Info Career Trends Sept. 4, 2007 vol. 8, no. 5 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 (Career Options): 1) Editor's Note 2) Career Q&A From the Library Career People (doing consulting work, finding part-time pre-MLS employment) 3) Putting Yourself in the Path of Opportunity 4) Don't Forget Your Para(professional)chute 5) From Junior Services Librarian to President and CEO 6) Librarian Turned Publisher 7) Reflections on Librarian Job Exchanges 8) What's Online? Recommended Resources 9) But I Want To Hold It In My Hand! Reviews: Rethinking Information Work, and Out Front with Stephen Abram 10) Administrivia, Copyright, Subscription, and Removal Instructions ======== Editor's Note Welcome to the beginning of Info Career Trends' eighth year on this planet! Marking this milestone, you'll note a new format -- I've switched over to more robust software, and you'll note some more changes over the next few issues. If you still prefer to read, download, or print the newsletter as one big long plain text file, you can grab that at: http://www.lisjobs.com/newsletter/archives/text/sept07.txt ; you can also subscribe to the RSS feed at http://www.lisjobs.com/newsletter/rss.xml . I'm planning more changes for both ICT and LISjobs.com over the next few months, providing you with more content and more resources for all stages of your library career -- from entering the field, to going to school, to finding a job, to plotting a path. If you have any ideas for additional content you want to see, speak now; e-mail rachel@lisjobs.com with comments or suggestions. This newsletter, as well as job listings at LISjobs.com, will remain free to both job seekers and employers. (As always, find a job: http://www.lisjobs.com/jobs/index.asp or post a job: http://www.lisjobs.com/jobform.asp .) However, I'm currently asking for donations to help support the site's expansion, including its redesign and additional database programming. I can accept these either via PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/xclick/business=rachel%40lisjobs.com or postal mail (payable to Rachel Gordon, c/o LISjobs.com, PO Box 6931, Villa Park, IL 60181). If you've used the site to find a great job or to hire a great employee, or the newsletter to help you develop your library career, please consider it. (And no, not tax deductible!) Want to contribute in a different way? Think about writing for Info Career Trends. I'm currently seeking queries for the January 2008 issue, on keeping up, and March 2008, on setting priorities. E-mail queries outlining your proposed article to editor@lisjobs.com, and see contributor guidelines and more on these themes at http://www.lisjobs.com/newsletter/theme.htm . That all being said, let's get right into the meat of this issue! This month's focus on career options is exciting in that it highlights some of the many paths open to us. When we expand our horizons, we expand our options; today's contributors talk about several ways to do so. Reflecting the range of options open to us, today's topics range from putting yourself in the path of opportunity, to doing post-MLS work as a paraprofessional, to expanding your work outside the library field, to taking part in a job exchange. The shifting nature of information work and the fluidity of the boundaries between what we think of as "librarianship" and the larger world bear thinking about in terms of your own career; here, find some places to start. - Rachel ======== *** GenX? Millennial? Managing people of a different generation than yourself? Check out The NextGen Librarian's Survival Guide! http://www.lisjobs.com/nextgen/ ======== Career Q&A From the Library Career People (librarycareerpeople@lisjobs.com) Q: I have eight years experience working as a school library media specialist at both elementary and secondary levels. I was recently asked to help a private school get their library up to standard (weeding, acquisitions, cataloging, etc.). I have offered to act as a library consultant to the school for at least the next year, possibly long term. How do I determine my fee? How do I determine how many hours of service I would provide? Can I do this and continue working for the public school system? I have had difficulty finding resources online for setting up a school library consulting service. TA: There are quite a few factors to consider, some of which I may be able to help with, and others you may need to resolve on your own - such as coordinating with your current employer. Before proceeding with your consulting work, you'll need to check to see if it's permitted in your contract, and that it doesn't present any conflicts of interest with your current job. If you're clear to begin, I hope you'll find the following advice helpful: First, some things you need to consider while pulling together your consultant business plan, and secondly, several online resources to help answer some of your questions. First things first: Congrats on the offer of work with this private school. One of my favorite sayings is, "The reward for good work is more work." Most often, it truly is a reward. You've clearly done a good job, and garnered a great deal of respect for your work -- so much so that others are seeking you out for your wisdom and expertise. So, now that you have an offer to help get this school's library up to standard. Where do you start? A logical place to begin might be with an initial consultation and survey of the materials. Try to size up the type of work that will need to be done and estimate how long it will take. Be sure to make a comprehensive list of the work required, and an accurate and honest appraisal of the time required. Just as with any other project, you'll want to know the guidelines and framework before starting. Once you have a reasonable idea of what needs to be done, you want to think about your billing structure. Will you be charging by the hour, or will you charge on a project basis? It seems natural to charge on an hourly basis, especially since your work may continue past this original project, but first consider all the factors. To get a sense of what to charge, I would suggest a review of the market. Look at the pricing models of similar businesses in the