Created by Penny Scott for the ALA NMRT Membership and Program Committee’s Annual Meeting, 6/04
New Members Round Table’s Membership Meeting and Program Committee presents:
“Get Hired Soon! Maximizing Your Post-Graduation Employability”
by Elaine Yontz,
“Balance your life; balance your career”
by Ann Snoeyenbos
ALA Annual Conference, Orlando, Florida
Saturday, June 26, 2004
Resource Guide
This resource guide was created by Penny Scott on behalf of the NMRT’s Membership Meeting and Program Committee. It consists of two sections. The first lists resources on professional development, and the second lists works dealing with work/life balance. In keeping with the theme of balance, the professional development section contains resources that fit in with a variety of professional goals and time constraints, so that a work/life balance can be found while one is still growing as a professional. This resource guide is not meant to be comprehensive. There are many more resources available on professional development and work/life balance, and many of the works listed within this guide have extensive bibliographies that can lead you to other useful resources. We hope that you find this resource guide useful. It is also posted on the Web at:
The NMRT Membership and Program Committee, 2003-2004: Ihsia Hu, Chair; Traci Avet, Amanda Bakken, Maria Nathalie Hristov, and Penny Scott, Members.
Please note: If you would like to access an additional handout on job hunting, please visit the NMRT Resume Review Service’s web site at: There you will find a job hunting handout developed by that committee.
Professional Development
Networking
Burger, Vicki. (2004). Networking for career success. ALA-APA Library Worklife, 1(1).
Networking is a daunting task for some librarians. They don’t know how to do it or with whom. For those who need some guidance, Burger sets forth guidelines for all aspects of the process, from recognizing possible contacts, to creating worthwhile connections. She includes a short resource list for further reading on this topic.
Professional Associations
Professional associations are often a great resource for learning about career development and professional development. The link below is for a site called, “Hunting for a Job? Try the Internet,” by Barbara Fullerton. This article is mainly about job hunting online, but it includes extensive links for library professional associations.
Professional Development Opportunities
Beyond the Job:
This blog is brought to you by Rachel Singer Gordon and Sarah A. Johnson, who maintain the Combined Job Postings web site at It was begun for the purpose of sharing professional development information for librarians, including articles and books, job-hunting advice and resources, writing, speaking and publishing opportunities, conference and workshop information, and other resources for librarian career development.
LearningTimes Library Online Conference/Community.
This resource is a completely online community featuring conferences, workshops and webcasts for and by librarians and information professionals.
Librarian’s Datebook:
A listing of a variety of events, conferences and workshops from all kinds of library associations, going into the future until 2014! The information is gathered from association sites as well as other librarian news sources, and is updated bi-monthly. A truly exhaustive and useful site done by Barbara R. Tysinger of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Society of Southwest Archivists. Archivist’s Daybook.
Archivists all over the world who want to know about events, workshops and other professional development opportunities should bookmark this site. Though sponsored by the Society of Southwest Archivists based in the United States, the information posted is for archivists everywhere and the events listed take place worldwide.
Special Libraries Association (SLA). Training Organizations.
A selected listing of organizations, compiled by the SLA, which offer training opportunities in library and information science topics.
Professional Development/Career Planning
Ellard, Robyn. (2003). Finger on the pulse: How to develop your own continuing professional (CPD) plan. LIScareer, November, 2003.
An excellent article describing the many ways one can grow professionally after being hired. Includes additional resources on the topic.
IFLA (International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions) Continuing Professional Development & Workplace Learning List (CPDWL):
An electronic discussion group designed for those who wish to discuss professional development and continuing education for library and information professionals.
Info Career Trends:
The professional development section of Lisjobs.com, a web site for library job hunters. Info Career Trends can be subscribed to via email, and each issue deals with a different aspect of librarian career development. Topics addressed include lifelong learning, contributing to the profession, and writing for publication.
LIScareer.com:
Created by Priscilla Shontz, this site contains articles, bibliographies and information on librarian job hunting and career development. Especially notable are the links for work/life balance, networking, and publishing. Also provides a venue for professional publishing, since Priscilla is always looking for folks to write articles for the site!
Macke, Barbara. (2003). Rookie season, rookie rules. American Libraries. 34(4), 83.
A short article with tips for success for the new reference librarian. Uses baseball as a metaphor for good reference service.
Nesbeitt, Sarah and Rachel Singer Gordon. (2002). The information professional’s guide to career development online. Medford, NJ: Information Today, Inc.
