines that specify duties and expected behavior. Consequently, most of our student assistants are now more knowledgeable and conscientious. Recommendations Needless to say, a systems librarian differs from the traditional concept of a reference librarian or cataloger. Depending upon the library, systems librarianship may present a stimulating addition to conventional tasks or it may define a position unto itself. In the latter case, extensive technology skills would be the ideal. However, any software or hardware experience will prove helpful, as will common sense, a basic understanding of human nature, a desire to learn, and a sense of adventure. Finally, keep in mind that "librarian" intentionally appears in the term "systems librarian." Marianne Foley is a Senior Assistant Librarian at Buffalo State College in Buffalo, NY, with the title Systems Librarian. She holds an MLS, an MA in Statistics, and an MS in Electrical Engineering. She can be reached at foleym@buffalostate.edu . ======== Love the newsletter? Make a PayPal donation to its upkeep: https://www.paypal.com/xclick/business=rachel%40lisjobs.com ======== To Be a Music Librarian by Paula Elliot (elliotp@wsu.edu) For the Love of It Specialist-librarians often possess a particular jealously-guarded affinity for their favorite "stuff." It's clear that this is the case among the hundreds of music librarians in the U.S. If you love music, and can't live without what music does for you, imagine working with the materials of your favorite field in that very environment you've determined to spend your career in: the library. If you're a librarian (or soon to be one) with a passion for music -- whether you're a performer, a scholar, an armchair listener, or you just like to dance to it -- a music specialty can give you the opportunity to do just that. I was already established as a general reference librarian when I responded to a job ad that sought a "reference librarian -- music emphasis." With my background in music, it was a good fit for me, asking me to be a generalist at the reference desk while also selecting music materials for the library's collections. As at many libraries, the library's reference team was comprised of subject specialists. I was eager to combine my knowledge of music with the work of librarianship. Little did I realize then how rich the world of music librarianship could be. Yes, I got the job. I still work for the institution that gave it to me, and, although my career has changed over the years, I'm still happily responsible for music collections at the WSU Libraries. Of course, being a generalist with a music specialty is only one of many options for a librarian specializing in music. Music catalogers' knowledge of the field and the unusual demands of music bibliographic control are needed to make collections accessible. Branch librarians are responsible for a special library within a larger system, often providing not only public service but sometimes technical service while also carrying out administrative responsibilities. There are librarian-teachers, who combine library responsibilities with academic ones. Public librarians strive to meet a community's musical needs for performances, audience development, school assignments, and private lessons. There are music librarians for orchestras and for radio stations, music librarians to develop online resources and those who set up freelance businesses. There are audio archivists, and experts in audio digitization. The common link between these librarians is their love of music. If music weren't in their lives and in their hearts, they'd be librarians of a different stripe. Other People Just Like You Often, a music librarian may be one-of-a-kind at his or her institution. Fortunately, there's a network of support for such people through the Music Library Association ( http://musiclibraryassoc.org ), a thriving and well-run professional organization comprised of music specialist librarians, several hundred strong. An annual MLA meeting is a spirited reunion of people linked, not only by their work as librarians, but by their common love of music. The informative sessions are about librarianship as it specifically relates to music, and discussions of the problems of music in libraries are prevalent in the midst of what feels like a celebration. Plenary sessions focus on the music of the region in which the meeting is held. In addition, MLA has roundtables for groups interested in various aspects of music: Film Music, Jazz, Jewish Music, to name a few. Within MLA's administrative structure, any interested group can petition to form a roundtable and host a program at the meeting. MLA-L, a lively discussion list, is active with reference and cataloging stumpers, information-sharing, and discussions of professional issues and humor. There's a lot of support for new members in the organization, mentoring programs, continuing education programs, and opportunities for conference presentations and participation on committees. There's even an MLA Big Band! Which leads me to mention that, for performing musicians, being a music librarian is a way to keep making music independent of the fiscal vagaries of the performer's life. Qualifications To be a successful music librarian, strong general knowledge of music is a must. Many music librarians have at least a BA in music, but I know some who don't. As librarians, we come by our knowledge in a variety of ways. Background in a companion field like theatre or art can give an interested librarian an opportunity to work with music in a fine or performing