#liscareers — 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: The Tattooed Librarian

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 post first ran on June 21st, 2013 and was part of a series that attempted to address the competing desires of librarians who wanted bitchin tattoos AND gainful employment. Were the two even compatible in 2013? Are they now? (yes and yes, you big silly). This question did seem a lot more unsettled back then though.

This week I have another question inspired by a reader.  This is part of a topical series on Interviewing while Tattooed. This week I asked people who hire librarians:

Should tattooed candidates make any attempt to hide their ink?  Would tattoos make you think twice about hiring someone?  How tattooed is too tattooed?

Arm and leg tattoos would go unnoticed in an interview.  Facial tattoos would be a problem though.  Our current policy doesn’t allow jewelry in facial piercings so I don’t see facial tattoos (especially large ones) going over here (a southern public library) unless the job was not in public services.

If a candidate is concerned that their tatts might negatively influence an interview outcome, then they should cover them up as best they can.

– Emilie Smart, Division Coordinator of Reference Services & Computer Services at East Baton Rouge Parish Library

I like people to dress like and be themselves.  Clearly we aren’t a buttoned-down place.  My hesitation in this:  if the tattoos displayed would be inappropriate for children to see (nudity, inappropriate language, like that). In that case, we would ask that those be kept covered while working in the children’s area.

In terms of how much ink is too much…if we think that kids will come in and be able to easily interact with the person beneath the ink, the candidate may make the cut.

– Marge Loch-Wouters, Youth Services Coordinator, La Crosse (WI) Public Library

An interesting question – many of us at my current library have visible ink (sleeves, chest pieces that peek out of dress shirts, etc.) At my current and former institutions (all public university academic libraries), so this wasn’t an issue. (Full disclosure – I’m fully sleeved, and my hands are tattooed as well.)

When I have interviewed, I usually do so full suited or with a cardigan – folks can see the hand tattoos but I don’t put them out on display. When it’s warm, I have a tendency to push my sleeves up – I’m certain I do it in interviews, as well. I don’t advertise my ink, but I don’t actively hide it; I do try to dress to minimize its impact – in interviews, I want people to focus on what I am saying.  As I mentioned above, academic libraries in public universities have been very open to accepting tattoos on myself and colleagues. On the other hand, I was notified by a public library in a very diverse area that I would not be considered as a candidate because of visible ink, so your mileage can and will vary depending on where you apply.

As a hirer, I don’t mind what candidates do about their ink so long as they have a professional demeanor, and make an effort to be sure that it is themselves and their skills on display – I’m hiring for skill and growth potential, not to be inkshop buddies. That being said, my visible work is all pretty tame – it’s probably not a bad idea to go ahead and cover up naked ladies, penii, and other questionable/possibly-offensive images when interviewing, and checking the dress code, if posted, before applying.

As to whether candidates should hide their ink – that’s a personal decision. I usually figure if they’d cull me from the pool because of my ink, it’s likely not a place I would be comfortable working; on the other hand, if I were a children’s librarian, a face tattoo of a tarantula would make it more likely I’d use some serious cover-up so as not to scare the little ones. In short, folks should do serious research as to the cultural flavor of a workplace before deciding to hide – or flaunt – their art, and make sure their skills outshine their ink.

Would any tattoos make me think twice about hiring someone? Well, we’re a heavily public-service oriented library, so racist tattoos would definitely give me pause since we’re here to make our users as comfortable as possible. Aside from that? Probably not.

-Colleen Harris, Head of Access Services & Assistant Professor at University of Tennessee Chattanooga’s Lupton Library

My personal feeling is that tattoos are okay but to a limited extent. I think that they fine if they are small and/or are not obviously visible. I don’t think that tattoos are professional looking so if a person had them all over their arms, legs, neck, etc, it would make me think twice about hiring that person, not because I didn’t think that the person was not capable or qualified to do the job but because, unfortunately, of the view of someone with a lot  of tattoos has in our society.  Perhaps in certain types of libraries  it would not be an issue, but I believe that in some academic libraries it would not portray a professional image, in the same that dressing slovenly would be viewed negatively. Just my two cents.

