The Public Librarian

I was out sick to actually teach this class (big shout out to my awesome coworkers) but I had so much fun designing the content and making my own Lego superhero guy. There was already a created lesson plan for the class by someone else in the system but I decided to tweak it to make it a little more about building Publisher skills.

Here is the link to the lesson: Shape a Superhero in Publisher

Even though I had them create superheros because of the summer reading theme, I think this is a fun activity to use all year round. 

I was so excited and amazed when I got back to work and saw the creations these kids (some as young as first grade) made. Aren't they great?

This is a fun, colorful, and easy craft that can be incorporated into a number of different themes (African American history, tribal, cultural, etc.).

Materials

1 white paper plate

Tempera paint in a variety of colors (I put out purple, blue, green, red, brown and then white for the tribal markings

Pipe cleaners

Beads or circular pasta

Yarn

Newspaper

Glue

Scissors

Clear tape

Hole punch

Instructions

To save time, I hole punch the plates ahead of time. I punched holes for 5 strands of hair and 2 on the side where I thought the ears would be, so the mask would fit around the face.

Before they paint, have the kids trace eyes and cut out (or have parents cut out).

I only gave the kids about a quarter size amount of paint because I need the masks to dry as fast as possible. I ALWAYS emphasis that when it comes to paint, less is more. For the over-eager painter, I usually give them a dry brush and have them spread out what is already on their plate.

When they are done painting the base of the mask, set it aside to dry. To make the nose and mouth, shape newspapers by rolling and molding the paper. It’s easier to glue if you use less paper then a big chunk. 

Glue down the nose and mouth.

Paint the nose and mouth.

Use clear tape on bridge of nose (if needed).

Use paint to draw tribal designs, dots, lines, shapes, or anything else they want.

While these are drying, fasten pipe cleaners to head.

Add beads or colored pasta for a little pazzaz! 

Tie yarn to one of the above the ear holes. Measure the child’s head and tie yarn in the other above the ear hole.

That’s it! 

You’re well-rested, well-fed, well-researched, well-dressed, and ready to ace the interview!

The interview process begins as soon as you are on the premise. You don’t want to cut off a potential interviewer in the parking lot or be rude to the staff at the public desk. SMILE and be friendly to EVERYONE.

Shake out those nerves and smile. Make sure you are enthusiastic and energetic. Show the interviewers you want to be there. Be genuine. Show your passion for libraries, for information, and for helping people. 

Never criticize your former employer in any way. Try to be as positive as possible, even if it was a less than ideal situation. Even if the interviewers try to throw you with questions like, “You have researched our system, what would you do differently?” Deflect. 

Have a few good success stories and anecdotes rehearsed that you can use for scenario questions. 

Make sure you have 2-3 good questions at the end of the interview you can ask the interviewer(s). These should not be about salary or benefits or dress code. These should show you have listened and done your research.

Make sure you ask for the job at the end of the interview. Also, ask what happens next in the hiring process. 

Send thank you notes.

So you got a call back for the job of your dreams? Congrats! Don’t let the nerves get the best of you when preparing for your interview.

Do Your Homework

Learn as much as you can about the organization in order to prepare for the interview. We are in the information business after all!

Check the Website

What circulation system do they use? 

How is their catalog utilized? 

How many branches do they have? 

What type of population do they serve? 

What large projects do they have coming up? 

What is their library mission? 

What types of services do they offer? 

What types of databases do they subscribe to? 

Knowing the answers to these questions and more will not only give you insight into where you are going to work but it will show interviewers that you have done your research.

Find Out Who is Interviewing You

It is okay to ask who is on your interview panel. Know how many people will be interviewing you and what types of positions they hold. Also, find out how many people are interviewing for the position and if they are considering any internal candidates. 

Dress For Success

Library dress codes range from super casual to more professional. Even if you are going to work at a library that everyone wears bathrobes (I want to work there) make sure you are dressed professionally in your interview. This is the time to put your best foot forward. 

Invest in a well-tailored suit. 

Make sure hair is tamed. 

Go easy on the make-up and cologne.

They Gave you the Right Answers

Cover letters don’t have to be that hard!! The hiring managers probably spend months agonizing over the job description and the job objectives to get the wording of your desired position just right. Don’t ignore this- use this! Make sure your cover letter addresses each of the required job qualifications. 

One Cover Letter Does Not Fit All

Your resume is probably safe to all similar positions. Your cover letter is not. Make sure you individually tailor your cover letter for each job. Do not be lazy with this. Cover letters get interviews. Again, match the job description to skills you have. Give examples of how you have fulfilled that skill in the past. Do not just put “I am a people person”- give an example of a time you went above and beyond in dealing with customers.

What Libraries Are Looking For:

Strong customer service!

Teamwork and collaboration

Civic engagement and community involvement

Desire for professional development and willingness to learn and grow

Solid speaking, writing, and communication skills

Open to change, adaptive attitude, and ability to be flexible

Awareness of trends in the industry and other related industries (technology, education, publishing, etc.)

Sticky Situations

So you have an undesirable situation in your past? Or you have a gap in your work history? Be honest and upfront but don’t dwell too much on it. If you have been terminated, had kids, had health problems, etc. give a three sentence (or less) explanation and MOVE ON. Whatever you do- DO NOT BE DAMAGED GOODS. Find a way to spin the situation into a learning moment, a life lesson, an obstacle you overcame, something positive!! 

Other Key Factors

A strong cover letter should be 1-2 pages in length.