arts department or branch library where related subjects are combined. For academic jobs, an advanced degree is often expected, and it's not uncommon to find a music librarian with a Ph.D. in the field. Many earn their advanced degrees while working full-time as librarians. As any librarian would agree, there's no such thing as too much knowledge! Job Opportunities For information on opportunities in music libraries, see the MLA Joblist on the MLA web site. Also on the MLA site, you'll find a guide to library schools offering training in music librarianship, and a list of publications that will give you another glimpse at the field. Back to the Love of It We don't become librarians for the money. We seldom do it for fame. We do it to help people, to make a contribution... you know all that. Here's the bottom line: We do it to communicate something that we love to others. If you're enthusiastic about music, consider becoming a music librarian. Paula Elliot is former Head of Humanities Collection Development at Washington State University. Currently on sabbatical leave, she is writing a book about music librarianship and music librarians. ======== *** Take a few moments to answer the library publishing survey: http://www.lisjobs.com/pub4libsurvey.htm ======== One Day I Walk: How I Changed Specializations -- and Survived! by Mark Bartlett (Mark.Bartlett@asu.edu) My story is one of changing specializations -- partly by choice, partly by circumstance. I finished my MLIS program in 1992, and realized that finding work really meant hunting it down. In the early part of my career, I landed part-time contracts and short-term positions in the specialized subject areas of defense research, fisheries and oceans science, gambling awareness, and "history of the book" bibliographical research. I can now say that this variety was a very good thing. I gained confidence that I could adapt to and learn -- or start to learn! -- new subject areas that were not in my academic background (a bachelor of arts in humanities and languages). As it turned out, the experience of having to change and choosing to change specializations would be repeated throughout my working life. In 1993, I became Head of Technical Services of an architecture, computer science and engineering library. Half of my job was running the TS department (six library staff, one part-time librarian) and coordinating the ordering, receiving, payment, cataloging and processing of the library's electronic and print collections. In the other half, I worked on the reference desk and did collections development and user education for the departments of chemical, mechanical, mining and metallurgical engineering. My wife is a librarian also, and in the August heat of 1999 we moved to Phoenix, Arizona for her new position at Arizona State University (ASU). Opportunity came knocking at my door again. I became Head of Technical Services at ASU's Ross-Blakley Law Library. Yes, from the world of Frank Lloyd Wright, materials science and computer-human interfaces to torts, treatises, and case law -- this was the biggest specialization change I'd faced yet. Legal terminology, the highly specialized legal bibliography, and the legal environment in the world at large... I had so much to learn! In my early days at ASU, my library director, Tory Trotta, spoke frankly about my career change: "Without a J.D., Mark, you'll never make it as a library director... you've got to master legal bibliography to make a real go at this... go get your hands on the material." However unnerving it was at the time, I appreciated Tory's frankness, and I keep these statements in the forefront of my mind. I'm now finishing my third year at ASU Law, and I am glad to report that I really like my job. So what have I learned about changing specializations? What has worked for me? Here are a few observations: 1. Talk to your boss/supervisor and learn the high-impact areas of your work. If you've changed specializations, you'll know the feeling: "I've got too much to learn; there aren't enough hours in the day; how can I absorb all this new language?" It's true that many working people get this feeling from time to time, but I'd argue that it's turned up a notch if you've entered a highly-specialized discipline. One survival tactic is to learn the priorities and goals of your library and of the parent organization (be it a law school, government department, research institute etc.) From one year to the next, the high-impact areas may change, so I keep my ear to the ground and listen for the "buzz." I've been fortunate enough to work with an experienced law library director who looks at the larger picture of the law school and legal education as well as the priorities and goals of our law library. She keeps me informed. 2. Develop yourself professionally. Go to conferences and workshops in your specialized area. This has been extremely important for me these last three years. I'm fortunate that the law library field has a number of great organizations at the local, national and international levels. Each summer I attend the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) Annual Convention, and I always find it an invigorating experience. I learn about big issues and developments in law libraries and I bring back "how-to" skills to my library. Since 2001, I've also had a law library mentor through the AALL mentor program. You don't always have to leave town to find professional development and educational experiences. I've attended both the library's "Jumpstart" program for third year law students (about to enter the work force) and a four-session Legal Research Institute sponsored by the Arizona Association of Law Libraries (AzALL). Just recently, I spent two days in the beautiful town of Flagstaff at the biennial Arizona-New Mexico depository meeting in Flagstaff and met with other depository library staff and librarians. 