Career Panel, November 4, 2008

Last Friday’s Career Panel was a rousing success with roughly fifty students attending the event! Thanks to SGB, ARTiFACTS, SLA, ASIS&T and the ALA Student Chapter for sponsoring the event (and providing snacks!). All the panelists were kind enough to give us the inside scoop on what classes they thought helped them, what the field is like now, what it may look like in the future and general wisdom about getting through library school. But if you couldn’t make it, don’t feel bad, just read on…

Each speaker talked for ten minutes followed by an open forum for questions. The following is a very simplified breakdown of what the panelists had to say followed by some questions and panelist bios.

Cindy Mediavilla – Public Library

Public libraries range widely in size and scope. California alone has 181 public library jurisdictions, mostly city or county. There are pros and cons to working either a large or a small library system.

Small: Example - Downey, Monrovia, Moorpark have one city library each.
Advantages
-Experience everything that happens in public library (reference,
children’s programming, grant writing)
Disadvantages
-Glass ceiling, less opportunity for advancement once a certain level is
reached

Large: Example - L.A. Public Library has 82 branches
Advantages
-Room for promotion
-Room to move around, transfer, try new things while staying within
the same library system
Disadvantages
-Bureaucratic
-Lots of rules to follow in order to implement change

Entry level positions/tasks you might find/be doing as a new librarian:
-Adult services, youth services, grant project, mostly youth services or adult
reference services
-Web master
-Public service desk time
-Maybe a bit of collection development for youth or children’s or specific
section
-Outreach at community fairs, schools, even rotary clubs
-Program coordinator
-Helping with grant writing

Joys of being a public librarian:
-Never a dull moment!
-Get to help people with all kinds of life situations
-Rewarding

Challenges of being a public librarian:
-Never a dull moment!
-May work nights, weekends, longish hours

Recommended courses:
-Public libraries class this winter
-All/any youth services classes
-Government documents
-Information literacy
-At least one internship in a public library

Job outlook:
-Sacramento, San Francisco and Los Angeles County all hiring
-Unfortunately, all other systems experiencing layoffs or pay decrease, hard
times but there are some hopeful situations

Lynn Boyden – Informatics/Information Architecture

How is a job in informatics different than one in libraries and archives?
-Usually work a corporate setting
-You still organize information so people can use it but the information being
organized is different, as is the environment you do it in.

Job titles for informatics professionals:
-Information Architect, Interaction Designer, Taxomomist, Usability
Researcher, Ontologist, (“Analytics Maven” is Lynn’s official title!)
-Real life example: Lynn is an Information Architect/Analytics Maven which
entails looking up ways to improve user experience while improving the
bottom line for the client

Some of the many informatics environments:
-Small startups, larger agencies with twelve offices in eight countries,
independent contractor/consultant

Why have a library degree?
-You have a baseline set of skills which make you desirable above and beyond
-When you tell clients you have trained as a librarian, people get very excited
-Masters definitely gets you respect out in the field

Pros (Right now its all pro!):
-Starting salary of $50,000-60,000 moving on up to $100,000
-Lots of need, jobs galore!

Recommended/useful courses:
-Information Seeking behavior
-Systems Analysis
-Internship in information environment (Disney, Comcast have info
architecture internships)
*BUT: Don’t intern for free at a private company! You are doing work for
them so make sure to GET PAID!
-Metadata
-Cataloging
-Database design
-Management of digital records
-Programming NOT necessary but useful
-Ethnographic research outside department (observing people in the field)
Info architects interested in people’s behavior in their work environment
Classes at Anderson business school - finance, management, analysis

Other Advice:
-Get involved in professional organizations
*ASIST, Usability Professionals Association, IA Institute,
*Meetup.com “UX” website place to meet people, learn about jobs,
expand abilities
-Mentoring REALLY HELPFUL!
*Not just with a professional but with your peers
*“Everyone’s problems are more interesting and easier to solve than your
own!”
-IA Summit in Memphis this year, Spring. End of November is deadline for
submissions.