local area or region. You may be able to get some assistance with identifying peers from your local business bureau, chamber of commerce, or even ALA. Also, when setting your fee, don't forget about the costs that are usually assumed by the employer when working in a larger organization, such as fringe benefits (health insurance, retirement) and the overhead costs of doing business (equipment, office supplies, postage). Factor these relevant costs into your hourly rate. Next, review the project proposal with the client. Go over the details of the work to be done, the method of billing, and the expectations for payment. Will you receive payment at the end of the project, or be paid in installments? Be sure you have their complete buy-in on the work to be done and rate of pay before proceeding. I would also recommend that you check for any small business development centers or business incubators in your area. (A business incubator provides support to entrepreneurs through services like coaching, networking, and capital.) You may also want to check out your local public library. The Spokane Public Library has an amazing online resource for freelancers and consultants (see Additional Resources) and your public library may offer similar services and expertise. Best of luck with your work. I hope it is a successful and enjoyable venture. Additional Resources Spokane Public Library, Research, Subject Guide: Start Your Own Business http://www.spokanelibrary.org/research/SubjectGuides/startup.asp#fre elancing Excellent site that covers print and online resources on a number of topics related to starting your own consultant services. Also includes information on federal agencies and national organizations for freelancers and consultants. How to Start a Consulting Business http://www.entrepreneur.com/startingabusiness/businessideas/startupk its/article41384.html Pay particular attention to the "Income and Billing" section. Working Solo: The information source for independent entrepreneurs and companies serving the SOHO (Small Office/Home Office) market http://www.workingsolo.com If you decide to do more someday with your new consultant business, lots of resources here... Q: I am a 40-something communications/PR professional with a degree from a well-known university. I am embarking on a mid-life career change and applying to MLS programs with the hopes of starting school in January. The problem is that I have never worked in a library and would like to work part-time as I get my degree. I've applied for about 20 different positions in the last two months that don't require an MLS and have received no interviews. I'm applying for jobs in the $8-$15 hour range, which is a big pay cut for me, but I'm more than willing to start at the bottom. I know that some may feel that I'm overqualified, but I clearly explain my motivations in my cover letter. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! SM: I applaud your efforts to get a taste of the profession and its day-to-day work before you begin library school, and admire your willingness to take a pay cut to get (much needed) experience. Many people are unable to do just that. We have stated many times in this column that any library experience you get before or during your time in library school can be crucial to finding a job once you get your degree. Also, working in the profession while getting your library degree will only enhance your studies and help you to decide on an area of specialization. Since I do not know what kind of positions you are applying for, and I have not read your cover letters, I can only guess as to the reasons why you are not getting interviews. As you mentioned, potential employers probably do see you as overqualified for the position because of your extensive work experience and knowing that you would be taking a severe pay cut (e.g., does this make you seem desperate?). However, other applicants may have previous library experience, which (in some cases) would make them more qualified for that particular position. Also, potential employers, knowing that you are going to start library school, might see you as a transitory -- as someone who is not all that serious about the position at hand, seeking any experience in order to bide time while getting a degree. Employers don't like to fill positions with people they know are going to leave quickly, and they often do not like to fill paraprofessional positions with professionals. Even though you do not have the degree, they might view you as a "librarian," since you are on your way to becoming one. To get past these obstacles, write your cover letter carefully. Stating that you are interested in the profession and plan on getting your library degree is not enough to get you the job -- or even an interview (as you're finding out). I wouldn't take that out of your cover letter; it is important to your motivation and addresses the larger context of the position, but doesn't hold as much weight as you may think. Focus more heavily on the job description and your transferable skills. For example, if the position is in public services, your communications background will come in handy. Use concrete examples of how you might excel at a given position because of your prior work experience. This helps potential employers see you as the right person for the position and your interest in the profession then becomes an added bonus. If you're focusing on one type of position (reference, circulation), or one type of library (academic), maybe you need to widen your search. Even if you know you want to be an academic librarian, it won't hurt you at this point to work in a public library, or a special library. Any experience will be beneficial to you as you begin library school, and any library job will be a stepping stone to that next position, and the next, and so on. Many library positions in both academic libraries and public libraries require you to fill out applications (some online) and/or take civil service exams. Find out if this is the case with positions you are interested in. If you want to work in an academic library, you might want to wait until you are enrolled in classes, so that you can apply for student jobs at your