Nontraditional Library Jobs An Expanding Universe for the Information Professional
Books
Bates, Mary Ellen and Reva Basch. Super Searchers Do Business. Cyberage Books, 1999. 207p. ISBN 0910965331.
The Super Searchers books all follow the same format: industry experts are interviewed about the work they do, how they do it (approaches, processes, and tools), and what tips and advice they'd give others trying to develop skills in the specific skill area. Resources cited within the profiles are then compiled at the end of the book for a consolidated "hit-list" of best-in-class topic sources. Although the online resources may become outdated fairly quickly, the "how-to" information from successful practitioners remains quite valuable. Other useful titles in this series include ...Go to the Source, ...on Wall Street, ...on Competitive Intelligence, ...Cover the World, and ...on Health & Medicine, among many others. Check the publisher's site (http://books.infotoday.com/books/index.shtml) for a full listing. Especially valuable for LIS professionals wanted to expand their business and industry research skills.
Goleman, Daniel. Business: The Ultimate Resource. 2d ed. Basic Books, 2006. 2,208p. ISBN 0465008305.
There is so much information packed into this monster reference book that the phrase "MBA in a box" springs to mind. For those of us working in business environments but lacking its background and language, this work provides a brief but useful overview of nearly every business operations and management topic imaginable. Topic contributors are recognizable leaders in their field, and their articles are supplemented by a 5,000-entry dictionary, a 3,000-entry resources section, and industry overviews and numerous biographies. A key resource for quickly developing an understanding of how the business world operates.
Gordon, Rachel Singer. What's the Alternative? Career Options for Librarians and Info Pros. Information Today, 2008. 288p. ISBN 1573873330.
A wonderfully rich collection of ideas, information, personal stories, and resources that line out the landscape of alternative careers. Chapter by chapter, the book walks you through types of potential careers, the pros and cons of those career choices, and the knowledge and experience you'll need to succeed. In addition, the book offers practical and wise strategies for moving your career forward at your own pace, and based on your individual circumstances.
Mount, Ellis and Renee Massoud. Special Libraries and Information Centers: An Introductory Text. 4th ed. Special Libraries Association, 1999. 334p. ISBN 0871115018. (Out of print, available through libraries.)
With a goal of "serving as an introduction to the nature and operation of special libraries and information centers," this textbook leads off with an overview of both then groups the remaining chapters under the broad areas of management, user services, technical services, collections, library facilities and equipment, and professional activities and networks. An appendix profiles ten special-library practitioners and three info pros in alternative positions. Although in need of an update, this is still an excellent resource for those library science students wishing to gain a better understanding of special librarianship.
Periodicals
Information Outlook. Special Libraries Association, 1997- . monthly. ISSN 1091-0808. http://www.sla.org/pubs/serial/io/index.shtml
Formerly titled Special Libraries (1910-1996), SLA's official publication provides a forum for showcasing best practices, discussing emerging issues, and supporting information professional achievement across the diverse range of job responsibilities reflected in the SLA membership. In addition to the more general approach of Information Outlook, almost all of the associations described below provide publications (print or online) that address their specific practice areas.
Articles
"Alternative Careers" issue, InfoCareerTrends, March 2005. http://lisjobs.com/career_trends/?m=200503
A collection of articles written by alternative-career practitioners. See also the September 2003 issue ("Branching Out") and the November 2002 issue ("Specialization").
"Places an MLIS Can Take You," Linda K. Wallace, American Libraries, vol. 32, no. 3 (March 2002). http://www.ala.org/ala/educationcareers/careers/paths/al_mls.pdf
Profiles 11 individuals who have taken their MLIS degrees in unique directions, with a description of the type of work they do and how they landed their positions.
Associations
American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) - http://www.aallnet.org/
AALL represents more than 5,000 professionals working in "law firms; law schools; corporate legal departments; courts; and local, state and federal government agencies." Check the website for information about AALL; its caucuses, chapters, and special interest sections; AALL online professional development offerings; and its "Competencies of Law Librarianship" statement, especially valuable for students considering this career path. Steeply discounted library science student memberships available.
