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142 results for “LisCarey”
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Hiring Librarians Podcast S02b E13: Talkin Union with Jaime Taylor
We’re back!
After an unintentionally long break, we’re back. Let’s consider this Season 2b.
This episode my guest is Jaime Taylor. Jaime is a contributing person-who-hires-library-workers on the Further Questions feature here on Hiring Librarians (which returns tomorrow), the Discovery & Resource Management Systems Coordinator at the W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts, a proud union member, AND a coordinator of library staff working in THREE different unions. On this episode of the hiring librarians podcast, we’re talking about unions, hiring, getting hired, and what exactly systems librarians do anyway. I hope you enjoy and I’d love to hear your thoughts on the topic.
An AI-generated and not completely error free transcript is here.
Speaking of links, in this episode we talk about:
- Massachusetts Society of Professors (MSP)
- Professional Staff Union of the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Boston (PSU)
- University Staff Association (USA)
- American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
- Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA)
- National Education Association (NEA)
- Jorts (and Jean) One Step for Each Paw Four Steps to Form a Union
- DC37 (New York City Public Employee Union)
- United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW)
- Service Employees International Union (SEIU)
- And you’ll hear three different commercials for my upcoming class through ALA CORE which runs August 4 through August 29, 2025
This podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube music and other various podcasting sites (let me know if you can’t find it on your preferred platform).
I’d love to hear your requests or other feedback for moving forward. And please do reach out if you want to be a guest!
#Librarian #librarians #libraries #Library #libraryCareers #libraryHiring #libraryJobs #LibraryUnions #LISCareers #Unions
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Hiring Librarians Podcast S02b E13: Talkin Union with Jaime Taylor
We’re back!
After an unintentionally long break, we’re back. Let’s consider this Season 2b.
This episode my guest is Jaime Taylor. Jaime is a contributing person-who-hires-library-workers on the Further Questions feature here on Hiring Librarians (which returns tomorrow), the Discovery & Resource Management Systems Coordinator at the W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts, a proud union member, AND a coordinator of library staff working in THREE different unions. On this episode of the hiring librarians podcast, we’re talking about unions, hiring, getting hired, and what exactly systems librarians do anyway. I hope you enjoy and I’d love to hear your thoughts on the topic.
An AI-generated and not completely error free transcript is here.
Speaking of links, in this episode we talk about:
- Massachusetts Society of Professors (MSP)
- Professional Staff Union of the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Boston (PSU)
- University Staff Association (USA)
- American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
- Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA)
- National Education Association (NEA)
- Jorts (and Jean) One Step for Each Paw Four Steps to Form a Union
- DC37 (New York City Public Employee Union)
- United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW)
- Service Employees International Union (SEIU)
- And you’ll hear three different commercials for my upcoming class through ALA CORE which runs August 4 through August 29, 2025
This podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube music and other various podcasting sites (let me know if you can’t find it on your preferred platform).
I’d love to hear your requests or other feedback for moving forward. And please do reach out if you want to be a guest!
#Librarian #librarians #libraries #Library #libraryCareers #libraryHiring #libraryJobs #LibraryUnions #LISCareers #Unions
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Hiring Librarians Podcast S02b E13: Talkin Union with Jaime Taylor
We’re back!
After an unintentionally long break, we’re back. Let’s consider this Season 2b.
This episode my guest is Jaime Taylor. Jaime is a contributing person-who-hires-library-workers on the Further Questions feature here on Hiring Librarians (which returns tomorrow), the Discovery & Resource Management Systems Coordinator at the W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts, a proud union member, AND a coordinator of library staff working in THREE different unions. On this episode of the hiring librarians podcast, we’re talking about unions, hiring, getting hired, and what exactly systems librarians do anyway. I hope you enjoy and I’d love to hear your thoughts on the topic.
An AI-generated and not completely error free transcript is here.
Speaking of links, in this episode we talk about:
- Massachusetts Society of Professors (MSP)
- Professional Staff Union of the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Boston (PSU)
- University Staff Association (USA)
- American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
- Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA)
- National Education Association (NEA)
- Jorts (and Jean) One Step for Each Paw Four Steps to Form a Union
- DC37 (New York City Public Employee Union)
- United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW)
- Service Employees International Union (SEIU)
- And you’ll hear three different commercials for my upcoming class through ALA CORE which runs August 4 through August 29, 2025
This podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube music and other various podcasting sites (let me know if you can’t find it on your preferred platform).
I’d love to hear your requests or other feedback for moving forward. And please do reach out if you want to be a guest!
#Librarian #librarians #libraries #Library #libraryCareers #libraryHiring #libraryJobs #LibraryUnions #LISCareers #Unions
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Hiring Librarians Podcast S02b E13: Talkin Union with Jaime Taylor
We’re back!
After an unintentionally long break, we’re back. Let’s consider this Season 2b.
This episode my guest is Jaime Taylor. Jaime is a contributing person-who-hires-library-workers on the Further Questions feature here on Hiring Librarians (which returns tomorrow), the Discovery & Resource Management Systems Coordinator at the W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts, a proud union member, AND a coordinator of library staff working in THREE different unions. On this episode of the hiring librarians podcast, we’re talking about unions, hiring, getting hired, and what exactly systems librarians do anyway. I hope you enjoy and I’d love to hear your thoughts on the topic.
An AI-generated and not completely error free transcript is here.
Speaking of links, in this episode we talk about:
- Massachusetts Society of Professors (MSP)
- Professional Staff Union of the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Boston (PSU)
- University Staff Association (USA)
- American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
- Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA)
- National Education Association (NEA)
- Jorts (and Jean) One Step for Each Paw Four Steps to Form a Union
- DC37 (New York City Public Employee Union)
- United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW)
- Service Employees International Union (SEIU)
- And you’ll hear three different commercials for my upcoming class through ALA CORE which runs August 4 through August 29, 2025
This podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube music and other various podcasting sites (let me know if you can’t find it on your preferred platform).
I’d love to hear your requests or other feedback for moving forward. And please do reach out if you want to be a guest!
#Librarian #librarians #libraries #Library #libraryCareers #libraryHiring #libraryJobs #LibraryUnions #LISCareers #Unions
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Hiring Librarians Podcast S02b E13: Talkin Union with Jaime Taylor
We’re back!
After an unintentionally long break, we’re back. Let’s consider this Season 2b.
This episode my guest is Jaime Taylor. Jaime is a contributing person-who-hires-library-workers on the Further Questions feature here on Hiring Librarians (which returns tomorrow), the Discovery & Resource Management Systems Coordinator at the W.E.B. Du Bois Library, University of Massachusetts, a proud union member, AND a coordinator of library staff working in THREE different unions. On this episode of the hiring librarians podcast, we’re talking about unions, hiring, getting hired, and what exactly systems librarians do anyway. I hope you enjoy and I’d love to hear your thoughts on the topic.
An AI-generated and not completely error free transcript is here.
Speaking of links, in this episode we talk about:
- Massachusetts Society of Professors (MSP)
- Professional Staff Union of the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Boston (PSU)
- University Staff Association (USA)
- American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
- Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA)
- National Education Association (NEA)
- Jorts (and Jean) One Step for Each Paw Four Steps to Form a Union
- DC37 (New York City Public Employee Union)
- United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW)
- Service Employees International Union (SEIU)
- And you’ll hear three different commercials for my upcoming class through ALA CORE which runs August 4 through August 29, 2025
This podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube music and other various podcasting sites (let me know if you can’t find it on your preferred platform).
I’d love to hear your requests or other feedback for moving forward. And please do reach out if you want to be a guest!
#Librarian #librarians #libraries #Library #libraryCareers #libraryHiring #libraryJobs #LibraryUnions #LISCareers #Unions
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Hiring Librarians Podcast S02 E12: Jay
Oh hey, it’s the twelfth episode of season two!
This episode my guest is Jay, who you may know from the Library Punk podcast. If you haven’t listened to it, it’s a leftist podcast, and I find it fun, interesting, and opinionated. I did an episode back in October. While I was there, Jay mentioned that he had recently transitioned from his role as the director of a small academic library to a role in the cataloging department of a public library system. I thought that would be an interesting journey to talk about, so (six months later) here we are. I hope you enjoy our conversation.
My system to generate the AI-generated and not completely error free transcript is currently down, but I’ll get that linked here ASAP.
Speaking of links, in this episode we talk about:
This podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube music and other various podcasting sites (let me know if you can’t find it on your preferred platform).
I’d love to hear your requests or other feedback for moving forward. And please do reach out if you want to be a guest!
#CripLib #Librarian #librarians #libraries #Library #libraryCareers #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryPodcast #LISCareers #MEAction
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Hiring Librarians Podcast S02 E09: Katie Quirin Manwiller (part one of two)
Oh hey, it’s the ninth episode of season two! This is the first of two episodes discussing disability and LIS hiring. This first episode focuses a bit more on advice for people looking for work, and the second episode focuses a little more on advice for people doing hiring. But both of these perspectives come up in each episode.
Katie Quirin Manwiller is the Education Librarian and Assistant Professor at West Chester University. She is chronically ill and dynamically disabled. Katie’s scholarship focuses on improving disability inclusion in libraries through incorporating disability into equity work, addressing disability misconceptions, and creating accessible work environments. She is currently pursuing a second master’s degree focused on disability inclusion in higher education.
A few months ago, I was looking for resources to add to the “Accommodations and Disabilities” section of Interview Resources for Job Seekers. Katie Quirin Manwiller, who had written Hiring Better: Disability Accommodations & the Hiring Process here on Hiring Librarians, popped up to provide several great links. She was also kind enough to agree to come on the podcast to talk about this more (and not just once, but twice!)
You can find an AI-generated and not completely error free transcript here.
Here are links for some of the things we talk about in this episode:
- #CripLib Website – for access to the Discord support network, and other LIS disability news and resources
- ADA timeline – While we don’t specifically reference this timeline by the American Bar Association, we do discuss the relative recency of the ADA, and talk a little bit about the timeline of Disability rights in the US.
- We Here Job Board – This is a job board for BIPOC in LIS. We don’t know of any job boards specifically for people with disabilities, but this one might be good for BIPOC library workers with disabilities.
- Job Accommodations Network – One of the things this website provides is suggestions and information about possible accommodations for various disabilities, limitations, and occupations.
- Navigating the Academic Hiring Process with Disabilities by Gail Betz – article describing academic librarians’ self-accommodations strategies (and you might also be interested in the synopsis she wrote for Hiring Librarians)
This podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube music and other various podcasting sites (let me know if you can’t find it on your preferred platform).
I’d love to hear your requests or other feedback for moving forward. And please do reach out if you want to be a guest!
#CripLib #Librarian #librarians #libraries #Library #libraryCareers #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryPodcast #LISCareers
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Hiring Librarians Hiatus
Well Hi There!
I’ve decided to take a couple months off from Hiring Librarians. My plan is to neither create content nor check email nor look at the socials through late January. Then I’ll start recording new podcast episodes and put together a new survey to release in February.
To help me out, please share ideas for new content, feedback on what I should focus on next year, or general opinions, on this survey. Feel free to skip any questions that don’t apply or interest you.
I do have a few posts scheduled to run while I’m on break. I’ve pulled some of the greatest hits and most reviled posts, and will be doing about one Winter Rerun a week.
If you really need me, you can find non-Hiring Librarians contact info over at my personal website. Otherwise, see you next year!
Your Pal,
Emily
#GLAM #librarians #libraries #libraryCareers #libraryHiring #libraryJobs #LISCareers #lisJobs -
New Survey! It’s For You, Dear Readers!
Oh hey!
In contrast to my usual slapdash approach, I’m looking to plan Hiring Librarians projects and content for 2026. My hope is to take some time off in December and January, returning in February with new and amazingly helpful posts and podcasts.
In order to determine what would be most helpful, I’d love to hear from you. While you can always email me directly at hiringlibrarians AT gmail, I can’t resist creating a survey. So, would you please fill out What Should Hiring Librarians Do Next? to share your requests, suggestions and/or opinions? No questions are required, please feel free to just respond to what calls you. Note that I won’t know who you are, unless you choose the option to leave your email.
Thanks in advance for your feedback and suggestions! Please share widely with all your friends, colleagues, and compatriots.
Your Pal,
Emily
#GLAM #librarians #libraries #libraryCareers #libraryHiring #libraryJobs #LISCareers #lisJobs
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Winter Reruns: “Currently, we’re over 300% turnover since 2016 and cannot attract candidates.”
After taking a few months off, I’ve decided to sunset this project. I’m finishing up my scheduled selection of Hiring Librarians’ greatest hits and most reviled posts, and then will stop updating in late February/early March. Thanks so much for reading!
This survey was filled out on March 25, 2022 and originally ran on May 12, 2022. This person was not one of the more verbose respondents, but the sparse statements succeed in describing a tough story. Several folks told me it struck home with them, unfortunately.
Image: Anita Ozols works at typewriter in Chubb Library Cataloging Department, shortly before move to the new Alden Library by Ohio University Libraries on FlickrThis anonymous interview is with someone who hires for a:
√ Academic Library
Title: Head of Cataloging
Titles hired: Reference Librarian, acquisitions, circulation
Who makes hiring decisions at your organization:
√ A Committee or panel
Which of the following does your organization regularly require of candidates?
√ Online application
√ Cover letter
√ Resume
√ CV
√ References
Does your organization use automated application screening?
