|
Toph Bei Fong posted:If you haunt conventions looking for more tote bags, I will want to slug you. I once went to a dance party at my state library conference where the theme was "librarian stereotypes". I made a skirt of about 30 tote bags borrowed from coworkers hanging on a belt. As I was on the elevator going to the bar, two librarians asked me where I got them because they had been hunting all over for tote bags and only got the one upon registration. But seriously, it's important to have something on the resume that stands out. Although so many people in library school said that it is all about who you know, all of my library jobs and interviews have come based on how my skills met the job qualifications. Granted, I am a public librarian and none of my jobs have been in large metropolitan systems (which I hear are the hardest to get a foot in the door), but being able to make checkmarks based on the job ad is what really appeals to small to middling sized libraries. And I am a public librarian who was an english major (by default really). I do love cardigans and I knit. Hate cats. Wear a monocle. And I have literally been asked in an interview what I do for fun. And when I left off reading, the interviewer was appalled. "Don't you read? she accused. Me: "Yes... I thought you meant besides reading." That was a horror story of an interview.
|
#
¿
Mar 2, 2015 23:25
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ Apr 28, 2024 23:05 |
|
|
^^Truly, why? I managed to find a program that was only one year to limit the suffering.Chicken McNobody posted:Hi all! I'm currently in IT (specifically, web services) at an academic library at a SEC university (FOOTBAWL); I have an MLIS and an MA in anthropology, I BELONG IN A MUSEUM, but here I am. Hey! How did you get to be doing this? This is exactly the direction I want to be moving in. Information architecture is what I think a lot of public libraries need to be thinking about. With increase in reliance upon vendors for basic services and offerings, libraries are not so slowly losing control over what they offer and how they offer it, ceding their area of expertise bit by bit. And because we've put up gigantic walls between IT and desk staff, needs aren't being met. How did you get started? What sort of extra schooling do I need? And all of the nitty gritties please. I was hoping to do some work in IT and the like during my MLIS studies since my school actually had a fairly robust Information side of the degree, but then I met my advisor who was head of that department and if I had had to take more than one class with him, I could not have been held responsible for my actions. Also agreed that UX is definitely going to be the next trend that everyone will get sick of in libraries next. It's been around for a while, but I have been hearing it a lot more lately. And that's good. So many libraries don't think about the fact that their visitors have to wind through a maze of shelves and homeless people to find someone to help them. Or the genres, departments and bathrooms are not clearly marked (not that this would matter all that much). And agreed that the south is the place to start. I didn't start there, but I would say that 20 people I graduated with ended up in southern states. Hell, 5 of them all went to Atlanta.
|
|
#
¿
Mar 4, 2015 13:38
|
|
I love reading, cats, and totebags (hey, them shits are useful), I wear glasses, cardigans, buns, A-line skirts and Clarks shoes, and yet I hate capital-L "Librarians," those people who are On A Mission to convince everyone that We Are Relevant. I also hate people who come by my cube , IM me, or call to let me know they sent me an email. If you also hate that, the library is probably not for you! 
I don't drink but I do play violent videogames to relieve all that stress.
|
Next step job advice question: So I recently applied and interviewed for a job and didn't get it. Without feedback I can only assume that I was beaten by someone who had more supervisory experience than I do. And they didn't provide a phone number to call and ask questions otherwise, I totally would. My current public library is very short on opportunities for people in adult services to get supervisory experience so the little I do have has been scrouged around from supervising interns, volunteers and one weird situation that I wouldn't even call supervising. But it looks good on a resume. Miraculously though, an opportunity has arisen. But it is hardly ideal. A couple of employees are getting married and one of them needs to move branches so that they're kept away from each other... or something. I'm not precisely sure, but whatever, that's another basket of library politics. The suggestion is that the male employee at the branch switch places with one of the L1s at the main branch. I am one such L1. I would still work in adult services. I would supervise shelvers. I would also supervise the maintenance of the building. There is a lot of opportunity for change. All really good resume builders. I'm also currently bored by my current position, so I am looking for a big change. Thus endeth the good list. The bad list: I would have to move to the most hated branch in the system. I would be working with people who have very bad reputations about their attitudes. The building has literally been checked to see if it has a Native American curse on it because it has more building maintenance issues than should be possible despite the fact that it is less than 10 years old (ie doors will not lock on a regular basis, brickwork has been dislodged by ice, elevators have been replaced twice, etc, etc). The supervisor of record is an incompetent (not just in my opinion either, but straight from the mouths of administration), I would have the likelihood of getting the branch manager to be my supervisor, but she is disengaged from her staff and that would set up a very weird dynamic to have me working in adult services but not supervised by the AS supervisor. And my current branch manager has said to me "If you go there, you will be frustrated by the AS supervisor. I get no pay increase. The administration is pretty blind to the situation and thinks that it is a wonderful opportunity and aren't they so generous for finding this advancement opportunity for adult staff who are clearly no priority. And their mantra is "just say yes" and "sometimes you have to take the hard jobs to advance". Coming off the fresh sting of a lost interview opportunity, it's looking way more appealing than it did last week. I also think I can fill my extra time with Continuing Education for IT related courses so that way I have another advancement possibility and I won't have to spend the whole time hating my coworkers. Am I crazy for even considering it?