American Society of Indexers (ASI) - http://www.asindexing.org/site/index.html
Founded in 1968, ASI promotes excellence in indexing, abstracting, and database-building. The ASI website offers a directory listing of indexers, links to resources of interest to indexers, articles and position papers about indexing, and information about ASI's special interest groups, which offer an interesting range of specializations (business, psychology/sociology, sports/fitness, culinary, web, gardening/environmental, among others). No student membership discount, although a slight discount if offered to new members.
American Theological Library Association (ATLA) - http://www.atla.com/atlahome.html
ATLA's more than 1,000 members - individual, institutional, and affiliate - draw from all avenues of theological and religious study, regardless of denomination. It supports an extremely active publishing mandate, which includes the highly regarded ATLA Religion database and related products. Hosts an annual conference and supports professional development seminars. Steeply discounted student memberships.
Art Libraries Society of North America (ARLIS/NA) - http://www.arlisna.org/
ARLIS/NA describes itself as "a dynamic organization of over 1,000 individuals devoted to fostering excellence in art librarianship and visual resources curatorship for the advancement of visual arts." It hosts an annual conference, supports an electronic forum that includes job postings (ARLIS-L), and publishes a semi-annual print publication (Art Documentation), among other activities. Divisions (academic, art & design school, museum, visual resources), sections (architecture, cataloging, reference & information services), and round tables (book arts, decorative arts, gay & lesbian interests, management, new art, public librarians, serials, space planners, women and art) let members connect with special interests. Website lists publications (fee-based). Substantial student membership discount.
Association for Information and Image Management (AIIM) - http://www.aiim.org/
AIIM now subtitles itself "the ECM Association," so it can clearly position itself in the Enterprise Content Management space, which it defines as the "technologies used to capture, manage, store, preserve, and deliver content and documents related to organization processes." The association publishes a number of resources, offers topic-focused electronic discussion groups, and professional development resources. Don't miss the really cool poster (http://www.aiim.org/poster/puzzleposter.html), which lays out the ECM landscape (with definitions). An indication of how much this discipline has changed it that AIIM was originally founded in 1943 at the National Microfilm Association. No student membership discount.
Association of Moving Image Archivists - http://www.amianet.org/
A fairly young organization (established 1991), AMIA represents more than 750 members "concerned with the acquisition, preservation, exhibition and use of moving image materials." The organization supports education and publication initiatives, hosts an annual conference, establishes and disseminates standards, and fosters collaboration throughout the world. Check the website for a wealth of publicly-available information about best practices as well as an overview of the state of education for moving image archivists. Steeply discounted student memberships.
Association of Prospect Researchers for Advancement (APRA) - http://www.aprahome.org/
Per APRA, "advancement researchers are the development officers on the front line of data management, uniquely - and qualified - to gather, interpret, analyze, and disseminate the information critical to securing support for nonprofit organizations." APRA's more than 2,100 members can take advantage of its educational programs, networking opportunities, publications, and career resources. For the latter, see especially the Career Resources section of the APRA website, which describes requisite skill sets, summarizes results of a member-characteristics survey, and has a job postings directory. No student discount for memberships.
Association of Records Managers and Administrators (ARMA) - http://www.arma.org/
ARMA has evolved from a not-too-visible group of highly capable records-management types into one of the most important and respected organizations on the front lines of the compliance (Sarbanes-Oxley) issue. Records managers have always been experts in how to organize, maintain, and provide access to all sorts of organization records. But they're also specialists in critical issues like records retention, legal and regulatory compliance, disaster recovery, electronic storage, and corporate digitization initiatives. ARMA should hold special interest for LIS students and professionals interested in the intersection of technology, business, records, and legal issues. The ARMA website primarily features information about the organization, but exploring the resources on the site will also turn up useful overviews of many records-related topics. Steeply discounted student memberships.
