This Week in LibraryBlogLand
Week ending July 31, 2005
Over on the libraries community on Livejournal, there are two discussions about newly-minted MLSs and library experience. The first one calls for MLS students to make sure they get experience before graduation and for MLS programs to require it. The second, more heated, one, asks, would you hire someone with no experience, and how confident do new MLS holders with no library experience feel?
There’s also a discussion over at LISNews.com: “What are the three biggest problems facing librarianship today?” Here and here. Greg McClay (SHUSH) has more.
Gary Price and Danny Sullivan at SearchEngineWatch announced their new podcast, The Daily SearchCast, “a 10 to 15 minute overview of the prior day’s search news.”
Reaction to Michael Gorman’s interviews with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel (Cox News), here, here, here, here, here, and here.
Michael Stephens at Tame the Web suggests “Digital Creation Stations” in libraries where teens could create podcasts.
Jessamyn (librarian.net) talks about a recent study re how college students look for information online. The Krafty Librarian comments on that article and on one by Thomas Mann about cataloging and scholarship.
Karen Free Range Librarian Schneider went to BlogHer (July 30) and blogged about it (several posts).
Jenn Riley, the Inquiring Librarian, writes about confusing subject headings for music.
David King (Dave’s Blog) has started reviewing library websites, starting with the Ann Arbor Public Library’s.
walking paper’s Aaron Schmidt points out the benefits of leaving the library’s IM on after hours.
Rebecca Blood (rebecca’s pocket) has a long interview with Jessamyn West.
Stephen Abram (Stephen’s Lighthouse) has posted “some useful lists of principles” (e.g., Reader’s Bill of Rights).
Stephen also thinks that “we need to look at the overall information and reading market more broadly than just the role of libraries, search engines, databases or bookstores.”
Jonathan Furner at the Dewey Blog highlights the new Dewey Browser.
Distant Librarian Paul Pival has an update on the Canada Post Library Mail rate.
Chad Haefele (Hidden Peanuts), who just got a job, talks about how he did it and offers some tips.
Meredith Information Wants to Be Free Farkas says, how about if libraries create/manage community wikis?
Jane, a Wandering Eyre, blogged the Serials Symposium (starts here).
NewsliBlog has an announcement about NewsLib Mini, a password-protected wiki “for news librarians working solo or in small news libraries.”
In a guest column at Ex Libris, John Hubbard, founder of LISWiki reports on the first 30 days.
Follow-up: Greg Schwartz (Open Stacks) is going ahead with the Carnival of the Infosciences. Want join in the fun?
Follow-up: SHUSH’s Greg McClay responds to Mark Rosenzweig’s email about ALA Chapter Councilors. Discussion ensues.
Follow-up: Alane (It’s all good) posted part 4 of her series about Environmental Scanning.
Follow-up: Marianne (Library Supporter) has her own list of tech skills Library staff and paraprofessionals should have.
Follow-up: re the Ivan Tribble article, Sobriquet Magazine (online) is looking for essays about academic blogging and the impact of blogging on the academic job market.
Follow-up: Chad Boeninger talks about his experiences with learning and keeping up with technology.
………………..
This Week in LibraryBlogLand (TWiL) appears on LISNews.com every Monday before noon (Central time).
This Week in LibraryBlogLand
Week ending July 31, 2005
Over on the libraries community on Livejournal, there are two discussions about newly-minted MLSs and library experience. The first one calls for MLS students to make sure they get experience before graduation and for MLS programs to require it. The second, more heated, one, asks, would you hire someone with no experience, and how confident do new MLS holders with no library experience feel?
There’s also a discussion over at LISNews.com: “What are the three biggest problems facing librarianship today?” Here and here. Greg McClay (SHUSH) has more.
Gary Price and Danny Sullivan at SearchEngineWatch announced their new podcast, The Daily SearchCast, “a 10 to 15 minute overview of the prior day’s search news.”
Reaction to Michael Gorman’s interviews with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel (Cox News), here, here, here, here, here, and here.
Michael Stephens at Tame the Web suggests “Digital Creation Stations” in libraries where teens could create podcasts.
Jessamyn (librarian.net) talks about a recent study re how college students look for information online. The Krafty Librarian comments on that article and on one by Thomas Mann about cataloging and scholarship.
Karen Free Range Librarian Schneider went to BlogHer (July 30) and blogged about it (several posts).
Jenn Riley, the Inquiring Librarian, writes about confusing subject headings for music.
David King (Dave’s Blog) has started reviewing library websites, starting with the Ann Arbor Public Library’s.
walking paper’s Aaron Schmidt points out the benefits of leaving the library’s IM on after hours.
Rebecca Blood (rebecca’s pocket) has a long interview with Jessamyn West.
Stephen Abram (Stephen’s Lighthouse) has posted “some useful lists of principles” (e.g., Reader’s Bill of Rights).
Stephen also thinks that “we need to look at the overall information and reading market more broadly than just the role of libraries, search engines, databases or bookstores.”