Brena Smith – Academic Library

As with public libraries, there are small and large academic institutions. The size and type of institution will determine the types of positions available. Some different kinds of academic institutions are community colleges, state schools, public universities, and private colleges.
-Small
*You do everything!
*Cataloging, outreach, programs
-Large
*More specialized
*You work in a certain department
*Reference and/or instruction
*Access services (aka collection development)
*Web services
*Cataloging and Metadata
*Subject specialists: Advanced degrees in an specific area
*At UCLA they are in charge of outreach, education and the collections in
that area (ex. Arts, Music)

Some things Academic Librarians do:
-Outreach with students/faculty
-Education
-Collection development

Recommended courses:
-IS 448 Information literacy!
-Three quarter internship in Reference at UCLA
-Descriptive cataloging ! (over Subject) Learn to understand a record
-Collection development

General Advice:
-Take advantage of internships
-Make sure to get at least one internship in Academic librarianship, 1-3 year
requirement for hiring, many will count internship
-Great to be a RDA! Try to get in during the summer if you aren’t now
-Teaching is actually a big part of the job. Get teaching experience somehow
(teach a workshop, lead a panel, give a talk, etc.)

Job Prospects:
-Sort or grim. Budget cuts at all California colleges right now
-Getting your foot in the door can be difficult
-Hiring process can be from 3-6 months, lengthy
-Start looking after the Winter holidays (in your second year)

Liza Posas – Museum/Special Collections Library

Liza is the Reference Librarian at the Braun Research Library for the Southwest Museum of the American Indian, the library section of a small museum with only two full time librarians

Typical day for Liza:
-Check in/work with artists
-Exhibits team meeting
-Coordinate volunteers for “LA as subject”
-Work with researchers

Working in a small library:
-Lots of outreach, collaboration
-Grant writing a big part – need to try to find ways to make grants work for
your institution

How Liza approached library school (and it worked for her):
-Took the classes interesting to her
-Took classes where she heard instructors were good
-Wasn’t afraid to take courses outside the department. (Says: “Do what
interests you!”)
-Focused on two things in her studies: reference and archives
-Holistic approach to information management, hybrid studies

Recommended courses:
-Management
-Collection development
-Research skills courses

Liza found her internships “invaluable”:
-She worked at the Clark library
-Special Collections internship
-College library internship

Happy ending:
Liza found a job which fit her experience!

Dave Farneth – Archives / Special Collections

Somewhere between libraries (sharing all resources with users) and archives (providing very limited access to rare, unique materials) is special collections where the goal is to provide as much access to materials as is possible while still protecting the resource.

Two different mindsets among “archivists”:
-Interested in historical things
-Rare, special collections
People who want to be active in the institution/company they work for

Lots of change in the field:
-Move to electronic resources/records has had huge impact
-Can’t wait anymore to archive/collect records
-Almost 100% managing electronic records

What kinds of collections might you work with?
-Personal archives
-Special Collections
-Getty has six miles of paper records
-Records management
-Managing active records in offices, retention center, Knowledge
Management

What jobs are out there?
-Large University,
*Research Library
*Archive of University
-Large Public University
-Government Archivist
-Corporations/Businesses
*Managing their intellectual property, products, marketing efforts: Ex.
Film Studio, Historical Society, Museum

“Pros” of being an archivist:
-Librarians/Archivists have great skills to transfer!
-You really get to know the collection
-Your collection may only be a small part of the world but you are the expert
about it!
-Strong connection to researchers.
-Get to see the results of your efforts in the form of people’s published works.
-Lots of different functions, multi-tasking

Dave Capolli – Specialist Libraries

How is a specialized library different from a “regular” library and what are the benefits?
-You may not be working in a traditional library
-May work in teams to understand overall information needs of organization
-See more immediate results of the work you do
-Situated where you can build relationships outside of your team, seen as an
asset within the organization
-Collections (print or digital) are focused in the area of expertise of the
organization you work for

You may not be the gatekeeper for the collections:
-Collections are pushed out to the end users at their desktops
-You may be a trainer
-You might work with vendors

Some examples of specialist library jobs:
-Lost of different arenas – corporate, public, academic
-Cataloger for food and nutritionist, law firm, research analyst
pharmaceudical company, development researcher, aerospace researcher,
knowledge analyst for organization, medical librarian