Business Reference and Services Section (BRASS) - http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/rusa/sections/brass/index.cfm
One of the largest, most active, and most influential special interest groups, BRASS membership includes "reference librarians, business information specialists, and others engaged in providing business reference and information services." Check the content-rich website for the section's "Core Competencies for Business Reference" and the annotated collection of topically organized "Best of the Business Web Sites." You can elect to join BRASS as part of your ALA membership.
Canadian Association of Special Libraries and Information Services (CASLIS) - http://www.cla.ca/AM/Template.cfm?Section=CASLIS
The diverse membership of CASLIS includes special libraries personnel, information specialists, documentalists, vendors, and others involved in delivering special library services throughout the country. A division of the Canadian Library Association.
Church and Synagogue Library Association - http://cslainfo.org/
CSLA has an exceptionally strong mission of information dissemination in service of its members' needs. To this end, it offers CSLA members training sessions, publications, a peer community, an annual conference focused on continuing professional education and networking, a monthly publication, and a series of topical guides in areas such as selecting and cataloging materials, reference services, and handling archival materials, among others. There is no student discount, but individual annual memberships are very modestly priced.
Major Orchestra Librarians Association - http://www.mola-inc.org/
Established in 1873, MOLA has as its primary focus improving communication among orchestra librarians, with a secondary focus of "assisting librarians in providing better service to their orchestras, presenting a unified voice in publisher relations, and providing support and information to the administrations of performing arts organizations." Its annual conference offers education and networking opportunities, a quarterly newsletter highlights issues of common interest, and an electronic discussion list keeps members in touch. If this is a potential career choice for you, be sure to read "The Orchestra Librarian: A Career Introduction," listed under Resources > Publications (be patient; it's slow to load). Member dues are based on the budget size and type of orchestra, but apprentice memberships for students who are accepted to the organization are a quite reasonable $20 per year.
Medical Library Association (MLA) - http://www.mlanet.org/
Over 100 years old, MLA has more than 4700 individual and institutional members based in the health sciences information field. Focus areas include education of today's health information professional; health information research; and promoting universal access to health sciences information, national and international. The MLA website includes information about the organization, a solid collection of career resources, resources, and descriptions of and links to the association's two dozen sections (e.g., cancer librarians, dental section, hospital libraries, medical informatics, etc.). Steeply discounted student memberships.
Music Library Association (MLA) - http://www.musiclibraryassoc.org/
Music librarians can be found in "large research libraries such as the Library of Congress or the New York Public Library; in the music section or branch library in universities, colleges, and conservatories; in public libraries; in radio and television station libraries; with music publishers and dealers; with musical societies and foundations; and with bands and orchestras." The Music Library Association represents librarians from all of these arenas, with a focus on music librarianship, its materials, and its careers. For those interested in music librarianship as a possible career path, check out "Music Librarianship - Is It For You?" on the website. Steeply discounted student memberships.
National Association of Government Archives and Records Administrators - http://www.nagara.org/
The association is dedicated to the improvement of federal, state, and local government records and information management. NAGARA supports this mission through an annual conference; quarterly publications that addresses trends and issues at the national, state, and local levels; numerous govdocs initiatives, and various continuing education opportunities. The website primarily describes NAGARA and its activities, but has also a brief but useful collection of association links under the Related Organizations section. No discounted memberships for students.
National Association of Media and Technology Centers (NAMTC) - http://www.namtc.org/
NAMTC members include regional, K-12, and higher education media/tech centers, plus the vendors who work with them. The organization's focus is to promote leadership through "networking, advocacy, and support activities that will enhance the equitable access to media, technology, and information services to educational communities." Check out the website for information and resources related to motion /digital media and copyright, as well as a glossary of two dozen acronyms.