– Anonymous

I am on the fence about tattoos, and can tell you that I am aware of a great range of policies regarding them.  In general, it is reasonable for every library to establish what is needed for each situation.

Community standards and environment play a big role in the tolerance level for appearance.  When a library needs to improve its reputation for credibility, reliability, and competence, then a “classic look” for employees may be warranted, especially in a more conservative community where customers and donors value conformity and a professional image.   In other communities that have a high level of diversity and are more liberal, like my current community (a Big Ten college town), we can offer a more flexible dress code that allows tattoos.

An additional consideration regarding tattoos is the nature of the job and the career aspirations of the person.  Library managers need the full business look for presentations, fundraising, networking, and special events.  Although I can’t exactly define “too tattooed”, a large amount of visible  ink may be an impediment to achievement.  I personally enjoy, but do not have, body art, but would have to tell a manager with a lot of tattoos that they may be expected to cover them for certain activities.

An illustration of this:   I once had a meeting with potential donors who quite openly appeared to be evaluating my appearance as I met them at a restaurant to discuss donations. I later received feedback that they wanted to give to a charity that “met their expectations” – and some of them gave.  I wore a moderately priced department store suit that contrasted with their designer clothes, but I guess the fake pearls worked anyway!  Appearance counts, while self-expression through body art and dress are important outlets for many of us.  Hopefully libraries will be open-minded and job applicants considerate of the wide range of public opinions they can encounter with a full body set of tattoos.

– Catherine Alloway, Director, Schlow Centre Region Library

What a great question!   My workplace does not have anything that says tattoos must be covered,  and I personally have nothing against them.

I recently hired an employee who interviewed in an outfit that hid his full-sleeve tattoo.  Seeing the tattoo would not have made a difference in my hiring decision, but I would have appreciated it if he would have let it peak out a little bit, or at least mentioned it.  It’s kind of like hiring an employee and having them show up the first day with a different, shocking dyed color of hair.  It was a bit of a surprise when I first saw it, is all.  It would also be to a prospective employee’s benefit to discover if the new workplace had anything stating tattoos must be covered: can you always work in full sleeves?

Any tattoo is tattooed; the only “too tattooed” or tattoo that would make me reconsider hiring  for the types of positions I supervise would be face/neck tattoos.  The rest of the body—the entire thing—is fair game.

– Sarah Morrison, Adult Services Librarian Neill Public Library

The short answer to the question of candidates with tattoos is, yes, they should hide their ink. For a job interview, I would always recommend covering up, which should not be too difficult since you would be dressed fairly conservative. I would encourage anyone considering a tattoo to be selective about where you put it since you will not know the policy of future employers.

The last two questions are tied together for me. How tattooed is too tattooed? Anything on the face, neck or hands would be too tattooed and would influence my hiring decision because those are areas that could never be covered up for formal presentations or meetings.

I am personally a tattooed librarian so this most likely affects my opinion on tattoos and the definition of what “too tattooed” is, but I am not on every search committee for my institution, others will have more conservative opinions.

When you do get a job offer, definitely ask what the policy is so you know if you can show off your “I heart Mom” tat!

– Julie Leuzinger, Department Head, Eagle Commons Library, University of North Texas Libraries

As a tattooed librarian (a frog above one ankle) with a very modified 20-something son, I know that one has tattoos and other modifications  for personal reasons.  However, the workplace is not always a place where one can simply let everything be on display.  It is not a personal affront to have to keep one’s tattoos and other modifications underwrap in the workplace.  Dark nylons or tights, long sleeves and modest necklines are useful tools for keeping the other side of your personality personal.  What I do and show when I am not at work is my business, not my employer’s.

This being said, prominent neck and facial tattoos are career-limiting in public service jobs. I don’t believe that this will ever change even with the openness around tattoos now.

