Info Career Trends November 1, 2005 vol. 6, no. 6 ISSN 1532-0839 Published by Lisjobs.com: http://www.lisjobs.com E-mail: editor@lisjobs.com Web: http://www.lisjobs.com/newsletter/ In This Issue (The Things We Bring): 1) Editor's Note 2) Career Q&A From the Library Career People (school media certification, informational interviews) 3) A Little Bit of This, a Little Bit of That 4) Confessions of a Reformed Bookseller 5) From Consultant to Librarian 6) Those Who Can, Teach, Too 7) Reality Bites 8) What's Online? Recommended Resources 9) But I Want To Hold It In My Hand! Reviews: Spanning the Theory- Practice Divide in Library and Information Science and The Whole School Library Handbook 10) Administrivia, Copyright, Subscription and Removal Instructions ======== Editor's Note None of us enters librarianship as a tabula rasa, and our diverse backgrounds help the profession thrive. Today's writers share their various paths to their profession, talking about the ways in which the skills and outlooks they bring from previous experience are essential to their success as information professionals. As you read on, think about how your own background affects your work - or about how you can use your previously-earned skills in unexpected ways. You wouldn't be reading this publication if you weren't interested in your own professional development, so I'd also like to bring an opportunity to your attention. I've recently signed on as a Consulting Editor for ITI Books, and would love to hear from ICT readers interested in developing a book proposal. I'm looking forward to all of your ideas, especially those focusing on library career or technology issues. See the official press release at http://www.infotoday.com/pressreleases/pdf/RSG.pdf , and feel free to e-mail me your ideas at rgordon@infotoday.com. If you prefer to start smaller, ICT is seeking contributors to two upcoming theme issues, March 2006 ("Creating Community") and May 2006 ("Publishing and Presenting"). See the contributor guidelines at http://www.lisjobs.com/newsletter/theme.htm#contrib , and e-mail your queries to editor@lisjobs.com. I'm also looking for a reviewer for Fundamentals of Children's Services, by Michael Sullivan, for the May issue - if you have experience as a children's librarian and would like to earn a free book, speak up now! - Rachel (editor@lisjobs.com) ======== *** ADVERTISEMENT *** ALA-accredited ONLINE MS in Library and Information Science Earn an ALA-accredited Master's in Library & Information Science ONLINE from Drexel University. Advance your career and salary potential with a program ranked #1 for its specialization in information systems and 9th overall nationally by U.S. News and World Report. No career interruption or on campus requirement. Classes begin in March - learn more at http://www.drexel.com/lisjobs ======== Career Q&A From the Library Career People (librarycareerpeople@lisjobs.com) Q: I am a prospective graduate student hoping to enroll in a library science program, and I have a few questions about school librarianship. Do K-12 certifications transfer between states? In other words, if I received certification in Pennsylvania, could I apply for school librarian positions in another state? And, is there a large difference in salary between K-12 librarians and university librarians? SM: K-12 librarians are generally called library media specialists. Other titles include teacher librarian and school librarian. As in every library, jobs and roles in school libraries can vary significantly. They are, though, very much related to teaching - working closely with teachers and students, creating lesson plans, and participating in curriculum development, as well as providing expertise in library materials and access to information and technology. Each state has different requirements for certification and licensure, and many states require "school librarians" to be licensed as teachers. While some states do not require a master's degree in librarianship, having it will give you more flexibility and mobility in the long run, especially if you plan on moving to a different state or eventually switching to a different type of library or position. To start with, look at the American Association of School Librarians Library Education & Licensing page: http://www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aasleducation/recruitmentlib/libraryedu/ libraryeducation.htm OR http://makeashorterlink.com/?D59C5290C . They have a lot of good information here (and on the their site in general), including a link to NCATE (National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education) and a list of approved and reviewed school library media programs http://www.ala.org/aaslTemplate.cfm?Section=schoollibrarymed&Templat e=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=20297 OR http://makeashorterlink.com/?X38C5290C . You may also want to read the ALA/AASL Standards for Initial Programs for School Library Media Specialist Preparation http://www.ncate.org/documents/ProgramStandards/ala%202001.pdf , to learn more about the goals and expectations of the school library media program as they relate to three critical areas of service: teaching and learning, information access and delivery, and program administration. As for transferring your certification, the good news is that many states will accept certification from another state, also called licensing reciprocity. If you move to another state, it is up to you to check with the certifying agency to see if your certificates or licenses are transferable or accepted. Librarian salaries are dependent on the specific institution, the location, the position, the economy and much, much more. However, to get an idea of what new librarians are making, the most recent salary survey in Library Journal (published each October), lists the average salary for newly-graduated school