Life in Library School—with a Baby!

We're kicking off a new guest blogger series featuring stories and advice about the library school experience. Today, recent Drexel grad Olivia Castello shares her perspective on becoming a parent while in school.

I started my MLIS at Drexel’s iSchool in March of 2009 and graduated in June 2011. During this time I took 1-2 classes a quarter, worked at 3 different internships, volunteered as a digital librarian... and had a baby!

Simon was born in August 2010, about mid-way through my time at Drexel. I learned a lot from the experience of being pregnant and caring for an infant while pursuing a graduate degree at the iSchool.

Contrary to what you might assume, grad school can be the perfect time to have a baby... especially if it is your first child. It was for me, at least. The feasibility of it all depends entirely on your particular situation. I am lucky to have a wonderful husband who, from the outset, committed to covering our expenses for the roughly 2 years while I pursued my degree. I was also enrolled at the iSchool as an online student even though I live in Philadelphia. I found this arrangement to be ideal since I was able to schedule the classes I needed online but was also able to make it down to campus for the occasional on-campus class, group work session and iSchool event. Because of all these factors, I had the freedom to stay at home with the baby while still actively pursuing my degree.

Surviving the Job Search: From the Other Side of the Desk... The Phone Interview!

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

As I mentioned in my previous post, I have recently finished up my duties as a member of a hiring committee here at SEMO, so these tips and tricks for a successful phone interview and on-campus interview experience are fresh in my mind.

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.

Surviving the Job Search, Part III

Our guest blogger series on surviving - and succeeding in - the job search continues with Jessica Evans Brady, Visual & Performing Arts Librarian at Florida State University.

The job search can be daunting. It can sometimes feel like you are sending resumes out into a black hole. It can be a challenge to stay optimistic and continue to put your best face forward. Here is my story of how I survived the job search and finally found a position that keeps me challenged, inspired, and gainfully employed.

Surviving the Job Search, Part II

Our guest blogger series on surviving - and succeeding in - the job search continues with Megan Good, Director of the J. Welles Henderson Archives and Library at the Independence Seaport Museum in Philadelphia.

Hello everyone!

I’ve been asked to write a guest spot about my experience searching for librarian/archivist jobs in the vast ocean that it is. Since many of you probably haven’t met me, I thought that I would give some background information about myself and then jump into what worked for me, what didn’t and some tips that I’ve picked up along the way.

Surviving the Job Search, Part I

SCALA's guest blogger series debuts with advice from recent Drexel grads on surviving - and succeeding in - the job search. The first post is from Kiyomi Deards, Assistant Professor and Science Librarian with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln University Libraries.

Job Search Timeline:

November 2009 – Submit first job application
June 2010 – Graduate from Drexel
July 2010 – Receive job offer from University of Nebraska-Lincoln
July 27 2010 – Move to Lincoln, NE
August 2 2010 – Start work at University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Total time from first job application to job = 9 months

Advice for Job Seekers: