May 04 2009
by Brenna Helmstutler (brenna@gsu.edu)
Librarians just starting out often think ahead to where they want to be in 3-5 years, whether this is self-imposed or part of a formal goal-setting process with a supervisor. This may involve setting a goal to advance to a mid-level management position or achieving a certain level of success without official [...]
Mar 02 2009
by Kim Dority
Rethinking Information Careers covers career alternatives and strategies for information professionals. Find ideas for your own career path and learn to think more broadly about what information work entails. Recent columns address:
The Starter Job: Or, Why You Should Consider that Job in Smalltown, USA
Kim’s column is on vacation in March — check back [...]
Mar 02 2009
by Carol Howe
Whenever I tell people I’m a librarian, they say “Oh, that’s wonderful! You must really love books!” My own father thinks that my only job responsibility is suggesting crime novels and popular science fiction to avid readers. I do, in fact, like books, but that has nothing to do with my career choice.
I [...]
Mar 02 2009
by Sami Lange
I am in a familiar – yet somewhat unique — job situation, as a post-MLIS graduate who took a library assistant position at a small university library in California. Knowing that I wanted to stay within the walls of a library, but, at the same time, unwilling to leave my community, I took a staff position. [...]
Nov 03 2008
by Julie Gilbert
The bell chimed for the third time, the soft sound reverberating through the conference room. I opened my eyes, shifting on my cushion to alleviate the stiff pain that had accumulated in my back and knees. Around me, other members of the class smiled sheepishly, stretching their arms overhead and wiping at blurry [...]
Nov 03 2008
by Erin Dorney
As a graduate student you have many things on your mind: finishing assignments, seeking out publication opportunities, student loans, networking, attending conferences, and all-around learning how to become a librarian. Although many people focus on what is (or is not!) being taught in LIS programs, you will never get the chance to test [...]
Jul 01 2007
Shontz, Priscilla K. and Richard A. Murray, eds. A Day in the Life: Career Options in Library and Information Science. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited, 2007. ISBN 1-59158-364-0 / 978-1-59158-364-6. $45.00.
Reminiscent of Laura Townsend Kane’s Straight From the Stacks (ALA, 2003), but much more comprehensive, A Day in the Life tells the [...]
May 01 2007
Tucker, Cory and Reeta Sinha. New Librarian, New Job: Practical Advice for Managing the Transition. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 2006. ISBN 0810858517. $45.00.
New Librarian, New Job touches on what a new librarian needs to know in four sections, with chapters covering specific subtopics. “Getting Started” covers the move from school to work, [...]
Jan 01 2007
by Rachel Augello
After months of sending out resumes, interviewing, and dealing with rejection, you finally celebrate landing a position - you begin working as a librarian! Things seem fine at first, but after a few months (or even weeks) you begin to realize something is amiss. The salary seems a bit [...]
Jan 01 2007
by Louise Feldmann
The first year as an academic librarian presents many challenges. Organizational culture, personalities, and dealing with the nuances and quirks of a new institution and the people that work there isn’t covered in library coursework. This article is an attempt to help new or aspiring academic reference librarians figure [...]