As a former library director who had a “no butts, no boobs, no bellies” dress code policy, I think it is best to talk about these things when entering a new workplace.  Find out what the dress code includes and make it work for you. You may be working for a tight a$$, so be prepared to keep your art covered.  You might also be working for someone who has some modifications too, but knows when it’s the right time to have them on display.

– Toby Willis-Camp, a former Director of Libraries for a professional association 

Tattoos don’t bother me – I have two myself, although they are not usually visible during work (although my next one likely will be). I don’t think candidates should try to hide visible tattoos during the job search / interview. That feels deceptive to me. I’d rather know they are inked up front (or at least not have something hidden and then suddenly see it on their first day at work). The only time I think I would think twice about it is if the tattoos are large and on the neck, or any tattoos on the face. I doubt I would have to worry about vulgar tattoos, but that would also give me pause.

About half of my part-time staff are tattooed, and only once in 5 years have I heard a patron comment about a tattoo in a negative manner (but I’ve heard several positive comments!).

– Marleah Augustine, Adult Department Librarian at Hays Public Library

Ink is relative to location.  I personally don’t care, and my patrons don’t care.  In a smaller, more conservative, more rural library, everyone cared.  It was silly.  I hired and was hired anyway (I have what looks like very obvious piercings–I actually have none–but I always have worn the jewelry to interviews to see what comments might ensue).While hiring is supposed to be about skills, sometimes you have to worry about community fit.  I never have, and have never had problems.  If a candidate is worried–cover the tats.  The person will know soon enough if its an issue or not.

– Virginia Roberts, Director, Chippewa Falls Public Library

When hiring, the most important thing to me is whether the staff person is approachable and neutral. Both of these things can be easily achieved even if the staff person is covered in tattoos. So no, tattoos have little to no impact on my hiring practices. That said, if an applicant (or staff person) has a tattoo that is political or controversial, I would ask them to cover it. We want to create an environment that is as neutral as possible, so that a patron feels comfortable asking any question of any staff person. Of course, this applies to clothing too and not just tattoos. Our latest dress code says, “Clothing or body art that can be reasonably seen as profane, political, or obscene is not to be visible.”

I remember having a conversation with my mom about 10 years ago about tattoos (I’m 38). She was convinced that the people in my generation who have tattoos would never be able to get jobs. I believed that the world would have to change to accommodate all the people with tattoos. I certainly saw more tattoos in Portland, OR than I do in Omaha, NE but even here, it’s commonplace for staff to have tattoos.

– Manya Shorr, Assistant Director, Community Programs and Services, Omaha Public Library

I have only one question from the other side of the table regarding tattoos or anything dealing with appearance. Does it affect approachability? If I am hiring you to be a public services librarian to work at a service desk, you can’t frighten the users away. On the other hand, if you work in the back, it probably isn’t that big of a deal. I want people to be comfortable at work but still be able to do their job. A librarian with great people skills and tattoos is still better than a curmudgeon with no skin decoration. Libraries are supposed to be an inclusive place.

This also works both ways on the fashion scale. I worked with a librarian who always wore a three piece pinstripe suit at the desk. The students wouldn’t talk to him either.

Personally, I have no issue with tattoos, but I cannot vouch for everybody on the hiring committee. It may even be a subconscious reaction. It depends on how important your personal style is compared to the job. The tattooed librarian may not want to work at a place where she or he is judged by skin art. In which case, show your glory within reason and taste.

If the job is really important, do your research. There may be a policy on appearance in some places, although that is increasingly rare. If not, what can you find out about the culture of the school? If you think it is an issue, cover until you get hired and then surprise them.

I have worked for a college where the tats would get a raised eyebrow from some of the staff. I have worked for a university where nobody would notice.

– Randall Schroeder, Director of Libraries, Archives and Media at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minnesota

Thank you as always to our contributors for their time and insight. If you’re someone who hires librarians and are interested in participating in this feature, please email me at hiringlibrariansATgmail.com.

Thank YOU for reading!When her muscles start relaxin’, up the hill comes Andrew Jackson. Lydia, oh Lydia, that encyclo-pidia. Oh Lydia The Queen of comment.