school. Also, think about volunteering at a library, which could lead to a job; or doing an internship, which could be arranged through your library school. If you haven't done so yet, talk to someone at the career development office at your school. They might be able to help you find something, or provide you with job leads in your area. Don't give up hope, you will find a position. I started from the bottom up, and my diverse experiences along the way have provided me with invaluable skills and knowledge. I have become a better, and more well-rounded, librarian than if I would have started somewhere in the middle. Helpful Articles "Getting Started: Employment Opportunities for Graduate Students in Library and Information Programs" by Charlie Potter and Shelly Franklin http://www.liscareer.com/potterfranklin_employment.htm "Reasons Why People Don't Get the Job" by Sean Duffy http://www.jinfo.com/newsletter/Jinfo-Newsletter-135.pdf "Making Your Cover Letter Work For You" by Tiffany Eatman Allen and Richard A. Murray http://www.liscareer.com/allenmurray_coverletters.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 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. ======== *** Find a library job! http://www.lisjobs.com ======== Putting Yourself in the Path of Opportunity by Kim Dority (kimdority@gkdority.com) Creating a dynamic career takes a mix of good luck, hard work, and an ability to position yourself smack in the middle of the "path of opportunity" -- that spot where cool new things are happening, and someone needs to take charge. If that's where you'd like to be, consider the following four actions to get things moving. Get Visible One of the biggest challenges in growing your career is getting people to be aware of you, to know who you are and what you can contribute. The best way to overcome anonymity is to get yourself on people's radar before you want to approach them for a job or a project. You want to become visible to them in a neutral setting (i.e., one where they're not being asked to make a decision about your value) so they have a chance to be impressed without you having to tell them how terrific you are. Remember that line from creative writing class, "Don't tell me, show me?" It's a similar concept here. How to accomplish this? First, volunteer. Every time you have a chance to demonstrate your information expertise, people skills, and willingness to go the extra mile, you've just registered with your fellow volunteers (and the project leaders) as someone of distinction. In addition, if you're volunteering your information skills in a non-LIS environment, you'll usually be the only person the rest of the team knows who can figure out how to research/gather/organize/deploy information. This not only makes you a very valuable addition to the volunteer group, it also means you'll be the person your fellow volunteers think to call if they need an information person in their work environment. Second, consider creating an online resume for one of the professional social networking sites, for example, LinkedIn ( http://www.linkedin.com ). Although LinkedIn is intended to support power networking activities, many of us use it instead as a place to post a publicly available, beefed-up resume. Although I have a web site for my book ( http://www.rethinkinginformationwork.com ) that includes my bio, my LinkedIn profile is easier to get to and more specific regarding the kinds of work/projects I'm interested in. It also allows me to highlight key professional themes and interests. If I meet someone who would like to know more about me, my LinkedIn profile showcases the strengths I'd like to emphasize without me having to bend their ear with a snarky elevator speech. Third, create opportunities to write or speak or otherwise contribute meaningful information to the LIS community. Write or present about something that interests you and about which you've made the effort to become informed; readers will associate your name with that topic, and with an expertise in that area. This builds both your credibility and your visibility -- and, you never know who's going to be in the audience, looking for someone with just the expertise you're demonstrating. Monitor Your Environment In order to be standing in the path of opportunity, you have to have at least some idea where it might be coming from. The best way to do this is to engage in an ongoing environmental scan, or monitoring of print and online resources, as well as paying attention to what people are talking about at conferences and around the water cooler or circ desk. Think magazines and journals, blogs, lists, e- newsletters, and podcasts; and, if you can't make it to conferences, conference programs posted on the web. Whether print or online, it helps to read, not just LIS resources, but also material from such areas as business, marketing, technology, demographics, science, psychology, and social issues. These resources offer two benefits: first, no matter what sort of LIS work you do, it's likely that changes and/or trends in one or more of these areas will sooner or later impact your career, and second, sometimes an idea that comes out of, say, the business world has resonance in a non-business setting. Perhaps you can apply it to create an innovative solution or new opportunity. As you do your environmental scan, keep in mind that opportunities almost always result from some sort of change. So as you read, keep an eye out for changes that may seem small at the time but will grow to have a larger impact. To quote management guru Peter Drucker: "I never predict. I just look out the window and see what's visible -- but not yet seen." Be Prepared to Act Just as chance favors the prepared mind (thank you, Louis Pasteur), opportunity favors the prepared LIS professional. Train yourself to deal positively with change, so that you're able to put your energy into responding to opportunity rather than into resisting the changes headed your way. Consider experimenting now with changes that you create, in order to get used to your change process. That way you'll be in a much better position to shift your energy from a negative to a positive response when change opens up new opportunities. Make