Special Library Association Conference 2011

Special Libraries Association (SLA) is an international professional association  for library  and information professionals working in business, government, law, finance, non-profit, and academic organizations and institutions.

The Special Libraries Association (SLA) was founded in 1909 in the state of New York and is now the international association representing the interests of thousands of information professionals in over eighty countries worldwide.

Click on this link to find out more about the Special Libraries Association:   http://sla2011.tornado1.com/

The  2011 SLA conference  in Philadelphia provided me with the tremendous opportunity of   becoming "future ready" by exchanging ideas and connecting with thousands of information professionals.  

I learned many things from the lectures at the conference.  Below are the highlights of some of the lectures I attended.  

Volunteering for the ipl2

One of the best work experiences I had during my pursuit of the MLIS at Drexel was as a volunteer for the ipl2. The ipl2 is an “information community” that provides authoritative collections, information assistance and instruction to patrons from around the world. It was formed by the merger of the Internet Public Library (IPL) and the Librarian’s Internet Index (LII) websites and is hosted by Drexel University at the iSchool. The ipl2’s Ask an ipl2 Librarian service is heavily used by thousands of patrons, particularly teachers and youth.

Summary - Job Search Information by Jenny Maurer

SUMMARY NOTES 
Managing your online presence and networking

·         If there is information about you online make sure it is accurate, up-to-date, and that you set yourself apart (especially when you have a common name) when possible.

·         Google your full name to see what comes up. Set up a Google Alert of your name, and variations of it, to keep on top of what information about you is online.

·         Word of mouth, referrals, and recommendations are all common ways of hearing about job openings. Make sure you keep in touch with your network and let them know you are looking for a job.

·         Always present yourself positively and in a collegial manner. You never know when someone you meet or when someone who is following you online might be in a position to hire you.

Surving the Job Search: From the Other Side of the Desk

Today’s guest post comes from Vicki Gruzynski, an Information Services Librarian at Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO).

Being on a search committee is a valuable and rewarding experience, albeit very time consuming. It has given me a unique perspective on the hiring process that I will certainly keep in mind when applying for jobs in the future.The timing of this post could not be more perfect, as my colleagues and I finished our committee duties mere days ago. While I cannot speak for every university hiring committee, I can lend you my insight from my recent experience of being on the other side of the hiring process. For brevity’s sake, I will only be focusing on the written application portion of this whole ordeal because the phone interview and on campus interview are worthy of their own attention.