√ No
Briefly describe the hiring process at your organization and your role in it:
It’s a disaster. A committee makes and recommendation and the director ignores it.
Think about the last candidate who really wowed you, on paper, in an interview, or otherwise. Why were they so impressive?
Currently, we’re over 300% turnover since 2016 and cannot attract candidates.
How many pages should each of these documents be?
Cover Letter: √ Only One!
Resume: √ Two is ok, but no more
CV: √ As many as it takes, but keep it reasonable and relevant
Do you conduct virtual interviews? What do job hunters need to know about shining in this setting?
we have for COVID but are starting to perform on campus interviews
How can candidates looking to transition from paraprofessional work, from non-library work, or between library types convince you that their experience is relevant? Or do you have other advice for folks in this kind of situation?
technical skills
When does your organization *first* mention salary information?
√ We only discuss after we’ve made an offer
What does your organization do to reduce bias in hiring? What are the contexts in which discrimination still exists in this process?
We have a DEI statement that is ignored
What questions should candidates ask you? What is important for them to know about your organization and the position you are hiring for?
What happened to the the last three people that had this job?
Additional Demographics
What part of the world are you in?
√ Southwestern US
What’s your region like?
√ Urban
Is your workplace remote/virtual?
√ Some of the time and/or in some positions
How many staff members are at your organization?
√ 11-50
#libraries #libraryCareers #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #LISCareers -
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To help make #Mastodon connections: list 5-7 things that aren't in your profile but that interest you as #tags so they are searchable. Then boost this post or repeat its instructions so others know to do the same. 👍
#dogs
#science
#sciencefiction
#fantasy
#weirdinterestingfacts -
Researcher’s Corner: Recruiting for Cultural Competency
In this installment of Researcher’s Corner, Dawn Schmitz explores how to hire for the skill of cultural competency. I am grateful to Dawn for writing a thoughtful post that addresses not only the theory and practice of hiring, but how questions become research and subsequently, scholarly papers.
I think you will find the following post very interesting, and if you’d like to read more, see the following citation:
Smith, H. W., Schmitz, D., Shein, C., & Schmitz, with L. (2024). Recruiting for Cultural Competency: A Content Analysis of Archives Job Postings. American Archivist, 87(2), 438–465. https://doi-org.ezproxy.sfpl.org/10.17723/2327-9702-87.2.438
In 2018, I was working on a job posting for a new faculty position in our academic library: Community Engagement Archivist. How could we maximize our chances of recruiting and hiring a candidate who was capable of competently and ethically engaging with students, colleagues, and community partners? There is a wide range of cultural backgrounds represented on our campus and in our city of Charlotte, NC. We needed to be sure to carefully craft the required qualifications for this position.
For previous postings, we had used language like “Commitment to fostering an environment of mutual respect and inclusion in the classroom and workplace” (for an instruction archivist) or “Commitment to fostering an environment of multiculturalism and inclusion in the workplace” (for a digital archivist). But I wanted to move further in the direction of cultural competency as a requirement for this new position. In looking for language that would work, I perused other position postings in the field, but I didn’t find very much that helped.
After careful thought, we came up with two separate bullet points:
- Commitment to continuous personal and professional improvement in cultural diversity competence.
- Commitment to fostering an environment of mutual respect and inclusion in the community, reading room, classroom, and workplace.
Having these requirements for the position cleared the way for us to ask interview questions such as:
- “Tell us about a time when you have had the opportunity to play a role in making an organization, group, or environment more diverse, inclusive, or equitable. What steps did you take, and what was the result? This can relate to a workplace, educational or volunteer setting, social setting, or any other situation.”
- “If you were personally conducting an oral history interview with a member of an underrepresented community of which you yourself are not a member, what steps would you take to ensure you were honoring that community’s cultural values, ways of knowing, and perspectives?”
In the end, our search was successful, and I credit these interview questions with helping us discern which candidate would be most capable in the role. But I had a lingering concern: Since both the library and archives professions have institutionalized the value of cultural competency, then why don’t archivist job postings usually have anything related to cultural competency as a requirement?
But my sample was small. I decided it might be a good research project to look further into this: What is the commitment of the archives and library professions to cultural competency, and how common (or uncommon) is it for position announcements to reflect these values?
At the 2019 annual meeting of the Society of American Archivists, I caught up with Helen Wong Smith, who conducts workshops on cultural competency and has championed it in many other ways within the archives profession, and Cyndi Shein, whom I knew had done a lot of great work on DEI in recruitment. (I was fortunate to have shared with these two colleagues the experience of being part of the 2016 cohort of the Archives Leadership Institute.) We hatched a plan to systematically analyze postings for archives jobs and write about our results. We brought in Lisa Schmitz, a statistician (and my sister), to analyze our results. I knew she would help us make sense of the findings and write about them intelligently.
During three specified time periods between March and September of 2021, we downloaded all of the jobs posted by U.S. employers on the Archives Gig blog, a total of 499 postings after deduplication. We decided to manually code each one according to whether it called for cultural competency as a required or preferred qualification for the position.
First, we needed to write a code book to guide our discernment of what constitutes a cultural competency requirement in a job posting. We decided it was not necessary for the words “cultural competency” to appear (and we don’t necessarily endorse using that term, since not everyone is familiar with it). What should we look for?
We started with the basic concept that cultural competency is a framework used to advance one’s ability to function with awareness, knowledge, and interpersonal skills when engaging with people of different backgrounds, assumptions, beliefs, values, and behaviors.* Then, in order to further guide our understanding of how cultural competency is conceptualized within the LIS professions in particular, we conducted a literature review that looked at how the term was used and discussed by librarians and archivists.
We found that these writers viewed cultural competency as including elements of introspection and continual growth, and that it was not limited to the interpersonal realm but included an understanding of structural factors. So we derived a definition of cultural competency that included these concepts:
The capacity to continually improve one’s ability to function with self-awareness, open-mindedness, humility, respect, knowledge, and interpersonal skills when engaging people from all backgrounds and experiences. It involves an awareness and understanding of the significance of culture, beginning with one’s own, and an orientation of respectful curiosity towards the beliefs, values, and practices of others. A key component is the recognition of the structural, socioeconomic, and political factors that adversely affect diverse populations and the commitment to respond with policies or practices that recognize, affirm, and protect the dignity of individuals, families, and communities.
We determined that if any part of the above definition applied to a position, we would score it as requiring cultural competency. We also decided to look for language like “cultural awareness,” “cultural sensitivity,” “demonstrated ability working successfully with diverse cultures,” and “valuing differences.” We decided not to count postings that simply call for experience working in diverse environments or for candidates who will add to the diversity of the workplace.
With this guidance in hand, we completed the coding. When we had finished, we were stunned by our findings: only seven percent of job postings for archivists and related positions listed any knowledge, skills, or abilities relating to cultural competency among the requirements. We found this proportion was shockingly low, particularly since both the library and archives professions have made it a point to include cultural competency among their stated values for the past 15-20 years.
We also coded the job postings for several other factors, allowing us to discover some notable patterns. We found that ads for public-facing positions were much more likely to include cultural competency requirements than were those for technical service positions. While we understood why this was the case, we argue in the paper that every employee in the organization needs to be expected to strive for cultural competency. And those creating archival description and metadata have a unique responsibility to do so, given the need for responsible and, at times, reparative work in this area.
We also found that corporate employers were less likely to include cultural competency requirements than academic employers, and employers in the Midwest, Southeast, and Northeast regions of the U.S. were less likely to include them than those in the West.
With regard to the latter finding, given current political realities, it is likely that if this research were replicated today, this disparity would be even more stark and the Southeast would be even further behind the other regions. As an employee of a state university in the Southeast, I am acutely aware of how anti-DEI rules and regulations enacted at the state level can affect hiring practices, including how recruitment is now often circumscribed with respect to asking candidates about their views on diversity, equity, and inclusion. However, I would advise anyone who works at an institution that has enacted such anti-DEI provisions not to assume they cannot include a requirement that gets to cultural competency at some level.
While it may be forbidden to use a very strongly-worded requirement that gets at candidates’ personal values, it may be possible to include one that focuses on cultural competency as a basic job skill. For example, a strong statement such as this may not be allowed: “We are seeking professionals who enthusiastically embrace the empathy, courage, self-reflection, and respect of a multicultural, diverse, and inclusive workplace, and who strive to incorporate these values into their work and interactions.” However, the following may be allowed: “We are seeking candidates with a demonstrated commitment to continuous improvement in the ability to interact effectively with people from the full range of cultural backgrounds represented in our [company/campus/community].”
In my experience, it was worth asking for clarification on the guidance we received. I did so at my institution and confirmed that we are still allowed to include language such as the latter example above, despite the anti-DEI rules that have come down from the state level over the past few years. This paves the way for us to include cultural competency on our hiring matrices and ask interview questions pertaining to these important skills, thus enhancing our ability to recruit qualified candidates.
*(Mikel Hogan-Garcia, The Four Skills of Cultural Diversity Competence: A Process for Understanding and Practice (Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole, 1999).)
Dawn Schmitz is the Curator of Rare Books and Manuscripts at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where she previously served as Associate Dean for Special Collections and University Archives. In these roles she has served on or chaired quite a few search committees for faculty and staff positions, continuously working with others to improve recruitment practices. She is an active member of the Society of American Archivists and a word nerd who served for 11 years on the committee that writes the Dictionary of Archives Terminology.
#culturalCompetency #librarians #libraries #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #LISCareers
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“I had an interviewer ask me how clean my car and my room was on a scale of 1-10 with no explanation.”
Please note: this is an anonymous response to an online survey; I do not have any way of contacting the respondent or verifying responses. Their answers may reflect good, bad, or middling job searching practices. I invite you to take what’s useful and leave the rest.
Your Demographics and Search Parameters
How long have you been job hunting?
√ A year to 18 months
Why are you job hunting?
√ This is the next step after finishing library/archives/other LIS graduate degree,
√ I’m underemployed (not enough hours or overqualified for current position),
√ I’m employed outside of the field and I’d like to be in it,
√ My current job provides insufficient or no benefits (Healthcare or beyond)
Where do you look for open positions?
LinkedIn, specific career pages (60+ on my list), AMIA listserv, Archivesgig.com
What position level are you looking for?
√ Entry level,
√ Clerk/Library Assistant
What type(s) of organization are you looking in?
√ Academic library,
√ Archives,
√ Library vendor/service provider,
√ Public library,
√ Special library,
√ Media Archives
What part of the world are you in?
√ Southwestern US
What’s your region like?
√ Urban area
Are you willing/able to move for employment?
√ Yes, to a specific list of places
What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?
relevance to my career goals as a film archivist, location, room for growth
How many jobs have you applied to during your current search? (Please indicate if it’s an estimate or exact)
80 (exact)
What steps, actions, or attributes are most important for employers to take to sell you on the job?
√ Pay well,
√ Having a good reputation,
√ Funding professional development,
√ Prioritizing work-life balance
Do you expect to see the salary range listed in a job ad?
√ Yes, and it’s a red flag when it’s not
Other than not listing a salary range, are there other “red flags” that would prevent you from applying to a job?
If it’s a part-time or short-term role with little pay outside of where I’m willing to relocate to, then I don’t apply.
The Process
How much time do you spend preparing an application packet?
1+ hours.
What are the steps you follow to prepare an application packet?
I take notes on the job description, write/rewrite a cover letter tailored to the description, tweak my resume if needed, go through any application questions.
How do you prefer to communicate with potential employers?
√ Email
When would you like potential employers to contact you?
√ To acknowledge my application,
√ To tell me if the search is at the interview stage, even if I have not been selected,
√ Once the position has been filled, even if it’s not me
How long do you expect an organization’s application process to take, from the point you submit your documents to the point of either an offer or rejection?
Depends on the type of institution, but anywhere from 3 weeks to 6 months (for an academic library).
How do you prepare for interviews?
I write out answers to potential interview questions and make sure I’ve researched their institution really well and have a good understanding of their collections and structure. I also try to write out as many questions as I can for them.
What are your most hated interview questions, and why?
I hate the vague, “tell me a time when…” questions because I feel like I don’t know what they want from my answer.
During your current search, have you had any of the following experiences:
- Submitted an application and got no response √ Happened more than once
- Had an interview and never heard back √ Not Applicable
- Interviewed for a job where an internal candidate was eventually chosen √ I don’t know
- Asked for an accommodation for a disability √ Not Applicable
- Withdrawn an application before the offer stage √ Not Applicable
- Turned down an offer √ Happened once
If you’ve turned down an offer (or offers), why?
Yes. I turned down an offer for a position that I didn’t feel ready for or qualified for and would’ve had to move across the country for (though they would’ve provided relocation assistance). It didn’t feel like the right job to warrant the move, though I probably would’ve taken the job if it were closer or in a more ideal location.
If you want to share a great, inspirational, funny, horrific or other story about an experience you have had at any stage in the hiring process, please do so here:
I had an interviewer ask me how clean my car and my room was on a scale of 1-10 with no explanation.
What should employers do to make the hiring process better for job hunters?
Be quicker and more informative in the hiring process. Keep the candidate updated if they haven’t been selected. If there are interview questions you can share ahead of time, please do that!
You and Your Well-Being
How are you doing, generally?
√ I’m maintaining,
√ I’m somewhat depressed,
√ I’m despondent,
√ I’m frustrated,
√ Not out of money yet, but worried,
√ I feel alone in my search
What are your job search self-care strategies?
Get lots of sleep. Don’t just stare at LinkedIn all day. Go for a walk.