A guide to using the Web for all aspects of library job hunting and professional development. Includes descriptions of online resources and tips for aspiring as well as seasoned librarians. Gordon and Nesbeitt also maintain a companion web site, to further support library professionals.
Nixon, Judy. (2004). Sage advice from an experienced business librarian. The Thomson Gale Report, February, 2004.
Though Nixon is a business librarian, her advice is relevant for all librarians interested in professional development. Here she outlines three ways, reading, writing, and networking, that librarians can grow professionally.
Pantry, Sheila and Peter Griffiths. (2004). Your essential guide to career success. London: Library Association Publications.
This book is an updated edition of the one below, and it continues the great work of the first but from a more international perspective. Both books are great to read and are excellent resources.
Pantry, Sheila and Peter Griffiths. (1999). Your successful LIS career: Planning your career, CVs, interviews and self-promotion. London: Library Association Publications.
A guide to your entire library and information science career, from the job hunt to promotions, presentations and more.
Phelan, Daniel F. and Malinski, Richard M. Eds. (2002). Midlife career decisions of librarians. Library Trends, 50(4).
This issue of Library Trends chronicles the experiences of a number of librarians in mid-career, and the choices they made to revitalize their careers. The stories are very interesting and represent a wide range of topics, including advancing to administrative positions, taking sabbaticals, mentoring, and changing positions.
Shontz, Priscilla. (2002). Jump start your career in library and information science. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press.
Priscilla Shontz interviewed over 70 librarians in a variety of jobs, and the result is this excellent book on librarian career development. This book contains advice, anecdotes, information and resources on all aspects of career planning for librarians. An excellent resource, which is a companion to Shontz’s web site,
Shontz, Priscilla. (2003). A librarian without a library: Staying professionally active while unemployed.
It may be easy to stay professionally current and connected when one is employed, but how can it be done while job hunting or taking a leave from work? Shontz, who speaks from her own experience, shows how.
UI Current LIS Clips: Continuing Professional Development:
An overview of the professional development process and ways to keep active and up-to-date. Created by Marianne Steadley, there is something for everyone here; if one way of developing professionally doesn’t appeal to you, you can explore another. Included are sections on mentoring, networking, writing, teaching, and more, and Steadley also includes a short list of additional resources on professional development.
YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association). Professional Development Center.
This site includes a collection of professional development resources for those interested in young adult librarianship. YALSA is a division of ALA.
Yeager, H. Jamaine. (2003). Career resources for librarians/information professionals. North Carolina Libraries, 61(1), 33-36.
This is a great compendium of resources for the career development of library professionals. One section has a bibliography of print and online articles on all kinds of professional development, another is a list of selected Internet sites, along with the web sites for a variety of librarian professional associations.
Speaking/Presenting
Germano, William. (2003). The scholarly lecture: How to stand and deliver. The Chronicle of Higher Education, 50(14). B15.
They say that many people fear public speaking more than they do death! This article gives guidelines for those who want to do public speaking and feel good about it. Covers all aspects of speaking, from keeping hydrated, to dealing with technology, to what hand gestures NOT to use. A very useful and reassuring article.
Statz, Sarah R. (2003). Public speaking handbook for librarians and information professionals.
Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co.
Communication is key to all library work, and more librarians than ever are called upon to speak publicly and to present. In this work, Statz outlines the steps for successful public speaking. She divides these steps into two sections, “The Speaking Process” and “The Speaking Environment.” Includes tips on good listening, which Statz affirms is crucial to the speaking process.
Stephens, Michael. (2004). 10 things I’ve learned presenting at library conferences. Tame the Web: Technology and libraries web log.
Great tips for anyone who would like to present at library conferences, and would like things to run as smoothly as possible!
Tenure
Cubberley, Carol W. (1996). Tenure and promotion for academic librarians: A guidebook with advice and vignettes. Jefferson, NC. McFarland and Company.
Once you’ve been hired, it’s time to plan your career. This book takes you through the process of obtaining tenure and promotions. Provides guidance on networking, publishing, presenting, and building a curriculum vitae.
Writing/Publishing
Crawford, Walt. (2003). First have something to say: Writing for the library profession. Chicago: American Library Association.
In this great book Crawford takes the reader through all the phases of writing: from figuring out what you want to say, to figuring out where to say it and to whom, to legal issues. Also discussed are “alternative” means of publishing, such as ‘zines and blogs. Includes a useful resources appendix, and a selected bibliography.
DeCandido, GraceAnne A. (1998). How to write a decent book review (and how to begin reviewing, should you so desire).
Book reviews are often an easy way for librarians get their writing published, but there is
an art to doing them. Here DeCandido provides useful tips on how to do book reviews, and how to get started doing them if you don’t know where to begin.