librarians as $40,737 - slightly higher than the $37,981 average for academic librarians ( http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6269428.html ). Other useful web sites: Resources for School Librarians, developed by a retired teacher librarian, contains links to informative sites for certification, jobs, continuing education, collection development and more: http://www.sldirectory.com . Check to see if your state (or the state you plan on moving to) has a school library association, something akin to the following, which just might turn out to be an excellent resource for information, resources and networking. * California School Library Association: http://www.csla.net * Illinois School Library Media Association: http://www.islma.org * Maine Association of School Libraries: http://www.maslibraries.org * Pennsylvania School Librarians' Association: http://www.psla.org/recruitment/cert.php3 Examples of School Library Associations, beyond the United States: * Australian School Library Association, Inc.: http://www.asla.org.au * Canadian Association for School Libraries: http://www.caslibraries.ca * International Association of School Librarianship (IASL): http://www.iasl-slo.org * School Library Association in the United Kingdom: http://www.sla.org.uk Q: I'm finishing up my MLIS very soon, and I'm trying to get a feel for as many types of libraries as possible. I would love to get a behind-the-scenes look at a few libraries in a city where I'll be vacationing soon. What is the best way to approach this? Should I request informational interviews, or offer to volunteer for a day or two? I don't want to inconvenience anyone, and I certainly don't want to overstep the bounds of professional courtesy. Thanks for any advice you can offer. TA: Excellent question! And great timing. There are certainly a large number of soon-to-be-grads in your same situation: finishing school, maybe a semester or two remaining, and wondering what life is like at a real reference desk. Or, perhaps, about what it's really like to be a children's librarian? Or, more than anything, about what happens during any given day as a professional... You're smart to start thinking about this now, and you're very wise to recognize the limits of professional courtesy and the risk of overstepping those boundaries. There are ways, though, to get the information you need while working within the guidelines of professional courtesy. First, to answer your basic question, I would try to set up several informational interviews, as opposed to volunteering for a day or two. We all know the old saying that "there's no such thing as a free lunch." Well, along the same lines, volunteers aren't really free. While libraries may not pay a salary, volunteers require orientation, training, supervision, space, and resources. In most cases, having a volunteer for only a day or two wouldn't be in the library's best interest; it would be a heavy investment of their time for very little return. Informational interviews can (and should) be scheduled in advance, and do not take a lot of any one person's time. As a matter of fact, you may be able to schedule a couple of interviews in the same library, but with different people in different departments. WHY do informational interviews? Let's briefly review informational interviews. In an informational interview, you can accomplish several things. You may: * Explore careers and clarify your career goal * Expand your professional network * Build confidence for your job interviews * Access the most up-to-date career information * Identify your professional strengths and weaknesses (Informational Interviewing Tutorial, http://www.quintcareers.com/informational_interviewing.html ) WHAT to do? Do your research: Research the profession, research the organization, and research the person with whom you are meeting. You may want to look at general resources that give an overview of the profession. For example, take a look at the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Outlook Handbook: http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos068.htm . You could also look at web pages, annual reports, and statistics for the organization you'll be visiting. Do your research on the person with whom you would like to meet. You want this appointment to be productive, so make sure you're speaking with someone who is active in the field and ready to share his or her story with you. By knowing more about this person (Are they published? Are they active in professional organizations? Are they in a position you aspire to achieve someday?), you'll be better able to shape productive questions for the limited time you have during an informational interview. Make an appointment: Call, e-mail, or write in advance to ask for an appointment. You may also have a mutual acquaintance who could refer you. Be sure to be up front and tell the person that you have some questions about working in a particular area, and would be interested in meeting with them for an informational interview. Keep the appointment to 20 or 30 minutes. Have your list of questions and take notes: Come prepared with questions (and something to take notes with). Remember, this is two- way. The person you are interviewing may be interested in learning about you in this process, so be prepared to have a conversation and answer questions about yourself. For a nice list of potential questions, take a look at: http://www.quintcareers.com/information_interview.html . Say thank you: Before you leave, express your thanks for the person's time. Also follow up with a written thank you note within a few days of the interview. Remember, you are not just gaining valuable knowledge about the profession, you're establishing your professional network. You want to make a good impression. What NOT to do? Do not show up unprepared: See the notes above about doing your