Library Grrrls!

So a friend of mine runs a podcast, and she's looking for librarians to answer some questions for her. If you are interested, please contact her at sagetyrtle@gmail.com. Its a quick interview and you can either write out your reply or record them yourselves. The podcast is great, and very worth listening to. Here's a great library related episode.
Let me know if you have questions, and thanks!

Okay...what?

There is now an opening for children's supervisor in a smaller branch of a local public library. Uh do you think I'd going to apply for it? Of course.

But here's the thing...why is it that this particular branch doesn't have a librarian, but it's looking for a supervisor? In fact, according to the web page, there is only one supervisor and that is for the main library. Is there a reason for this terminology?

Anyone who can help me figure this out would be so helpful having only worked in an academic library.

I am entering my last year of undergrad in the fall and have worked in my college's library for three years and am working at a library for special needs students this summer. I'm very seriously considering an MLS. I was wondering what computer skills you've found most helpful in your jobs, as I have some free time this summer. If it makes a difference I am most interested in academic librarianship. I am generally computer-competent and was thinking maybe web-design would be an asset? But really I have no idea. Also are languages valued in admissions/job market? I speak fluent French and Spanish and would love a reason to use them.

Really any skills/experience that you have found helpful or wish you had, before or outside of library school.

Thanks!

So, tomorrow my library is getting a high school-aged volunteer. Assuming he/she knows nothing about the LC system, I was wondering if any of you knew of a good, online tutorial. We have a small, specialized collection, so I don't need an in-depth explanation of the hows and whys of LC, just how to shelve it. I'd prefer one with some kind of little quiz at the end. The Kent State one is good, but I had trouble getting the quiz to load on our crappy work computers. I checked out a bunch online, but most were either too in-depth, lacked a quiz, or where very library-specific (i.e., "this is how we do it here at the ________ library").

Any help? TIA!

I am thinking about applying to the DigIn certificate program at Arizona. Has anyone here gone through it? Was it a good experience and how has it helped you? I have heard NOTHING about the program other than from the university and department. I received my MLIS in 2007 through a blended in-person/distance program, so I am fine with the online aspect of it. But I also know that online education feels like a lot of busy work to me, so I want to be sure that I get concrete skills out of the certificate.

I'm trying to make sure I want to do it before applying as it will be well over $100 for me to apply with the fees and transcripts being sent.

If you could ask a candidate for the director position at your library one question relating to teen services, what would it be?

I have an opportunity to participate in the interview process tomorrow, and everyone is trying to flood the question list with their personal bias and concerns. I would like to formulate at least one great question directly related to teens, but everything I am coming up with is like a paragraph long, or multi-parts. Any suggestions? Thanks!

So, I graduated as a Library Tech this spring. Been doing the applying thing and have had 2 interviews for around 30 jobs applied for.

Thing is, I called back one of the places this morning and I'm going in on Thursday to "Discuss some things" and be "offered the position". This position is a half-time job at a private all-girls school which is very exclusive - it's one of those schools that all the doctors and lawyers send their daughters to in the city. Yearly tuition for kindergarten is about five figures.

I'm at a total loss. I've contacted my teacher and will discuss things with her, but for those of you who have been to these meetings to "discuss" things, any tips would be very appreciated.

As for salary, when I went in I said that average pay was 17-18$ (Canadian) an hour, but that's the numbers for a public school. The other job I interviewed for was for the school division I live in and their starting pay as per their union is about 17.50 an hour. When I go in, do I say I've researched it and when she offers a number, do I suggest a bit more if she gives me what I first suggested? I was thinking about 19 an hour is a good number since this is my first job out of school. Edit: Have spoken to my teacher and I should be asking for much more, so that's settled.

I have no idea what else to discuss when I'm there. Dress code seemed business casual, so I'm not too worried about that, but will ask of course. We briefly discussed events and such in the interview, and I will be running book sales and such, so I think I can figure those out.

This will be a mornings job for me and then I have a part-time job otherwise I'll be holding on to for evenings, but how much of my time should I offer them? We briefly discussed clubs and once I'm settled in I'd love to be able to set up some clubs myself (I'm a huge manga fan and want to get a club going for that), but I'm not sure what the collection is like yet.

Anyway, done rambling. Mostly I just need some suggestions on what I should go into this meeting on Thursday expecting and what I should have ready.

Thanks!

I will finally start my intern in the next week, which makes me both excited and nervous. I will seat at the reference desk most of the time, with my supervisor or a senior librarian. I wonder during the work what I could talk with my supervisor, who will work with me on my first shift. Or should I just observe what he does? Could you girrls help me out? I don't want to give her a bad first impression that it's  too awkward.

http://libetiquette.blogspot.com/2009/06/jobs-helping-people-find.html

Saw this today and had to laugh.

1) Spend more time on task and less on LJ.

2) Watch the snark factor when harried and providing reference assistance...a patron complained yesterday that I was rude and didn't know anything when she wanted books on (something like) gas-phase ion spectroscopic chemistry and I couldn't find anything in our collection.

Dammit Jim, I'm a small town public library assistant not an academic university librarian!

Still, one does not roll one's eyes at the patrons.

I guess yesterday was just not my best day, as this was right after having the book display complaint conflict...

One of my (favorite) job duties here at the library is getting to be a bit creative and doing monthly book displays. One of the June displays was for "GAY PRIDE and GLBT BOOK MONTH" (as noted in Chase's Calendar of Events as promoted by the American Library Association). A smattering of nonfiction books from our collection on gay rights issues and a few GBLT novels. Accompanying graphics featured a rainbow theme and slogans about acceptance, diversity and being an ally.