sure you've created a personal brand that showcases you as a positive professional who is energized by new challenges. You want to be the person who springs to mind when a new initiative is being considered, because you have demonstrated through your actions and attitudes that you are capable, responsible, and thrive on challenge. Lastly, if your environmental scanning has identified some potential emerging opportunities you'd like to pursue, do a skills analysis to see if you need to pick up more education in order to meet the requirements for the position you might seek. If you need it, go get it. Take the Initiative Opportunity may be driven by change, but change also drives other less positive outcomes -- like our duck-and-cover response. But this is no time to duck; as Alan Watts pointed out, "The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance." What the heck, why not step forward and offer to lead the dance? Pull together a team; develop innovative solutions; chart a new path. Don't wait to be asked to participate; take the initiative to meet the opportunity. And, if none seems to be looming on the horizon? Don't be afraid to create your own. Kim Dority is the president of Dority & Associates, Inc., an information strategy and projects company. In addition, she teaches a course for the University of Denver LIS program on alternative LIS career paths, and is the author of Rethinking Information Work: A Career Guide for Librarians and Other Information Professionals (Libraries Unlimited, 2006; http://www.rethinkinginformationwork.com ). Ed.: read a review of Dority's book later in this issue. ======== *** Need some encouragement on writing for publication? http://www.lisjobs.com/pub4lib/ ======== Don't Forget Your Para(professional)chute Katrina McPherson (kmcpher@uwo.ca) I earned my MLS from a university whose program pumps out at least 30 librarians every 4 months. The market for professional librarians in this area is glutted, to say the least. I knew I wanted to stay in the area, and I also knew I wanted to have a career in librarianship. How to reconcile these two uneasy friends? I decided that the way to success would involve working my way up the system, so I accepted a position as a library assistant at the university. As it turns out, I don't think I could have made a better decision for my librarian skill set! I learned a multitude of skills and had a number of experiences that I might never have had, had I jumped right into a professional position. Many librarians never get the chance to fully experience what a paraprofessional does. Over the 1.5 years I have worked as a paraprofessional, I have discovered exactly how many valuable library skills these positions involve. Behind the Scenes Librarians are professionals. This often means they "miss out" on some of the more elementary tasks. As a library assistant who has worked in both circulation and reference, I can tell you that there is no substitute for actually being in the library trenches. I have bar-coded, I have fought about fines, I have removed jammed paper from the bowels of innumerable machines, I have processed interlibrary loans -- and then processed more interlibrary loans! You might say, so what? How would that ever impact a future career as a professional librarian? First, I'm now much less likely to be caught off guard with a question from a patron. Yes, a professional librarian is there to answer the really hairy, in-depth research questions, but if you can't answer authoritatively about how long their interlibrary loan is going to take (and why!), you're going to lose a lot of credibility. Patrons do not clearly realize the differences between a paraprofessional and a professional, and few would be interested in a conversation about why you cannot do certain things. If you have both skill sets, patrons experience a seamless interaction. People like the one-stop shopping phenomenon. No one likes to be shuttled back and forth through services. If I'm helping a patron, I can help them with nearly everything. Librarians are information mavens; it doesn't do to be unable to answer the seemingly "easier" questions. I am not advocating for librarians to take over paraprofessional jobs, but it is a nice ace to have in the hole. Patron Knowledge What's most important to librarians? The patron, of course! My work behind the circulation and reference desk has given me close contact with scads of patrons. I have a strong feel for our user groups, their needs, wants and whims. Yes, a professional librarian has contact with his or her users, but not on the level and quantity that a service desk employee has the pleasure of experiencing (OK, sometimes not so pleasurable, but always informative!). Lucky Ducks So what can those MLS graduates who went straight to the world of professional librarianship take from this? Obviously, not every librarian is going to begin their career the way that I did. Spending a bit more time with your paraprofessional colleagues, though, can help you learn many of these skills. Realizing that those in the often less-glorious positions have a number of valuable skills important to you can go a long way to brushing up your library basics and fostering excellent staff relations. Why not suggest an information sharing session? Have key players from your paraprofessional departments give the professional staff a run-through of the highlights. The professional staff could similarly take this opportunity to make sure the front line staff know about their special qualifications and skills. Or, even have a "shadowing" day where staff members watch and help each other work to learn new skills and gain a better understanding of various library jobs and functions. Final Thoughts My experience as a full-time paraprofessional in a large university library system has shaped my future as a librarian. I feel comfortable with the ins and outs of a number of services that I otherwise might only have a theoretical knowledge of. Having physically participated in these services, I can more effectively help patrons, I more fully understand their needs, and I feel that I am a much more well rounded librarian. Katrina McPherson has recently been appointed