research. Do not go over your time limit: Respect everyone's time and do not stay longer than originally agreed upon, unless you are invited to stay by the person you're interviewing. Do not ask for a job: Remember, this is an informational interview only. Do not overstep the limits of the informational interview by asking about employment opportunities or your qualifications for a specific position. I hope these tips help you plan for your interviews. Additional resources are also listed below. Most importantly, be sure to have a good time on your vacation! Additional Resources: * How to Conduct an Informational Interview http://career.ucsb.edu/students/infointerviews.html * How to Handle Informational Interviews http://www.businessweek.com/careers/content/sep2003/ca2003093_4973_c a009.htm OR http://makeashorterlink.com/?L50A11B0C * Informational Interviews - Getting the Inside Scoop on an Occupation http://careerplanning.about.com/cs/occupations/a/info_interviews.htm * 'Information Interviews' Get a Bad Rap from Job Seekers http://www.careerjournal.com/jobhunting/interviewing/20040804- hirsch.html OR http://makeashorterlink.com/?L51A23B0C *** 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 the Systems/Electronic Resources Librarian at Purchase College, SUNY. Her career experience encompasses a variety of positions in different types of libraries, including public, special, and academic. ======== *** Wouldn't you like to see your ad here? http://www.lisjobs.com/ratecard.htm#newsletter ======== A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That by Stephanie Braunstein (sbraunstein@pacific.edu) "What do you want to do with your MLIS?" There's that question again, the current version of: "What do you want to be when you grow up?" A brief glance at my driver's license verifies that I am already well into grownup territory, but somehow I never seem to tire of what the cliché-makers refer to as "re- inventing" myself. This latest reminder of my ongoing re-invention process came in the form of that "what do you want to do" question, from a librarian interviewing me for a practicum at a local art museum. Yes, I'm honestly interested in the fine arts, and I'd feel privileged to be able to help with the cataloging and preservation of Judge E. B. Crocker's personal collection of books and manuscripts. The problem is not whether I am interested in this one area - but that I am interested in almost everything. I am the quintessential "eclecticist," and narrowing myself down to one or two interests to pursue for practica and/or eventual career opportunities is like trying to reduce a painting by Pieter Brueghel into a size appropriate for a postage stamp. You just cannot get all of the variety and detail into that small a space (the art simile seems especially apt here..!). Education and Aspirations And, speaking of similes, did I mention that I have a Master's in English? I currently teach literature-based composition courses as an adjunct professor at the local university and local community college. So, practica involving academic librarianship in the humanities also seem like a good fit. I could help students find interesting online articles on obscure writers - Aphra Behn sound familiar to anyone? I could explain how to find books that explain the mysteries of MLA citations. I could steer students toward electronic resources like Project Muse or JSTOR's Classical Studies Database, to further their knowledge of classical mythology. These odd bits of knowledge and more would come in handy in a practicum at an academic reference desk. As for Ms. Behn, she is considered an early feminist... which brings me to yet another revelation about my background and interests. I have a minor in women's studies, and consider myself to have pro- woman politics. Thus, when I see a practicum opportunity at a library serving women who have been sexually abused and the people that help them, I jump at that chance as well. I want to work with this kind of material and these issues so that I can feel useful, both to society in general and to my gender in particular. Challenging Choices We are now up to three possible practica, and I must make a choice. I am leaning toward the general academic library, because it seems the most likely place to find touchstones for all of my interests. Isn't that what a university is supposed to do - provide us with access to a universe of ideas? But, just before the semester officially begins, I vacation in central Mexico and visit a lakeside expatriate community and a colonial city known for its linguists, artists, and musicians. Now, I must say that I have traveled to places as diverse as Nara, Japan, Vence, France, and Camucia, Italy, but I have never had such a strong desire to actually move to a foreign land until I experienced both Ajijic and San Miguel de Allende in Mexico. I'll leave it to the travel books and sites to describe these charming places in all of their splendid detail; all that is relevant here is that they have libraries. What does any self- respecting American bibliophile do when visiting a foreign city? Find the local English-language library, of course. You may guess what happens after visiting the library at the Lake Chapala Society in Ajijic and the Biblioteca Publica in San Miguel de Allende; now I want to find a way to spend a semester working in one of these libraries. My mind hums with questions: Whom do I contact? Could I actually get units for this? Will my travelers' Spanish be sufficient to work with a bilingual catalog? Reluctant Realism That last question is the one that finally stills the mental humming. I am currently struggling with name authority work in my English-language cataloging class, for heaven's sake. The exponential intricacies involved in adding another language to the mix suddenly appear staggering to me. I realize that I am definitely not