#librarycareers — Public Fediverse posts

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.

This 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

Winter Reruns: “After 14 years as a librarian, I honestly don’t recommend librarianship to anyone anymore.”

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 response was submitted on February 6, 2023 and the post originally ran on June 9, 2023. It’s fairly high up in my “most viewed of all time” list, especially for a more recent post. I think perhaps it’s the quote I pulled for the title; many of the most-viewed posts express some form of library doomsaying – librarianship is dead, we’re tired, things aren’t what they used to be, etc.

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?

√ Less than six months 

Why are you job hunting?  

√ Looking for more money 

√ Because I reassessed my priorities after COVID 

√ Other: Looking to possibly get out of librarianship

Where do you look for open positions?  

Indeed, ALA jobs, CCC registry, friends 

What position level are you looking for?  

√ Other: Something that pays better than librarianship 

What type(s) of organization are you looking in? 

√ Other: Maybe higher ed (but not a library) or an organization or company or work from home 

What part of the world are you in?

√ Western US (including Pacific Northwest) 

What’s your region like? 

√ Urban area

√ Suburban area 

Are you willing/able to move for employment? 

√ No 

What are the top three things you’re looking for in a job?

Flexibility, work from home, better pay

How many jobs have you applied to during your current search? (Please indicate if it’s an estimate or exact)

None. I’m willing to go to a community college library but nothing open. All other jobs are entry level and pay is very low. No good jobs to apply to.

What steps, actions, or attributes are most important for employers to take to sell you on the job?  

√ Pay well

√ Having (and describing) excellent benefits 

√ Funding professional development

√ Prioritizing EDI work

√ 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?

Jobs that say you may need to work overtime often 

The Process

How much time do you spend preparing an application packet?

2-5 hours: the cover letters take a while and having to repeat my resume on an online application is a time waster. 

What are the steps you follow to prepare an application packet?

Carve out time to do it 

How do you prefer to communicate with potential employers?

√ Phone for good news, email for bad news 

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 institution but academics take months. Took 6 months from application to hire in my current job. 

How do you prepare for interviews?

Review questions, review position description 

What are your most hated interview questions, and why?

Why do you want this job? (Because I need money. It’s like jobs want you to tell them that it’s your dream to work for them. I need money to live)

What are your strengths and weaknesses? (Again, we all know they want a weakness and how we make it a strength). 

During your current search, have you had any of the following experiences:

• Submitted an application and got no response √ Happened the majority of the time or always  
• Had an interview and never heard back  √ Happened more than once  
• Interviewed for a job where an internal candidate was eventually chosen  √ Happened more than once  
• 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 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:

Haha! The whole process of applying and interviewing is a joke. Applications are repetitive and waste time. The actual interviews are awful most of the time. People are not welcoming and a whole day interview for an academic librarian job is just unnecessary. Stop acting like jobs are sacred. It’s a job! Hire the person that can do it and don’t take 6 months. People need jobs asap. If a job doesn’t post the salary I no longer consider it. Low ball offers are a waste of time. 

What should employers do to make the hiring process better for job hunters?

Actually respond to people, add a decent salary, make the interviews less than 1 hour, be friendly and inviting, answer questions honestly. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve actually gotten to a second interview and then heard nothing. I’ve learned about not getting the job by seeing LinkedIn postings of people sharing their new jobs. HR depts need to do better. 

You and Your Well-Being

How are you doing, generally?

√ I’m frustrated 

What are your job search self-care strategies?

I only apply to jobs worth my time now. No more jobs with no salary posted or jobs that list everything under the sun with low pay. 

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?

Don’t give up and only apply to jobs worth your time. Something great will come along, whether it’s a library job or not. 

Do you have any comments for Emily (the survey author) or are there any other questions you think we should add to this survey?

Maybe add questions about salary (like what do you make and what should you be making and how long you’ve been in libraries), are you looking for jobs other than library jobs, are you thinking of leaving librarianship. After 14 years as a librarian, I honestly don’t recommend librarianship to anyone anymore. It’s low pay, people don’t respect us, and there are no jobs. Ask about the kind/type of library jobs they’re looking for. 