the Resource Coordinator for the Career Centre @ Western in London, Ontario. ======== *** Love the newsletter? Make a PayPal donation to its upkeep: https://www.paypal.com/xclick/business=rachel%40lisjobs.com ======== From Junior Services Librarian to President and CEO by Veronica L. C. Stevenson-Moudamane (vstevens@danburylibrary.org) It's common knowledge that the "traditional" librarian must be continuously redefined. As the realm of information and how it is obtained changes, so too do its workers. Many information professionals are also no longer content with working for the love of the craft, but are insisting upon elevated recognition for their education and the actual value of services rendered -- both within their specific disciplines and in the world beyond. Me! A President and CEO? As with most other professional disciplines waging a battle over pay equity, increased recognition of the value we add to our workplace translates into requests for increased levels of financial compensation. With the fresh smell of the professional value debate in the air, many of today's traditional "not-for-profit" MLS holders are discovering innovative ways in which their degree can turn their expert skills of gathering, analyzing, organizing and synthesizing information into real, "for-profit" dollars. Admittedly, I am one of them. I was determined not to forsake my education and years of experience in the field of information science for a higher paying position in another discipline. Rather, I chose to parlay my knowledge and expertise into a position that would allow me to continue practicing within the field that I love, while also allowing me to claim a share of the global dollars available to anyone willing to work for them. So, with a well developed company proposal, an engineering-savvy partner, start-up capital, and a little luck, I recently bit the bullet and co-founded a telecommunications company. We specialize in engineering and plastics molding consultation, light manufacturing assembly, and distribution of communication technologies within the 2-way radio industry. Using Your MLS to Market What You Know Naturally, if you're looking to open your own company in the telecommunications industry (or any other non-MLS industry), it will help if you either have educational experience in the field, personal knowledge of how the industry operates, or a network of contacts within the industry whom you can partner. In my case, it was the latter. Since 2001, I've worked as a contracts researcher for a rechargeable batteries company in New York, and have developed an excellent working knowledge of the industry. As a researcher, my responsibilities included searching for upcoming U.S. and international vendor shows in which the company could submit applications for participation for product demonstrations, searching for local and state government bidding opportunities in which my company could submit their bids for possible state contracts, and searching for federal government contract opportunities. Other duties includeed researching the product lines of my company's competitors. This helped my company remain knowledgeable about what their competitors in the industry were producing, of products being redesigned, and of products being newly developed for market introduction. It also didn't hurt to discover which competitors' products weren't doing well on the open market, so that my company could interject a creative edge and try to be the first to get a product on the market that both worked and suited buyers' needs. Getting the scoop, if you will, on my company's competitors was highly valued, and almost always netted me a sizeable year-end financial bonus for my efforts -- at least in comparison to my full- time civil service position. I can safely admit that, as of this writing, I've not had the pleasure of receiving a financial bonus of any kind from a library. While many corporate headhunters may not automatically include information specialists on their recruitment roster, if they want to remain informationally competent, they soon realize that they need us badly -- and are willing to offer competitive packages for skilled researchers. Current and reliable information serves as the core for most successful businesses, regardless of their tax classification. Since I was fairly skilled at obtaining the results my company desired, and still pondering how to carve out a share of the world's available dollars, the words "market what you know" came to me. VLCS Consulting, L.L.C. was born. So What Does an MLS Telecommunications CEO Actually Do? Admittedly, an engineer I am not. However, it takes hundreds of hours of discovery research and information gathering to start and maintain one's own company, and that's where my skills and expertise are best deployed. My duties as President and CEO of a telecommunications company include, but are not limited to: 1. Identifying small business opportunities within my company's certified region. 2. Identifying government contracts for small businesses and minority-owned businesses within my industry for which my company could compete. 3. Identifying private, state and/or federal grants for small businesses that will help grow my company base. 4. Identifying a qualified board of directors to assist in guiding my company, increasing its visibility, and supporting its economic growth. 5. Hiring qualified engineers for product development, manufacturing line workers and machinists for product assembly, and departmental managers who will aid in developing company policies, job descriptions and competitive pay levels and employee packages. 6. Hiring qualified regional and national sales representatives to market my company's services and products. 7. Identifying regional and/or national shows where my company can display its products and promote its services. 8. Contracting a reputable accounting firm to maintain the company's tax records, financial expenditures, and accounts. 9. Organizing weekly meetings with staff to review project status and pending projections. 