Have a question for Your Library Career? Please send your question to YourLibraryCareer@gmail.com. (We regret that we are not able to respond to every question.)

*History:

“Career Q&A with the Library Career People” began in 2003 as a regular advice column in the Info Career Trends Newsletter for LISjobs.com. In 2007 we moved the column to a blog format in order to facilitate more communication between the writers and the readers and to provide more timely answers to the questions we receive, and in 2013 we migrated the site from LISjobs.com to “Library Career People”, with its own domain.  *In 2019 the site was renamed “Your Library Career”. The Career Q&As have been moved to the current site, so all 15+ years worth of Q&As are still searchable and browseable. And, most importantly, we are still answering your career-related questions, so please keep them coming.

Another reason for the new site is to highlight and promote the books: Career Q&A: A Librarian’s Real-Life Practical Guide to Managing a Successful Career (2013) and How to Thrive as a Library Professional: Achieving Success and Satisfaction (2019). *The books are, in essence, a byproduct of all the great questions we’ve answered over the years, as well as responses from a survey we conducted, interviews and essays from librarians working in all different types of roles in different types of libraries, and our own experiences as working librarians.

The Library Career People hope to create an enlightening discussion forum, and career development archive, of professional guidance and advice for librarians, library staff, and those thinking of entering the profession. If you have a question about the profession, ask us! And if you have something you want to add to a post — your own advice or a question about the post — leave a comment.

Who are the writers of Your Library Career?

Ellen Mehling has been advising job seekers, including information professionals, library school students, and others, one-on-one and in groups, for over ten years. Her professional experience includes work in academic, special, and public libraries and archives, and she writes, speaks and gives workshops on job hunting and career topics regularly. She’s served on hiring committees and interviewed applicants for multiple positions, and has been a successful applicant herself (a number of times!). She holds an MSLIS and Archives Certificate and has been a contributor to books related to job hunting and library  work including “Career Q&A: A Librarian’s Real-Life, Practical Guide to Managing a Successful Career”.

Susanne Markgren is the Assistant Director for Technical Services at Manhattan College in Riverdale, NY. Her prior library experience (before, during, and after library school) includes working in many different areas in many different types of libraries including: an academic medical library, a large university library, two public library systems, a seminary library, a government library and a theater library. She has served as a mentor in ALA’s NMRT Career Mentoring program, is on the New Publications Advisory Board of ACRL, and the executive board of the Greater New York Metropolitan Chapter of ACRL (ACRL/NY). She holds a BA in History & English from the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire, an MLIS from the University of Texas at Austin, and an MFA in creative writing from Manhattanville College. She has published articles and chapters in a variety of publications and has been a CHOICE reviewer for more than 15 years. She has been writing and sharing advice as co-author of “Career Q&A with the Library Career People” since 2003.

**Carrie Netzer Wajda is the Global New Business Librarian for Y&R Advertising. After a career in academic libraries she transitioned to self-employment in 2010, then to a career in special libraries. She is the 2013 president of ACRL/NY. Carrie is a new contributor to “Career Q&A with the Library Career People,” on the editorial board for “The Global Librarian,” a joint publication between ACRL/NY and METRO, and has written for numerous publications. She holds an MLIS from Long Island University an MA in British & American Literature from Hunter College.

Tiffany Eatman Allen was the Director of Library Human Resources at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University Library. As Director of Library Human Resources, Tiffany worked with recruitment and retention; staff orientation, training and development; performance management; librarian appointment and promotion; and with Information and Library Science students as part of the Carolina Academic Library Associates program. Her prior library experience includes working in a large academic library catalog department, a subject-based branch library in a University system, a small non-profit resource center, and a library in a large for-profit pharmaceutical company. She holds a BA in Psychology and Political Science and an MLS, both from UNC Chapel Hill. She has published articles in LISCareer.com, Info Career Trends Newsletter, and C&RL News, as well as a chapter in Priscilla Shontz’s The Librarian’s Career Guidebook. Tiffany has been writing and sharing advice as co-author of “Career Q&A with the Library Career People” for the Info Career Trends Newsletter since 2003.

 

---

Guest Authors:

Abigail Garnett                                                                                    

Abby is a Library Information Supervisor and Children’s Librarian at the Cypress Hills branch of the Brooklyn Public Library. She attended storytime programs at her local library as a little girl and has been a fan of public libraries ever since.

Cheryl Kohen

Cheryl became Career Resource Librarian at Simmons College in December, 2007. Prior to joining the Simmons Library staff, she graduated from both the Simmons College undergraduate program as a double major in English and Philosophy, as well as receiving her Master’s degree from the Simmons College Graduate School of Library and Information Science. Aside from her duties in the CRL, as a course instructor through the GSLIS Continuing Education Office, Cheryl also teaches a month long online course entitled, “The Career-Savvy Information Professional.” Additionally, Cheryl reviews career resources for the publication “Choice Review,” a premier source for reviews of academic books, electronic media, and Internet resources of interest to those in higher education. Lastly, Cheryl runs a “Career Center” at the Massachusetts Library Association Annual Conference in May, where she helps current librarians search for job and professional development opportunities.

Jennifer Spota

Jen is School Library Media Specialist at Hampton Bays High School in Hampton Bays, NY and former Head Librarian at the Conjuring Arts Research Center in NYC.

Rachel Kuhn Stinehelfer

Rachel received her MLIS from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a focus on Academic Libraries. Rachel was a member of the inaugural class of Fellows at NCSU Libraries where she also served as the Visual Resources Librarian and Assistant Personnel Librarian. Most recently she held the position of Human Resources Librarian at UNCG. Rachel is currently managing a private library of toddler and preschool literature and is the sole curator of a toy collection. She has three assistants who mainly make more work for her as the day goes on.

 

Interested in becoming a guest author? Email us at: librarycareerpeople@gmail.com