ready for a practicum in a foreign country, so am back to the reality of keeping it geographically close and in my native language - at least for now. Maybe I'll finally enroll in that Spanish class next summer. I go back to my rational decision to take the practicum at the university library. I sign the forms, send them to the proper e-mail boxes, and buy a journal for recording my experiences at the practicum site. But, wait! What about that practicum I saw last week described on the SLIS e-mail list - the one about cataloging an insect collection? I have an insect collection! I really do admire bugs - they are so adaptive and colorful! And, wait again... there was that other practicum I heard about from ... Stephanie Braunstein is, as noted, an eclectic gal who has been working at an academic law library for almost twenty years. She holds an MA in English literature and Pedagogy from California State University, Sacramento and is about halfway through her MLIS at San Jose State University. She enjoys poetry, travel, and - of course - bugs. ======== *** Need some encouragement on writing for publication? http://www.lisjobs.com/pub4lib/ ======== Confessions of a Reformed Bookseller: What Working in a Bookstore Taught Me About Being a Librarian by Jennifer Arnold (jennifer.arnold@cpcc.edu) They say that everyone loves a parade, but it's probably more likely that everyone loves a great bookstore. After all, it is hard to resist, with its overstuffed armchairs, the smell of fresh-roasted coffee, and, of course, the rows and rows of books - just waiting to be read! It's pretty safe to say that librarians tend to enjoy bookstores due to all these same factors, but we should look to bookstores for other reasons as well: they have a lot to teach us as librarians. Before I started library school, I spent two years working in a large retail bookstore (one of the superstore variety). Much of what I learned as a bookseller I still carry with me as a librarian. Here is just some of what I brought with me. Customer Service: Lessons from the Sales Floor In bookstore employee training, tips and techniques for outstanding customer service were emphasized much more than they were in library school. Perhaps that's as it should be, but libraries still have a lot to learn from the customer service standards of retail bookstores, which typically hold their employees to stringent standards. Here's what I learned: * Put the book in the customer's hand. Bookstores teach their employees never merely to point the customer in the right direction, but rather to walk the customer to the appropriate section of the store, find the book on the shelf, and put in his or her hands. In my library, I rarely hand a student a call number and send them off to find the book on the shelf. Instead, I put the book in the student's hands. I've found that they are much more likely to use the book or check it out if I hand it to them. * Customer service is everyone's responsibility, all of the time. At the bookstore, all phone calls had to be answered by the third ring. If you were not with a customer at the moment the phone rang, then it was your responsibility to answer the phone, whether you were the general manager or the newest bookseller. The employees who worked in receiving (and basically never interacted with customers on the sales floor) were also responsible for responding to phone calls. In other words, assisting patrons should be everyone's priority, all of the time. * Customer service standards should be in writing. Bookstores hold their employees to high standards, and each employee is given a copy of those standards in writing. Here, bookstores have a lesson to teach libraries. If you expect great customer service from your library staff, provide them with clear expectations in writing, not just as part of a job description or employee development plan. Expectations for customer service standards should be outlined in a separate, public document, so that everyone has a common understanding. Displays, Displays, and More Displays: Marketing like a Retailer If there's one thing bookstores know, it's how to market their products. No matter where you turn in a bookstore, most customers will find themselves faced with a display of some sort - at the front of the store, through the main aisles, at the end of each row. Why so many displays? One simple reason: they sell books. Of course, most libraries do display their latest arrivals or create themed displays for events. Bookstores, however, take every possible opportunity to make customers aware of their merchandise. For example, every three or four rows, customers are likely to see a title "faced-out," meaning that the cover of the book is facing outward, rather than the spine. Little touches like this can really encourage people to pick up a book. Academic libraries might also consider the ways in which book jackets appeal to customers. In many academic libraries, book jackets are removed, leaving a plain blue or brown book with just the title and call number on the spine. While it does involve some expense, leaving the cover on the book - with the summary of the contents, reviewer's quotes, etc. - just might inspire a patron to check out that title, in a way that a plain blue cover never will. The Comfy Chair Factor: Creating a Welcoming Environment People tend to linger in bookstores, spending time perusing multiple titles in a comfortable chair or reading a magazine over a snack from the cafe. Bookstores have been successful at creating an atmosphere that encourages customers to spend time in the store, and not just run in and out for a single item. Many libraries have already begun learning from retail bookstores' successful creation of a welcoming environment by including cafes in new or redesigned buildings and in creating comfortable seating arrangements that encourage patrons to