10. Networking! Networking! Networking! Many of the accounts that are secured are not based upon a company's marketable products, but on the relationships developed over time between contracts executives. So Many Information Needs, So Many Opportunities As information professionals, our opportunities for employment outside the traditional library are limitless. Whether you're interested in financial growth or looking for avenues to flex the boundaries of your MLS degree, there's virtually a sea of possibilities available where your information retrieval skills are direly needed. From the world of software research, to pharmaceutical research, to international diplomacy research, to organizational fundraising research, information specialists will always be needed to help businesses do what they do. Veronica L. C. Stevenson-Moudamane is the Junior Services Librarian for the City of Danbury (CT) and President and CEO of VLCS Consulting, L.L.C. ======== *** Have technology responsibilities in your library? Check out The Accidental Systems Librarian! http://www.lisjobs.com/tasl/ . ======== Librarian Turned Publisher by Spring Lea Ellorien Henry (slh@springlea.com) In November 2005, I thought my relationship with libraries was, sadly, coming to an end. After 11 years, health reasons forced me to quit working in a public library. That next year of recovery was one of sorrow and fear as I lamented the MLS degree (not even paid off yet!) I would no longer use, the loss of all those years of networking with other professionals, and most of all, giving up my work as a teen advocate. Towards the end of that year, I thought I would try something my health would let me do: be a stay-at-home publisher with my husband as a business partner. Even more brilliantly, I decided to make my company goal to become the premier place for publishing teen-created art and writing. After only eight months in business, we have a name (The Grumpy Dragon), a slogan (Dream big! We'll help.), one book already in print, and about a dozen projects in the works. I was surprised at how quickly this all came about. But the bigger surprise to me was how well my career as a librarian prepared me to be a publisher and how intensely my relationship with libraries would continue in this new incarnation. Library Experience, Publishing Success My library work began in technical services. At that small branch, I pretty much was the whole department, with only one assistant to help me process books. Being an acquisitions manager helped me to understand the publishing industry from a buyer's perspective. I learned about how reviews can boost book sales, what kind of marketing gets people's attention, how distribution works, and how important clean cataloging is so that folks can find what they are looking for. I learned about the value of an ISBN, what a typical book of a certain size costs, and which types of bindings hold up better over time -- and learned how important it is to make the book look interesting at first glance. This was all gained through my daily experiences ordering, processing, and cataloging books, as well as checking them out to patrons. While earning my master's degree during this time, I had the opportunity to tour a distribution warehouse and see firsthand what occurs before a book lands in the hands of a buyer. This knowledge is invaluable to me as a publisher because I can make informed decisions when it comes to things like binding, marketing, and distributing a new title. In my next position, I worked as a youth librarian with an emphasis on services to teens. These experiences helped me to find my passion in helping teens develop into successful adults. I liked my job best when I was actively interacting with the teens, especially when helping them express themselves. I started a Young Writers Guild and nurtured it to the point where we published two art and literature magazines, one of which was a highlight of a branch grand opening. During this same time, I also served as editor for the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) quarterly newsletter. All those editing experiences really honed my layout skills and taught what it takes to get a project ready to go to press. Because I handled all the go-between with the printer, I learned how to make sure my electronic file had all the necessary components to create a polished hard copy. Continuing to Connect With Teens But, more than the editing and technical skills, I learned how to connect with teens. This is something I still incorporate with The Grumpy Dragon. Not only are we actively seeking teen art and writing to publish, as evidenced by our recently announced nationwide contest, but I also teach teen creative writing workshops in libraries around Colorado. My summer docket was full of appointments, and I am so excited about having touched all those lives. I'm looking forward to Teen Read Week when I expect to have a few more workshops. And recently, one library even contacted me about coming once a month to run a Young Writers Guild for them! In leaving my old post at the library, I have not abandoned teens, but rather made myself accessible to even more of them by now being able to go to multiple libraries. My professional network still holds a place for me as well. I recently attended a C'YAAL meeting (Colorado Young Adult Advocates in Libraries) where I gave a presentation on how to run role-playing games in the library. I plan on continuing a relationship with these folks so that I can remain aware of ongoing projects they are doing and come up with ways The Grumpy Dragon can help. If we eventually get to the point where our profits are high enough, I would also like to be a sponsor for some C'YAAL projects. Being an editor and publisher feeds my soul more deeply than any other job I have held, but being able to connect with teens and help them grow is a big part of that satisfaction. I would not have been able to start this business or make it a success without my experiences in and continued relationship with libraries. Spring Lea Ellorien Henry works as partner, editor, presenter, and business partner for The Grumpy Dragon, a publishing company she started with her husband. This move comes after 11 years in libraries, first at Southern Peaks Public Library then at Philip S. Miller Public Library. It was in libraries she learned her