Do you have any advice or words of support you’d like to share with other job hunters, is there anything you’d like to say to employers, or is there anything else you’d like to say about job hunting?
It feels like it’s an especially hard time right now to find jobs in the LIS field and being rejected from jobs doesn’t always mean you’re lacking as a person. Things will turn around and something good will happen soon.
Do you have any comments for Emily (the survey author) or are there any other questions you think we should add to this survey?
It’s nice to know that there are resources for people looking for jobs in this field. 🙂
Job Hunting Post Graduate School
If you have an MLIS or other graduate level degree in a LIS field, what year did you graduate? (Or what year do you anticipate graduating?)
2024
When did you start your first job search for a “professional” position (or other position that utilized your degree)?
√ After graduating with my MLIS/other LIS degree
In relation to your graduation, when did you find your first “professional” position?
√ Hasn’t happened yet – I’m still looking
What kind of work was your first post-graduation professional position?
√ N/A – hasn’t happened yet
#GLAMJobs #librarians #libraries #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryWork #LISCareers #lisJobs
-
“I had an interviewer ask me how clean my car and my room was on a scale of 1-10 with no explanation.”
Please note: this is an anonymous response to an online survey; I do not have any way of contacting the respondent or verifying responses. Their answers may reflect good, bad, or middling job searching practices. I invite you to take what’s useful and leave the rest.
Your Demographics and Search Parameters
How long have you been job hunting?
√ A year to 18 months
Why are you job hunting?
√ This is the next step after finishing library/archives/other LIS graduate degree,
√ I’m underemployed (not enough hours or overqualified for current position),
√ I’m employed outside of the field and I’d like to be in it,
√ My current job provides insufficient or no benefits (Healthcare or beyond)
Where do you look for open positions?
LinkedIn, specific career pages (60+ on my list), AMIA listserv, Archivesgig.com
What position level are you looking for?
√ Entry level,
√ Clerk/Library Assistant
What type(s) of organization are you looking in?
√ Academic library,
√ Archives,
√ Library vendor/service provider,
√ Public library,
√ Special library,
√ Media Archives
What part of the world are you in?
√ Southwestern US
What’s your region like?
√ Urban area
Are you willing/able to move for employment?
√ Yes, to a specific list of places
What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?
relevance to my career goals as a film archivist, location, room for growth
How many jobs have you applied to during your current search? (Please indicate if it’s an estimate or exact)
80 (exact)
What steps, actions, or attributes are most important for employers to take to sell you on the job?
√ Pay well,
√ Having a good reputation,
√ Funding professional development,
√ Prioritizing work-life balance
Do you expect to see the salary range listed in a job ad?
√ Yes, and it’s a red flag when it’s not
Other than not listing a salary range, are there other “red flags” that would prevent you from applying to a job?
If it’s a part-time or short-term role with little pay outside of where I’m willing to relocate to, then I don’t apply.
The Process
How much time do you spend preparing an application packet?
1+ hours.
What are the steps you follow to prepare an application packet?
I take notes on the job description, write/rewrite a cover letter tailored to the description, tweak my resume if needed, go through any application questions.
How do you prefer to communicate with potential employers?
√ Email
When would you like potential employers to contact you?
√ To acknowledge my application,
√ To tell me if the search is at the interview stage, even if I have not been selected,
√ Once the position has been filled, even if it’s not me
How long do you expect an organization’s application process to take, from the point you submit your documents to the point of either an offer or rejection?
Depends on the type of institution, but anywhere from 3 weeks to 6 months (for an academic library).
How do you prepare for interviews?
I write out answers to potential interview questions and make sure I’ve researched their institution really well and have a good understanding of their collections and structure. I also try to write out as many questions as I can for them.
What are your most hated interview questions, and why?
I hate the vague, “tell me a time when…” questions because I feel like I don’t know what they want from my answer.
During your current search, have you had any of the following experiences:
- Submitted an application and got no response √ Happened more than once
- Had an interview and never heard back √ Not Applicable
- Interviewed for a job where an internal candidate was eventually chosen √ I don’t know
- Asked for an accommodation for a disability √ Not Applicable
- Withdrawn an application before the offer stage √ Not Applicable
- Turned down an offer √ Happened once
If you’ve turned down an offer (or offers), why?
Yes. I turned down an offer for a position that I didn’t feel ready for or qualified for and would’ve had to move across the country for (though they would’ve provided relocation assistance). It didn’t feel like the right job to warrant the move, though I probably would’ve taken the job if it were closer or in a more ideal location.
If you want to share a great, inspirational, funny, horrific or other story about an experience you have had at any stage in the hiring process, please do so here:
I had an interviewer ask me how clean my car and my room was on a scale of 1-10 with no explanation.
What should employers do to make the hiring process better for job hunters?
Be quicker and more informative in the hiring process. Keep the candidate updated if they haven’t been selected. If there are interview questions you can share ahead of time, please do that!
You and Your Well-Being
How are you doing, generally?
√ I’m maintaining,
√ I’m somewhat depressed,
√ I’m despondent,
√ I’m frustrated,
√ Not out of money yet, but worried,
√ I feel alone in my search
What are your job search self-care strategies?
Get lots of sleep. Don’t just stare at LinkedIn all day. Go for a walk.
Do you have any advice or words of support you’d like to share with other job hunters, is there anything you’d like to say to employers, or is there anything else you’d like to say about job hunting?
It feels like it’s an especially hard time right now to find jobs in the LIS field and being rejected from jobs doesn’t always mean you’re lacking as a person. Things will turn around and something good will happen soon.
Do you have any comments for Emily (the survey author) or are there any other questions you think we should add to this survey?
It’s nice to know that there are resources for people looking for jobs in this field. 🙂
Job Hunting Post Graduate School
If you have an MLIS or other graduate level degree in a LIS field, what year did you graduate? (Or what year do you anticipate graduating?)
2024
When did you start your first job search for a “professional” position (or other position that utilized your degree)?
√ After graduating with my MLIS/other LIS degree
In relation to your graduation, when did you find your first “professional” position?
√ Hasn’t happened yet – I’m still looking
What kind of work was your first post-graduation professional position?
√ N/A – hasn’t happened yet
#GLAMJobs #librarians #libraries #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryWork #LISCareers #lisJobs
-
“I had an interviewer ask me how clean my car and my room was on a scale of 1-10 with no explanation.”
Please note: this is an anonymous response to an online survey; I do not have any way of contacting the respondent or verifying responses. Their answers may reflect good, bad, or middling job searching practices. I invite you to take what’s useful and leave the rest.
Your Demographics and Search Parameters
How long have you been job hunting?
√ A year to 18 months
Why are you job hunting?
√ This is the next step after finishing library/archives/other LIS graduate degree,
√ I’m underemployed (not enough hours or overqualified for current position),
√ I’m employed outside of the field and I’d like to be in it,
√ My current job provides insufficient or no benefits (Healthcare or beyond)
Where do you look for open positions?
LinkedIn, specific career pages (60+ on my list), AMIA listserv, Archivesgig.com
What position level are you looking for?
√ Entry level,
√ Clerk/Library Assistant
What type(s) of organization are you looking in?
√ Academic library,
√ Archives,
√ Library vendor/service provider,
√ Public library,
√ Special library,
√ Media Archives
What part of the world are you in?
√ Southwestern US
What’s your region like?
√ Urban area
Are you willing/able to move for employment?
√ Yes, to a specific list of places
What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?
relevance to my career goals as a film archivist, location, room for growth
How many jobs have you applied to during your current search? (Please indicate if it’s an estimate or exact)
80 (exact)
What steps, actions, or attributes are most important for employers to take to sell you on the job?
√ Pay well,
√ Having a good reputation,
√ Funding professional development,
√ Prioritizing work-life balance
Do you expect to see the salary range listed in a job ad?
√ Yes, and it’s a red flag when it’s not
Other than not listing a salary range, are there other “red flags” that would prevent you from applying to a job?
If it’s a part-time or short-term role with little pay outside of where I’m willing to relocate to, then I don’t apply.
The Process
How much time do you spend preparing an application packet?
1+ hours.
What are the steps you follow to prepare an application packet?
I take notes on the job description, write/rewrite a cover letter tailored to the description, tweak my resume if needed, go through any application questions.
How do you prefer to communicate with potential employers?
√ Email
When would you like potential employers to contact you?
√ To acknowledge my application,
√ To tell me if the search is at the interview stage, even if I have not been selected,
√ Once the position has been filled, even if it’s not me
How long do you expect an organization’s application process to take, from the point you submit your documents to the point of either an offer or rejection?
Depends on the type of institution, but anywhere from 3 weeks to 6 months (for an academic library).
How do you prepare for interviews?
I write out answers to potential interview questions and make sure I’ve researched their institution really well and have a good understanding of their collections and structure. I also try to write out as many questions as I can for them.
What are your most hated interview questions, and why?
I hate the vague, “tell me a time when…” questions because I feel like I don’t know what they want from my answer.
During your current search, have you had any of the following experiences:
- Submitted an application and got no response √ Happened more than once
- Had an interview and never heard back √ Not Applicable
- Interviewed for a job where an internal candidate was eventually chosen √ I don’t know
- Asked for an accommodation for a disability √ Not Applicable
- Withdrawn an application before the offer stage √ Not Applicable
- Turned down an offer √ Happened once
If you’ve turned down an offer (or offers), why?
Yes. I turned down an offer for a position that I didn’t feel ready for or qualified for and would’ve had to move across the country for (though they would’ve provided relocation assistance). It didn’t feel like the right job to warrant the move, though I probably would’ve taken the job if it were closer or in a more ideal location.
If you want to share a great, inspirational, funny, horrific or other story about an experience you have had at any stage in the hiring process, please do so here:
I had an interviewer ask me how clean my car and my room was on a scale of 1-10 with no explanation.
What should employers do to make the hiring process better for job hunters?
Be quicker and more informative in the hiring process. Keep the candidate updated if they haven’t been selected. If there are interview questions you can share ahead of time, please do that!
You and Your Well-Being
How are you doing, generally?
√ I’m maintaining,
√ I’m somewhat depressed,
√ I’m despondent,
√ I’m frustrated,
√ Not out of money yet, but worried,
√ I feel alone in my search
What are your job search self-care strategies?
Get lots of sleep. Don’t just stare at LinkedIn all day. Go for a walk.
Do you have any advice or words of support you’d like to share with other job hunters, is there anything you’d like to say to employers, or is there anything else you’d like to say about job hunting?
It feels like it’s an especially hard time right now to find jobs in the LIS field and being rejected from jobs doesn’t always mean you’re lacking as a person. Things will turn around and something good will happen soon.
Do you have any comments for Emily (the survey author) or are there any other questions you think we should add to this survey?
It’s nice to know that there are resources for people looking for jobs in this field. 🙂
Job Hunting Post Graduate School
If you have an MLIS or other graduate level degree in a LIS field, what year did you graduate? (Or what year do you anticipate graduating?)
2024
When did you start your first job search for a “professional” position (or other position that utilized your degree)?
√ After graduating with my MLIS/other LIS degree
In relation to your graduation, when did you find your first “professional” position?
√ Hasn’t happened yet – I’m still looking
What kind of work was your first post-graduation professional position?
√ N/A – hasn’t happened yet
#GLAMJobs #librarians #libraries #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryWork #LISCareers #lisJobs
-
“I had an interviewer ask me how clean my car and my room was on a scale of 1-10 with no explanation.”
Please note: this is an anonymous response to an online survey; I do not have any way of contacting the respondent or verifying responses. Their answers may reflect good, bad, or middling job searching practices. I invite you to take what’s useful and leave the rest.
Your Demographics and Search Parameters
How long have you been job hunting?
√ A year to 18 months
Why are you job hunting?
√ This is the next step after finishing library/archives/other LIS graduate degree,
√ I’m underemployed (not enough hours or overqualified for current position),
√ I’m employed outside of the field and I’d like to be in it,
√ My current job provides insufficient or no benefits (Healthcare or beyond)
Where do you look for open positions?
LinkedIn, specific career pages (60+ on my list), AMIA listserv, Archivesgig.com
What position level are you looking for?
√ Entry level,
√ Clerk/Library Assistant
What type(s) of organization are you looking in?
√ Academic library,
√ Archives,
√ Library vendor/service provider,
√ Public library,
√ Special library,
√ Media Archives
What part of the world are you in?
√ Southwestern US
What’s your region like?
√ Urban area
Are you willing/able to move for employment?
√ Yes, to a specific list of places
What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?
relevance to my career goals as a film archivist, location, room for growth
How many jobs have you applied to during your current search? (Please indicate if it’s an estimate or exact)
80 (exact)
What steps, actions, or attributes are most important for employers to take to sell you on the job?
√ Pay well,
√ Having a good reputation,
√ Funding professional development,
√ Prioritizing work-life balance
Do you expect to see the salary range listed in a job ad?
√ Yes, and it’s a red flag when it’s not
Other than not listing a salary range, are there other “red flags” that would prevent you from applying to a job?
If it’s a part-time or short-term role with little pay outside of where I’m willing to relocate to, then I don’t apply.
The Process
How much time do you spend preparing an application packet?
1+ hours.
What are the steps you follow to prepare an application packet?
I take notes on the job description, write/rewrite a cover letter tailored to the description, tweak my resume if needed, go through any application questions.
How do you prefer to communicate with potential employers?
√ Email
When would you like potential employers to contact you?