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?)

Got my MLIS in 2009

When did you start your first job search for a “professional” position (or other position that utilized your degree)?

√ Six months before graduating with my MLIS/other LIS degree 

In relation to your graduation, when did you find your first “professional” position?

√ I was actually hired before I graduated 

What kind of work was your first post-graduation professional position? 

√ Full Time 

Did you get support from your library school for your first job hunt (and/or any subsequent ones)?

Nope! Library’s school did nothing. 

Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about searching for or finding your first post-graduation position?

I started my search about 3-4 months before graduation and was lucky to start a month before my graduation. Unfortunately, I was laid off a year later. Only reason I feel I got lucky was because I had been working in libraries PT before I graduated so I had some experience. My advice: don’t get a non-librarian job once you get the degree. Only apply to librarian jobs. 

Winter Reruns: “regardless of what all the tattooed spunky hipster librarians think.”

I’m taking time off! I’ll be back with new content in late February. Take this survey to share your opinions about what would be most helpful/interesting. While I’m out, I’m running a selection of Hiring Librarians’ greatest hits and most reviled posts.

The anonymous respondent answered this survey on July 5, 2015 and it originally posted on November 28, 2015. This is another most-viewed post that hits a lot of our deep librarian angsts, in addition to using the delicious and incendiary phrase “tattooed spunky hipster librarians.” This person does think that librarianship is a dying profession. They are particularly offended by a perceived dumbing down of the profession and ALA’s Threshold Concepts, which is an Information Literacy thing. I don’t know enough about Information Literacy to know if it stuck – is it still around today? Was it a terrible idea? Enlighten us in the comments (I promise I’ll read them when I’m back).

This anonymous interview is with an academic librarian who has been a hiring manager, a member of a hiring or search committee, and a human resources professional. This person hires the following types of LIS professionals:

ALA accredited only cataloguers, instruction & reference librarians, subject liaisons

This librarian works at a library with 0-10 staff members in an urban area in the UAE.

Approximately how many people applied for the last librarian (or other professional level) job at your workplace?

√ 25 or fewer

Approximately what percentage of those would you say were hirable?

√ 26-50 %

And how would you define “hirable”?

Meets or exceeds the skill sets and qualifications posted. Will fit into our work culture.

How are applications evaluated, and by whom?

Our software weeds the applications that meet the % of keywords we set. Then I pour through the applications. Then I send a copy to each person on the hiring team with a rubric. We meet once to compare rubrics and make the final determination on the tops candidates to invite for interviews.

What is the most common reason for disqualifying an applicant without an interview?

Does not meet the lowest qualifications. No cover letter. Spelling and grammar mistakes. Arrogance and exuding an unearned “I am awesome! entitlement attitude, while not mentioning why they are a good fit for us. Ultimately, that is what we care about- do you understand where you are applying and what position you are applying for AND what do you bring to our already stellar workplace.

Do you (or does your library) give candidates feedback about applications or interview performance?

√ Other: If asked I will give feedback informally and only verbally. Never written and never unsolicited. Ok- I have given gentle unsolicited advice to really newly librarians who were earnest and I knew it would be well received.

What is the most important thing for a job hunter to do in order to improve his/her/their hirability?

Besides the obvious: read the position description. Apply to THAT job. Follow the directions. Proofread.
And most importantly, work on their emotional intelligence and politeness. You may have all the mad skills in the world, but if you are rude to our secretary while being an ass kisser to me- I will never hire you.
I need to know you can pick up on social cues, that you can be professional to people you may not like, that you can handle yourself. I can teach you how to do the technical reference interview- I cannot teach you how to handle a grieving parent looking for headstones, or a mentally ill person looking for the nearest homeless shelter.

I want to hire someone who is

astute

How many staff members are at your library/organization?

