Want to kick start your career as a librarian? Photo: (WPA Photographer – unknown – http://bit.ly/Rkv8tI)
Please check out the wonderful work of the LAI Career Development Group. Laura Connaughton is the current chair of this group. Laura is Assistant Librarian for Library Information Services in the library in NUI Maynooth as well as Subject Librarian for English, Celtic and Media Studies. She outlines below some of the work this section of the LAI are involved in. Please read on as the information may help you to get your library career started or give it the jump start it needs. Who knows the knowledge gleamed from this useful group might even support you in finding that job you always wanted.
For those who haven’t already checked the source of the photo, no that’s not Laura in the photo! The photo was taken by an unknown WPA photographer. It is a photo of a Librarian working at the Pointe Coupee Parish library in New Roads Louisiana in 1936. So as you can see librarians have been helping people for a long time and will no doubt continue to do so well into the future!
Logo: Career Development Group – Library Association of Ireland
***Posted on behalf of Laura Connaughton, Assistant Librarian, Library Information Services, The Library, NUI Maynooth***
The Career Development Group of the LAI represents both existing library and information professionals and new graduates looking for job opportunities.
I am chairperson of this group and we meet once a month to arrange events, talks and other types of training for LIS job seekers.
The main function of the CDG is to develop a proactive approach to employment in libraries through the discussion of issues such as career development, CV and interview tips, alternative funding models for job creation, non-traditional work opportunities. This is done through formal events, informal events such as Library Camp Ireland 2013, talks and joint training with other LAI committees and groups as well as developing a jobs hub for LIS professionals that caters to both traditional and non-traditional library work. So far this year, we’ve ran a successful “Interview Skills Workshop” in the beautiful Pearse St. library. We are currently working on Library Camp Ireland 2014, details to follow!
The aims of the groups are:
• To create opportunities for members to discuss issues around career development and employment
• To create a link for employers and potential employees or interns within the profession
• To liaise with both Education Committees (Professional Standards and CPD) to identify ways to support their work particularly in the area of internships, LIS volunteering and mentoring programmes
• To support the work of the LAI in advocating for the LIS profession, LIS professionals and libraries in Ireland
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