√ To acknowledge my application,
√ To tell me if the search is at the interview stage, even if I have not been selected,
√ Once the position has been filled, even if it’s not me
How long do you expect an organization’s application process to take, from the point you submit your documents to the point of either an offer or rejection?
Depends on the type of institution, but anywhere from 3 weeks to 6 months (for an academic library).
How do you prepare for interviews?
I write out answers to potential interview questions and make sure I’ve researched their institution really well and have a good understanding of their collections and structure. I also try to write out as many questions as I can for them.
What are your most hated interview questions, and why?
I hate the vague, “tell me a time when…” questions because I feel like I don’t know what they want from my answer.
During your current search, have you had any of the following experiences:
- Submitted an application and got no response √ Happened more than once
- Had an interview and never heard back √ Not Applicable
- Interviewed for a job where an internal candidate was eventually chosen √ I don’t know
- Asked for an accommodation for a disability √ Not Applicable
- Withdrawn an application before the offer stage √ Not Applicable
- Turned down an offer √ Happened once
If you’ve turned down an offer (or offers), why?
Yes. I turned down an offer for a position that I didn’t feel ready for or qualified for and would’ve had to move across the country for (though they would’ve provided relocation assistance). It didn’t feel like the right job to warrant the move, though I probably would’ve taken the job if it were closer or in a more ideal location.
If you want to share a great, inspirational, funny, horrific or other story about an experience you have had at any stage in the hiring process, please do so here:
I had an interviewer ask me how clean my car and my room was on a scale of 1-10 with no explanation.
What should employers do to make the hiring process better for job hunters?
Be quicker and more informative in the hiring process. Keep the candidate updated if they haven’t been selected. If there are interview questions you can share ahead of time, please do that!
You and Your Well-Being
How are you doing, generally?
√ I’m maintaining,
√ I’m somewhat depressed,
√ I’m despondent,
√ I’m frustrated,
√ Not out of money yet, but worried,
√ I feel alone in my search
What are your job search self-care strategies?
Get lots of sleep. Don’t just stare at LinkedIn all day. Go for a walk.
Do you have any advice or words of support you’d like to share with other job hunters, is there anything you’d like to say to employers, or is there anything else you’d like to say about job hunting?
It feels like it’s an especially hard time right now to find jobs in the LIS field and being rejected from jobs doesn’t always mean you’re lacking as a person. Things will turn around and something good will happen soon.
Do you have any comments for Emily (the survey author) or are there any other questions you think we should add to this survey?
It’s nice to know that there are resources for people looking for jobs in this field. 🙂
Job Hunting Post Graduate School
If you have an MLIS or other graduate level degree in a LIS field, what year did you graduate? (Or what year do you anticipate graduating?)
2024
When did you start your first job search for a “professional” position (or other position that utilized your degree)?
√ After graduating with my MLIS/other LIS degree
In relation to your graduation, when did you find your first “professional” position?
√ Hasn’t happened yet – I’m still looking
What kind of work was your first post-graduation professional position?
√ N/A – hasn’t happened yet
#GLAMJobs #librarians #libraries #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryWork #LISCareers #lisJobs
-
“we have qualified candidates apply and some who are less qualified”
Please note: This is an anonymous response to an online survey; I do not have any way of contacting the respondent or verifying responses. Their answers may reflect good, bad, or middling hiring practices. I invite you to take what’s useful and leave the rest. If you are someone who hires Library, Archives or other LIS workers, please consider giving your own opinion by filling out the survey here.
Current Hiring Practices and Organizational Needs
These questions are about your current hiring practices in general – the way things have been run the last year or two (or three).
Where do you advertise your job listings?
RAILS Library Job board, ILA job board, Indeed
Do you notice a difference in application quality based on where the applicant saw the job ad?
Yes
Do you include salary in the job ad?
√ Yes
Do you use keyword matching or any automation tools to reduce the number of applications a human reads while considering candidates?
√ No
Do you consider candidates who don’t meet all the requirements listed in the job ad?
√ Yes
Does your workplace require experience for entry-level librarian positions? (Officially or unofficially…)
√ Other: We require experience working with the public, but not necessarily in public libraries.
What is the current most common reason for disqualifying an applicant without an interview?
Experience for the position
Does your organization use one-way interviews? (Sometimes also called asynchronous or recorded interviews)
√ No
Do you provide interview questions before the interview?
√ Yes
If you provide interview questions before the interview, how far in advance?
2-4 days
How much of your interview process is virtual?
√ Other: Depends on the situation. If we have out of state candidates, we offer virtual to all our candidates.
Do you (or does your organization) give candidates feedback about applications or interview performance?
√ No
What is the most important thing for a job hunter to do in order to improve their hirability?
A good cover letter.
I want to hire someone who is:
engaged.
Your Last Recruitment
These are questions about the last person you hired (or the last position you attempted to fill). This person may not have been a librarian, and that’s ok.
Think about the most recent time you participated in hiring someone (or an attempt to hire someone) at your organization. What was the title of the position you were trying to fill?
Public Services Assistant Manager
When was this position hired?
√ Within the last three months
Approximately how many people applied for this position?
√ 25 or fewer
Approximately what percentage of those would you say were hirable?
√ 25% or less
And how would you define “hirable”?
Qualified and interested in this position
How did the recruitment for this position compare with recruitments in previous years?
Same – we have qualified candidates apply and some who are less qualified.
Your Workplace
This section asks for information about your workplace, including if you have lost positions in the last decade.
How many staff members are at your library/organization?
√ 10-50
Are you unionized?
√ No
How many permanent, full time job openings has your workplace posted in the last year?
√ 2
How many permanent, full time librarian (or other “professional” level) jobs has your workplace posted in the last year?
√ 2
Can you tell us how the number of permanent, full-time positions at your workplace has changed over the past decade?
√ There are fewer positions
Have any full-time librarian positions been replaced with part-time or hourly workers over the past decade?
√ Yes
Have any full-time librarian positions been replaced with non-librarian, lower paid staff positions over the past decade?
√ I don’t know
Is librarianship a dying profession?
√ No
Demographics
This section asks for information about you specifically.
What part of the world are you in?
√ Midwestern US
What’s your region like?
√ Urban area
What type of institution do you hire for (check all that apply):
√ Public Library
What type(s) of LIS professionals do you hire?
Adult and children’s librarians.
Are you a librarian?
√ Yes
Are you now or have you ever been:
√ A hiring manager (you are hiring people that you will directly or indirectly supervise),
√ A member of a hiring or search committee
#1 #14 #25 #35 #books #GLAMJobs #Librarian #librarians #libraries #Library #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryWork #LISCareers #lisJobs
-
“we have qualified candidates apply and some who are less qualified”
Please note: This is an anonymous response to an online survey; I do not have any way of contacting the respondent or verifying responses. Their answers may reflect good, bad, or middling hiring practices. I invite you to take what’s useful and leave the rest. If you are someone who hires Library, Archives or other LIS workers, please consider giving your own opinion by filling out the survey here.
Current Hiring Practices and Organizational Needs
These questions are about your current hiring practices in general – the way things have been run the last year or two (or three).
Where do you advertise your job listings?
RAILS Library Job board, ILA job board, Indeed
Do you notice a difference in application quality based on where the applicant saw the job ad?
Yes
Do you include salary in the job ad?
√ Yes
Do you use keyword matching or any automation tools to reduce the number of applications a human reads while considering candidates?
√ No
Do you consider candidates who don’t meet all the requirements listed in the job ad?
√ Yes
Does your workplace require experience for entry-level librarian positions? (Officially or unofficially…)
√ Other: We require experience working with the public, but not necessarily in public libraries.
What is the current most common reason for disqualifying an applicant without an interview?
Experience for the position
Does your organization use one-way interviews? (Sometimes also called asynchronous or recorded interviews)
√ No
Do you provide interview questions before the interview?
√ Yes
If you provide interview questions before the interview, how far in advance?
2-4 days
How much of your interview process is virtual?
√ Other: Depends on the situation. If we have out of state candidates, we offer virtual to all our candidates.
Do you (or does your organization) give candidates feedback about applications or interview performance?
√ No
What is the most important thing for a job hunter to do in order to improve their hirability?
A good cover letter.
I want to hire someone who is:
engaged.
Your Last Recruitment
These are questions about the last person you hired (or the last position you attempted to fill). This person may not have been a librarian, and that’s ok.
Think about the most recent time you participated in hiring someone (or an attempt to hire someone) at your organization. What was the title of the position you were trying to fill?
Public Services Assistant Manager
When was this position hired?
√ Within the last three months
Approximately how many people applied for this position?
√ 25 or fewer
Approximately what percentage of those would you say were hirable?
√ 25% or less
And how would you define “hirable”?
Qualified and interested in this position
How did the recruitment for this position compare with recruitments in previous years?
Same – we have qualified candidates apply and some who are less qualified.
Your Workplace
This section asks for information about your workplace, including if you have lost positions in the last decade.
How many staff members are at your library/organization?
√ 10-50
Are you unionized?
√ No
How many permanent, full time job openings has your workplace posted in the last year?
√ 2
How many permanent, full time librarian (or other “professional” level) jobs has your workplace posted in the last year?
√ 2
Can you tell us how the number of permanent, full-time positions at your workplace has changed over the past decade?
√ There are fewer positions
Have any full-time librarian positions been replaced with part-time or hourly workers over the past decade?
√ Yes
Have any full-time librarian positions been replaced with non-librarian, lower paid staff positions over the past decade?
√ I don’t know
Is librarianship a dying profession?
√ No
Demographics
This section asks for information about you specifically.
What part of the world are you in?
√ Midwestern US
What’s your region like?
√ Urban area
What type of institution do you hire for (check all that apply):
√ Public Library
What type(s) of LIS professionals do you hire?
Adult and children’s librarians.
Are you a librarian?
√ Yes
Are you now or have you ever been:
√ A hiring manager (you are hiring people that you will directly or indirectly supervise),
√ A member of a hiring or search committee
#1 #14 #25 #35 #books #GLAMJobs #Librarian #librarians #libraries #Library #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryWork #LISCareers #lisJobs
-
“we have qualified candidates apply and some who are less qualified”
Please note: This is an anonymous response to an online survey; I do not have any way of contacting the respondent or verifying responses. Their answers may reflect good, bad, or middling hiring practices. I invite you to take what’s useful and leave the rest. If you are someone who hires Library, Archives or other LIS workers, please consider giving your own opinion by filling out the survey here.
Current Hiring Practices and Organizational Needs
These questions are about your current hiring practices in general – the way things have been run the last year or two (or three).
Where do you advertise your job listings?
RAILS Library Job board, ILA job board, Indeed
Do you notice a difference in application quality based on where the applicant saw the job ad?
Yes
Do you include salary in the job ad?
√ Yes
Do you use keyword matching or any automation tools to reduce the number of applications a human reads while considering candidates?
√ No
Do you consider candidates who don’t meet all the requirements listed in the job ad?
√ Yes
Does your workplace require experience for entry-level librarian positions? (Officially or unofficially…)
√ Other: We require experience working with the public, but not necessarily in public libraries.
What is the current most common reason for disqualifying an applicant without an interview?
Experience for the position
Does your organization use one-way interviews? (Sometimes also called asynchronous or recorded interviews)
√ No
Do you provide interview questions before the interview?
√ Yes
If you provide interview questions before the interview, how far in advance?
2-4 days
How much of your interview process is virtual?
√ Other: Depends on the situation. If we have out of state candidates, we offer virtual to all our candidates.
Do you (or does your organization) give candidates feedback about applications or interview performance?
√ No
What is the most important thing for a job hunter to do in order to improve their hirability?
A good cover letter.
I want to hire someone who is:
engaged.
Your Last Recruitment
These are questions about the last person you hired (or the last position you attempted to fill). This person may not have been a librarian, and that’s ok.
Think about the most recent time you participated in hiring someone (or an attempt to hire someone) at your organization. What was the title of the position you were trying to fill?
Public Services Assistant Manager
When was this position hired?
√ Within the last three months
Approximately how many people applied for this position?
√ 25 or fewer
Approximately what percentage of those would you say were hirable?
√ 25% or less
And how would you define “hirable”?
Qualified and interested in this position
How did the recruitment for this position compare with recruitments in previous years?
Same – we have qualified candidates apply and some who are less qualified.
Your Workplace
This section asks for information about your workplace, including if you have lost positions in the last decade.
How many staff members are at your library/organization?
√ 10-50
Are you unionized?
√ No
How many permanent, full time job openings has your workplace posted in the last year?
√ 2
How many permanent, full time librarian (or other “professional” level) jobs has your workplace posted in the last year?
√ 2
Can you tell us how the number of permanent, full-time positions at your workplace has changed over the past decade?
√ There are fewer positions
Have any full-time librarian positions been replaced with part-time or hourly workers over the past decade?
√ Yes
Have any full-time librarian positions been replaced with non-librarian, lower paid staff positions over the past decade?
√ I don’t know
Is librarianship a dying profession?
√ No
Demographics
This section asks for information about you specifically.
What part of the world are you in?
√ Midwestern US
What’s your region like?
√ Urban area
What type of institution do you hire for (check all that apply):
√ Public Library
What type(s) of LIS professionals do you hire?
Adult and children’s librarians.
Are you a librarian?
√ Yes
Are you now or have you ever been:
√ A hiring manager (you are hiring people that you will directly or indirectly supervise),
√ A member of a hiring or search committee
#1 #14 #25 #35 #books #GLAMJobs #Librarian #librarians #libraries #Library #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryWork #LISCareers #lisJobs
-
“we have qualified candidates apply and some who are less qualified”
Please note: This is an anonymous response to an online survey; I do not have any way of contacting the respondent or verifying responses. Their answers may reflect good, bad, or middling hiring practices. I invite you to take what’s useful and leave the rest. If you are someone who hires Library, Archives or other LIS workers, please consider giving your own opinion by filling out the survey here.
Current Hiring Practices and Organizational Needs
These questions are about your current hiring practices in general – the way things have been run the last year or two (or three).
Where do you advertise your job listings?
RAILS Library Job board, ILA job board, Indeed
Do you notice a difference in application quality based on where the applicant saw the job ad?
Yes
Do you include salary in the job ad?
√ Yes
Do you use keyword matching or any automation tools to reduce the number of applications a human reads while considering candidates?
√ No
Do you consider candidates who don’t meet all the requirements listed in the job ad?
√ Yes
Does your workplace require experience for entry-level librarian positions? (Officially or unofficially…)
√ Other: We require experience working with the public, but not necessarily in public libraries.
What is the current most common reason for disqualifying an applicant without an interview?
Experience for the position
Does your organization use one-way interviews? (Sometimes also called asynchronous or recorded interviews)
√ No
Do you provide interview questions before the interview?
√ Yes
If you provide interview questions before the interview, how far in advance?
2-4 days
How much of your interview process is virtual?
√ Other: Depends on the situation. If we have out of state candidates, we offer virtual to all our candidates.
Do you (or does your organization) give candidates feedback about applications or interview performance?
√ No
What is the most important thing for a job hunter to do in order to improve their hirability?
A good cover letter.
I want to hire someone who is:
engaged.
Your Last Recruitment
These are questions about the last person you hired (or the last position you attempted to fill). This person may not have been a librarian, and that’s ok.
Think about the most recent time you participated in hiring someone (or an attempt to hire someone) at your organization. What was the title of the position you were trying to fill?
Public Services Assistant Manager
When was this position hired?
√ Within the last three months
Approximately how many people applied for this position?
√ 25 or fewer
Approximately what percentage of those would you say were hirable?
√ 25% or less
And how would you define “hirable”?
Qualified and interested in this position
How did the recruitment for this position compare with recruitments in previous years?
Same – we have qualified candidates apply and some who are less qualified.
Your Workplace
This section asks for information about your workplace, including if you have lost positions in the last decade.
How many staff members are at your library/organization?
√ 10-50
Are you unionized?
√ No
How many permanent, full time job openings has your workplace posted in the last year?
√ 2
How many permanent, full time librarian (or other “professional” level) jobs has your workplace posted in the last year?
√ 2
Can you tell us how the number of permanent, full-time positions at your workplace has changed over the past decade?
√ There are fewer positions
Have any full-time librarian positions been replaced with part-time or hourly workers over the past decade?
√ Yes
Have any full-time librarian positions been replaced with non-librarian, lower paid staff positions over the past decade?
√ I don’t know
Is librarianship a dying profession?
√ No
Demographics
This section asks for information about you specifically.
What part of the world are you in?
√ Midwestern US
What’s your region like?
√ Urban area
What type of institution do you hire for (check all that apply):
√ Public Library
What type(s) of LIS professionals do you hire?
Adult and children’s librarians.
Are you a librarian?
√ Yes
Are you now or have you ever been:
√ A hiring manager (you are hiring people that you will directly or indirectly supervise),
√ A member of a hiring or search committee
#1 #14 #25 #35 #books #GLAMJobs #Librarian #librarians #libraries #Library #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryWork #LISCareers #lisJobs
-
Further Questions: AI and Hiring
Let’s do a deeper dive into specific hiring questions! About once a month, I get answers from a group of people who hire library and LIS workers. I’d love to hear from you: what should I ask next time? Or, let me know if you’d like to join the pool of people who might answer.
In a couple recent webinars I’ve conducted, I’ve heard from employers who want to know what to do about applications that are written by AI. Some are overwhelmed with poor or unqualified applications, and some are worried about inadvertently selecting a candidate who has “cheated” by having AI write their cover letter. I have also heard from applicants who are curious about using AI to help streamline their own application process – they wonder under what, if any, circumstances it would be a good idea. (I did previously ask about using AI to write cover letters in July of 2024).
So this month I’m asking multiple questions:
- Have you encountered AI-written applications in any of your searches?
- Were they obvious?
- What did you do?
- Do you have any advice or recommended tactics regarding AI for other people or organizations who hire?
- Do you have any advice or recommendations regarding AI for job seekers?
- Any additional concerns, open questions, or comments about AI and hiring that you’d like to share?
Melissa Moore, Head of Access Services, Ferndale Area District Library:
1. Have you encountered AI-written applications in any of your searches?
Yes. Not many, but I have seen a few AI cover letters
2. Were they obvious?
Very obvious. They are always very surface level answers that don’t really tell me anything. They also never include anything specific about the position or the library.
3. What did you do?
I stop reading and put that resume in my “no” pile.
4. Do you have any advice or recommended tactics regarding AI for other people or organizations who hire?
As a hiring manager, I firmly believe that using AI read/sort resumes is bad practice. If you ask for a cover letter, read it. It is also impossible for AI to find or understand nuance and interpret transferable skills that are not input into its programming. There is also the ethical concern of how LLMs are trained.
5. Do you have any advice or recommendations regarding AI for job seekers?
Don’t. Just don’t. Find already written examples and start there. Ask other people for help. Go to the library and check out one of the many resources tailored to creating resumes, cover letters, and more. Use your school’s career center (you can still get help even as an alumni).
6. Any additional concerns, open questions, or comments about AI and hiring that you’d like to share?
Using AI in the hiring process does not provide a diverse interview pool, contrary to what AI companies are telling you. AI resume screeners are shown to favor white males and tend to be more discriminatory than humans.
Using AI to write a resume or cover letter lacks personalization and detail that makes someone a stand out candidate that puts them at the top of the interview pile. I would rather have two sentences telling me why you want to work here than a perfectly constructed AI letter that doesn’t really tell me anything at all (or worse, has nothing to do with the job description or the library).
Gretchen Corsillo, Director, Rutherford Public Library:
AI can certainly be helpful in certain aspects of hiring and job seeking, but I do not see it as a replacement for either side of the process. I personally do not have a problem with candidates using AI to check grammar, correct awkward wording, etc. That being said, I would caution against using it to generate cover letters or resumes. As a potential hire, I want to hear your voice and see your natural writing style, as communication skills are important for most library roles. I think the critical thinking aspect of tying your experience into the qualities requested in a job ad is also very important. We lose that with GenAI. So, if you really want to use AI, think of it as an editing tool rather than a writer or creator. On the hiring side, I am generally not comfortable relying on AI to evaluate candidates for fear of accuracy issues, internal biases, etc. If I had to use it, I see it being more helpful in polishing responses to candidates and managing schedules – the more tedious and clerical aspects of the process. I know there are a lot of AI-based HR tools entering the market, so I’m curious to see how they impact hiring processes in the long term.
Celia Rabinowitz, Assistant Vice-President for Academic Engagement and Director of Mason Library, Keene State College: It has been over five years since I have been able to do a search for a library position. I am currently chairing a search for an endowed faculty position in one of our non-library academic departments but do not anticipate encountering any AI-generated materials (or at least I hope we do not). My advice for job seekers is to avoid AI, particularly for cover-letter writing. As we all know, AI tools do not write, they can only generate text. An AI-generated letter not only opens up the risk of being recognized as artificial, but also may not impress readers as much as your own writing (even if it does seem to save time). I am in the AI-resistor camp in general although I can see some potential for using a tool to take your existing resume or cv and offering some alternative formatting or restructuring of text.
I am curious about whether there are already Institutional/campus guidelines or policies about applications that hiring managers suspect have been generated or enhanced by AI. These types of guidelines probably exist and they can help establish consistent responses. I have already read a number of articles about students suspected or accused of using AI who have been able to prove otherwise (through the use of extensive screen shots during their writing process). So my worry is that suspecting AI-generated materials and verifying their existence is not easy. Are hiring managers rejecting these without giving the submitters an opportunity to demonstrate otherwise? Or is all of this too time consuming and labor intensive even to bother with and we just accept what is submitted either assuming professional integrity, or not particularly concerned?
I am not sure how all of this is playing out other than to be fairly certain it is a current reality that library search committees and hiring managers are confronting in all types of libraries. While the reduction in the size of my staff over the past decade has been significant and challenging, I’ll admit that I’m glad not to add this challenge to my list.
Dr. John Sandstrom, College Professor and Acquisitions Librarian, New Mexico State University Library:
1. Have you encountered AI-written applications in any of your searches? Yes, I have.
2. Were they obvious? Yes, they were.
3. What did you do? The applicant did not move forward for that reason.
4. Do you have any advice or recommended tactics regarding AI for other people or organizations who hire? Decide how you are going to handle it ahead of time
5. Do you have any advice or recommendations regarding AI for job seekers? Don’t. We want to hear your story in your own words.
6. Any additional concerns, open questions, or comments about AI and hiring that you’d like to share? See below
AI-written applications are a shortcut that shouldn’t be used. AI-generated documents are fairly obvious due to the stilted, artificial-sounding language and how it doesn’t read the way most people write. The committees I have been on have not moved forward, as we do not believe that the AI-generated documents are the applicant’s own work. I think the most important recommendation regarding AI for people or organizations who hire is to update their policies to control how AI can be used in the HR process. Without clearly stating that AI can’t be used or defining how AI can be used, they can open themselves up to lawsuits if they do not take people forward, just because of their use of AI. I don’t recommend the use of AI-generated documents because I want to hear about you in your own words.
Anonymous: I did a quick and unofficial poll among our library managers to ask if they are encountering AI in resumes and cover letters. About half of my small sample said that yes, they are encountering it. In the cases where they are encountering it, they feel it is obvious due to verbosity, repetitiveness, and corporate jargon. Managers want to hear from a candidate in their own words, even if the writing is not perfect. They want to hear the candidate’s story about why they wanted to pursue a career in libraries. Overall, they do not have a positive view of candidates who obviously use AI, but they feel it may be okay to use AI to help pull out job requirements from a job posting to compare against their resumes and cover letters. Concerns about AI included environmental impact and privacy.
I’ll add that our organization manually screens through applications and does not use AI to do that.
#GLAMJobs #Librarian #librarians #libraries #Library #libraryHiring #libraryJobs #libraryWork #LISCareers #lisJobs
-
Further Questions: AI and Hiring
Let’s do a deeper dive into specific hiring questions! About once a month, I get answers from a group of people who hire library and LIS workers. I’d love to hear from you: what should I ask next time? Or, let me know if you’d like to join the pool of people who might answer.
In a couple recent webinars I’ve conducted, I’ve heard from employers who want to know what to do about applications that are written by AI. Some are overwhelmed with poor or unqualified applications, and some are worried about inadvertently selecting a candidate who has “cheated” by having AI write their cover letter. I have also heard from applicants who are curious about using AI to help streamline their own application process – they wonder under what, if any, circumstances it would be a good idea. (I did previously ask about using AI to write cover letters in July of 2024).
So this month I’m asking multiple questions:
- Have you encountered AI-written applications in any of your searches?
- Were they obvious?
- What did you do?
- Do you have any advice or recommended tactics regarding AI for other people or organizations who hire?
- Do you have any advice or recommendations regarding AI for job seekers?
- Any additional concerns, open questions, or comments about AI and hiring that you’d like to share?
Melissa Moore, Head of Access Services, Ferndale Area District Library:
1. Have you encountered AI-written applications in any of your searches?
Yes. Not many, but I have seen a few AI cover letters
2. Were they obvious?
Very obvious. They are always very surface level answers that don’t really tell me anything. They also never include anything specific about the position or the library.
3. What did you do?
I stop reading and put that resume in my “no” pile.
4. Do you have any advice or recommended tactics regarding AI for other people or organizations who hire?
As a hiring manager, I firmly believe that using AI read/sort resumes is bad practice. If you ask for a cover letter, read it. It is also impossible for AI to find or understand nuance and interpret transferable skills that are not input into its programming. There is also the ethical concern of how LLMs are trained.
5. Do you have any advice or recommendations regarding AI for job seekers?
Don’t. Just don’t. Find already written examples and start there. Ask other people for help. Go to the library and check out one of the many resources tailored to creating resumes, cover letters, and more. Use your school’s career center (you can still get help even as an alumni).
6. Any additional concerns, open questions, or comments about AI and hiring that you’d like to share?
Using AI in the hiring process does not provide a diverse interview pool, contrary to what AI companies are telling you. AI resume screeners are shown to favor white males and tend to be more discriminatory than humans.
Using AI to write a resume or cover letter lacks personalization and detail that makes someone a stand out candidate that puts them at the top of the interview pile. I would rather have two sentences telling me why you want to work here than a perfectly constructed AI letter that doesn’t really tell me anything at all (or worse, has nothing to do with the job description or the library).