There will be two more posts in this series, which will go live on 6/22 and 6/23. When live, links will be here and here.

#careers #Employment #Interview #jobs #Librarian #libraryCareers #LISCareers #PublicLibrary #Tattoo

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

“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 E20: You Are More Than Your Job with Emily Weak

Welcome to the last episode of Season 2b of the Hiring Librarians podcast!

My very special guest for this very special episode is – Me! In this, the final and shortest episode of season 2b, I share an affirmation for LIS workers, some thoughts about the current situation, advice for job seekers, advice for people who hire, and a brief update about the likely schedule for next season as well as a new Hiring Librarians survey.

Here is that affirmation one more time:

You are more than your job. In fact, You are not your work at all! You are a worthwhile person regardless of whether or not you have a job, have a “good” job, hear back from places you apply, have interviews, have successful interviews, etc. You are valued and valuable, just as you are.

A not completely error free transcript is here.

Two links for this episode:

• Survey of Your Interests for Hiring Librarians Podcast and Website
• Cristy Moran tells you you’re more than your job

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 next season – hiringlibrarians at gmail

#Librarian #librarians #libraries #Library #libraryCareers #LISCareers

Hiring Librarians Podcast S02b E19: Bringing Your Full Self to Work and the Job Search with Cristy Moran

Welcome back to Season 2b of the Hiring Librarians podcast!

My guest this episode is Cristy Moran. Cristy and I first “met” in 2013, when she took the original Hiring Librarians job hunter survey, and let me post her responses non-anonymously (There is a “Black Hole” of Information After One Drops a Resume). She then graciously let me follow up with her four times, checking back in one year later, two years later, three years later, and more than a decade later. She recently moved from a job with a state library to a job with a local library, and I’m so pleased to be able to chat with her on the podcast about that experience. We also chat about what the library world really needs right now and provide a thoughtful definition of what “CDs” are for our younger listeners.

An AI-generated and not completely error free transcript is here.

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 – hiringlibrarians at gmail

#Librarian #librarians #libraries #Library #libraryCareers #LISCareers

Hiring Librarians Podcast S02b E18: Supporting New Hires in Leadership Roles with Angela Pashia

Welcome back to Season 2b of the Hiring Librarians podcast!

My guest this episode is Angela Pashia. Angela is a coach and one of her specialties is working with library folks in leadership roles. This episode we’re mostly talking about what organizations can do to make sure new hires in these roles are supported – and thus able to support their staff. You might consider this a companion episode to Episode 15, where Kellee Forkenbrock and I talk about onboarding pages and clerks.

Links from this Episode

• Angela’s homepage is: http://angelapashia.com/
• Lead With Curiosity: https://leadwithcuriosity.org/
• Angela’s newsletter: https://kit.angelapashia.com/

An AI-generated and not completely error free transcript is here.

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 #LISCareers

Hiring Librarians Podcast S02b E17: Weaving a Non-traditional LIS Career with Kim Dority

Welcome back to Season 2b of the Hiring Librarians podcast!

My guest this episode is Kim Dority, who has a career she describes as “somewhat eclectic.” In addition to her work in research and information advising, she is an LIS Career expert. Her credentials include two books, LIS Career Sourcebook (Libraries Unlimited, 2012) and Rethinking Information Work, 2d ed (Libraries Unlimited, 2016); she was already well established in this space when I first started Hiring Librarians back in 2012. You’ll note that this episode was actually recorded eight months ago – editing took at least seven months longer than expected (that’s all on me!) In the recording we talk somewhat flippantly about a few things that are much more real now – the defunding of the IMLS and the desire of the current Federal administration to stop folks from reading books (or just freely existing).

An AI-generated and not completely error free transcript is here.

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 #LISCareers

Hiring Librarians Podcast S02b E16: Archives Adjacent Work with Lydia and Marcella

Welcome back to Season 2b of the Hiring Librarians podcast!