I guess I'm not really surprised the topic choice got some commentary. Circulation staff mentioned they'd heard a couple of negative comments about it. Another day I came into work and all the books had been turned face inward on the shelves hiding the front covers. Today, the library director came to tell me she'd gotten a phone call from an irate patron, who had further called and contacted other patrons (and church groups!) who were now objecting to the display.

(The major complaint given? "My children shouldn't be exposed to this, and I don't want to have to talk to them about it.") AArrrgghhh!!!!

On the other hand, several of the other librarians AND patrons had been supportive and positive about the display. And some of the books have been circulating!

The director decided to take a middle ground compromise; NOT removing the displayed books but having me relocate them to another place in the library, off on a side table rather than on the bookcase up front.

I REALLY would have liked to put a notice on the now empty shelves... "Display moved due to homophobia" or to replace it with the most lurid collection of (hetero romance) book covers I could find...but I won't.

Hello grrrls,


 I live in Chicago and have applied to UIUC for the spring 2010 semester. I have been searching for a library support position full or part time, but have had no luck. The public library is not hiring, none of the university libraries are hiring, none of the medical libraries. The only thing I found is a part time internship at the Newberry Library, but it is unpaid. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks in advance for the help.

PS I am willing to go to a suburb off the CTA or Metra line.

There are many LIS conferences I want to go to in the next year in the U.S. and Canada, but I can only afford to travel to a few. What are some of your favorite conferences? Which do you recommend for MLIS students who want to make connections, learn about trends, find jobs/internships and career advice? Also, does the host city affect the turnout and programs for national conference?

I'm interested in academic, archival and international/comparative librarianship and I graduate in December 2010. Here are a few I'm trying to choose from:

Texas Library Association
ALA
SLA
ASIS&T
New England Library Association
California Library Association
Canadian Library Association
ACRL
SAA

So first off I am not a school librarian, but I used to work for a charter school before I became a librarian. Three years later and the library that they tried to get off the ground floor, and lost, is no closer to being a reality. I have a feeling that unless someone volunteers some time into finding the funds for a library one will never appear. All I'm looking for is is anyone has any experiance working in a charter school library. If so does anyone know of any resources where I can learn about charter school libraries?

Hi all,

Since this community was so helpful with my last question, I wanted to ask about the possibility of getting a part-time clerical job in a large community college library.
Would it help at all in my quest for library experience (to see if I like the profession/environment before I chance grad school)?
Would receptionist-type experience in a library matter on a resume/application to a future paraprofessional academic library job?
Has anyone ever seen any clerical workers in their college library get promoted?
The position in question is a long commute from my house for short shifts, 5 days a week. So I just want to make sure that it would matter for the future, or if I'd be better off doing something that made more money and volunteering at a closer library instead.


Thanks in advance!

I am planning to go to grad school for my MLS or MLIS in Fall 2010.  Right now I live in Minneapolis and am finishing my undergraduate in anthropology.

I would like to move out to the East Coast next summer, so I'm looking for advice on library schools.  I don't get any money from my parents (or anybody else), so I need to live in a city where I can find a job and relatively cheap housing. 

Drexel in Philadelphia is appealing, but I'm not sure about crime, etc.  I have a good friend in Boston,so I'm thinking about Simmons.  U Pitt is appealing because I have a sister living in Pittsburgh. I'd really love to live in NYC (don't think I can afford it though).

My grades are really good and I can get recommendations from my professors and the director of the anthropology program. I'm not planning to take the GRE unless I have to, but it seems like most library schools don't require it.  I have a great personal statement already written. I think I can probably get in to most schools (assuming I can afford them), but since I don't know how hard the admission process is, that's another factor?

Any tips about cities, schools, the admission process are greatly appreciated!

 This seems like an incredibly boring topic...

In my never-ending quest to become more organized, I'm looking for a handy electronic way to track my professional development: conferences I've attended, presentations I've seen, webinars I've sat at my desk and daydreamed during, etc. I didn't want to go with something as boring as making a list in Word or some kind of spreadsheet, so if anyone knows of a cool way to do this, please let me know. Everything I've found in my searches so far has been geared towards teachers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31DOyWR-K3M

*swoon* Jim James singing a sexy librarian love song!

"Sweetest little bookworm,
Hidden underneath
Is the sexiest librarian.
Take off those glasses and let down your hair for me.
Take off those glasses, and let down your hair for me."

( all_lyrics )

I just had to turn a patron over to our collection agency for a very overdue book.
What was it?
Arthur and the Missing Library Book.

Not too funny, but it is these little things that gets me through reporting day.

Hi, Well I don't know whether this is the best community for this or if it's allowed ( in which case can anybody recomend a comunity that would be more helpful?)

I read a book a LONG time ago, atleast 6-7 years, and I'm almost POSSITIVE it was called Milo, but I'm not sure. I don't know who the author is. It was young adult fiction I think.

I remember there where at least 2 books (I think I just read the sequel) and all I remember was that there was this HUGE gathering of children and they where all on a beach? something like that, because something bad was going to happen and this angel type thing is floating in the sky with it's arms spread wide protecting all the children from whatever was coming from the sky.

can Anybody help me? have you heard of the book? know the author? have I got the right tittle even?

Please someone help!!