Gretchen Corsillo, Director, Rutherford Public Library:
AI can certainly be helpful in certain aspects of hiring and job seeking, but I do not see it as a replacement for either side of the process. I personally do not have a problem with candidates using AI to check grammar, correct awkward wording, etc. That being said, I would caution against using it to generate cover letters or resumes. As a potential hire, I want to hear your voice and see your natural writing style, as communication skills are important for most library roles. I think the critical thinking aspect of tying your experience into the qualities requested in a job ad is also very important. We lose that with GenAI. So, if you really want to use AI, think of it as an editing tool rather than a writer or creator. On the hiring side, I am generally not comfortable relying on AI to evaluate candidates for fear of accuracy issues, internal biases, etc. If I had to use it, I see it being more helpful in polishing responses to candidates and managing schedules – the more tedious and clerical aspects of the process. I know there are a lot of AI-based HR tools entering the market, so I’m curious to see how they impact hiring processes in the long term.
Celia Rabinowitz, Assistant Vice-President for Academic Engagement and Director of Mason Library, Keene State College: It has been over five years since I have been able to do a search for a library position. I am currently chairing a search for an endowed faculty position in one of our non-library academic departments but do not anticipate encountering any AI-generated materials (or at least I hope we do not). My advice for job seekers is to avoid AI, particularly for cover-letter writing. As we all know, AI tools do not write, they can only generate text. An AI-generated letter not only opens up the risk of being recognized as artificial, but also may not impress readers as much as your own writing (even if it does seem to save time). I am in the AI-resistor camp in general although I can see some potential for using a tool to take your existing resume or cv and offering some alternative formatting or restructuring of text.
I am curious about whether there are already Institutional/campus guidelines or policies about applications that hiring managers suspect have been generated or enhanced by AI. These types of guidelines probably exist and they can help establish consistent responses. I have already read a number of articles about students suspected or accused of using AI who have been able to prove otherwise (through the use of extensive screen shots during their writing process). So my worry is that suspecting AI-generated materials and verifying their existence is not easy. Are hiring managers rejecting these without giving the submitters an opportunity to demonstrate otherwise? Or is all of this too time consuming and labor intensive even to bother with and we just accept what is submitted either assuming professional integrity, or not particularly concerned?
I am not sure how all of this is playing out other than to be fairly certain it is a current reality that library search committees and hiring managers are confronting in all types of libraries. While the reduction in the size of my staff over the past decade has been significant and challenging, I’ll admit that I’m glad not to add this challenge to my list.
Dr. John Sandstrom, College Professor and Acquisitions Librarian, New Mexico State University Library:
1. Have you encountered AI-written applications in any of your searches? Yes, I have.
2. Were they obvious? Yes, they were.
3. What did you do? The applicant did not move forward for that reason.
4. Do you have any advice or recommended tactics regarding AI for other people or organizations who hire? Decide how you are going to handle it ahead of time
5. Do you have any advice or recommendations regarding AI for job seekers? Don’t. We want to hear your story in your own words.
6. Any additional concerns, open questions, or comments about AI and hiring that you’d like to share? See below
AI-written applications are a shortcut that shouldn’t be used. AI-generated documents are fairly obvious due to the stilted, artificial-sounding language and how it doesn’t read the way most people write. The committees I have been on have not moved forward, as we do not believe that the AI-generated documents are the applicant’s own work. I think the most important recommendation regarding AI for people or organizations who hire is to update their policies to control how AI can be used in the HR process. Without clearly stating that AI can’t be used or defining how AI can be used, they can open themselves up to lawsuits if they do not take people forward, just because of their use of AI. I don’t recommend the use of AI-generated documents because I want to hear about you in your own words.
Anonymous: I did a quick and unofficial poll among our library managers to ask if they are encountering AI in resumes and cover letters. About half of my small sample said that yes, they are encountering it. In the cases where they are encountering it, they feel it is obvious due to verbosity, repetitiveness, and corporate jargon. Managers want to hear from a candidate in their own words, even if the writing is not perfect. They want to hear the candidate’s story about why they wanted to pursue a career in libraries. Overall, they do not have a positive view of candidates who obviously use AI, but they feel it may be okay to use AI to help pull out job requirements from a job posting to compare against their resumes and cover letters. Concerns about AI included environmental impact and privacy.
I’ll add that our organization manually screens through applications and does not use AI to do that.
#GLAMJobs #Librarian #librarians #libraries #Library #libraryHiring #libraryJobs #libraryWork #LISCareers #lisJobs
-
Further Questions: AI and Hiring
Let’s do a deeper dive into specific hiring questions! About once a month, I get answers from a group of people who hire library and LIS workers. I’d love to hear from you: what should I ask next time? Or, let me know if you’d like to join the pool of people who might answer.
In a couple recent webinars I’ve conducted, I’ve heard from employers who want to know what to do about applications that are written by AI. Some are overwhelmed with poor or unqualified applications, and some are worried about inadvertently selecting a candidate who has “cheated” by having AI write their cover letter. I have also heard from applicants who are curious about using AI to help streamline their own application process – they wonder under what, if any, circumstances it would be a good idea. (I did previously ask about using AI to write cover letters in July of 2024).
So this month I’m asking multiple questions:
- Have you encountered AI-written applications in any of your searches?
- Were they obvious?
- What did you do?
- Do you have any advice or recommended tactics regarding AI for other people or organizations who hire?
- Do you have any advice or recommendations regarding AI for job seekers?
- Any additional concerns, open questions, or comments about AI and hiring that you’d like to share?
Melissa Moore, Head of Access Services, Ferndale Area District Library:
1. Have you encountered AI-written applications in any of your searches?
Yes. Not many, but I have seen a few AI cover letters
2. Were they obvious?
Very obvious. They are always very surface level answers that don’t really tell me anything. They also never include anything specific about the position or the library.
3. What did you do?
I stop reading and put that resume in my “no” pile.
4. Do you have any advice or recommended tactics regarding AI for other people or organizations who hire?
As a hiring manager, I firmly believe that using AI read/sort resumes is bad practice. If you ask for a cover letter, read it. It is also impossible for AI to find or understand nuance and interpret transferable skills that are not input into its programming. There is also the ethical concern of how LLMs are trained.
5. Do you have any advice or recommendations regarding AI for job seekers?
Don’t. Just don’t. Find already written examples and start there. Ask other people for help. Go to the library and check out one of the many resources tailored to creating resumes, cover letters, and more. Use your school’s career center (you can still get help even as an alumni).
6. Any additional concerns, open questions, or comments about AI and hiring that you’d like to share?
Using AI in the hiring process does not provide a diverse interview pool, contrary to what AI companies are telling you. AI resume screeners are shown to favor white males and tend to be more discriminatory than humans.
Using AI to write a resume or cover letter lacks personalization and detail that makes someone a stand out candidate that puts them at the top of the interview pile. I would rather have two sentences telling me why you want to work here than a perfectly constructed AI letter that doesn’t really tell me anything at all (or worse, has nothing to do with the job description or the library).
Gretchen Corsillo, Director, Rutherford Public Library:
AI can certainly be helpful in certain aspects of hiring and job seeking, but I do not see it as a replacement for either side of the process. I personally do not have a problem with candidates using AI to check grammar, correct awkward wording, etc. That being said, I would caution against using it to generate cover letters or resumes. As a potential hire, I want to hear your voice and see your natural writing style, as communication skills are important for most library roles. I think the critical thinking aspect of tying your experience into the qualities requested in a job ad is also very important. We lose that with GenAI. So, if you really want to use AI, think of it as an editing tool rather than a writer or creator. On the hiring side, I am generally not comfortable relying on AI to evaluate candidates for fear of accuracy issues, internal biases, etc. If I had to use it, I see it being more helpful in polishing responses to candidates and managing schedules – the more tedious and clerical aspects of the process. I know there are a lot of AI-based HR tools entering the market, so I’m curious to see how they impact hiring processes in the long term.
Celia Rabinowitz, Assistant Vice-President for Academic Engagement and Director of Mason Library, Keene State College: It has been over five years since I have been able to do a search for a library position. I am currently chairing a search for an endowed faculty position in one of our non-library academic departments but do not anticipate encountering any AI-generated materials (or at least I hope we do not). My advice for job seekers is to avoid AI, particularly for cover-letter writing. As we all know, AI tools do not write, they can only generate text. An AI-generated letter not only opens up the risk of being recognized as artificial, but also may not impress readers as much as your own writing (even if it does seem to save time). I am in the AI-resistor camp in general although I can see some potential for using a tool to take your existing resume or cv and offering some alternative formatting or restructuring of text.
I am curious about whether there are already Institutional/campus guidelines or policies about applications that hiring managers suspect have been generated or enhanced by AI. These types of guidelines probably exist and they can help establish consistent responses. I have already read a number of articles about students suspected or accused of using AI who have been able to prove otherwise (through the use of extensive screen shots during their writing process). So my worry is that suspecting AI-generated materials and verifying their existence is not easy. Are hiring managers rejecting these without giving the submitters an opportunity to demonstrate otherwise? Or is all of this too time consuming and labor intensive even to bother with and we just accept what is submitted either assuming professional integrity, or not particularly concerned?
I am not sure how all of this is playing out other than to be fairly certain it is a current reality that library search committees and hiring managers are confronting in all types of libraries. While the reduction in the size of my staff over the past decade has been significant and challenging, I’ll admit that I’m glad not to add this challenge to my list.
Dr. John Sandstrom, College Professor and Acquisitions Librarian, New Mexico State University Library:
1. Have you encountered AI-written applications in any of your searches? Yes, I have.
2. Were they obvious? Yes, they were.
3. What did you do? The applicant did not move forward for that reason.
4. Do you have any advice or recommended tactics regarding AI for other people or organizations who hire? Decide how you are going to handle it ahead of time
5. Do you have any advice or recommendations regarding AI for job seekers? Don’t. We want to hear your story in your own words.
6. Any additional concerns, open questions, or comments about AI and hiring that you’d like to share? See below
AI-written applications are a shortcut that shouldn’t be used. AI-generated documents are fairly obvious due to the stilted, artificial-sounding language and how it doesn’t read the way most people write. The committees I have been on have not moved forward, as we do not believe that the AI-generated documents are the applicant’s own work. I think the most important recommendation regarding AI for people or organizations who hire is to update their policies to control how AI can be used in the HR process. Without clearly stating that AI can’t be used or defining how AI can be used, they can open themselves up to lawsuits if they do not take people forward, just because of their use of AI. I don’t recommend the use of AI-generated documents because I want to hear about you in your own words.
Anonymous: I did a quick and unofficial poll among our library managers to ask if they are encountering AI in resumes and cover letters. About half of my small sample said that yes, they are encountering it. In the cases where they are encountering it, they feel it is obvious due to verbosity, repetitiveness, and corporate jargon. Managers want to hear from a candidate in their own words, even if the writing is not perfect. They want to hear the candidate’s story about why they wanted to pursue a career in libraries. Overall, they do not have a positive view of candidates who obviously use AI, but they feel it may be okay to use AI to help pull out job requirements from a job posting to compare against their resumes and cover letters. Concerns about AI included environmental impact and privacy.
I’ll add that our organization manually screens through applications and does not use AI to do that.
#GLAMJobs #Librarian #librarians #libraries #Library #libraryHiring #libraryJobs #libraryWork #LISCareers #lisJobs
-
Further Questions: AI and Hiring
Let’s do a deeper dive into specific hiring questions! About once a month, I get answers from a group of people who hire library and LIS workers. I’d love to hear from you: what should I ask next time? Or, let me know if you’d like to join the pool of people who might answer.
In a couple recent webinars I’ve conducted, I’ve heard from employers who want to know what to do about applications that are written by AI. Some are overwhelmed with poor or unqualified applications, and some are worried about inadvertently selecting a candidate who has “cheated” by having AI write their cover letter. I have also heard from applicants who are curious about using AI to help streamline their own application process – they wonder under what, if any, circumstances it would be a good idea. (I did previously ask about using AI to write cover letters in July of 2024).
So this month I’m asking multiple questions:
- Have you encountered AI-written applications in any of your searches?
- Were they obvious?
- What did you do?
- Do you have any advice or recommended tactics regarding AI for other people or organizations who hire?
- Do you have any advice or recommendations regarding AI for job seekers?
- Any additional concerns, open questions, or comments about AI and hiring that you’d like to share?
Melissa Moore, Head of Access Services, Ferndale Area District Library:
1. Have you encountered AI-written applications in any of your searches?
Yes. Not many, but I have seen a few AI cover letters
2. Were they obvious?
Very obvious. They are always very surface level answers that don’t really tell me anything. They also never include anything specific about the position or the library.
3. What did you do?
I stop reading and put that resume in my “no” pile.
4. Do you have any advice or recommended tactics regarding AI for other people or organizations who hire?
As a hiring manager, I firmly believe that using AI read/sort resumes is bad practice. If you ask for a cover letter, read it. It is also impossible for AI to find or understand nuance and interpret transferable skills that are not input into its programming. There is also the ethical concern of how LLMs are trained.
5. Do you have any advice or recommendations regarding AI for job seekers?
Don’t. Just don’t. Find already written examples and start there. Ask other people for help. Go to the library and check out one of the many resources tailored to creating resumes, cover letters, and more. Use your school’s career center (you can still get help even as an alumni).
6. Any additional concerns, open questions, or comments about AI and hiring that you’d like to share?
Using AI in the hiring process does not provide a diverse interview pool, contrary to what AI companies are telling you. AI resume screeners are shown to favor white males and tend to be more discriminatory than humans.
Using AI to write a resume or cover letter lacks personalization and detail that makes someone a stand out candidate that puts them at the top of the interview pile. I would rather have two sentences telling me why you want to work here than a perfectly constructed AI letter that doesn’t really tell me anything at all (or worse, has nothing to do with the job description or the library).