My guests this episode are two archivists who no longer work in archives, Lydia Tang and Marcella Huggard. Lydia and Marcella discuss their respective transitions to working for Lyrasis. We talk about the pluses and minuses of moving your career outside of the archive and we learn what is easier than playing the Don Juan excerpt. I think you will enjoy this episode!

An AI-generated and not completely error free transcript is here.

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 #LISCareers

Hiring Librarians Podcast S02b E15: Onboarding with Kellee Forkenbrock

Welcome back to Season 2b of the Hiring Librarians podcast!

You may already know my guest, Kellee Forkenbrock, from all the wonderful advice she gives as part of the Further Questions feature here on hiring librarians. For the podcast, she was excited to talk about what happens after the hire; this episode is all about her process for on-boarding new employees. I really enjoyed speaking with her, and I hope you enjoy our conversation.

Some of the things mentioned in this episode:

• Further Questions
• University of Wisconsin iSchool Continuing Education
• The Customer Rules by Lee Cockrell (former Disney SEO)
• Zingerman’s Guide to Giving Great Service 
• ZingTrain

An AI-generated and not completely error free transcript is here.

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 #LISCareers

Hiring Librarians Podcast S02b E14: Thriving with Susanne Markgren and Linda Miles

Welcome back to Season 2b of the Hiring Librarians podcast!

I’m excited to finally share with you this episode, recorded last November, in which Susanne Markgren and Linda Miles talk about their work helping library workers achieve success and satisfaction in their careers. My apologies to Susanne, Linda and you the listener for taking so long to edit! November was a whole different world than where we are now. Nevertheless, I think you will still find relevant insights and seasoned wisdom.

An AI-generated and not completely error free transcript is here.

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 #LISCareers

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

Researcher’s Corner: Bullying and Burnout in Academic Libraries

In this post, Maggie, Rachel and Kelli talk about their research exploring library work environments. I particularly appreciate their discussion of how difficult bullying and burnout can be to identify, especially within library culture where we see “being exhausted and busy as a badge of honor.” While perhaps not directly about hiring, this piece is about our careers and the quality of our environments, and I look forward to reading more of their work, because of it’s potential to help us create better experiences for library workers.

I think you will find the following post very interesting, and if you’d like to read more, see the following citation:

Albro, M., Stark, R. K., & Kauffroath, K. (2024). Checking Out Our Workspaces: An Analysis of Negative Work Environment and Burnout Utilizing the Negative Acts Questionnaire and the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory for Academic Librarians. Evidence Based Library and Information Practice, 19(3), 2–22. https://doi.org/10.18438/eblip30472

We’ve been researching bullying, burnout, and how employees experience library work environments for the past two years, and if we’ve figured one thing out it’s that everyone is a little surprised by at least one event or experience they’ve had at work. For some context, we came to librarianship in different ways. Maggie began her career in academic libraries right after completing her undergraduate degree. Rachel has worked in a variety of library settings, including youth services and hospitals, before finding her way to an academic library. Kelli came to academic libraries as a second career after a first career as a nurse. One thing we all had in common in our library experiences, though, was navigating uncivil behavior from our coworkers and feeling exhausted by it. And, as we’ve started talking about these experiences, we’ve come to find that they’re a lot more common than any of us expected when we were entering the library workplace. 

“Checking Out Our Workspaces” is a result of our quest to better understand how common these experiences are and how, if at all, they are related. Given the range of our own work experiences we wanted to look at a variety of factors that shape work experiences, so we focused on employment characteristics (e.g., the kind of contracts people had), whether or not librarianship was a person’s only career, and what differences might happen between generations. Since there hasn’t been a lot of research on how things like bullying and burnout interact, we found it best to start with survey research to give a sense of how big these issues are. We also made sure to use tools to measure bullying and burnout that had already been tested and proven accurate to make sure we were being consistent with other studies.