√ 0-10

How many permanent, full time librarian (or other professional level) jobs has your workplace posted in the last year?

√ 2

How many permanent, full time para-professional (or other non-professional level) jobs has your workplace posted in the last year?

√ 2

Can you tell us how the number of permanent, full-time librarian 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?

√ No

Have any full-time librarian positions been replaced with para-professional workers over the past decade?

√ No

Does your workplace require experience for entry-level professional positions? If so, is it an official requirement or just what happens in practice?

No, but it happens in practice.

Is librarianship a dying profession?

√ Yes

Why or why not?

The actual “work’ of librarians is being done by techs. Ref desk, cataloguers, systems librarians: all of these positions can be filled by people with BA’s in computer science, communications, and even English degrees.
Librarians without a subject specialty MA- even in public libraries will go by the wayside. You have to specialize to be recognized and even then the admin will expect you to be able to run the circ desk, hold story time, man the ref hours, and do online assistance.
I have no belief that Librarianship as a profession will be able to hold on. regardless of what all the tattooed spunky hipster librarians think.
We are all replaceable because we have no identity and once the ALA accepts the ridiculous Threshold Concepts- we won’t even be able to hold a conversation in academia without looking like the morons we allowed ourselves to become.

Do you hire librarians?  Take this survey: http://tinyurl.com/hiringlibjobmarketsurvey or take other Hiring Librarians surveys.

For some context, look at the most recent summary of responses.

#librarians #libraryCareers #libraryHiring #librarySchool #tumblarians

Winter Reruns: “New Hires Should Come with a Broad Understanding of Libraryland”

I’m taking time off! I’ll be back with new content in February. Take this survey to share your opinions about what would be most helpful/interesting. While I’m out, I’m running a selection of Hiring Librarians’ greatest hits and most reviled posts.

The anonymous respondent filled out my survey titled “What Should Potential Hires Learn in Library School?” on August 9, 2013, and the post originally ran on October 21, 2013.

I’m not sure why this one has so many views, but I suspect it’s because they name library schools in the questions about preferring or being reluctant to hire candidates from certain schools (the school they are reluctant to hire candidates from is my alma mater, SJSU). When I was doing stats posts for this survey, I did do some analysis of responses that didn’t mention specific schools, but it looks like I never followed through with my promise to look at surveys that did name names. Looking through the answers now, the majority of the 333 respondents did not name specific schools (only about 50 named specific “reluctant to hire” schools). And even San Jose, which 17 people expressed reluctance about, also had people that preferred it. The most frequent point of discussion was a reluctance to hire students who were online only. There is a separate post that talks about biases against online library school, which was still kind an issue back in 2013. SJSU was one of the more more prominent and prolific online library schools, so it makes sense that it would be more well known, and therefore mentioned more frequently, regardless of the quality of the education.

This anonymous interview is with an academic librarian who has been a chair of search committees. This person hires the following types of LIS professionals:

All types needed to staff a large academic library

This librarian works at a library with 100-200 staff members in a city/town in the Midwestern US.

Do library schools teach candidates the job skills you are looking for in potential hires?

√ Depends on the school/Depends on the candidate

Should library students focus on learning theory or gaining practical skills? (Where 1 means Theory, 5 means practice, and 3 means both equally)

3

What coursework do you think all (or most) MLS/MLIS holders should take, regardless of focus?

√ Cataloging

√ Grant Writing

√ Project Management

√ Library Management

√ Collection Management

√ Web Design/Usability

√ Metadata

√ Digital Collections

√ Research Methods

√ Reference

√ Instruction

When deciding who to hire out of a pool of candidates, do you value skills gained through coursework and skills gained through practice differently?

√ Yes–I value skills gained through a student job more highly

Which skills (or types of skills) do you expect a new hire to learn on the job (as opposed to at library school)?

Beside the obvious of learning the individual library culture, organization structure, and specific policies, I think new hires should come with a broad understanding of libraryland. If I had to pick some area, I think supervision of staff can be learned on the job.