Recommended coursework (“Be proactive!”):
-Internships!!! Be flexible when looking for internships. Even if not exactly
what you want you may be able to transfer the knowledge.
-Directed study – Create your own internship/project
-Systems analysis course really helps to envision a project from start to end.
-Technology oriented courses. Be able to talk the talk! (Don’t necessarily have
to know exactly how to walk the walk).
-Cataloging and metadata
-Look outside department for specialized courses related to special libraries –
for instance Anderson School of Business
-Information literacy course – Learn to train people
-Storytelling – Learn to present, become comfortable speaking in front of
others!

Other Advice:
-Networking is KEY!
-Participation in associations
-Advocate for yourself, give yourself credit
-Be flexible, take on new challenges
-Once you are a professional continue your education, take workshops, stay
current
-Experiment with new technology


After the formal talks, the panels fielded questions. Here are some of the questions with a quick rundown of answers. I haven’t attributed the answers, most were answered by more than one person.

Q: In the case of Specialist Libraries, how important is it to know about the specific field before you apply there?

A: It does help, for instance, in law. It’s easier to get internships while at school than learn on the job so that’s a good place to start learning about the field you want to work in. Good to have

Q: (To Brena) What kind of teaching do you do in Academic Libraries?

A: At the peak time in the quarter, she teaches 4 to 10 sections per week - teach literacy, doing workshops for a certain class. Some librarians offer for credit courses but it is becoming less and less common.

Q: What kind of teaching experience is useful?

A: Good to show that you can put together a program or a lesson plan.

Q: As a librarian at a museum, do you get involved in exhibition design?

A: Not exhibition design. The museum library does suggest objects to go into exhibits such as rare books.

Q: Is there anything you wish you had known when you were in library school?

A: Liza -- Paid more attention in management class! Sometimes you don’t
know why you are learning something until it comes up later.
Cindy – Management single best class she took! Still memorable many years
later. Even if you don’t think you will be a manager, you will.
Brena -- Public service very important! Understanding what it means, how
to interact with people.
Dave F. – It’s a whole new world! It’s fun and exciting that there is always
something new to learn to keep up. Technology is huge. Take
every tech course you can. All these information worlds are going
to start meshing and technology will be the means to do this.

Q: How do you continue your education once you are a professional?

A: Attend professional meetings, read journals and blogs, network with colleagues! A shortcoming in profession is lack of support for continued learning. Once again “be proactive”.

Lynn – Corporate sector will often reimburse for new training. Don’t be
afraid to ask for it. It demonstrates that you want to improve your
institution.
Liza – Good thing to ask when interviewing. Ask about opportunities for
professional development. Required for Academic librarians, esp. if
you are faculty and tenured. Attendance to conferences often
required.
Dave C. – Sometimes you can attend workshops on the company’s bill if you
agree to share what you learn or take a leadership position.
Dave F. – Directly tie the training to your position.

Q: Do internships count as “experience” for all fields represented?

A: Often they are considered. Make sure you have a “deliverable”, a product from your internship to show employers (finding aid, report, etc.).

Q: Is it still viable to work part-time as a librarian?

A: A lot of the Cal States have a part time pool. If you can get on a part time position for community colleges, cal states, get on it! Good pay. No benefits, but you get to try out other things it keeps you knowing what’s up in the library world.

Dave F.: Lots of people’s first time jobs are projects funded by grants. These are
great because you get training, payment, mentoring and great leverage
for a “real” job.

Lynn: Grant projects are a great way to get your foot in the door.

PANELIST BIOS

Here are the panelists, their spam-deterrent emails, and short bios (they’ve all done way more than what I’ve included):

Cindy Mediavilla (cmediavi at ucla dot edu) - Public Librarian
Current Library Programs Consultant for the California State Library with 18 years experience as a public librarian.

Lynn Boyden (lynnboyden at gmail dot com) – Information Architect
Teaches information architecture in the UCLA IS Department. Has practiced for agencies, institutions, and corporations. Published widely, most recently on the subject of information architecture as a career choice.