Society for Competitive Intelligence Professionals (SCIP) - http://www.scip.org/
Competitive intelligence (CI) is an important component of business research across all industries and businesses. SCIP membership comprises both independents and CI specialists who work for businesses, so there is a broad range of experience and knowledge to share within the group. Check the website under CI Resources for salary information, white papers, articles, career information, and several overviews of the CI process. Steeply discounted student membership fees for full-time students only.
Society of American Archivists - http://www.archivists.org/
With over 4,000 members, SAA is an extremely active organization in terms of member education, publications, development of policies and standards, and taking a leadership role in the emerging electronic records environment. Check the SAA website for a list of the society's sections and roundtables, career information, and numerous information resources related to archives work. Substantial discount for student members.
Theatre Library Association - http://tla.library.unt.edu/
Since 1937, TLA has supported librarians, curators, and archivists working with collections in the areas of theater, dance, performance studies, popular entertainment, motion pictures, and broadcasting. It achieves its mission of "development and promotion of professional library expertise and standards" through annual conferences and other meetings, publications, book awards, an electronic discussion group, and affiliation with related organizations. The TLA website focuses primarily on information about the organization, but it also has an extensive unannotated listing of theater-related resources. There is a modest student membership discount, but the dues are already exceptionally inexpensive.
Online Resources
Best of the Lists - http://www.montague.com/review/buslibbest.html
Hosted by the The Montague Institute, a company that consults on "knowledge base consulting," this list aggregates posts from multiple electronic discussion lists under broad topics of interest to today's and tomorrow's information professional. These include managing information, organizing information, product reviews, and tips and techniques (competitive intelligence, current awareness, importing S.I.C. codes into a database, etc.). The site also provides a "where to find it" section with articles (generally from BUSLIB-L) on finding things like analyst studies, case studies, intranet standards, etc.
Choosing Law Librarianship: Thoughts for People Contemplating a Career Move - http://www.llrx.com/features/librarian.htm
Written by law librarian Mary Whisner in 1999, this excellent article will still resonate today for those contemplating a career in law librarianship. Whisner addresses all the key issues - pay, characteristics of the work, and the importance of both law and library degrees to career success.
Competencies for Information Professionals of the 21st Century - http://www.sla.org/content/learn/members/competencies/index.cfm
Revised in June 2003, this document represents the best thinking among leading special librarians as to what skills, abilities, and attitudes best define today's (and tomorrow's) successful and effective special librarian. It groups these within the frameworks of professional competencies, personal competencies, and core competencies, and for each defines what each competency entails and how it demonstrates itself in practical application through "applied scenarios." Competencies include managing information organizations, managing information resources, and managing information services, among others. A must-read for anyone in the special-library world, and an insightful guide for students considering this career path.
Education & Careers - http://www.aallnet.org/services/
Excellent, content-rich collection of articles and overviews of a career in legal librarianship.
IU SLIS Job Successes - http://www.slis.indiana.edu/careers/view_jobsuccess.php
Interesting listing of jobs that MLIS grads have taken, most of which are nontraditional. A great place for library science students to research possible alternative career paths.
SLA Career Center - http://www.sla.org/careers/
A content-rich site that includes job listings, a spot to post resumes, access to virtual advisors, articles and resources, and data from the most recent salary survey. Some of the content is members-only, but there is sufficient freely-available material to make the Career Center a useful visit for non-members as well.
Special Libraries Management Handbook: The Basics - http://www.libsci.sc.edu/bob/class/clis724/SpecialLibrariesHandbook/INDEX.htm
This is a fascinating collaborative project authored by the library science students in a Special Libraries and Information Centers course at the University of South Carolina College of Library and Information Science. The handbook consists of contributed "chapters" written by the students over a five-year period (1999-2004) on such topics as "communicating with upper level management," "instruction issues in special libraries," "online vendor selection," and "starting a special library from scratch." The range of topics covered is quite diverse, and although this isn't an "authoritative" source, it is sufficiently well-executed to be quite useful.