Which of the following experiences should library students have upon graduating?

√ Library work experience

√ Internship or practicum

√ Student organization involvement

Which library schools give candidates an edge (you prefer candidates from these schools)?

Illinois, Wisconsin-Madison

Are there any library schools whose alumni you would be reluctant to hire?

San Jose State

What advice do you have for students who want to make the most of their time in library school?

Get as much on the job experience as possible even if it is not in your intended field of employment. If you do not have library experience, market your other skills into library context.

This survey was coauthored by Brianna Marshall from Hack Library School. Interested in progressive blogging, by, for, and about library students? Check it out!

#librarians #libraryCareers #libraryHiring #librarySchool #tumblarians

Winter Reruns: Most Popular Questions and Their Answers

I’m taking time off! I’ll be back with new content in February. Take this survey to share your opinions about what would be most helpful/interesting. While I’m out, I’m running a selection of Hiring Librarians’ greatest hits and most reviled posts.

The top five most viewed posts of all time are not surveys, they are actually from the feature Further Questions, in which I ask a list of folks who hire LIS workers to dive deeper into a single question. They are:

• How and When Should a Candidate Decline an Interview? (July 2013)
• Should Internships Go Under Employment Experience or in a Separate Section? (January 2014)
• Should an Applicant Include More Than One Reference From the Same Job? (September 2013)
• Would You Hire Someone Without Library Experience for a Librarian Position? (April 2012)
• What are Your Favorite Questions to Ask in an Interview? (April 2012)

Other popular Further Questions that are further down the most-viewed list are:

• What Should Candidates Wear? (July 2012)
• Should Coursework Go on a Resume? (September 2012)
• Do You Send Questions to Interviewees before the Interview? (April 2022)
• What Questions Should Candidates Ask You? (November 2012)
• How Can a Candidate Ace Dinner with the Search Committee? (June 2013)

If you’re interested in the entire list of questions I’ve asked over the years, I have a spreadsheet here. There are 243 posts. Some questions have been asked multiple times over the years, I’m slowly connecting those on the spreadsheet, as well as grouping by keyword.

If you’re interested in suggesting questions to ask, or in being someone who answers questions, I’d love to have you on board. You can email me at hiringlibrarians at gmail, and I’ll get back to you when I return from this break.

#librarians #libraryCareers #libraryHiring #librarySchool

Winter Reruns: “Do not ask questions. My pet peeve. This is useless and a waste of our time.” 

I’m taking time off! I’ll be back with new content in late February. Take this survey to share your opinions about what would be most helpful/interesting. While I’m out, I’m running a selection of Hiring Librarians’ greatest hits and most reviled posts.

This survey was filled out on March 26, 2022 and the original post ran on February 16, 2023. In my notes about this one I have written, “is this even real?” I see a lot of strange takes but this one feels pretty screwy indeed. Candidates make a choice, just like people who hire do, and asking questions about the work and the workplace is a pretty key activity in information gathering for that choice. I don’t have any way of verifying answers, so maybe it’s not real? Or maybe it is and it’s just very uncool.

This anonymous interview is with someone who hires for a:

√ Public Library 

Title: Administrative Manager/Regional Manager

Titles hired include: Administrative Manager, Librarians I-IV, Sr. Library Assistant, Library Assistant I-II, Clerk, Page

Who makes hiring decisions at your organization:

√ HR

√ Library Administration 

Which of the following does your organization regularly require of candidates?

√ Online application 

√ References

√ Proof of degree 

√ Written Exam

√ Oral Exam/Structured interview 

√ More than one round of interviews 

Does your organization use automated application screening? 

√ Yes 

Think about the last candidate who really wowed you, on paper, in an interview, or otherwise. Why were they so impressive?

Energy, enthusiasm 

Do you have any instant dealbreakers?

Stating misinformation about organization, bad grammar, lingo and cliches

What do you wish you could know about candidates that isn’t generally revealed in the hiring process?

Mental health issues

How many pages should each of these documents be?