3. Take advantage of professional reading and the electronic discussion environment. If you've changed specializations, you know it can feel overwhelming when you start out. One way to make it through is to read, read, read! Take advantage of the professional literature in your discipline. At work I have Law Library Journal, Technical Services Law Librarian, DTTP: A Quarterly Journal Of Government Information Practice And Perspective, and Ken Svengalis' Legal Information Buyer's Guide And Reference Manual at my fingertips. One small hint: if you need an interpretation of something you're reading, sit down with your boss and/or your colleagues and talk about it. And yes, most specialized areas have Internet mailing lists, discussion groups and web sites. Use them. They are invaluable! 4. Learn from your staff. If you're a manager and supervise one or more staff, you can often learn a lot from them. At ASU Law, my serials supervisor, Sharon, and serials assistant, Conni, have a number of years of experience with the ordering, receiving, invoicing, processing, and binding of legal materials. They've helped bring me up to speed on some of the problems and peculiarities of legal publications. Certainly your staff can't teach you everything you need to know, but they can help get you grounded in your new specialized area. 5. Re-read your job description and work towards your current goals. I'll admit that's common sense, whether you've changed specializations or not! I keep my ASU Law position posted on the corkboard above my workstation. I occasionally pull out my annual review file and read my boss' annual evaluation and my self-review and goals. If your library requires goal setting, take the time to make sure you're on track. Don't wig out, though, if you don't accomplish all of your goals. Goals are just that -- goals -- and the world won't end if you don't accomplish them all. 6. Balance work and life. Not to sound like a self-help book, but do make the most of your time away from work. Family, home, hobbies, volunteering, travel, and exercise -- whatever you like to do when you're away from your 8-to-5 is very important. I like to listen to music, read fiction, watch films, swim, and dabble in painting. I've found that changing specializations is very rewarding. It keeps my mind alert. It keeps me learning all the time. It means that I meet new people, make new professional colleagues, and keep sharpening my communication skills. It's a tough hill to climb on the way up, but the view up here is great! Mark Bartlett is a 1992 graduate of the School of Library and Information Studies, Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia. He is the former Head of Technical Services at DalTech, Dalhousie University (1993-1999) and is currently the H.T.S. at Ross-Blakley Law Library, Arizona State University in Tempe. Email: mark.bartlett@asu.edu . ======== *** Advice, articles, and salary information for librarians: http://www.lisjobs.com/advice.htm ======== Choosing To Change: From Public To Law Librarianship by Steven M. Cohen (Steven.Cohen@rivkin.com) Like many others, I originally decided on a career in librarianship because of the 9-5 work hours, exorbitant salaries, quiet and peaceful workplace, and the great medical and dental benefits. A job that would allow me to go home at a normal hour, allotting time for reading at the reference desk, and only having to stop once in a while to retrieve "The Cat In the Hat" for a three-year-old. Obviously, I'm being facetious. Librarianship, unlike many other careers, is chosen based on passion, a love of learning and teaching, and helping others. It is unique in that it allows you to be a bit vulnerable behind a desk at which, at any time, any type of question can be asked by anybody. When I started out in library school, I was sure that I would work in a public library for the entire run of my career. I had only worked in the non-profit sector; I loved the "aura" of the public library; I loved training patrons on the uses of search engines and the Web; I felt I was destined to "work my way up through the ranks" and become a director. But in my second year as a public librarian, after starting up an Internet newsletter, and after having taught over 400 Internet classes, retrieved 300 copies of the latest Danielle Steel bestseller, and advised 200 teenagers to not run around the library because they might trip and choke on their ever-present wads of gum, it was time to move on. Sure, I had only been at it for two years, but I felt a bit stale. For some, this feeling takes 20 years, for me it took two. It seemed that I had already accomplished what I set out to do. I hated to admit it at the time, but I was longing for more. All jobs are repetitive, I remember telling myself. Yeah, I replied, but you are young, you don't make a heck of a lot of money, and your responsibilities are not that "grand" that a job change would affect your life at home. So, I decided that it was time to seek out employment elsewhere. But where? In what type of library? Should I send resumes into academia? Corporate libraries? Law libraries? The choices seemed endless. But, that's one of the advantages of a degree in librarianship; one has many options from which to choose when job hunting. Here are a few items to consider when changing jobs -- or even when scoring employment for the first time fresh out of library school -- in no particular order: 1) Distance from your home. How far do you want to travel to and from work every day? Maybe the question should be, how far could you realistically travel to and from work every day? (I met a librarian at a conference a few weeks ago who commutes two hours each way to work!) 2) Size of the library. Some say that size doesn't matter. When one is looking for a library job, however, it is of extreme importance. Do you want a noisy library with children running around and teenagers making out in the corner, or would you prefer a quiet abode, one in which only four reference questions get asked per day? Or how about something in the middle? 