Gordon, Rachel Singer. (2004). The librarian’s guide to writing for publication. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press.
Gordon takes readers through each step in the process of writing for publication, from figuring out what you want to write about, to pitching your ideas to the appropriate publications, to writing an entire book. This work is extremely valuable for anyone who wants to write for publication, but needs the confidence to do so or ideas on where to start or how to branch out. Gordon has also assembled an extensive bibliography with even more resources for writers.
Librarian-writers:
Librarian-writers is a Yahoo group for those who want an online support group in the process of writing for publication.
Librarianwriters:
Librarianwriters is a Topica group for librarians who are writing for publication or for personal reasons, and who want an online support group for their process.
A Library Writer’s Blog:
Corey Seeman has created this blog to list opportunities in presenting and publishing for those in the library and information science field.
NMRT (New Members Round Table) New Writers’ Support Ad Hoc Committee:
This committee’s web pages have several great resources for those who want to write, including web resources, books and articles, and the NMRT Writer electronic discussion list. NMRT is a round table of ALA.
The Researching Librarian:
Designed for librarians conducting research for the “purposes of publication, promotion, tenure or other reasons,” this site supplements print and electronic resources available at most libraries. There are links to databases, journals, conference papers and proceedings, as well as information on statistics and statistical methods, current issues, and funding.
Work/Life Balance
Association of Part-Time Librarians Home Page:
Marianne Eimer began this web site for part time library workers in the Western New York area, and some of the resources still apply largely to that group, but there is also a lot here that is useful for any part time workers. Since part time workers often feel “out of the loop” at work and may miss out on professional development opportunities because of their schedules, this virtual group provides support and information for them.
Caputo, Janette S. (1991). Stress and burnout in library service. Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press.
Lost that loving feeling for your job? Let Caputo take you through the steps of recognizing burnout and its sources, as well as ways to make it better, both in your personal life and within your workplace.
Common options for a flexible workplace:
Many librarians would like the option to have flexible hours, work part time, or job share, but don’t know how to go about making this happen. This short web page lists some common types of flexible working conditions and what they entail. Useful for those just starting to consider flexible work, and those who need the vocabulary to talk about it. Part of the Association of Part-Time Librarians web site.
Cramer, Elizabeth and Boyd, John. (1995). The tenure track and the parent track: A road guide. Wilson Library Bulletin, 69. 41-42.
Librarians who are on a tenure track often feel great pressure at work, and this pressure can seep into their home lives as well. In this article Cramer and Boyd discuss acquiring the support one needs to juggle work and home responsibilities.
DeCandido, GraceAnne. (1996). Ten graces for new librarians. American Libraries, 27(11). 52-54.
This article originated as a commencement speech DeCandido made, created with the input of other librarians. She lists here ten pieces of advice for new librarians that are also useful for old-timers. Each entry has to do with lifelong learning, maintaining balance, and enjoying one’s work.
Dyer, Lucinda. (2002). “Workin’ nine to five” needs a rewrite. Publishers Weekly, 249(33). 53-56, 58.
Dyer has written a thoughtful bibliographical essay on works dealing with the balance between job satisfaction and salary.
Libparenting: Librarian Parenting:
An online support group for anyone who is trying to balance library work with parenthood, this group also discusses family leave issues.
Librariansahm: Librarian Stay-at-Home Moms (and Dads!):
How can a librarian still be a librarian while being a stay-at-home parent? This online support group is for those who want to explore the possibilities. Topics discussed include professional development, working from home, parenting, and household management.
Liscareer.com: Work/Life Balance:
This section of Liscareer.com focuses on the important topic of keeping one’s life in balance while working as a librarian. Includes articles on tenure, professional development, and burnout.
May, Eloise. (1998). How I got a life. American Libraries, 29(9). 59-61.
Burnout comes to all of us from time to time, and May details her personal experiences of dealing with it in a constructive way, by taking an unpaid year off from her position. Though many of us may not be in a financial position to do this, it is interesting to read about what May did during this time, and by reading her experiences one can get ideas about how to become refreshed in his or her own situation.
Nine job stress management tips to start today (2002). Library Personnel News, 15(1/2). 12.
Some of the tips mentioned here may seem to be common sense, such as taking deep breaths and exercising, but they all bear repeating. A good reminder about taking time for self-care for librarians. Includes a short list of reasons one might want to leave a position, if the self-care isn’t improving the situation.
Osif, Bonnie A. (2004). The balanced life. Library Administration & Management, 18(1). 49-53.