linger, just as they do in bookstores. This is a trend that libraries should continue to follow - the more comfortable patrons become, they more likely they are to ask questions and use resources. Some comfy armchairs, a couch or two, and a more flexible food and drink policy could go a long way in creating a more welcoming environment. Confessions of a Reformed Bookseller: Advice from the Stacks In many ways, I'm as much a reformed bookseller as I am a librarian. It's hard to take the bookseller out of me, and, I'll confess, I've been known to straighten the merchandise when I visit a bookstore as a customer. I have to say, though, that I wouldn't WANT to take the bookseller out of me - retail is a great training ground for developing just the skills necessary for working as a public service librarian. My advice to former retailers: remember what you learned. I'm a firm believer that if you've handled a weekend during the holiday season in any retail establishment, then you can handle just about anything. The customer service, marketing, and sense of bookstore/library as a place that were ingrained in me as a bookseller have served me well as a librarian. Jennifer Arnold is the Senior Librarian for Serials and Electronic Resources at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, NC. She admits to occasionally straightening the shelves in her local bookstore, even though she's no longer a bookseller. ======== *** Love the newsletter? Make a PayPal donation to its upkeep: https://www.paypal.com/xclick/business=rachel%40lisjobs.com ======== From Consultant To Librarian by Susan Sloan (suesloan@aol.com) For many years I was a consultant to large organizations, using my skills in marketing and event planning. Being a consultant offered many benefits, such as a flexible work schedule, an interesting variety of projects, and good pay. There were negatives, however. I was never sure if I would have a job after I completed each project - or even how long each job would last. I didn't receive any benefits, which meant that if I were sick or took a vacation I didn't get paid. Finally, I realized that I just didn't enjoy the work. A former executive at my last job who escaped the corporate world to become a librarian inspired me become a librarian too. What I bring to my new career are the skills I gained in navigating the sometimes treacherous waters of being a corporate consultant. Market Yourself The first and most important lesson I learned as a consultant was to market myself. The only way to get the next job offer was to make sure that I marketed my skills and abilities to those in a position to hire me. How did I do this? After a lot of trial and error, I discovered three techniques that were usually successful: providing excellent service, networking and collaborating, and talking about my accomplishments. Providing excellent service was necessary, because, if I didn't, there was always another consultant ready to take my place. Networking and collaborating was also necessary, but took time and effort. Luckily, part of my job as a consultant was to collaborate with various departments - so I was forced to network and get to know people throughout the organizations in which I worked. It was also how I learned about new opportunities. Finally, talking about my accomplishments was also difficult, but it was the only way to demonstrate my value to potential employers. Rather than bragging, I began to see discussing my accomplishments in terms of demonstrating my passion for the work. When you are truly passionate about what you do, it is contagious, and makes other people want to work with you. Most librarians recognize the importance of marketing their collections, programs, databases and services, but generally never consider marketing themselves. If you have ever looked at your library's budget, you know that the largest line item by far is salaries and benefits. That is only one of the many reasons it is so important for librarians to market themselves, both inside and outside the library, to administrations, patrons, and colleagues. No one is likely to demonstrate your value for you. Providing excellent service and networking are natural ways to market yourself. Talking about your accomplishments is much more difficult for many people, but you are the only one who can do this. Always accept a compliment, and never say: "It was nothing." If you are passionate about your projects and your area of expertise, you will never be perceived as a braggart, but rather as enthusiastic and professional. Marketing yourself doesn't have to be an intimidating task; it is simply a matter of demonstrating your value. Do Anything Several years ago I worked for a woman who would routinely ask me to drive her to the train station. At first I was insulted that she would ask me to perform such a menial task, as if I were her chauffeur. After a while, I realized that, if she wanted to pay me to drive her to the train station, there was no reason I should care. I was being paid by the hour, and I was billing the company for the time it took to drive her. Once I lightened up, I also realized that she was using the driving time to check on the status of projects I was working on and that I could use the time to bounce ideas off of her and to get her approval on their various aspects. Whenever I am confronted with a task that might be considered menial, I remember this story, and try to find the meaning behind the menial. As a consultant I was being paid to do anything that was required to get the job done. I am not advocating doing things that you find morally offensive, but shelving books, moving furniture, and cleaning up after a program are all ways to learn more about your library, do your job, and help your co-workers. Do anything (within reason) that shows that you are a team player and that you are willing to find value