Gretchen Corsillo, Director, Rutherford Public Library:
AI can certainly be helpful in certain aspects of hiring and job seeking, but I do not see it as a replacement for either side of the process. I personally do not have a problem with candidates using AI to check grammar, correct awkward wording, etc. That being said, I would caution against using it to generate cover letters or resumes. As a potential hire, I want to hear your voice and see your natural writing style, as communication skills are important for most library roles. I think the critical thinking aspect of tying your experience into the qualities requested in a job ad is also very important. We lose that with GenAI. So, if you really want to use AI, think of it as an editing tool rather than a writer or creator. On the hiring side, I am generally not comfortable relying on AI to evaluate candidates for fear of accuracy issues, internal biases, etc. If I had to use it, I see it being more helpful in polishing responses to candidates and managing schedules – the more tedious and clerical aspects of the process. I know there are a lot of AI-based HR tools entering the market, so I’m curious to see how they impact hiring processes in the long term.
Celia Rabinowitz, Assistant Vice-President for Academic Engagement and Director of Mason Library, Keene State College: It has been over five years since I have been able to do a search for a library position. I am currently chairing a search for an endowed faculty position in one of our non-library academic departments but do not anticipate encountering any AI-generated materials (or at least I hope we do not). My advice for job seekers is to avoid AI, particularly for cover-letter writing. As we all know, AI tools do not write, they can only generate text. An AI-generated letter not only opens up the risk of being recognized as artificial, but also may not impress readers as much as your own writing (even if it does seem to save time). I am in the AI-resistor camp in general although I can see some potential for using a tool to take your existing resume or cv and offering some alternative formatting or restructuring of text.
I am curious about whether there are already Institutional/campus guidelines or policies about applications that hiring managers suspect have been generated or enhanced by AI. These types of guidelines probably exist and they can help establish consistent responses. I have already read a number of articles about students suspected or accused of using AI who have been able to prove otherwise (through the use of extensive screen shots during their writing process). So my worry is that suspecting AI-generated materials and verifying their existence is not easy. Are hiring managers rejecting these without giving the submitters an opportunity to demonstrate otherwise? Or is all of this too time consuming and labor intensive even to bother with and we just accept what is submitted either assuming professional integrity, or not particularly concerned?
I am not sure how all of this is playing out other than to be fairly certain it is a current reality that library search committees and hiring managers are confronting in all types of libraries. While the reduction in the size of my staff over the past decade has been significant and challenging, I’ll admit that I’m glad not to add this challenge to my list.
Dr. John Sandstrom, College Professor and Acquisitions Librarian, New Mexico State University Library:
1. Have you encountered AI-written applications in any of your searches? Yes, I have.
2. Were they obvious? Yes, they were.
3. What did you do? The applicant did not move forward for that reason.
4. Do you have any advice or recommended tactics regarding AI for other people or organizations who hire? Decide how you are going to handle it ahead of time
5. Do you have any advice or recommendations regarding AI for job seekers? Don’t. We want to hear your story in your own words.
6. Any additional concerns, open questions, or comments about AI and hiring that you’d like to share? See below
AI-written applications are a shortcut that shouldn’t be used. AI-generated documents are fairly obvious due to the stilted, artificial-sounding language and how it doesn’t read the way most people write. The committees I have been on have not moved forward, as we do not believe that the AI-generated documents are the applicant’s own work. I think the most important recommendation regarding AI for people or organizations who hire is to update their policies to control how AI can be used in the HR process. Without clearly stating that AI can’t be used or defining how AI can be used, they can open themselves up to lawsuits if they do not take people forward, just because of their use of AI. I don’t recommend the use of AI-generated documents because I want to hear about you in your own words.
Anonymous: I did a quick and unofficial poll among our library managers to ask if they are encountering AI in resumes and cover letters. About half of my small sample said that yes, they are encountering it. In the cases where they are encountering it, they feel it is obvious due to verbosity, repetitiveness, and corporate jargon. Managers want to hear from a candidate in their own words, even if the writing is not perfect. They want to hear the candidate’s story about why they wanted to pursue a career in libraries. Overall, they do not have a positive view of candidates who obviously use AI, but they feel it may be okay to use AI to help pull out job requirements from a job posting to compare against their resumes and cover letters. Concerns about AI included environmental impact and privacy.
I’ll add that our organization manually screens through applications and does not use AI to do that.
#GLAMJobs #Librarian #librarians #libraries #Library #libraryHiring #libraryJobs #libraryWork #LISCareers #lisJobs
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“more people dropping out of the process partway through”
Please note: This is an anonymous response to an online survey; I do not have any way of contacting the respondent or verifying responses. Their answers may reflect good, bad, or middling hiring practices. I invite you to take what’s useful and leave the rest. If you are someone who hires Library, Archives or other LIS workers, please consider giving your own opinion by filling out the survey here.
Current Hiring Practices and Organizational Needs
These questions are about your current hiring practices in general – the way things have been run the last year or two (or three).
Where do you advertise your job listings?
listservs, LinkedIn, HigherEdJobs, and others
Do you notice a difference in application quality based on where the applicant saw the job ad?
no
Do you include salary in the job ad?
√ Yes
Do you use keyword matching or any automation tools to reduce the number of applications a human reads while considering candidates?
√ No
Do you consider candidates who don’t meet all the requirements listed in the job ad?
√ Other: must meet minimum qualifications, but all others are optional
Does your workplace require experience for entry-level librarian positions? (Officially or unofficially…)
√ No
What is the current most common reason for disqualifying an applicant without an interview?
not meeting minimum qualifications
Does your organization use one-way interviews? (Sometimes also called asynchronous or recorded interviews)
√ No
Do you provide interview questions before the interview?
√ Yes
If you provide interview questions before the interview, how far in advance?
24 hours
Does your interview process include taking the candidate out for a meal?
√ Yes
How much of your interview process is virtual?
√ First round/Initial Screen
Do you (or does your organization) give candidates feedback about applications or interview performance?
√ No
What is the most important thing for a job hunter to do in order to improve their hirability?
make it obvious how you meet the qualifications in your cover letter and resume
Your Last Recruitment
These are questions about the last person you hired (or the last position you attempted to fill). This person may not have been a librarian, and that’s ok.
Think about the most recent time you participated in hiring someone (or an attempt to hire someone) at your organization. What was the title of the position you were trying to fill?
Director of Collections
When was this position hired?
√ Within the last three months
Approximately how many people applied for this position?
√ 25-75
Approximately what percentage of those would you say were hirable?
√ 25% or less
And how would you define “hirable”?
had experience in the right areas
How did the recruitment for this position compare with recruitments in previous years?
more people dropping out of the process partway through
Your Workplace
This section asks for information about your workplace, including if you have lost positions in the last decade.
How many staff members are at your library/organization?
√ 100-200
Are you unionized?
√ Yes, at least some workers are union members
How many permanent, full time job openings has your workplace posted in the last year?
√ 7 or more
How many permanent, full time librarian (or other “professional” level) jobs has your workplace posted in the last year?
√ 7 or more
Can you tell us how the number of permanent, full-time positions at your workplace has changed over the past decade?
√ I don’t know
Have any full-time librarian positions been replaced with part-time or hourly workers over the past decade?
√ No
Have any full-time librarian positions been replaced with non-librarian, lower paid staff positions over the past decade?
√ Yes
Is librarianship a dying profession?
√ No
Demographics
This section asks for information about you specifically.
What part of the world are you in?
√ Western US (including Alaska, Hawaii and Pacific Northwest)
What’s your region like?
√ Urban area
What type of institution do you hire for (check all that apply):
√ Academic Library
Are you a librarian?
√ Yes
Are you now or have you ever been:
√ A hiring manager (you are hiring people that you will directly or indirectly supervise),
√ A member of a hiring or search committee
#1 #14 #25 #35 #books #GLAMJobs #Librarian #librarians #libraries #Library #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryWork #LISCareers #lisJobs
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“Hiring practices vary in every country.”
Please note: This is an anonymous response to an online survey; I do not have any way of contacting the respondent or verifying responses. Their answers may reflect good, bad, or middling hiring practices. I invite you to take what’s useful and leave the rest. If you are someone who hires Library, Archives or other LIS workers, please consider giving your own opinion by filling out the survey here.
Current Hiring Practices and Organizational Needs
These questions are about your current hiring practices in general – the way things have been run the last year or two (or three).
Where do you advertise your job listings?
Website, IFLA LISTSERV
Do you notice a difference in application quality based on where the applicant saw the job ad?
Not at all.
Do you include salary in the job ad?
√ Yes
Do you use keyword matching or any automation tools to reduce the number of applications a human reads while considering candidates?
√ No
Do you consider candidates who don’t meet all the requirements listed in the job ad?
√ No
Does your workplace require experience for entry-level librarian positions? (Officially or unofficially…)
√ Yes
What is the current most common reason for disqualifying an applicant without an interview?
It is more of shortlisting, the one with higher score in the preliminary review gets to the 2nd interview.
Does your organization use one-way interviews? (Sometimes also called asynchronous or recorded interviews)
√ No
Do you provide interview questions before the interview?
√ No
Does your interview process include taking the candidate out for a meal?
√ No, and I don’t think we ever have
How much of your interview process is virtual?
√ It is entirely virtual
Do you (or does your organization) give candidates feedback about applications or interview performance?
√ Other: I can, if they ask.
What is the most important thing for a job hunter to do in order to improve their hirability?
Meet the qualifications
I want to hire someone who is:
I cannot have same adjectives, each position has different skills needed.
Is there anything else you’d like to say about hiring practices at your organization or in current trends?
Hiring practices vary in every country. In Europe, there are positions that are not necessarily filled in by an LIS graduate. In the Philippines, to be a librarian, you need to have a license. In Other countries they require an ALA Accredited or CILIP accredited degree.
Your Last Recruitment
These are questions about the last person you hired (or the last position you attempted to fill). This person may not have been a librarian, and that’s ok.
Think about the most recent time you participated in hiring someone (or an attempt to hire someone) at your organization. What was the title of the position you were trying to fill?
Acquisitions Librarian
When was this position hired?
√ Within the last three months
Approximately how many people applied for this position?
√ 25 or fewer
Approximately what percentage of those would you say were hirable?
√ 25% or less
And how would you define “hirable”?
They meet the minimum qualifications.
How did the recruitment for this position compare with recruitments in previous years?
Less applicants for this position.
Your Workplace
This section asks for information about your workplace, including if you have lost positions in the last decade.
How many staff members are at your library/organization?
√ 10-50
Are you unionized?
√ No
How many permanent, full time job openings has your workplace posted in the last year?
√ 1
How many permanent, full time librarian (or other “professional” level) jobs has your workplace posted in the last year?
√ 3-4
Can you tell us how the number of permanent, full-time positions at your workplace has changed over the past decade?
√ There are fewer positions
Have any full-time librarian positions been replaced with part-time or hourly workers over the past decade?
√ Other: I never tried but I can.
Have any full-time librarian positions been replaced with non-librarian, lower paid staff positions over the past decade?
√ Other: I never did. It will not be a replacement, it is more of having a different position.
Is librarianship a dying profession?
√ No
Why or why not?
Librarians are still needed but it is an evolving position. With the emerging technologies, new tasks come in e.g. Data Librarian, AI Literacy Librarian. But the essence of task dealing with people, information and technology is still the same.
Demographics
This section asks for information about you specifically.
What part of the world are you in?
√ Europe
What’s your region like?
√ Urban area
What type of institution do you hire for (check all that apply):
√ Other: I only hire for my research library
What type(s) of LIS professionals do you hire?
Catalogers, Reference Librarians, Special Collections librarians
Are you a librarian?
√ Yes
Are you now or have you ever been:
√ A member of a hiring or search committee,
√ Other: The main person in charge of hiring as a Head Librarian
#1 #14 #25 #35 #books #GLAMJobs #Librarian #librarians #libraries #Library #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryWork #LISCareers #lisJobs
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“If something about a candidate was very positive but we went in a different direction then I will be clear about that”
Please note: This is an anonymous response to an online survey; I do not have any way of contacting the respondent or verifying responses. Their answers may reflect good, bad, or middling hiring practices. I invite you to take what’s useful and leave the rest. If you are someone who hires Library, Archives or other LIS workers, please consider giving your own opinion by filling out the survey here.
Current Hiring Practices and Organizational Needs
These questions are about your current hiring practices in general – the way things have been run the last year or two (or three).
Where do you advertise your job listings?
Local listservs, state library association, county library association, governmentjobs.com
Do you notice a difference in application quality based on where the applicant saw the job ad?
I don’t think so but we also haven’t always asked where they saw the ad
Do you include salary in the job ad?
√ Yes
Do you use keyword matching or any automation tools to reduce the number of applications a human reads while considering candidates?
√ No
Do you consider candidates who don’t meet all the requirements listed in the job ad?
√ Yes
Does your workplace require experience for entry-level librarian positions? (Officially or unofficially…)
√ No
What is the current most common reason for disqualifying an applicant without an interview?
Doesn’t meet criteria at all (for example, someone with no children’s department experience who has never worked in a public library applying for a FT children’s position and submitting a resume and cover letter that did not actually express interest in the listed responsibilities)
Does your organization use one-way interviews? (Sometimes also called asynchronous or recorded interviews)
√ No
Do you provide interview questions before the interview?
√ No
Does your interview process include taking the candidate out for a meal?