David Cappoli (dcappoli at ucla dot edu) - Specialist Librarian
Current Digital Resources Librarian for the UCLA IS Department overseeing instructional technology needs for departmental courses. Teaches courses. oversees IS web content, and administers the department's series of continuing education workshops. President of the Southern California Chapter of the Special Library Association (SLA).

David Farneth (DFarneth at getty dot edu) ­– Archives/Special Collections
Head of Special Collections and Institutional Records at the Getty. Oversees management of rare books, manuscript collections, archives, rare photographs, prints, and the photo study collection as well as Getty’s Institutional Archives department.

Liza Posas (lposas at autrynationalcenter dot org) – Museum/Arts/Special Collections
Reference Librarian for the Braun Research Library (a special collections and research library for the Southwest Museum of the American Indian). Worked as Reference Librarian and the Native American Studies Collection Manager at UC SantaBarbara.

Brena Smith (brena at library dot ucla dot edu) – Academic Librarian
Currently Information Literacy Operations Librarian for UCLA’s College Library responsible for outreach to faculty and student groups. Sole librarian for Westwood College for 2 ½ years.

DON'T MISS the

LIBRARY AND INFORMATION
STUDIES CAREER PANEL
6 different panelists will discuss different career paths in their field
in the GSE&IS Salon
THIS FRIDAY, November 7th, 1-3pm

Panelists include:

• a public librarian,
  
• an academic librarian,
  
• an informatics specialist,
  
• a special libraries expert,
  
• an art/museum librarian,
  
• and an archivist.
  

This is a great opportunity to learn about diverse career paths in IS, ask questions of professionals working in the field, and mingle with fellow classmates.

Snacks will be served!

stay tuned for more exciting events coming soon...

With over 40 attendees the Mentor/Mentee Mixer was a huge success! First year MLIS students got a chance meet continuing students and ask them about the program. Everyone had a great time and we're thinking about having more mixers in the future!

Check out our Flickr Account for more photos.

Summer is winding down and the UCLA ALA Student Group has a lot of exciting things planned for the Fall including field trips, special speakers, and our mentor/mentee mixer. Come to our lunch time recruitment meeting at the beginning of the quarter to learn more!

Remember, if you have any questions about the UCLA MLIS program you can post them here by responding to this post or to the post below this one and we'll be happy to answer the best we can!

-Diana Tedone
Co-President

Welcome to the UCLA American Library Association Student Group Blog! To ask a question, use the link below to comment on this post!

100 Books every child should read an article from the Telegraph. This article has different list for three age groups. The author, Michael Morpurgo, writes a good introduction about promoting literacy by introducing kids to stories that they will love.

[Los Angeles Public Library at City Hall 1905]

Los Angeles City Librarian Fontayne Holmes spoke at UCLA January 17th. She gave a great presentation and the Q&A afterwards was very interesting. The reception afterwards was a lot of fun too!

LAPL is the largest public library system in the nation. It has seen increased use, from 14 million to 16 million last year.

Holmes talked about LAPL’s growth in the last 20 years. In 1986 a fire in the Central Library destroyed 400,000 books. This led to a project to restore the building and gardens (the original gardens had been paved over for a parking lot in the 1950’s). It also started a 317 million dollar branch library construction program. LAPL involved each community in the design process and each library building had a unique architect. In this way each library was individual and fit the needs of the community. The construction program doubled the size of the branch libraries and added some new branches as well.

Bringing computers and technology to people with out home access is another important role of LAPL. According to Holmes, about 1 million people do not have home computers. The computers terminals are some of the most used services in the library. Recently all the branches have wireless access as well.

Holmes emphasized involving the community in public libraries. She talked about reaching out to teens as well as children and adults and the importance of getting community support for projects.





In other news, the student groups are planning a return of Career Fest beginning at the end of this quarter! We all have a lot of work to do before then, but it looks like we’ve got some really interesting talks planned!

(photo taken from Library of Congress Prints and Photography Online Catalog)

First post of the new quarter! There are a lot of exciting things coming up this quarter. This Thursday ALA is hosting a talk with Los Angeles city librarian Fontayne Holmes. This will be a great talk for anyone who wants to learn more about public libraries.