passion for teen services, and now, in publishing, she's working to help teens in her own unique way. Visit Spring Lea at http://www.GrumpyDragon.com , where the company slogan is: Dream big! We'll help. ======== *** Automate your job search with RSS feeds: http://www.lisjobs.com/jobfeeds.htm ======== Reflections on Librarian Job Exchanges by Dr. Samuel Brown (SBrown@nvcc.commnet.edu) "I wonder what it would be like to work someplace else?" How many of us have asked ourselves this question? Usually, the only way to find out is by leaving one job and starting another. An increasing number of librarians, however, are finding out what it is like to work someplace else -- without leaving their jobs -- by taking part in a job exchange. This arrangement lets a participant trade places for a set period of time, typically from one to six months, with someone who has similar responsibilities. People seek a job exchange for a variety of reasons, such as needing a change of scenery, wanting to expand social networks, or looking for a broader perspective on the profession. Having taken part in a job exchange with an academic library director in England in 2001, I was curious to find out how others have fared in their exchanges. I developed a list of 114 published accounts of librarian job exchanges that have appeared in journal articles and on web sites since 1980. The greatest number of exchanges took place between librarians in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. Exchanges between academic institutions predominated, followed by exchanges between public libraries. I found e-mail addresses for 61 of the authors and received 35 responses to the following questions: What would you have done differently? What was the most important thing you learned (about yourself, the job, etc.)? What impact, if any, did the exchange have on you or your career? What were the positive and negative aspects to the exchange? What are your recommendations for librarians considering a job exchange? Rather than concentrate on the responses to each question, I have grouped them into themes: Preparations, Job issues, Social/Cultural issues, Living arrangements, and Impact of the exchange. Preparations Finding an exchange partner was often done by sending out e-mail enquiries or through LIBEX ( http://www.cilip.org.uk/jobscareers/libex ), an international library and information job exchange. Respondents highly recommended meeting the exchange partner beforehand, or at the very least developing an extensive e-mail correspondence. Tasks associated with arranging the exchange often took a year, which was longer than the six month stay of most exchanges. Many people kept their own salaries and had both parties sign a contract listing who would pay for utilities and other items. "Make sure all the i's are dotted and the t's are crossed before exchanging homes and jobs. Be absolutely certain what is expected of you, and what you expect of your exchange partner in both the domestic and working environments." Along with exchanging cars came the advice to have one's insurance company adjust the policy accordingly. It was also important to have a friend on hand to keep an eye on things and to be there in case of any problems. Modest thank-you gifts were handy to give out to those people and others who helped you or invited you to their homes for dinner. Job issues Obtaining support from supervisors and colleagues was key to the success of any exchange, as was having clear goals and objectives for what you wanted to achieve, being flexible for adapting to unexpected conditions, and ensuring that the jobs were comparable. "A job exchange is always something that leaps out to a potential employer when they look at your resume. It says a lot about your willingness to try new things and take risks." A common thread among many of the responses was how similar libraries are around the world, and how transferable our skills are to other locales. People described their experiences in terms like: Career renewal, rejuvenating, refreshing, refocusing, new perspective, professional development, and learned new things. Social/Cultural issues Developing long-term friendships was mentioned over and over again as a benefit of the exchanges. Friends were made through work and by joining church and cultural groups. Living side by side with those from a different culture enhanced cultural literacy, especially if one was as fluent as possible in the language of the host country. "Talk to the bin man. Make friends with the newspaper vendor. You'd be amazed at what helpful, informed people they are. You are not a tourist, you are living there." Travel on weekends, vacation days and pre- and post-exchange also served to increase cultural exposure. Living arrangements Exchanging homes was the most common arrangement. This often included taking care of pets, watering plants, and seeing to other day-to-day necessities in the home. "She not only stayed in my house but took care of my cat so that was one less thing to worry about." Although there were not usually housing costs, cost-of-living and exchange rate differences in the two locations often placed a larger financial burden on one party than the other. Impact of the exchange Personal and professional growth were by far the largest impacts of the exchanges. This included increased confidence, seeing oneself in a new light, motivation to try new things, being better able to face challenges, more flexibility and adaptability, seeing things from a new perspective, and realizing that there is not necessarily a "best" way to do something. The vast majority of respondents highly recommended an exchange. "Go for it! My exchange was truly one of the high points of my career, and a valuable experience that I often still reflect upon." Librarians are unique in their propensity to exchange jobs with one another. Perhaps this is due to the fact that many skill sets can, with some modifications, be used across a wide variety of libraries. The relative lack of licensing requirements or governmental regulations on how we perform our jobs also means there are less restrictions on working abroad. The end result of so many job exchanges, whatever the reasons, is