√ Other: No, we never have, and this is also something I have never experienced myself or heard of any other local libraries doing
How much of your interview process is virtual?
√ Other: Interviews were virtual during COVID and we have accommodated applicant requests for virtual interviews. Default process has been moved back to in person since 2022
Do you (or does your organization) give candidates feedback about applications or interview performance?
√ Other: As a dept head who makes hiring decisions, I give SOME feedback sometimes. If something about a candidate was very positive but we went in a different direction then I will be clear about that (e.g. “I really loved hearing about XYZ and was impressed by your ideas for ABC. It was a tough decision, but we ultimately went with another candidate for this particular role. Please don’t hesitate to apply for future opportunities with us, and feel free to reach out to me for any feedback.” I don’t offer constructive/critical feedback unless requested
What is the most important thing for a job hunter to do in order to improve their hirability?
Read the job description thoroughly before the interview / know what you’re interviewing for
I want to hire someone who is:
Coachable
Is there anything else you’d like to say about hiring practices at your organization or in current trends?
My organization hasn’t hired much lately. Some of it is due to upper administration insisting on “consolidating.” I’ve seen a lot of libraries operating with very lean staff. If a staff member leaves, they’ll do something like promote an existing PT staff member from PT to FT, so it will look good on paper but we wind up with fewer people and fewer hours overall still. Admittedly, there have also been times where we did try to hire but did not have any suitable applicants
Your Last Recruitment
These are questions about the last person you hired (or the last position you attempted to fill). This person may not have been a librarian, and that’s ok.
Think about the most recent time you participated in hiring someone (or an attempt to hire someone) at your organization. What was the title of the position you were trying to fill?
PT Children’s Librarian
When was this position hired?
√ Between six months to a year ago
Approximately how many people applied for this position?
√ Other: 2. I realize this is “25 or fewer” but it was so few that it seemed worthy of specifying
Approximately what percentage of those would you say were hirable?
√ 26-50%
And how would you define “hirable”?
Having requested availability and either some experience or a willingness to learn
How did the recruitment for this position compare with recruitments in previous years?
Laughably worse
Your Workplace
This section asks for information about your workplace, including if you have lost positions in the last decade.
How many staff members are at your library/organization?
√ 50-100
Are you unionized?
√ Yes, at least some workers are union members
How many permanent, full time job openings has your workplace posted in the last year?
√ 2
How many permanent, full time librarian (or other “professional” level) jobs has your workplace posted in the last year?
√ 1
Can you tell us how the number of permanent, full-time positions at your workplace has changed over the past decade?
√ There are fewer positions
Have any full-time librarian positions been replaced with part-time or hourly workers over the past decade?
√ Yes
Have any full-time librarian positions been replaced with non-librarian, lower paid staff positions over the past decade?
√ Yes
Is librarianship a dying profession?
√ Yes
Why or why not?
Because the people actually running libraries are killing it. Pay not keeping up with cost of living, benefits rapidly eroding, job creep, and burnout. A lot of excellent librarians are choosing to leave the profession, which puts even greater strain on qualified librarians who stay. Professionals leave and are replaced with paraprofessional staff. Talent leaving the profession means that the hiring pool isn’t as good, which often means qualified librarians who remain are often left in increasingly toxic environments with staff members and/or management who wouldn’t have been hired if it wasn’t for the mass exodus (or who have been there playing solitaire on their computer for 30 years and have no reason to suddenly contribute). It’s not worth it anymore. Even people who care are struggling to justify staying at this point.
Demographics
This section asks for information about you specifically.
What part of the world are you in?
√ Northeastern US
What’s your region like?
√ Suburban area
What type of institution do you hire for (check all that apply):
√ Public Library
What type(s) of LIS professionals do you hire?
Children’s staff (librarians, trainees, assistants)
Are you a librarian?
√ Yes
Are you now or have you ever been:
√ A hiring manager (you are hiring people that you will directly or indirectly supervise),
√ A member of a hiring or search committee
Do you have any other comments, for job hunters, other people who hire, about the survey, or for Emily (the survey author)?
Hi Emily! Thank you for doing this research! I’m severely worried about the future of public libraries and wanted to do similar research myself
#1 #14 #25 #35 #books #GLAMJobs #Librarian #librarians #libraries #Library #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryWork #LISCareers #lisJobs
-
“If something about a candidate was very positive but we went in a different direction then I will be clear about that”
Please note: This is an anonymous response to an online survey; I do not have any way of contacting the respondent or verifying responses. Their answers may reflect good, bad, or middling hiring practices. I invite you to take what’s useful and leave the rest. If you are someone who hires Library, Archives or other LIS workers, please consider giving your own opinion by filling out the survey here.
Current Hiring Practices and Organizational Needs
These questions are about your current hiring practices in general – the way things have been run the last year or two (or three).
Where do you advertise your job listings?
Local listservs, state library association, county library association, governmentjobs.com
Do you notice a difference in application quality based on where the applicant saw the job ad?
I don’t think so but we also haven’t always asked where they saw the ad
Do you include salary in the job ad?
√ Yes
Do you use keyword matching or any automation tools to reduce the number of applications a human reads while considering candidates?
√ No
Do you consider candidates who don’t meet all the requirements listed in the job ad?
√ Yes
Does your workplace require experience for entry-level librarian positions? (Officially or unofficially…)
√ No
What is the current most common reason for disqualifying an applicant without an interview?
Doesn’t meet criteria at all (for example, someone with no children’s department experience who has never worked in a public library applying for a FT children’s position and submitting a resume and cover letter that did not actually express interest in the listed responsibilities)
Does your organization use one-way interviews? (Sometimes also called asynchronous or recorded interviews)
√ No
Do you provide interview questions before the interview?
√ No
Does your interview process include taking the candidate out for a meal?
√ Other: No, we never have, and this is also something I have never experienced myself or heard of any other local libraries doing
How much of your interview process is virtual?
√ Other: Interviews were virtual during COVID and we have accommodated applicant requests for virtual interviews. Default process has been moved back to in person since 2022
Do you (or does your organization) give candidates feedback about applications or interview performance?
√ Other: As a dept head who makes hiring decisions, I give SOME feedback sometimes. If something about a candidate was very positive but we went in a different direction then I will be clear about that (e.g. “I really loved hearing about XYZ and was impressed by your ideas for ABC. It was a tough decision, but we ultimately went with another candidate for this particular role. Please don’t hesitate to apply for future opportunities with us, and feel free to reach out to me for any feedback.” I don’t offer constructive/critical feedback unless requested
What is the most important thing for a job hunter to do in order to improve their hirability?
Read the job description thoroughly before the interview / know what you’re interviewing for
I want to hire someone who is:
Coachable
Is there anything else you’d like to say about hiring practices at your organization or in current trends?
My organization hasn’t hired much lately. Some of it is due to upper administration insisting on “consolidating.” I’ve seen a lot of libraries operating with very lean staff. If a staff member leaves, they’ll do something like promote an existing PT staff member from PT to FT, so it will look good on paper but we wind up with fewer people and fewer hours overall still. Admittedly, there have also been times where we did try to hire but did not have any suitable applicants
Your Last Recruitment
These are questions about the last person you hired (or the last position you attempted to fill). This person may not have been a librarian, and that’s ok.
Think about the most recent time you participated in hiring someone (or an attempt to hire someone) at your organization. What was the title of the position you were trying to fill?
PT Children’s Librarian
When was this position hired?
√ Between six months to a year ago
Approximately how many people applied for this position?
√ Other: 2. I realize this is “25 or fewer” but it was so few that it seemed worthy of specifying
Approximately what percentage of those would you say were hirable?
√ 26-50%
And how would you define “hirable”?
Having requested availability and either some experience or a willingness to learn
How did the recruitment for this position compare with recruitments in previous years?
Laughably worse
Your Workplace
This section asks for information about your workplace, including if you have lost positions in the last decade.
How many staff members are at your library/organization?
√ 50-100
Are you unionized?
√ Yes, at least some workers are union members
How many permanent, full time job openings has your workplace posted in the last year?
√ 2
How many permanent, full time librarian (or other “professional” level) jobs has your workplace posted in the last year?
√ 1
Can you tell us how the number of permanent, full-time positions at your workplace has changed over the past decade?
√ There are fewer positions
Have any full-time librarian positions been replaced with part-time or hourly workers over the past decade?
√ Yes
Have any full-time librarian positions been replaced with non-librarian, lower paid staff positions over the past decade?
√ Yes
Is librarianship a dying profession?
√ Yes
Why or why not?
Because the people actually running libraries are killing it. Pay not keeping up with cost of living, benefits rapidly eroding, job creep, and burnout. A lot of excellent librarians are choosing to leave the profession, which puts even greater strain on qualified librarians who stay. Professionals leave and are replaced with paraprofessional staff. Talent leaving the profession means that the hiring pool isn’t as good, which often means qualified librarians who remain are often left in increasingly toxic environments with staff members and/or management who wouldn’t have been hired if it wasn’t for the mass exodus (or who have been there playing solitaire on their computer for 30 years and have no reason to suddenly contribute). It’s not worth it anymore. Even people who care are struggling to justify staying at this point.
Demographics
This section asks for information about you specifically.
What part of the world are you in?
√ Northeastern US
What’s your region like?
√ Suburban area
What type of institution do you hire for (check all that apply):
√ Public Library
What type(s) of LIS professionals do you hire?
Children’s staff (librarians, trainees, assistants)
Are you a librarian?
√ Yes
Are you now or have you ever been:
√ A hiring manager (you are hiring people that you will directly or indirectly supervise),
√ A member of a hiring or search committee
Do you have any other comments, for job hunters, other people who hire, about the survey, or for Emily (the survey author)?
Hi Emily! Thank you for doing this research! I’m severely worried about the future of public libraries and wanted to do similar research myself
#1 #14 #25 #35 #books #GLAMJobs #Librarian #librarians #libraries #Library #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryWork #LISCareers #lisJobs
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“We lack the budget needed to advertise postings on bigger platforms (e.g., ALA, etc.) and attract a limited candidate pool as a result.”
Please note: This is an anonymous response to an online survey; I do not have any way of contacting the respondent or verifying responses. Their answers may reflect good, bad, or middling hiring practices. I invite you to take what’s useful and leave the rest. If you are someone who hires Library, Archives or other LIS workers, please consider giving your own opinion by filling out the survey here.
Current Hiring Practices and Organizational Needs
These questions are about your current hiring practices in general – the way things have been run the last year or two (or three).
Where do you advertise your job listings?
University job portal; Amigos newsletter; OK-ACRL listserv, COIL-L listserv, TWU SLIS “Cassandra” listserv, and other listservs as appropriate.
Do you include salary in the job ad?
√ Yes
Do you use keyword matching or any automation tools to reduce the number of applications a human reads while considering candidates?
√ No
Do you consider candidates who don’t meet all the requirements listed in the job ad?
√ Yes
Does your workplace require experience for entry-level librarian positions? (Officially or unofficially…)
√ Other: It depends. In some cases, appropriate coursework or an internship suffices for that requirement.
What is the current most common reason for disqualifying an applicant without an interview?
Application received after the soft deadline.
Does your organization use one-way interviews? (Sometimes also called asynchronous or recorded interviews)
√ No
Do you provide interview questions before the interview?
√ No
Does your interview process include taking the candidate out for a meal?
√ No, and I don’t think we ever have
How much of your interview process is virtual?
√ Other: We always conduct the first round virtually. Depending on where the applicant lives, the second round may be in-person or virtual.
Is there anything else you’d like to say about hiring practices at your organization or in current trends?
We lack the budget needed to advertise postings on bigger platforms (e.g., ALA, etc.) and attract a limited candidate pool as a result.
Your Last Recruitment
These are questions about the last person you hired (or the last position you attempted to fill). This person may not have been a librarian, and that’s ok.
Think about the most recent time you participated in hiring someone (or an attempt to hire someone) at your organization. What was the title of the position you were trying to fill?
Instructor of Library Services
When was this position hired?
√ We were not able to fill the position
Approximately how many people applied for this position?
√ 25 or fewer
Approximately what percentage of those would you say were hirable?
√ 51-75%
And how would you define “hirable”?
Meets or exceeds the qualifications required for the job, and passes both informal and formal background checks.
How did the recruitment for this position compare with recruitments in previous years?
It was about the same.
Your Workplace
This section asks for information about your workplace, including if you have lost positions in the last decade.
How many staff members are at your library/organization?
√ 10-50
Are you unionized?
√ No
How many permanent, full time job openings has your workplace posted in the last year?
√ 2
How many permanent, full time librarian (or other “professional” level) jobs has your workplace posted in the last year?
√ 2
Can you tell us how the number of permanent, full-time positions at your workplace has changed over the past decade?
√ There are fewer positions
Have any full-time librarian positions been replaced with part-time or hourly workers over the past decade?
√ I don’t know
Have any full-time librarian positions been replaced with non-librarian, lower paid staff positions over the past decade?
√ Yes
Is librarianship a dying profession?
√ No
Why or why not?
Librarians are information professionals who are essential in the Information Age.
Demographics
This section asks for information about you specifically.
What part of the world are you in?
√ Southwestern US
What’s your region like?
√ Rural area
What type of institution do you hire for (check all that apply):
√ Academic Library
What type(s) of LIS professionals do you hire?
Subject Liaisons, Research & Instruction Librarians
Are you a librarian?
√ Yes
Are you now or have you ever been:
√ A member of a hiring or search committee,
√ Other: Hiring/Search Committee Chair
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