While we were surprised to find there wasn’t a strong relationship between bullying and burnout among our participants, we found that both phenomena were present at low to moderate levels across the group. We didn’t observe differences based on demographic or career variables, which suggests that the experience is fairly universal even if not the “dramatic” type of behavior people might think of. Both bullying and burnout are experiences that can, even at a low level, lead to health consequences if left to persist unresolved. And based on our findings, they’re persisting. 

One of the tricky things about bullying in library work, or really just adult life in general, is getting people to recognize what is happening. So often we equate bullying to something that happens in the K-12 environment, and workplace policies, if they exist, don’t always differentiate between personality differences, bullying, and harassment. It’s really difficult, when it’s not spelled out directly, to tell if this is a pattern of behavior targeted towards you or just a colleague who has a lot of bad days. When you pair that with victim-blaming and the shame that can come with self-identifying as a victim, it makes it easy to label yourself as “too sensitive” or a colleague as “just difficult” in order to avoid what can be difficult terms to define. If you work in a library where your supervisor or coworkers add on to this idea that “it’s all in your head” and that being congenial is more valuable than being collegial or authentic, it’s not a surprise that negative interpersonal experiences slip right down to burnout.

Identifying true burnout can also be trickier than people realize. We talk about being exhausted and busy as a badge of honor, and we live in a world where work makes up a huge portion of our identity. When this is paired with the intensity of the emotional labor that goes into library work, which can come from putting on the customer service face to help a patron when you’re having a bad day of your own or biting your tongue when someone makes a comment in a meeting that devalues your work, the lack of resources combined with the mental toll of library work life slips us into energy debt faster than we tend to notice. Navigating the line between being busy or tired and being burnt out can be a struggle because it’s not a line that you wake up one day and cross. It’s what happens when you work in conditions for too long with too few resources that aren’t sufficient to support all you do. And the tipping point is different for everyone. So it can be difficult to tell if you’re in burnout when all your friends, neighbors, family members, and colleagues say they’re burnt out twice a week. 

Adding to this challenge, after someone recognizes they’re struggling, figuring out how to talk about it and what can be done about it safely, can make the workplace even more difficult to navigate, creating a feedback loop of bullying and burnout. All three of us have worked with colleagues or supervisors who have told us how the value of the services libraries provide should be fulfilling enough and left us with the impression that asking for better from our colleagues or employers is being in it for the “wrong reasons.” When this vocational awe is invoked, especially by someone else, it makes it difficult to have conversations about how you, as a person, matter just as much as the people you are serving. This is where we need our managers and administrators to do better. The persistent level of bullying found in libraries suggests a need for clear anti-bullying work and policy that protects library workers. The moderate level of burnout shows us there needs to be an adjustment to organizational cultures to address this experience that contributes to low morale and longstanding fatigue and decreased performance. Taking measures to address persistent issues that drain people can move towards making a workplace where people want to come work and with better retention for the people who already work there.

Our ongoing research on this topic is taking a deeper dive into these experiences relating to addressing these persistent issues and exploring the specific consequences of bullying and burnout related to retention. We’re currently examining how these experiences impact early career librarians, who experienced different levels of bullying and burnout depending on their work location. Our hope, in continuing this research across a variety of library employee demographics, is to get a more nuanced picture of what shapes healthy workplaces and how to shift away from counterproductive practices to shape our profession into one welcoming and supportive of all workers. 

Maggie is the Agriculture & Natural Resources Librarian at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and is currently serving an interim assignment as the Assistant Head of the UT Libraries Health, Wellness, and Professional Programs Department. She is actively involved with the United States Agricultural Information Network and the Agriculture Network Information Collaborative. Her research focuses on the emotional and service labor that goes into the profession of librarianship and seeks to provide context to the lived realities of library workers.

Rachel is the Health Sciences Librarian for Sacramento State University. Her professional experience includes work in academic pharmacy, hospital, and public libraries. Rachel is an ALA Spectrum Scholar (2010-2011) and a MLA Rising Star (2017-2018). Her research interests are broad ranging, with a focus on finding evidence based ways to improve the working lives of library employees. Rachel enjoys spending time with her two large dogs and playing video and board games.