Cover Letter: √ We don’t ask for this  

Resume: √ Only One!

CV: √ We don’t ask for this  

What is the most common mistake that people make in an interview?

Not researching organization;, rambling, unfocused answers that are too long

Do you conduct virtual interviews? What do job hunters need to know about shining in this setting?

People tend to sound more monotone and show less enthusiasm in this setting. Smile sometimes and look at the camera. Be aware of your background and keep it simple. It can be needlessly distracting.

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?

Emphasize customer service, work with people 

When does your organization *first* mention salary information?

√ It’s part of the job ad 

What does your organization do to reduce bias in hiring? What are the contexts in which discrimination still exists in this process?

Too expensive to live in our area now. Makes it hard for lots of people.

What questions should candidates ask you? What is important for them to know about your organization and the position you are hiring for?

None! Do not ask questions. My pet peeve. This is useless and a waste of our time. 

Additional Demographics

What part of the world are you in?

√ Western 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?

√ 201+ 

Author’s note: Hey, thanks for reading! If you like reading, why not try commenting or sharing? Or are you somebody who hires Library, Archives or other LIS workers? Please consider giving your own opinion by filling out the survey here.

#librarian #librarians #libraries #libraryCareers #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs

Winter Reruns: “Do not go to library school. Librarianship is a dying profession.”

I’m taking time off! I’ll be back with new content in February. Take this survey to share your opinions about what would be most helpful/interesting. While I’m out, I’m running a selection of Hiring Librarians’ greatest hits and most reviled posts.

This is the most viewed of any survey response, 2012-2025. The anonymous respondent filled out my survey titled “What Should Potential Hires Learn in Library School?” on August 9, 2013, and the post originally ran on January 14, 2014.

If you visit the original post, you’ll see lots of comments, and pingbacks from other folks who cited the interview, I think because the title so directly addresses an two eternal LIS angsts, “is librarianship dying?” and “do we even need library school?” We could (and do) talk about these topics at great length.

Somewhat tangentially, I do in fact ask “Is Librarianship a Dying profession?” in my State of the Job Market surveys (2015 and 2024). In both years, only a small percentage said yes (4.46% in 2015 and 7.69% in 2024). And several people felt offended to even be asked, saying things like “What kind of fucking stupid question is this?” 2024 did seem to demonstrate overall a greater doubt about our resiliency. In addition to a small increase in the percentage of folks who thought we were dying, there was also an increase in those who weren’t sure and who wrote in an “other” answer. The percentage of folks willing to say “no, we are not a dying profession” decreased. I am curious to know how these responses have changed in the last year, as we face direct threats to our work from the federal government, and other extremist groups.

This anonymous interview is with an academic librarian who has been a hiring manager and a member of a hiring or search committee. This person hires the following types of LIS professionals:

Reference librarians

This librarian works at a library with 10-50 staff members in a city/town in the Southern US.

Do library schools teach candidates the job skills you are looking for in potential hires?

√ Depends on the school/Depends on the candidate

Should library students focus on learning theory or gaining practical skills? (Where 1 means Theory, 5 means practice, and 3 means both equally)

2

What coursework do you think all (or most) MLS/MLIS holders should take, regardless of focus?

√ Grant Writing
√ Programming (Coding)
√ Web Design/Usability
√ Metadata
√ Research Methods
√ Information Behavior
√ Outreach
√ Marketing
√ Soft Skills (e.g. Communication, Interpersonal Relations)
√ Field Work/Internships

Do you find that there are skills that are commonly lacking in MLS/MLIS holders? If so, which ones?

We recently hired an Instruction Librarian and were looking for candidates with a strong technology background. Very few candidates had any sort of technology experience. Seems they are not learning necessary technology skills in the library school.

When deciding who to hire out of a pool of candidates, do you value skills gained through coursework and skills gained through practice differently?

√ No preference–as long as they have the skill, I don’t care how they got it

Which skills (or types of skills) do you expect a new hire to learn on the job (as opposed to at library school)?