Jonathan Furner at the Dewey Blog highlights the new Dewey Browser.
Distant Librarian Paul Pival has an update on the Canada Post Library Mail rate.
Chad Haefele (Hidden Peanuts), who just got a job, talks about how he did it and offers some tips.
Meredith Information Wants to Be Free Farkas says, how about if libraries create/manage community wikis?
Jane, a Wandering Eyre, blogged the Serials Symposium (starts here).
NewsliBlog has an announcement about NewsLib Mini, a password-protected wiki “for news librarians working solo or in small news libraries.”
In a guest column at Ex Libris, John Hubbard, founder of LISWiki reports on the first 30 days.
Follow-up: Greg Schwartz (Open Stacks) is going ahead with the Carnival of the Infosciences. Want join in the fun?
Follow-up: SHUSH’s Greg McClay responds to Mark Rosenzweig’s email about ALA Chapter Councilors. Discussion ensues.
Follow-up: Alane (It’s all good) posted part 4 of her series about Environmental Scanning.
Follow-up: Marianne (Library Supporter) has her own list of tech skills Library staff and paraprofessionals should have.
Follow-up: re the Ivan Tribble article, Sobriquet Magazine (online) is looking for essays about academic blogging and the impact of blogging on the academic job market.
Follow-up: Chad Boeninger talks about his experiences with learning and keeping up with technology.
………………..
This Week in LibraryBlogLand (TWiL) appears on LISNews.com every Monday before noon (Central time).
On library experience
I took a jump over to look at the sources you pointed out, and man, some of those folks get real touchy on the topic. What I did not see a lot of in the discussion is that often you can have some library experience, be it an internship, practicum, graduate assistantship, etc., and many places do not count that. They simply say on a job description that they seek “professional experience” , meaning you have to have actually been gainfully employed at a library (as in a “real” job, as if internships, etc. were not jobs). I am not trying to launch a little war here, but I am simply stating what I saw during my job hunt and what I hear so often from other seekers as well. Some of the responders did mention the need to use your other experiences to your advantage. I know the fact that I was a school teacher and have extensive teaching experience made me very marketable, but there are still some managers and directors out there who think that if someone does not have that “professional experience,” that they need not apply. And we are often talking about a position that is entry level, you know, the type to gain such experience. Everyone has to start somewhere. Even first year public school teachers just minted get more of a break when it comes to entry level. True, library schools need to help in providing experiences, but managers need also to be more open minded about what defines experience. A lot of new librarians are actually very experienced people with a broad range of skills and talents from other jobs or careers. To dismiss such for the sake of “you need professional experience” is foolish and likely a lost opportunity for an organization.
Re:On library experience
Actually, I often find this to be the fault of the HR dept. They are the ones who often see the resumes first and if it doesn’t fit their small set of predefined keywords, you’re put on the reject pile.
I got that a lot when I was moving out of the public library world. Even if I had the pre-requisite experience and qualifications, the HR folk would often say to me, “Well, yes, but it was a PUBLIC library….”. To which I always thought, “Yeah, that means I can do all this stuff AND I have experience with the police and extreme patrons!”
Whenever my resume made to the actual library staff first, I was always called in for an interview.
Re:On library experience
Actually, I can hear what you are saying, patron. It happens in reverse as well where if you have a lot of academic experience, they look at you suspiciously in the public library sphere. A lot of it does have to do with the HR weeders, but there are the share of managers out there. Actually, I would think someone moving from a public library to academic would be a good fit since they bring a different experience, including what you mention about some “extreme patrons.” Only thing may be teaching some public librarians to get into the “groove” of researching for tenure, if they get a faculty position. However, I don’t think that is as much an issue since many in public libraries I am sure do write, even if it is not “academic” articles. However, just some thoughts.
Re:On library experience
Well put and right on!
In my current position, my resume was originally set aside by the HR department. With a few phone calls to HR and at least one correspondence with the library, my materials were sent to the appropriate people that really had a knowledge of what should be considered relevant library experience.
I have found in the past it does not hurt to find a person that has a strong relationship with the hiring powers within the library, and strike up a conversation about your current career goals.
Differences
I think what’s important for hire is going to be different wherever you go and in particular how you apply for it. Probably its more likely you’ll get hired even without certain experience qualifications if you meet the hirers in person you know?
This week in LibraryBlogLand
Great synpsis. Please keep it up.
Re:This week in LibraryBlogLand
Dittos.
Re:This week in LibraryBlogLand
Thanks!
Re:This week in LibraryBlogLand
I really enjoy this feature. For some reason, however, the formatting doesn’t come across in the version of the RSS feed I read so it all comes across as an unlinked blob of test. Anyone else having this problem?
Re:This week in LibraryBlogLand
Yes, everyone is, I’m getting there.
Gorman & Patriot Act
The funny thing about Gorman’s comments is that the Patriot Act was one of the issues in his election platform.