Changes

Amazing how things can change in the span of a few days. As of tomorrow I will end my two year run as a Graduate Student Assistant with the Humanities Department at my current University. I could not have asked to be put with a more eclectic, intelligent, kind, and resourceful group of librarians. I had fun and learned a lot from my five bosses, and will miss them each as I move away. Pat presented me with a goodbye card signed by all the team members and a travel coffee pot as a parting gift. Even more meaningful is that before she went onto the desk she showed me how to finagle the fax machine.

I have found a subleaser for my apartment and am attempting to move out in the next few weeks and by few I mean two. Next week brings an information interview in DC and even more surprises. Did I mention I graduate in a few days? It's a scary feeling.

I won't forget the University of Maryland and the wonderful faculty that have impacted me and challenged me during my time there. I hope to keep in contact with them as I move to Manassas.

Future Library Professionals Resume Workshop

I recently attended a program hosted by the SLA Student Group, a Future Library Professionals Resume Workshop, at my friend Jamie's house in DC. We all gathered around her large kitchen table, filled up on scones, and listened to the wisdom brought to us by Kathleen Schmidt from Library Associates. She had some very interesting thoughts as well as the other students who attended, about their experiences in the library field and advice for upcoming graduates. What began as a resume clinic turned into an open forum of solicited advice, friendship, and literary camaraderie. I share her/our/my thoughts here as I wrote them down. Sorry for the disorganization.

Words of advice:

Use caution when applying for a federal position that has been posted online for two weeks or less. - If this is the case an internal candidate has already been selected for the position.

In order to succeed in obtaining a library position you must look at every organization you apply to or are interested in as a business. You must think strategically when you apply for positions.
Tip: Pick up an MBA for Dummies book, read it (it has an easy context), and learn the language of business. Knowing how politics can affect you is also crucial.

You should get other people to review your resumes and cover letters. Tailoring your resume to the job, sometimes using explicit words and phrases from the job description, is crucial.

Tip: Cover letters are important, but the focus needs to be on your resume.

Talk to people who work at the institution you wished to be hired by and gather competitive intelligence as to what their needs are. You can use this information in your future application and interview.

Creating a skills based resume is a good idea, to at least have on hand if you're not comfortable using it right away. You must let people see it.
A skills based resume includes:

1. A summary of your skills (two to three highly competitive and edgy)
2. Relevant skills and experiencing with an emphasis on teaching, leadership, research, communication and information technology, and client service.

Once you're hired and in direct contact with supervisors or superiors.
It's not about territory anymore, it's about looking at the big picture. The worst thing you can do is blindside your boss.

Not sharing information and withholding are inappropriate behaviors.

Tip: Do not put the year you graduated with your undergraduate degree. This could lead to age bias on the part of the HR department or person who hires you.

Resume Tip: Write your employment history in years not months, unless the application calls for months as well.

Focus on the mission of the organization, it's about the work.

What skills should I highlight?
Supervision, Specific Skills Set, Interpersonal Communication, Organizational Awareness, Technical skills, Customer Service, Research (leverage your skills as a researcher).

Resume Tip: Do not have an Objective heading on your resume. If prompted for one you can say something like, "I want to work with an organization whose mission aligns with my personal goals.

Tip: If you're a new or upcoming graduate with your Masters Degree, get business cards.

• moo.com has very professional looking business cards for $20/50 cards and also lets you use your own picture as an image on the card
  
• vistaprint.com offers 250 business cards free, you just pay for shipping.
  

Really answer their questions on the job description. The best way to gain information before you apply is to ask for an informational interview. To obtain one you can e-mail or call and ask, "May I come in for an informational interview."

Knowing that your fate lies in the hands of someone who is not a professional is very frustrating.

Phone Interview Tip: Instead of answering with , "Hello?", use, "[your name here] speaking."

Think entrepreneurial.

Be innovative. Find a need and fill it. Employers seek candidates who are going to have to be told everything, who take risks, and who bring new ideas to the table.

Understand the landscape of the organization before you go in, use strategic thinking. Don't undervalue your achievements.

Are you vested in papers you spent semesters working on during your time in grad school? Publish them! (I'm still working on how one goes about getting something published in the library world.)

Linked.com Tip:
Whenever you receive a recommendation from someone on linked.com, always screen it for spelling, grammar errors.

My own words of advice: Keep making connections, you never know what odd and unexpected places you're going to meet a potential librarian or a connection who can help you in your job search/ future career.

Next week: What to put on your business card, advice for the unemployed.

Volunteering business

I've completed my paperwork and the process has been started to run my background check, once again, so that I may volunteer with the DC Public Library. I don't know where they will put me yet but I am excited to be a part of a DC library, however I can help.

I'm still volunteering in Maryland helping run a Conversation Club for community members and patrons who want to brush up and improve their English. I'm only volunteering once a month now. Last week the numbers reached incredible proportions with 11 participants (more than I've ever had). It was a bit daunting but I've found that if you let them lead the discussion they'll run with it.

Upon confirming my eventual departure to Manassas, VA I'm looking for libraries to volunteer around there, as well as in Fairfax. Though nothing definite until I make the move from MD to VA I saw that most libraries in Manassas want at least a six month commitment.

Politics & Prose

I was unfortunately unable to make it to Sarah Dessen's talk at this bookstore but they host a new author every weekday and two authors on the weekends. I definitely recommend checking this bookstore out even if you're not there for an author event.

I will make my way down there, someday.