Kelli Kauffroath is a Library Associate Professor at the University of Vermont serving as library liaison to the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, the Osher Center for Integrative Health, and, currently, interim director of the Dana Health Sciences Library. Kelli’s expertise includes research and information literacy pedagogy with an emphasis on interprofessional education. Kelli is passionate about supporting students and faculty in their pursuit of knowledge and evidence-based decision-making to inform their scholarly pursuits and practice. In her free time, Kelli is happiest puttering around the house, spending time outdoors, and hanging out with friends and family.

#bullying #burnout #Librarian #librarians #libraries #libraryBurnout #libraryCareers #LISCareers

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

Call for Participation: LIS Hiring and Careers Research

Hi Friends!

I’m reaching out to a new round of folks for the series I call Researcher’s Corner. This series invites people who are researching some aspect of LIS hiring and careers to share their work in informal language, here on Hiring Librarians. Topics have included but are not limited to job seeking practices and experiences, career preparation, equity in the profession, salary, job skill requirements, and recruitment practices and experiences.

I have combed the databases for current papers and am in the process of emailing people to ask if they are interested. However, my dumb emails tend to get sent to spam by dumb overly-aggressive university spam filters. So, I thought I’d reach out in another way.

Are you a researcher into one of these topics? Would you like to share your research here? If so, would you please get in contact with me, either through my contact form or directly at HiringLibrarians at gmail?

Your Pal,

Emily

#LISResearch #libraries #libraryCareers #libraryHiring #libraryJobs #LISCareers

Hiring Librarians Podcast S02 E08: Meggan Press

Oh hey, it’s the eighth episode of season two!

I taped eight episodes last fall/winter and have been very very slow to edit. I’m very pleased to be able to share this one!

Meggan Press is the author of Get the Job: Academic Hiring For the New Librarian. This is a really good book about getting hired! She offers non-generic and empowering information for folks looking to start librarian work in academic libraries. It’s as if you had a smart, kindly mentor walking you through the process – not just the how but the why. But don’t take my word for it! In this episode, you’ll here more about her advice and opinions – we talk about the book and much more.

You can find an AI-generated and not completely error free transcript here.

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 #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #libraryPodcast #LISCareers

Note: This will be the last podcast episode for about a month!

My guest is Ray Pun. In this episode, we talk about his work in all the different kinds of libraries, the STAR method, and his candidacy for ALA president. Ray’s website is https://www.raypun.info/

Voting starts March 11th.

I will link an AI-generated and not completely error free transcript here soon – having some trouble with my transcription service. Apologies! 

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).

We are going on hiatus for the next month or so! I need to feel a little less busy, and then round up some new guests and maybe figure out a better microphone than the dinky one in my laptop. 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!

https://hiringlibrarians.com/2024/02/27/hiring-librarians-podcast-s01-e11-ray-pun-2/

#books #Librarian #librarians #libraries #Library #libraryCareers #libraryHiring #libraryInterview #libraryJobs #LISCareers

Oh Hello There!

IT’S A NEW SURVEY!!!!

Are you someone who hires librarians or other LIS workers? Do you have opinions and/or feelings about it?  Are there things you wish you could tell the world anonymously (or even non-anonymously)?

Please take the 2024 State of the LIS Job Market survey and then share it with all your friends who hire so they can take it too.

The survey is designed to collect information about current practices and trends in LIS hiring. It should also let folks who hire vent a little (or a lot) and share information and encouragement with job hunters and/or other folks who hire. Responses will be used here on the Hiring Librarians blog and in other related work. You have the option to respond anonymously or to be featured with a short bio.

Thanks for reading and responding! Please let me know if you have any questions/comments/concerns.

Best,

Emily Weak

hiringlibrarians AT gmail.com

https://hiringlibrarians.com/2024/02/08/new-survey-for-people-who-hire/

#librarians #libraries #libraryCareers #libraryHiring #libraryJobs #LISCareers #LISJobs