3) Salary. Sure, money isn't everything, but you have to eat, right? Money, no matter how much we hate the stuff, is needed to survive. Don't take a job that may put you and your family out on the street. Pride can only be maintained for so long. 4) Clientele. What type of clients do you want to serve? Children? Adults? Both? Do you want to only deal with businesspeople? Lawyers? Doctors? Other information professionals? Or do you not want to have any clientele at all? Maybe you don't even want to perform reference duties? 5) That "feeling" in your stomach. When I was younger, I was told that if a situation doesn't feel right, your "belly barometer" will notify you. You know what I mean, that feeling in the pit of you stomach that is informing you, "Danger! Danger!" My advice: change the situation immediately. This is not gas. This is your body telling you that both it and you are in an uncomfortable situation. If there is one life lesson that I have learned from my mother-in- law, it's that you should always listen to your body. 6) What do you WANT to do. The fact is, nobody has the right to tell us how to live our lives. We have the right to choose the type of career we embark on as well as which specific job to take. If there is any one piece of advice to take, this is the one: Do what you want to do! All of these factors came into play as I interviewed for and obtained employment at a private law firm. I knew that I didn't want to work in New York City, as, even though the salaries can be higher, it didn't seem worth the extra hour commute. So, I concentrated on companies on Long Island. I also felt the time was right to carve out a niche in a specialized field. Sure, public librarianship is a specialty, but here, I am able to say that I have worked in the private sector arena. Salary was also an issue. I became a librarian because I love the work, but, as a public librarian, I always would have wished for higher pay. Corporate libraries provide this opportunity. In addition, I wanted to work for a specific clientele; one that could continuously rely on my professional abilities to provide content and answer specific reference questions. The questions asked in my law library are narrow and specific, requiring more experience with fee-based databases and the law. Lastly, I did what I wanted to do, despite the moans and groans from colleagues and family members who told me I was changing jobs rather quickly. But, I remember a line from a commercial I once saw: "Do what you want and don't apologize for it!" Steven M. Cohen is Assistant Librarian for Rivkin Radler, LLP in Uniondale New York and creator of Library Stuff ( http://www.librarystuff.net ), a library and information science weblog. Steven is very happy in his chosen career as a law librarian. ======== *** Your ad here: http://www.lisjobs.com/ratecard.htm#newsletter ======== What's Online? Recommended Resources Lisjobs.com Links to Sites on Specialization Within the Profession http://www.lisjobs.com/advice.htm#special Convergence or Divergence in Education for the Information Professions: An Opinion Paper, by Thomas J. Galvin http://www.asis.org/Bulletin/Aug-95/galvin.html Rethinking Specializations, by Leigh Estabrook http://alexia.lis.uiuc.edu/~leighe/special.html Librarians in the 21st Century: Who We Are, Syracuse SIS http://istweb.syr.edu/21stcenlib/who/ ======== But I Want To Hold It In My Hand! Print Resources Pugh, Lyndon. Leadership and Learning: Helping Libraries and Librarians Reach Their Potential. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 2001. ISBN 0-8108-4146-0. $35.00. Purchase from Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0810841460/librarisjobsearc/ Freelance trainer and former Ariadne managing editor Lyndon Pugh here provides a comprehensive overview of the literature on learning and library organizations. He demonstrates the importance, in the modern library, of understanding the theories behind both workplace learning and the organizational structures and attitudes supporting that learning. Library organizations today, facing the challenges of technological and societal change, need to adapt their training programs and attitude toward work-based learning to support flexibility, creativity, and continuous learning. Case studies showing the process of organizational transformation in several types of libraries will be particularly helpful to managers and change agents, and Pugh's academic yet readable style will be appreciated by those seeking solid theories to underpin their training and staff development efforts. Although the title has a mild UK focus, its insights are applicable to libraries everywhere. ======== 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. 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