in any task. Be Positive When I was a consultant, probably because of my status as an outsider, everyone complained to me about everything. They complained about their boss, their co-workers, the bad management practices, and even the food in the cafeteria. I tried not to complain back, because I was not really part of the organization - and I truly was grateful just to have a job. The complaining did, however, affect me. It weighed me down, and I got to see how destructive all the complaining really could be to morale, productivity, and job satisfaction. That is why I always try to maintain a positive attitude and complain as little as possible. It's not really possible to never complain, and sometimes complaining can even be fun or cathartic, but overall maintaining a positive outlook is better for you and everyone around you. At first glance, my former careers had nothing to do with being a librarian, but past experiences have been extremely helpful to me in my new career. Being a consultant taught me how to market myself in ways that felt natural and comfortable. I learned to leave my ego at the door and do anything that was necessary to get the job done. Finally, I learned the importance of being positive, both for my own mental well-being and for the benefit of my career. Susan Sloan is an Adult and Young Adult Reference Librarian at North Babylon Public Library. She was a trade show and conference manager and then a corporate consultant before discovering what she wanted to be when she grew up. She can be reached at suesloan@aol.com. ======== *** Have technology responsibilities in your library? Check out The Accidental Systems Librarian! Information and links online at http://www.lisjobs.com/tasl/ . ======== Those Who Can, Teach, Too: Using Teaching Skills As a Cataloger by Naomi Young (amethystmenace@gmail.com) Until recently, I was reluctant to tell people that my first career was as a special education teacher. It seemed like such a stereotype: burned out teachers become librarians. Then there was the old saying, "Those who can, do; those who can't, teach." If I had found I couldn't even teach, where did that leave me? With one brief exception, I've always worked as a cataloger, although I've usually had some public service responsibilities. I was always especially happy when an education student came to the reference desk. Occasionally, I had the opportunity to teach a bibliographic instruction session. Beyond that, I thought my teaching skills would never again be of much use. Expect the Unexpected Then, our libraries embarked on a system migration. We were moving from a mainframe system to a client-server system. Staff members would be working in a Windows environment for the first time, and we would be implementing the MARC Format for Holdings. At the same time, our campus HR system and OCLC were also undergoing drastic changes. Suddenly, none of us knew how to do our jobs. We had always claimed to be a "learning organization;" now our survival depended on it. I became part of the university-wide training group. I would be the primary trainer for MARC holdings, and a backup trainer for cataloging and serials modules. I was at ease and enjoying my job more than ever before - and many of my colleagues weren't. My undergraduate degree and my teaching experience made the difference. The teaching skills that have served me so well fall into these broad categories: classroom management skills, task and concept analysis, and positive reinforcement. My colleagues are intelligent people, but they often leave training or instructional programs they've created feeling frustrated, rather than exhilarated. Their lack of teaching skills has hurt them. Transferable Teaching Techniques The first thing people mentioned to me was my ease in getting in front of a group to teach, even when the network went down mid- lesson, or the room was ice-cold. Five years of teaching "captive audiences" of disaffected teenagers was the key. I'd seen worse. I had no fear that a colleague would get up in the middle of my discussion and shout, "Where's the beef?" No one in my training sessions has tried to carve up or throw the furniture. (A few, though, have logged into their e-mail or gone to sleep!) Instructing adults who (for the most part) wanted to learn new skills was a treat, not a threat. But, I still needed my classroom management skills. I had to motivate students, watch closely to see when I was losing their attention, and stare down side conversations when class was due to begin. Other useful skills included task analysis, which involves breaking a large task into its components of smaller, simpler steps. Anyone who has ever coached someone in a step-by-step activity has performed a task analysis; it helps to write those steps on paper. Through task analysis, I could design individualized instruction that skipped over steps the learners already knew. I could also group tasks that require similar skills into one lesson segment. Concept analysis is similar, but, instead of listing activities, I listed important concepts and the ideas underlying them. For example, the most important elements in understanding the MARC Format for Holdings are the paired fields (85X and 86X). To understand how those fields are constructed, one must first understand the terms pattern and caption, and how tags, indicators and subfields are used in a MARC record. The branch library staff often needed instruction on the structure of MARC fields, but understood caption and pattern before the monographic catalogers did, since they handled dozens of serial issues a day. Knowing which ideas were most important, and which needed to be understood first, helped me structure coherent lessons. Finally, I want to say a few words about positive reinforcement. This phrase evokes images of lab pigeons pecking a button, but I mean something more human: people who are appreciated do more, and do it better. Rewards are individual; what makes one person feel appreciated makes another feel patronized or manipulated. I'm surprised at how much a sincere "good job on this" means to me. I'm not asking anyone to make up flattery. Just let people know when they are doing a good job. Developing Teaching Skills I never took a public speaking class, but my friends who have are at least as comfortable in front of groups as I am. Another option is joining a Toastmasters Group; their web site is: http://www.toastmasters.org . Many people have performed task analysis; they just don't call it that. Writing computer programs requires a kind of task analysis, since computers only do what we tell them to do, not what we mean to tell them to do. Macros require determining every keystroke and computer action. To test a task analysis, ask a friend to follow the listed steps exactly. The results will show where steps are missing or actions are assumed. It's amusing to watch, as well! To sketch out a basic concept analysis, write down the ideas that will be understood by everyone who completes the course. More than three or four key points is too much for a one-hour session. It's vital to know the minimum time it will take to cover the material. Each team in our training group taught its draft lessons to the rest of the group in the actual classroom we'd be using. As a result, we taught more classes, with fewer new concepts in each. Discovering that my instructional skills are important to my success in my current position has given me a new view of my past and my present. I no longer think of answering questions or writing documentation as an intrusion; they are the core of my work. Naomi Young is Principal Serials Cataloger for the Smathers Libraries at the University of Florida. ======== *** Post your resume online! See http://www.lisjobs.com/resumes.htm for details. ======== Reality Bites by Larry Cooperman (lgc92@yahoo.com) One of my favorite quotes is from historian Will Durant: "Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance." That ignorance, from my point of view, comes from knowing what our personal strengths and weaknesses are in our past occupations and throughout our lives. It can also encompass what we really want to do with our careers in librarianship. For many of us, such as myself, the work world can be a series of trials and errors to search for that elusively perfect job. Rules For Work - and Life! For what it is worth, I would like to propose a modest set of rules from my library (and non-library) life and experiences that other librarians may benefit from: 1) Reality bites - there is no dream job. This point took me a long time to figure out; it may even be a universal trait that people need to go thorough several jobs or take time to discover what they want to do with their lives. After a long stint in administrative work, I received a promotion in my company to plan and manage educational conferences - which I enjoyed doing very much. However, I was burned out on my stressful position after about three years. I had always liked to read and learn, though, and I had enjoyed doing research and found I was good at it. Fortunately, I knew a good friend who suggested that librarianship would be a good fit for me... and the rest is history. But remember that, even in your dream profession, there is no dream job. It may take a while to figure out where in librarianship you fit in, but keep persevering: never stop learning! I had always wanted to work in an educational setting, and, after four years as a librarian in various educational settings, I have found work as one of two media specialists in a large, regional high school. The students and teachers are great and the pace is relaxed - what more could you ask for? 2) Seek and ye shall find... but set a time limit. A corollary to point number 1; there is, in many ways, merit in seeking. Sometimes the search may take a long time. But (and I am guilty of this myself), people also tend to become complacent and let the search take over their lives. Or, they find steady work that can lead to complacency and tedium. Beware of this trap; it can be deadly. In retrospect, I should have acted a little faster in finding what I really wanted to do with my career, but wasn't motivated to do so because I had a safe job. I wasn't mature enough to break out and find what I really wanted to do with my career and with my life. 3) Be patient - with yourself and others. Learning new skills (and learning about yourself along the way) is always painful and difficult; change is too. But if you open yourself up to new experiences and skills, you will become more focused and aware of the world around you and what you want to do. Learning something new about yourself may be discouraging and difficult at first, but it is the ONLY way to learn. I am still learning to be patient, to listen to others' advice, and not to go guns blazing into a new job. Sure, at my new job, I am the new kid on the block, but time and effort won't let me be a kid for long. Keeping an eye on the long view, not carping on petty job aspects, and learning job skills along the way help me retain my sanity! 