|
|
#
¿
Mar 19, 2015 12:52
|
|
|
Exit strategy: none. And it will likely go south. But by being the new blood and coming from a healthy background of doing good work I will likely get the benefit of the doubt in any altercations. And also, since I pretty much get to make my own terms as to how and why I will go over there, I can basically keep coming back to the main branch for system-wide projects, limiting my time at the branch. I think I have to tough it out like Toph said for as many years as it takes until another opportunity shakes loose. I am willing to do the dirty work and in fact will probably thrive on it for a good year before I start putting Vodka in my coffee or whatever it is cynical librarians do to cope. But there is also the distinct possibility that I go in there and can start changing things for the better. I'm still optimistic enough to think this. I am definitely keeping my options open and do not look upon this opportunity as any sort of permanent arrangement. But after talking with my current supervisor (who has been left out of the conversation, due to the wisdom of administration) and he said that even though he doesn't want to get the new employee and lose the good employee, he wants to see me get the experience since he knows that it's practically impossible to move up without being handed the job. He said the adverse interpersonal situations while likely to be awful, will be good examples to use in future interviews. I am practically willingly turning my life into a train wreck. I hope it'll be grand. And thank you Toph, I think the woman who emailed me would absolutely answer my query for feedback. She was in the interview and seemed very nice.
|
|
#
¿
Mar 19, 2015 15:57
|
|
|
Well, no one is going to be reprimanded. They'll likely ignore the problem. Thiis is an administration of do nothings. Retire/Die already!
|
|
#
¿
Mar 20, 2015 01:09
|
|
|
Wow, that was pretty tame from the Annoyed Librarian. Does anyone follow the blog on the regular? And what are everyone's thoughts on the opinions expressed therein? I think it's good for devil's advocate conversation starters but I don't follow it regularly enough to know if it's still relevant.
|
|
#
¿
Mar 20, 2015 22:57
|
|
|
It does kind of matter who you know. If there is even one well known archivist teaching at the school you choose though, that is enough for most people. Just make sure to take a class or two with that person or do some intern work under them. In the case of University of Pittsburgh it was Dr. Richard Cox. He was quite the character, but whenever I talk to archivists, they inevitably know him. And it's true not at an academic level too. I am fortunate to know the on person who all historians know in Maryland. If I wanted to get a job in the state in an archives at a public library, historical society or museum, I've totally got the name to drop. And as much as I rail against the concept of "it's who you know", in public libraries, it's possible to get by on your own merit. In archives, you'd better know someone. If for nothing else, so that they can pass along insider information about open jobs and opportunities. Jobs and internships can be mighty hard to find at smaller institutions, and these people will be your best bet at finding them.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 6, 2015 13:10
|
|
|
"What's your favorite story?" Really? That reminds me of an interview I had when they asked me what I liked to do for fun (roll eyes) and when I didn't mention reading, they were appalled. Here's a Forbes article I read the other day about terrible interview questions that employers still ask and how best to answer them. I know that I have been asked at least 4 of these and some of them in multiple interviews. Good idea to prepare for them. http://www.forbes.com/sites/lizryan/2016/01/24/how-to-answer-the-five-dumbest-job-interview-questions/#5b4450b634c1 I need some reassurance hopefully from some of you who have had the imposter problem before. I just got a new job as a branch manager in a system I have never worked in before. I got this position after having been a Librarian with a short stint as being an interim branch manager at my current library. In that system you pretty much go from Librarian to branch manager because it's a small system. In the new library there are two levels between librarian and branch manager: department supervisors and assistant branch managers. Never having been either of those and only having been a branch manager for a short period of time I am beginning to feel like I am woefully underprepared for this job. I don't start until March, what can I do to make sure that I'm not completely clueless when I start?
|
|
#
¿
Feb 3, 2016 13:39
|
|
|
Thanks for all of the words of wisdom, everyone. I wish I worked in an academic library for the educational perks. Because isn't that what all librarians secretly want? To have all of the answers inside their own head? It's all my academic peers do, take classes, get whatever degrees. Instead as a public librarian, I get lynda.com Not terrible, but not academia either.
|
|
#
¿
Feb 4, 2016 16:12
|
|
|
Providing online chat reference is the worst! Yea or Nay
|
|
#
¿
Feb 4, 2016 21:05
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ Apr 28, 2024 23:05 |
|
|
remigious posted:That's what I do for volunteer work. I only really hate it when school is in session and middle school kids think it is hilarious to ask me what a cat's butthole looks like. "Cecil managed the affairs of the House of Commons and the House Of Lords. What does this sentence mean?" "Cecil became high treasurer and then his health declined. What does this sentence mean?" For like 30 minutes before I was able to convince him that this is now what we do. Patiently helping a woman download software for ebooks that she couldn't find because she didn't read the words on the screen and then after it's not the software she needs telling me that I needed to read her original question better. Just a particularly frustrating day.
|
|
#
¿
Feb 5, 2016 03:29
|
|