Politics & Prose <-- Follow the hyperlink

Annotation Wednesday

A bit of author news. Sarah Dessen will be at the Politics and Prose Bookstore on Friday, October 9th to promote her new book, Along for the Ride. Hopefully I will be able to make it

It has hereby been declared annotation Wednesday so I give you my review of an ABC book.

MacDonald, Suse. Alphabatics. New York: Bradbury Press, 1986. Print.

• MacDonald’s unique way of retelling and relating the alphabet to young readers involves depicting each letter of the alphabet graphically transform into an object, or animal beginning with that letter. Repetition of this pattern guides readers through each letter of the alphabet from Ark to Zebra. MacDonald’s minimal layout makes good use of the page’s white space, placing an uppercase and lowercase letter, depicted in straight lines and bold colors, near the top of the page. The letter’s primary color is mirrored on the following page, identifying the name of the animal or object the letter has become. Secondly, MacDonald depicts the letter in a secondary, contrasting color which is also mirrored on the next page to illustrate the new animal or object, which is depicted with curved lines. This provides a connection between the letter and the objects and helps readers better comprehend MacDonald’s illustrations. Each small box that contains a letter represents a single frame of the transformation, indicating motion and action, as well as moving the directing the reader’s attention to follow the animated letter as it flies and bends. MacDonald’s co-dependent text and illustrations drive the reader to recognize and apply the connection between the illustrations and the text.
  

• MacDonald’s transition from straight lined letters to curved lined animals relates to the mood of the book, transitioning from formal and stiff to fun and playful. Her illustration style uses realism and graphics to realistically depict animals and objects. The mood is likewise upbeat and fun, giving readers a new way to learn the alphabet. MacDonald’s book is very educational for young readers learning the alphabet as she encourages them to use their critical thinking skills as opposed to manipulating simple object identification to teach the alphabet.

The National Book Festival

The morning broke and slipped into a cold, wet, dripping haze that fell over the National Mall. However, this did not deter bibliophiles, their pets, and children from coming out in droves to meet their favorite authors.

• 11:15 am
  
• Nelson, Alicia, and I tumble out of the crowded Metro onto the National Mall, elbowing our way past the crowd to the Target tent where we spotted the Target Dog, a French bulldog with a bullseye painted over its eye. A very well trained puppy, he/she didn't have having his/her picture taken.
• 11:20 am
  
• Find the PBS Kids tent to hear that last bit of Mo Willems' reading of Dr. Seuss' Sneeches on the Beaches
• 11:30 am - 12:30 pm
• Wait in the ever growing line with Alicia for Mo Willems' autograph while Nelson waits for Lee Child's autograph. I had fun speaking with the women in front of me in line who had split up all of their books among four people who were deftly making their way through as many lines as possible. We even helped the lady in front of us by taking a few of her books and getting them autographed by Mo since they'd reduced the number of books he could autograph to 1. I was able to get a few things autographed as well as snag a few pictures of Mo. Sadly I was too shy to say much of anything.
  
• Afternoon
  
• We visit the Digital Bookmobile where the pitch is that you can download digital copies of books to your MP3 player directly from your library. I have to say that I've used this before to read Laurell K. Hamilton's A Kiss of Shadows and I loved the medium as well as the method. You don't have to keep track of CDs, or become frustrated when they skip.
• Stand in line with the PBS mascots in full furry costume. We got to visit Curious George and Clifford. Nelson was fascinated by the T-Rex from "Dinosaur Train" but he went on break before we could get in his line.
  
• I left the line while Nelson and Alicia went to get in line for Arthur. I wandered over to the Teens/Children tent to hear the middle half of Jacqueline Woodson's lecture. She is a wonderful and poignant speaker who kept the audiencenraptured as she spoke about her older books (If You Come Softly) and her more recent books of poetry.
  
• Here I find my old professor, Joan, and we go back to the Children's tent to hear Megan McDonald speak about the Judy Moddy series. She read an excerpt from her latest book and explained how much Judy and Stink mirror stories from her own childhood growing up with her sisters. She confirmed that there will be a Judy Moody movie where J.M will be portrayed a little older than in the books. Her defence was that Ramona stayed in the third grade for at least 15 years so she had time to make Judy grow up.
• Afternoon con.
• Following Megan McDonald were Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi promoting their collaboration, The Spiderwick Chronicles. Holly Black told a fable of how a man had accidentaly built his house on a fairy path. At the request of a "fairy expert" he shaved off the side of his house. More was to be said about the inspirations and influences for the characters in The Spiderwick Chornicles as well as Tony randomly sketching a Rat King, a Wyrm King, a Gremlin, and Holly's Cats. Tony gave away his sketches to whichever child in the audience
  
• Mo Willems
• Mo was very animated and loud as he greeted the audience. He read aloud from his new book, Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed, and had his daughter, wife, and another girl read from Elephant and Piggie's I Can Fly! He also announced that there would be a third and final installment to the Knufflebunny series as well as a Knufflebunny: A Cautionary Musical to premiere at the Kennedy Center in May. "One entire song," he said, "is to be sung in gibberish." To close he himself read from the latest Elephant and Piggie book, Pigs Make Me Sneeze. Mo, I learned, is a very vocal reader and the fact that he did stand up comedy really shines through during his reading.
• Conclusion
• There were so many authors I wish I could have seen that day: Jon Schieska, Nicholas Spark, Jodi Picoult, John Grisham, Judy Blume, Lois Lowry. Sadly you have to be about four people at once to be able to take in the wonder and talent that the National Book Festival has to offer.

Is it next year yet?