I expect a new hire to learn reference service and other “librarian skills” on the job. I want new hires out of library school with strong technology skills and an overall view of the profession and of higher education (for academic librarians). Searching databases and knowing where to find information will depend on the library’s resources and can be taught in-house.

Which of the following experiences should library students have upon graduating?

√ Library work experience
√ Other presentation
√ Other publication
√ Teaching assistant/Other instructional experience
√ Other: Technology

Which library schools give candidates an edge (you prefer candidates from these schools)? Are there any library schools whose alumni you would be reluctant to hire?

I see no discernible difference in library schools. It is really all about what the candidate did while in school. (i.e. classes taken, skills learned, job experience)

What advice do you have for students who want to make the most of their time in library school?

Do not go to library school. Librarianship is a dying profession. But if you are going to go, get as much technology training as you can and get a wide array of experiences in a library so you know what you want to do and have a better understanding of how libraries work.

Do you have any other comments, for library schools or students, or about the survey?

I think it would make an interesting study to compare the curriculum of library schools today to the curriculum from previous decades. I am not sure too much has changed. I think library schools spend too much time on “librarian skills” (i.e. how to use a gazetteer) than on skills needed in the modern library. A disconnect exists between library schools and practicing librarians.

This survey was coauthored by Brianna Marshall from Hack Library School. Interested in progressive blogging, by, for, and about library students? Check it out!

#librarians #libraryCareers #libraryHiring #librarySchool #tumblarians

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

“We recently had an applicant tell us, ‘You don’t have a discovery layer or an AI chatbot. This is outdated, so you need me!'”

This anonymous interview is with someone who hires for a:

√ Academic Library 

Title: Access Services Librarian

Titles hired include: Systems Librarian, Reference Technician, Circulation Technician, Student Assistant Supervisor

Who makes hiring decisions at your organization:

√ Library Administration

√ The position’s supervisor

√ A Committee or panel 

√ Employees at the position’s same level (on a panel or otherwise)

√ Other: Other faculty, for faculty librarian roles

Which of the following does your organization regularly require of candidates?

√ Online application

√ Cover letter

√ Resume

√ References

√ Demonstration (teaching, storytime, etc)

√ More than one round of interviews

√ A whole day of interviews

Does your organization use automated application screening? 

√ No 

Briefly describe the hiring process at your organization and your role in it:

Long! For librarian: online application (librarian/search committee chair can review all), round 1 (Zoom panel interview), round 2 (face-toface: panel interview, teaching demo, meet with library director, meet with potential staff if applicable, library tour, lunch), reference checks, Zoom interviews with AVP and VP, etc.

Think about the last candidate who really wowed you, on paper, in an interview, or otherwise. Why were they so impressive?

Really addressing the position description. Telling us how YOUR skills and experiences meet OUR needs.

Do you have any instant dealbreakers?

Cover letter/interview mismatched to job. E.g., talking a lot about your passion for teaching when we’re recruiting a circulation tech. It tells me you won’t stay in this job for long.

How many pages should each of these documents be?

Cover Letter: √ Two is ok, but no more  

Resume: √ Two is ok, but no more

CV: √ We don’t ask for this

What is the most common mistake that people make in an interview?

Being overly terse and factual. Just saying “I can do X because I’ve done it for 10 years” — make a case for yourself!

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?

Check your camera placement and background beforehand. Avoid anything distracting – if we’re looking up your nose or there’s something odd behind you (like a wrinkled bedsheet used to screen the room…), we’re not paying as much attention to what you’re saying.

When does your organization *first* mention salary information?

√ It’s part of the job ad

What questions should candidates ask you? What is important for them to know about your organization and the position you are hiring for?

Show me that you understand how your skills transfer. E.g., for a circulation position managing equipment lending, the successful applicant explained how their background in healthcare would help them with data entry, detail orientation, and patron confidentiality. Great!

When does your organization *first* mention salary information?

