Please RSVP at http://ischool.drexel.edu/
All books donated will go to the Free Library of Philadelphia's Book Corner.
Drexel University Special Libraries Association
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
National Library Week Book Drive and Wine Social
Please RSVP at http://ischool.drexel.edu/
All books donated will go to the Free Library of Philadelphia's Book Corner.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Online Student Social
Calling all iSchool students! Do you have any questions about library school; job, internship, or
volunteering opportunities; or what it's like to be a professional
librarian? We're here to help!
DUSLA will be having its Spring Online Social with officers of SCALA tomorrow night, Thursday, April 11th, at 7:00-9:00 PM EST. Please use the following link to access the chatroom: http://bit.ly/SCALAevent
DUSLA will be having its Spring Online Social with officers of SCALA tomorrow night, Thursday, April 11th, at 7:00-9:00 PM EST. Please use the following link to access the chatroom: http://bit.ly/SCALAevent
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Reminder: First Friday Happy Hour, April 5th
As always, come to relax during the first week of the spring semester and meet your fellow iSchool students as well as area library and information science professionals.
Members of SEPLA (Southeastern Library Association) will be in attendance, so interested students are strongly encouraged to come to the event.
RGSLA - Disaster Planning: Lessons Learned from Real Disasters
On Thursday, March 28th, I attended a webinar on disaster management presented through the SLA. This was free for members, but non-members had to pay a minimal charge.
Before the talk was underway, the presenters, Fran Wilkinson, Nancy Dennis, and Cheryl Zebrowski, polled the audience about their disaster management plans. 69% of the people attending said that their organization didn't have a disaster management plan. 13% said that they did, and another19% said that they had one in the works.
The presenters opened by discussing three disasters that had taken place in the Zimmerman Library of the University of New Mexico. There had been two floods and a fire, the first flood taking place not too long after they first established their disaster plans. Due to their experiences with emergency situations in libraries, they discussed what they had learned in managing library crises.
They said that it was was to be prepared for any sort of disaster, but also to look into what would be most likely to affect a given library. For example, certain libraries might be more concerned about flooding than earthquakes, while others for various reasons might look into the mitigation of any emergencies concerning hazardous materials. Evaluating your environment and your building for any likely sources of problems is a key first step. For example, what is your institution's plumbing like?
Also key is knowing how to shut off utilities, where the emergency equipment and exits are, and how the security system works. They used an example of an institution where the doors might lock during an emergency, which could be problematic for exiting or entering the building.
They listed several characteristics of a good manager of a disaster situation: they should have interest in recovery and the institution, they should be able to stay calm, they should be a team player, they should be organized, they should have good communication skills, they should be flexible, and they should be able to take initiative.
Finally, they named a few key steps that should be a part of every disaster plan process. There should be an inventory of any particularly vulnerable items and data. There should be an evaluation of areas at risk, and potential disaster sources. There should be employee training. All employees should have physical copies of the disaster plan for home, car, and work, along with its presence on the intranet, if there is one. Disaster plans should have employee contact information (and because of this, they should not be publicly available). There should be a contract with a disaster recovery service in place before a disaster -- research and communication with vendors is key. Finally, there should be an emphasis on personal safety. No one should risk their life for library materials in a disaster.
They closed by reminding attendees that disaster situations can take their toll on psyches and morale, and that it's important to be patient and remember to take care of yourself and your fellow employees.
Before the talk was underway, the presenters, Fran Wilkinson, Nancy Dennis, and Cheryl Zebrowski, polled the audience about their disaster management plans. 69% of the people attending said that their organization didn't have a disaster management plan. 13% said that they did, and another19% said that they had one in the works.
The presenters opened by discussing three disasters that had taken place in the Zimmerman Library of the University of New Mexico. There had been two floods and a fire, the first flood taking place not too long after they first established their disaster plans. Due to their experiences with emergency situations in libraries, they discussed what they had learned in managing library crises.
