Spotlight

• The Term or Temporary Position and Making the Most of a Short Time (Part 1 of 2)

  By Laureen P. Cantwell

  Editor’s note: the second part of Cantwell’s article will be published in the July 2012 issue of Library Worklife.

  As my position at Grinnell College as a Term Research & Instruction Librarian comes to a close, I have had cause to reflect upon my time as a “term” faculty member. The common stressors that I have identified, among my colleagues in departments within and beyond the library, have been (1) relocating, (2) job hunting, (3) … Read the rest

ALA-APA News

• Your Library Could Win a Free One

  Do your library patrons need job search and career exploration support in today’s tough economy? Then head on over to the ALA Membership Pavilion at the 2012 ALA Annual Conference in Anaheim to register your library to win a free one year subscription ($950.00 value) to the Virtual Career Library. This innovative career information service is changing the way forward-thinking libraries are providing career guidance and job search information for their library patrons. Don’t miss out on this great … Read the rest

• New Rochelle High School Librarian Arrested in Sex Sting Involving 16-Year Old Student

  By Robert Cox, New Rochelle Talk (New York): May 31, 2012

  A New Rochelle, New York, school librarian was arrested after going to meet a 16-year-old male student for what she believed to be a sexual encounter. Marisa L. Anton is also accused of sexually harrasing the student, verbally and through social media. New Rochelle police arranged a sting in which the student called Anton to arrange a meeting. New Rochelle Police Captain Joseph P. Schaller reports that “no sexual … Read the rest

• Former Oregon State Librarian pleads guilty to forgery of job application

  OregonLive.com: May 24, 2012

  Robert Hulshof-Schmidt, recently appointed Oregon State Librarian, was convicted of forging parts of his job application. Hulshof-Schmidt pled guilty and confessed to lying about holding a graduate degree from the University of Washington. He has lost his position and will serve two years of probation.… Read the rest

• No Shushing! AFSCME Petitions to Protect Library Jobs

  Carl L. Sorrell, president of AFSCME Local 1215 in Chicago, Illinois, seeks help to protect our nation’s public libraries and stop privatization efforts that will cut jobs and public resources. AFSCME asks supporters to consider signing an online petition to protect 25,000 library workers and the thousands of libraries. … Read the rest

• Tell People About Your Workplace

  Representatives from various libraries and library-related companies are invited to take advantage of the opportunity to talk with ALA Annual Conference attendees about their individual work environments. The ALA JobLIST Placement Center is hosting an Open House on Sunday, June 24, from 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon. Human Resource professionals and library staff can discuss various aspects of their work environments – things that make their institutions unique – such as work culture, facilities, sports, music, arts and campus or community … Read the rest

• Keep the Fight Going: Libraries Fight Back!

  Libraries are at the core of our communities and at the forefront of the digital world. Library workers help preserve the past while educating for the future. Libraries can reinvigorate blighted areas and inspire people to “be the change.” Yet when budgetary crises occur, libraries always seem to be the first offered for sacrifice.

  Join colleagues for a program that will examine the essential services that libraries – public and academic – provide to communities locally and globally. The program … Read the rest

Career Advancement

• Interactive conference on libraries in a post-print world, innovation, and more

  Interactive professional development ideal for anyone unable to attend Annual Conference as well as anyone ready for more—two days of keynote speakers and interactive 45-minute Web sessions providing insights from experts and offering opportunities for conversation with speakers and other attendees around key issues in library transformation.

  Topics include ebooks and ereaders; open source software; using Google products to enhance your mission and branding; libraries in a post-print world; publishers partnering with libraries; designing a superior library user experience; learning … Read the rest

Certification

• ALA-APA Recognizes Graduates from the Central Carolina Community College and Highline Community College

  The American Library Association-Allied Professional Association (ALA-APA) announced today that it has completed agreements with Central Carolina Community College’s Library and Information Technology Program (North Carolina) and Highline Community College’s Library and Information Services Program (Washington). These agreements will allow these college graduates, who meet the established criteria, to receive the LSSC designation.