that the library profession continues to benefit from the cross-cultural experiences of so many of its members. Dr. Samuel R. Brown is Director of Library Services at Naugatuck Valley Community College, Waterbury, CT. USA. During the summer of 2001 he exchanged jobs with the Library Director at Writtle College in Essex County, England. An account of his experiences may be found at: http://www.ctlibraryassociation.org/Newsletters/2001/oct2001.pdf . Ed.: find links to job exchange information: http://www.lisjobs.com/nonus.htm#exchange ======== *** Find professional development opportunities: http://librarycareers.blogspot.com ======== What's Online? Recommended Resources On Career Options Alternative Careers, by Amelia Kassel http://www.lisjobs.com/newsletter/archives/mar05akassel.htm Talks about the author's move to becoming an independent information professional and a course she teaches on alternative careers. Are Students Really Entering Careers in Librarianship? by Terry L. Weech and Alison Scott http://www.ifla.org/IV/ifla71/papers/059e-Weech_Scott.pdf Reports on a study showing few LIS graduates find employment outside of traditional libraries. Attention New Librarians and Career Changers: Identifying and Conveying Transferable Skills, by Julie Todaro http://www.ala-apa.org/newsletter/vol4nospecial/career.html#transfer Talks about the need to identify and nurture sets of skills that apply across multiple types of jobs and institutions. Desperately Seeking the Adaptive Librarian: On the 2.0 Job Description (Part 3), by Michael Stephens http://www.techsource.ala.org/blog/2006/12/desperately-seeking-the- adaptive-librarian-on-the-20-job-description-part-3.html Talks about how "some library jobs have morphed via the impact of technology, social networks, and the shift to our culture of participation." Places an MLS Can Take You, by Linda K. Wallace http://www.ala.org/ala/hrdr/careersinlibraries/al_mls.pdf An American Libraries article on varied careers for MLS holders. To find a path for your career embrace instability, by Penelope Trunk http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/03/04/to-find-a-path-for-your- career-embrace-instability/ Talks about ways to explore different options and become comfortable with the idea of shifting between careers. Where to from here: Career directions for Librarians, by Prathiba Naran http://conferences.alia.org.au/tafe2001/papers/prathiba.naran.html "I will explore the environment of change in libraries and how technological innovation and the accompanying changes in work practices have impacted on the career paths of librarians. The traditional role of librarians as collectors, organisers, custodians and disseminators of information is today less appropriate than before. Library staff are now regarded as resource people, acting as advisors, consultants and facilitators..." ======== *** Management Responsibilities? Check out The Accidental Library Manager: http://www.lisjobs.com/talm/ . ======== But I Want To Hold It In My Hand! Book Reviews Dority, G. Kim, Rethinking Information Work: A Career Guide for Librarians and Other Information Professionals. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited, 2006. ISBN: 159158180X. $38.00. Rethinking Information Work is an excellent guide for LIS students and practitioners alike. Dority leads the reader through the self analysis necessary to determine the most personally fulfilling information work, while outlining the varied careers paths one can take as an information professional. Dority includes guidance on reframing one's skills in creating a professional portfolio, and explains the importance of creating a portfolio-approach resume to demonstrate transferable skills to future employers. The guide's strength lies in the many resources, tools, and activities within each chapter to help the reader create a focused career plan. This guide is more than just a tool to begin the process of career exploration, it will become a resource to which readers can turn throughout their career to assist them in accomplishing their career goals. Heather R. Williams is Copyright Specialist and Rights Management Coordinator, Emory University Libraries. Ed.: Also see Dority's article in this issue. --- Siess, Judith A. and Jonathan Lorig (eds.) Out Front with Stephen Abram: A Guide for Information Leaders. Chicago: ALA Editions, 2007. ISBN 0-8389-0932-9. $40.00. Stephen Abram, Vice President of Innovation at library automation firm SirsiDynix and President-Elect of the Special Libraries Association, is a leading speaker and writer on library issues and trends. Editors Siess and Lorig have combed through Abram's many published articles, blog posts, speeches, and presentations to assemble this first-of-its-kind collection of his work. The entries are collected under four broad themes: Advocacy, Technology, Communities and Generations, and The Future. Highlights include a reprint of Abram's popular article "The Value of Libraries," several posts from the blog Stephen's Lighthouse, and a new essay on Abram's own Millennial offspring written specifically for this volume. A selected bibliography of Abram's work and a list of further suggested reading round out the book. There is advice here for librarians in institutions of every type and size, and Abram's innovative ideas and vision for the future of libraries are sure to provoke discussion. A worthwhile read. Danielle Pollock is the librarian for the Missouri Department of Transportation. --- Like these reviews? Think about writing your own. The following titles are currently available for review: 1) A School Library Media Specialist's Guide to Success, by Ruth Toor and Hilda K. Weisburg 2) Academic Librarianship by Design: A Blended Librarian's Guide to the Tools and Techniques, by Steven J. Bell and John D. Shank 3) Fundamentals of Information Studies, 2nd ed., by June Lester and Wallace C. Koehler, Jr. 4) Management Basics for Information Professionals, 2nd ed., by G. Edward Evans and Patricia Layzell Ward Interested? E-mail editor@lisjobs.com with the title you'd like, and a paragraph on why. ======== 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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