They said that it was was to be prepared for any sort of disaster, but also to look into what would be most likely to affect a given library. For example, certain libraries might be more concerned about flooding than earthquakes, while others for various reasons might look into the mitigation of any emergencies concerning hazardous materials. Evaluating your environment and your building for any likely sources of problems is a key first step. For example, what is your institution's plumbing like?
Also key is knowing how to shut off utilities, where the emergency equipment and exits are, and how the security system works. They used an example of an institution where the doors might lock during an emergency, which could be problematic for exiting or entering the building.
They listed several characteristics of a good manager of a disaster situation: they should have interest in recovery and the institution, they should be able to stay calm, they should be a team player, they should be organized, they should have good communication skills, they should be flexible, and they should be able to take initiative.
Finally, they named a few key steps that should be a part of every disaster plan process. There should be an inventory of any particularly vulnerable items and data. There should be an evaluation of areas at risk, and potential disaster sources. There should be employee training. All employees should have physical copies of the disaster plan for home, car, and work, along with its presence on the intranet, if there is one. Disaster plans should have employee contact information (and because of this, they should not be publicly available). There should be a contract with a disaster recovery service in place before a disaster -- research and communication with vendors is key. Finally, there should be an emphasis on personal safety. No one should risk their life for library materials in a disaster.
They closed by reminding attendees that disaster situations can take their toll on psyches and morale, and that it's important to be patient and remember to take care of yourself and your fellow employees.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
LLAMA Webinar: “Job Hunting for Today’s Libraries in Today’s Job Market”
I attended a webinar put on by LLAMA that provided some insight into the hiring processes in libraries, and also gave some tips and suggestions for would-be librarians looking for work. As a student librarian with only volunteering and internships under their belt, I was curious what they had to say, and whether I could apply it to my own job-hunting efforts.
One of the items they started off the webinar with was a surprise to me. They said that few people get to the interview stage of the hiring process. Before that, there is a lot of review of applicants ongoing, so it's imperative to give the interview your best if you're called in for one. This means doing your research on the position, and even more importantly, coming prepared to answer the questions they're likely to ask. One question they said that often causes problems for would-be hires is "why do they want this position?" Many people are apparently unable to answer this.
They also noted that patience was key: the hiring process can take as long as three to six months from start to finish.
They also discussed the importance of a solid application: it should talk up your abilities and strengths, and of course use good spelling and grammar. A good cover letter should do much the same, while also focus on communicating why you are a good fit for the position and the organization. Above all else, though, it's important for a cover letter to be concise.
One of the most important tips they gave, though, was volunteering and internship experience can be critical, especially if you end up competing with people with professional experience. The more and the more relevant to the position in question, the better.
Finally, they closed off the webinar with some very sage advice: before your interview, remember to sleep, eat, and if you drink coffee normally, be sure to have your coffee.
One of the items they started off the webinar with was a surprise to me. They said that few people get to the interview stage of the hiring process. Before that, there is a lot of review of applicants ongoing, so it's imperative to give the interview your best if you're called in for one. This means doing your research on the position, and even more importantly, coming prepared to answer the questions they're likely to ask. One question they said that often causes problems for would-be hires is "why do they want this position?" Many people are apparently unable to answer this.
They also noted that patience was key: the hiring process can take as long as three to six months from start to finish.
They also discussed the importance of a solid application: it should talk up your abilities and strengths, and of course use good spelling and grammar. A good cover letter should do much the same, while also focus on communicating why you are a good fit for the position and the organization. Above all else, though, it's important for a cover letter to be concise.
One of the most important tips they gave, though, was volunteering and internship experience can be critical, especially if you end up competing with people with professional experience. The more and the more relevant to the position in question, the better.
Finally, they closed off the webinar with some very sage advice: before your interview, remember to sleep, eat, and if you drink coffee normally, be sure to have your coffee.
Thursday, March 28, 2013
First Friday Happy Hour April 5th!
New York City Public Library Trip Report
DUSLA and SCALA organized a trip to the New York City Public Library last Friday, March 8th. Though the weather was harsh, the library itself was more than inviting. We received a short talk and a tour of some of the special rooms within the Schwarzman Building.
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