Sell yourself!

Be positive!

Avoid weird jargon or slang.

Ignore the One Page Rule! 

A strong resume can be from 1-3 pages. Be careful going longer than this. Is there something you can edit? Are you listing every tedious accomplishment, publication, job task? Reign it in.

Classic Look

Maybe you are a funky, fresh, and free spirited librarian, ready to take over the library world. You think that rainbow card stock and Magneto font are going to set you apart. It is going to set you apart by making you look unprofessional.  Consider your audience and hiring panel when creating your resume. They are looking at a lot of resumes and it needs to be easy on the eyes and well formatted. Your best bet is chronological with dates using a classic font like Times New Roman.

This is Not a Dating Site!

A resume is not a place for that picture that you look oh so good in. It is also not a place to talk about children, your recent divorce, or any other personal information.

My objective is...

...to not fall asleep reading your resume. Your objective should be made clear in your cover letter and in your interview by your words and actions. Leave it out of your resume. 

Proofread

Proofread! Then, proofread again. Then, have other people proofread it. Ask co-workers, fellow students, mentors, etc. - preferably someone working in the library field and/or does hiring for library services. Spell check is awesome but it doesn't compare to peer-review. 

Putting the “extra” in extraordinary

Make sure to include your professional associations you are active in and your civic engagements (volunteer, internships, PTA, community boards, tutoring, clubs, etc). Hiring managers want to see you are well-rounded. 

References

Recently, I attended the Moving On Up: Career Skills Mini Conference sponsored by Tampa Bay Library Consortium in Lakeland, FL. Two of the speakers were Dan and Jobeth Bradbury of Bradbury-Gossage Sager Associates. The couple conduct executive search services for libraries and had a wealth of knowledge on resumes, interviews, and hiring. From their talk and my own experiences applying for jobs, I put together some tips and tricks on various aspects of the librarian hiring process.

Are you willing to relocate?

Willingness to relocate will greatly increase your chances of being employed. Make sure you would really be happy living there. 

Consider the cost of living- could you afford the salary that they are paying to comfortably live there?

Follow Directions!

Every institution will have a different application process. Some county libraries have a basic application that all county employees must complete before it can be passed on to library services. Some institutions still require mail-in information packets instead of e-communication. Make a checklist and check it twice! You might not be considered for a great position just because of paperwork issues. Also, make sure you fill out every part of the application- do not put in “see resume”.

Be Patient!

I’m going to start with my very favorite craft that is inspired by Dr. Seuss!

Materials:

1 orange paper cup

2 googly eyes

2 pipe cleaners

2+ feathers

1 pom pom 

1 piece of construction paper

1 template (taken from birdonacake.blogspot)

Markers

Scissors

Tape

Instructions

Color the template in with marker, crayon, color pencil, etc. and cut out.

Lie cup on side to position eyes, eyebrows, nose, and mustache.

Draw a mouth in black marker if desired (I put a little circle- that’s not pictured- under the pompom to make him look more expressive)

Poke a hole in the top of the cup and stick the base of the feather in. If the hole is small enough, you shouldn't need to add adhesive. Otherwise, use tape on the inside of the cup.

I had the kids draw their own limbs on construction paper and cut them out. This was a way to see their individual creativity and get out of the simply cut and paste craft mold. I drew simple sample limbs for them to look at on the whiteboard as an example. 

Make the Truffula Tree by twisting two pipe cleaners together.

Tape the other feather(s) to the top of tree. Use two feathers on the tree to make it bushier.

Tape or glue limbs on the cup. For the legs, bend the feet a little and adhere to the inside of the cup.

That’s all!! Simple, fun, and so cute. I played the

YouTube video

 of the original Lorax movie over the projection system for an added affect. 

Here is my lesson I created on PowerPoint for children in grades 2-5. This is only a recommended age, as I had a first grader who was tearing through the material faster than anyone. If the student has basic typing and reading skills, than they can create a PowerPoint! 

This took about 50 minutes and I did this lesson with 6 kids. You could easily have a bigger class if you had a helper to assist students. I encouraged students to play around with all kinds of different features to make up a unique presentation. 

As a theme, I had the students make a “My Summer” PowerPoint. For image files, I just picked about 10 or 15 summer Clipart photos I thought kids could relate to (swimming, ice cream, sports, friends, camp, camping, library, travel, etc.) that they could add to their slides.

This lesson covered opening, adding slides, changing themes, changing text and font, inserting pictures, re-sizing pictures, adding animations, adding transitions, and the grand finale- adding a video!

PowerPoint Handout

Here is a lesson that I created for a class on Microsoft Word for children (recommended 2nd-5th grade). I took a fun and recognizable MadLibs template as a basis for my lesson. I printed a packet for each student to follow along with and we all went step-by-step together. I encouraged creativity and for students to play around with other features while we were waiting for everyone to catch up.  It took me 45 minutes to get 10 kids through this lesson. We learned how to open a MS Word doc, change fonts/styles/size, center font, check spelling, highlight text, insert tables, and insert and re-size photos. The best part was the kids loved it and they were PROUD of what they created. 

Let me know what you think- I would love feedback and thoughts on ways to improve this!

Links to files: 

Microsoft Word Handout

MadLibs Template

Animals Photo (photos not mine- from Google images)

Hello and welcome to the weird and wonderful world of public libraries! 

I hope this will be a place public librarians can come together to share ideas, projects, plans, professional development tools, and whatever else is prevalent in our continually evolving field!