√ It’s part of the job ad

What does your organization do to reduce bias in hiring? What are the contexts in which discrimination still exists in this process?

HR must approve candidate pools for diversity (self-reported demographic categories) and will readvertise if they’re too homogenous. We provide the interview questions in text, though not in advance. We invite interviewees to inform us of accommodations needed. Otherwise, not much.

What questions should candidates ask you? What is important for them to know about your organization and the position you are hiring for?

Just be genuine. Read the job description – there’s only so much we can fit in there, so please ask about whatever we had to leave out! “What does a typical day/week look like?” is better than “Tell me about the training process/goals for the first 6 months.” Don’t ask about benefits – it’s on the website.

Additional Demographics

What part of the world are you in?

√ Northeastern US

What’s your region like?

√ Urban 

√ Suburban 

Is your workplace remote/virtual?

√ Some of the time and/or in some positions 

How many staff members are at your organization?

√ Other: 15-20 for library, but we’re part of a college

Is there anything else you’d like to say, either to job hunters or to me, the survey author?

We recently had an applicant tell us, “You don’t have a discovery layer or an AI chatbot. This is outdated, so you need me!” No consideration that maybe these were deliberate choices, just an assertion that this person knew better than the people already working here. The candidate did not advance to the next round.

#Librarian #librarians #libraries #libraryCareers #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs

“If an hour is given for an interview and you finish in 15-20 minutes then you did not provide enough details in your answers.”

This anonymous interview is with someone who hires for a:

√ Public Library 

Title: Branch Manager

Titles hired include: Public Services Librarian, Assistant Branch Manager, Branch Manager, Children’s Librarian, Mobile Services Supervisor

Who makes hiring decisions at your organization:

√ HR

√ Library Administration

√ The position’s supervisor

√ A Committee or panel

√ Employees at the position’s same level (on a panel or otherwise)

√ Other: Outside organization professional

Which of the following does your organization regularly require of candidates?

√ Online application

√ Resume

√ References

√ Supplemental Questions

√ Demonstration (teaching, storytime, etc) 

Does your organization use automated application screening? 

√ No 

Briefly describe the hiring process at your organization and your role in it:

Job postings are made with a typical 2 week opening. Internal and external postings are done at the same time- no internal preference given. Applications require a resume, references, and short essay questions. Cover letter is optional. There are a few qualifying questions that weed out applicants. A panel independently scores the resume and essay questions with a structured rubric and the top 5-8 candidates receive an interview. Interview questions are given 24 hours in advance. The panel interviews the candidates and independently scores each candidate with a rubric. Executive director compiles the scores and we discuss the candidates, strengths in the position. The top candidate is typically offered the position, but occasionally the second candidate is offered the position at the directors discretion usually with the direct supervisors influence. I have served on 30+ interview panels.

Think about the last candidate who really wowed you, on paper, in an interview, or otherwise. Why were they so impressive?

Their personal story and what they overcame to get to this interview- immigrant from Africa, learned to read from classic books her dad brought home, immigrated as a young adult to the US, studied in public libraries until their English was strong enough to enter college. She educated her 9 children using the public library. There is nothing more she wants in life then to go back to Africa and open a public library which do not exist there.

Do you have any instant dealbreakers?

Using AI to answer application and interview questions. It is a regular occurrence in past year and a half.

What do you wish you could know about candidates that isn’t generally revealed in the hiring process?

Flexibility and willingness to pitch in to get a job done.

How many pages should each of these documents be?

Cover Letter: √ Only One!

Resume: √ Two is ok, but no more 

CV: √ Two is ok, but no more  

What is the most common mistake that people make in an interview?

If an hour is given for an interview and you finish in 15-20 minutes then you did not provide enough details in your answers. Applicants should use close to the allotted time without going over.

Do you conduct virtual interviews? What do job hunters need to know about shining in this setting?

Yes, dress in professional or at least smart casual. A crewneck is not good enough. Be aware of your background, blur it if need be. Use the time allotted without going over. Provide details and illustrate your answers with stories that showcase your skills.