4) Volunteer, network - get yourself out there. A big issue for many, whether they know what career they want or not, is feeling isolated both professionally and socially. It is hard to get yourself out there to meet other people, but, as Eleanor Roosevelt once said: "You must try to do the thing you think you cannot do." You never know what you can learn or who you can meet if you network, join a club, or go to a career open house. In my old career life, I went to a library school open house and fell in love with the place. I didn't end up with the dream library career I originally thought I wanted, but I earned the degree - and along the way found what I wanted to do in librarianship. One of the best things I did when starting out was to join my local library consortium; I was able to learn job skills as well as meet other librarians and share ideas, learn from them, and just plain vent. Eventually I also served on a committee and presented a session on IT Resources for Librarians. If you live in a state that doesn't have a local library consortium, attend as many professional conferences as you can, not only to learn, but to network with your peers. And, if you're petrified about going out and meeting people, I would suggest joining a local Toastmasters meeting; I did after a disastrous debut in public speaking, and joining boosted my confidence and skills immensely. 5) Have fun and have a positive attitude. I saved the most important point for last; everyone needs to like their work (although maybe not 100%, remembering point 1 above!) and look forward to coming to work everyday. Bringing a sense of fun to work with you not only helps your co-workers and yourself, but your library patrons - they will want to frequent a library with pleasant, helpful staff. Maintaining a positive attitude is not only beneficial for your work but for your health (mental and physical). Working in a library requires a healthy body AND a healthy mind! I am sure there are other points to add, and I challenge you to add more - I want to spur you to do just that. Perhaps every six months, every librarian needs to engage in this kind of reflection! I wish you all the best of luck in your library careers. Larry Cooperman is media specialist at Seminole High School in Sanford, FL. He has previously worked as a librarian at Fidelity Investments and ITT Technical Institute, and reviews multimedia for School Library Journal. ======== *** Find yourself with management responsibilities? Check out The Accidental Library Manager! http://www.lisjobs.com/talm/ ======== What's Online? Recommended Resources "From Engineer to Librarian," by Dave Hook http://www.lisjobs.com/newsletter/archives/jul03dhook.htm "The Internship Bridge," by Stacy Shotsberger http://www.liscareer.com/shotsberger_internship.htm "South Africa: From Human Rights Lawyer to Librarian" http://www.disabilityworld.org/06-08_03/access/southafrica.shtml "Suspicious Minds," by Todd Gilman http://chronicle.com/jobs/2005/03/2005030301c.htm (see also his previous columns on PhD -> librarian at http://chronicle.com/jobs/archive/firstperson/gilman.htm ) "What Are We Doing Right? Why LIS Students Have Chosen Our Profession," by Ellen O'Brien http://marylaine.com/exlibris/xlib133.html ======== *** Professional development opportunities: http://librarycareers.blogspot.com ======== But I Want To Hold It In My Hand! Print Resources Crowley, Bill. Spanning the Theory-Practice Divide In Library and Information Science. Scarecrow, 2005. ISBN 0810851652. $45.00. Purchase from Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0810851652/librarisjobsearc/ Spanning the Theory-Practice Divide in Library & Information Science, by Bill Crowley, is an analysis of the reasons why "faculty-generated scholarship" is often irrelevant, seldom applied, or sometimes unacknowledged by practitioners. The author discusses this "gap" between theoretical and pragmatic worlds from the points of view of practitioners and academics, as well as others outside of campus boundaries. A great deal of time is devoted to dense, somewhat protracted syntheses of a multitude of documented ideas and theories about the "gap" as it applies to the larger academy. The correlation between the conclusions about academia, in general, and the world of library and information science is not always strong, particularly in the first part of the book. This makes one wonder if a better title should have been selected. In later sections, the author identifies and explains a number of problems encountered in library settings, and derives from these experiences a few tidbits for bridging future gaps. The analyses and references will be useful for those conducting research in this area, but the book does not overwhelm with practical suggestions for spanning the divide. Christine Ryan is Electronic Resources Librarian at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. --- Woolls, Blanche, and David Loertscher, eds. The Whole School Library Handbook. ALA Editions, 2004. ISBN: 0-8389-0883-7. $45.00. Purchase from Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0838908837/librarisjobsearc/ Modeled on ALA's bestselling The Whole Library Handbook (ALA Editions, 1998), this 448-page volume is a veritable vertical file of articles from books and professional journals for the school library/media professional. Woolls and Loertscher, both well-known and respected for their extensive contributions to the field, have collected a wealth of resources for the busy practitioner. Readers will find a wide range of advice from experts on how to run a successful school library program, including thought-provoking articles, extensive practical checklists, contact info for organizations and vendors, a listing of names-to-know, resources and strategies to facilitate collaboration and advocacy efforts, essential data, and even arcane trivia. All this info in one volume can be overwhelming to someone new to the field, so I'd recommend using it as a supplement to one of the standard texts in the field, such as Running a School Library Media Center, 2nd edition (Neal-Schuman, 2002), The School Library Media Manager, 3rd edition (Libraries Unlimited, 2004), or even Where Do I Start? A School Library Handbook (Linworth, 2001). Alice Yucht (alice@aliceinfo.org) is retired and now teaches courses for new school librarians while blogging about school/library/life at http://www.aliceinfo.org . ======== 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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