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?

Stories bring skills and relevant experiences to life. Do not tell the same story more than once. It is a wasted opportunity to repeat yourself.

When does your organization *first* mention salary information?

√ It’s part of the job ad

What does your organization do to reduce bias in hiring? What are the contexts in which discrimination still exists in this process?

Hiring training on reducing bias in interview process. We openly talk about ways to reduce bias by learning about types of bias in depth.

What questions should candidates ask you? What is important for them to know about your organization and the position you are hiring for?

Ask questions of genuine interest or of things they want to know. I love a workplace culture question.

Additional Demographics

What part of the world are you in?

√ Notheastern US 

What’s your region like?

√ Rural 

Is your workplace remote/virtual?

√ Some of the time and/or in some positions

How many staff members are at your organization?

√ 51-100

Is there anything else you’d like to say, either to job hunters or to me, the survey author?

Very interested in crowdsourcing how people feel about applicants that use AI in their interview and application answers. I clearly have very strong feelings against it.

Author’s note: Hey, thanks for reading! If you like reading, why not try commenting or sharing? Or are you somebody who hires Library, Archives or other LIS workers? Please consider giving your own opinion by filling out the survey here.

#AcademicLibraries #libraryCareers #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #LISCareers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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:

• Library Punk
• Homosaurus
• Democracy is Power: Rebuilding Unions from the Bottom Up
• Berserk

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

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

Your Participation is Requested!

Hi Friends!

There are a number of crowdsourced services and resources here on Hiring Librarians. Would you care to be part of the crowd?

1. Are you interested in getting a lot of eyes on your resume or CV?  

If so, try crowdsourced resume and CV review, here on Hiring Librarians.

Here’s how it works:

We post resumes or CVs from any library or LIS job hunter who submits one. Other job hunters, as well as a few ringers (hiring managers) and other members of the public will be able to provide feedback in the comments section. Folks who submit CVs or resumes for review must also agree to comment on at least five other posted resumes/CVs (it’s a pyramid scheme mutual aid!)

We will do our best to moderate comments, but please do be aware that this will truly be public review – anyone and everyone on the internet will be able comment.

To have your resume or CV posted:

• First, take a look at the comments on previously posted resumes/CVs and see if any would apply to yours.  Edit if necessary
• Your CV or resume will be posted as-is, so please remove any information that you are not comfortable having publicly available (I suggest removing your email address and phone number at a minimum)
• Then, send it as a PDF to [email protected]
• Please include a short statement identifying if it’s a resume or CV and describing the types of positions you’re using it for (institution type, position level, general focus)
• Finally, you will also need to confirm that you agree to comment on at least five other posted resumes/CVs

2. Have you been on a library interview recently?  Or are you prepping for one?

Do you know about The Interview Questions Repository?

The Interview Questions Repository is a Google sheet with questions that have been asked on more than 600 library or LIS interviews over the last decade.

If you’ve had a library interview recently, help this resource grow by reporting the questions you were asked.

3. Are you interested in salary transparency?

Interested in viewing Salary Info from more than 300 LIS workers? The second page of the Interview Questions Repository shares that data. If you are interested in adding your own salary info, please use this form.

I have collected additional salary transparency resources here.

If you have feedback, I’d love to hear it. Please feel free to email me or use the contact form.

4. Do you have opinions?

These surveys are still collecting responses:

• 2024 State of the LIS Job Market (for folks who hire in a LIS field)
• 2023 Job Hunter’s Survey (for people who are currently job searching)
• Hiring Library Workers and Other Information Professionals (for folks who hire in a LIS field)
• All About Cover Letters (for folks who hire in a LIS field)
• Personal Professional Websites (for people who have a personal professional website)

5. Thank you!

Please help these resources grow by participating early and often, and sharing widely with all your friends and colleagues.

Your Pal,

Emily

#cvReview #libraryCareers #libraryHiring #libraryJobs #resumeReview