  ALA-APA and the colleges believe that the graduate’s degree or diploma coupled with the LSSC will benefit those graduates, the library in which they work and … Read the rest

HR Practice

• Strength in Inclusion: the Benefits of an Diverse Workforce

  “Inclusion leads to innovation,” argues Kathy Martinez; workers’ diverse opinions and life experiences are an asset to businesses looking for new ideas, or new approaches to old problems. Martinez, Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy, explores the benefits of an inclusive workplace. Read more at (Work in Progress), the official blog of the United States Department of Labor. … Read the rest

• (Re)Building the Team: Filling Positions in the Wake of Group Retirements

  Has a wave of retirements hit your institution? If so, there is tremendous potential for new growth and new direction. In The Chronicle’s blog On Hiring: Advice on managing the academic career, contributor David Evans explains the pitfalls, and promise, of group hiring.… Read the rest

Recruitment

• Tips for Finding a Professional Position in Special Collections

  By Jennifer K. Sheehan, Ph.D.

  Every newly-minted librarian is looking to get a foot in the door for his or her first professional position. But in special collections, sometimes that door feels more like the vault at Fort Knox. Special collections can be an exciting and rewarding area of librarianship, but without the proper direction and coaching, finding a position in this area can seem next to impossible. Based on my experiences in the library field over the last seven … Read the rest

Salaries

• Gary Public Library Fights To Hold On

  By Daniel S. Weinberg and Cassandra Stigger

  The Gary Public Library (GPL) in Gary, Indiana, has struggled to absorb drastic budget cuts that have significantly limited community access to Gary’s libraries and services. The cuts resulted from a 40 percent reduction in the GPL budget, itself a result of reduced property tax collection and a tax cap. 

  Gary is a mid-size community, with a 2010 population of 80,000, and the community relies heavily on the GPL and its services. Nearly … Read the rest

Support Staff

• ALA-APA announces financial assistance for LSSC Candidates

  The Library Support Staff Certification (LSSC) Program announced today that it is offering $200 subsidies for 75 candidates to complete LSSC approved courses. If the cost of the course is less than $200, the subsidy will cover the cost of the entire course minus materials such as books, etc. LSSC is a national, voluntary certification program administered by the American Library Association-Allied Profession Association (ALA-APA).

  All LSSC candidates are eligible to receive a subsidy by completing an application form available … Read the rest

• Preparing a Portfolio – June 12th, 2pm CST

  Many LSSC candidates want to prepare portfolios to meet LSSC requirements. On Tuesday, June 12, at 2:00 pm (CST), LSSC will offer an hour-long webinar explaining what the LSSC Program requires in a portfolio. The presentation will also give you the chance to see examples of successful submissions and learn how your portfolio will be evaluated. This webinar is open to all interested candidates. Register now to attend. … Read the rest

Work/Life

• Allow Your Spirit to Dance With Time: An Alternative Perspective to Workplace Wellness

  By Analu Josephides

  In this “Workplace Wellness @ Your Libraries” article we will visit a Native Hawaiian concept of “Time” and how we greet it. This alternative perspective to wellness equips us to address our wellbeing in the work environment and in our everyday life. Please visit the websites listed at the end of this article to learn more about how Native Hawaiian people address health issues.

  Greet the Morning (Kakahiaka)!

  First, I will start by explaining how I greet … Read the rest

HR Law

• What You Should Know About the EEOC and Arrest and Conviction Records

  Do you use arrest and conviction records in employment decisions? The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) offers a helpful Q&A to clarify important legal points about discrimination and burden of proof.… Read the rest

• EEOC Makes State Charge Data Available Online

  WASHINGTON — The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announces the availability of private sector workplace discrimination charge statistics for each of the nation’s 50 states and U.S. Territories for fiscal years 2009-2011.  These data provide a look at EEOC charge receipts, broken down by the basis of discrimination, as well as the percent of total state and national charges. The state data tables are available online at http://www1.eeoc.gov/eeoc/statistics/enforcement/charges_by_state.cfm.

  The EEOC will update the state data when new charge … Read the rest

• Vote on the Paycheck Fairness Act Stalled

  The Paycheck Fairness Act (S. 3220) failed in the Senate on June 5, 2012, on a 52-47 procedural vote, but supporters vow to keep fighting to close the gender wage gap. 

  The bill would have strengthened the 1963 Equal Pay Act by requiring employers to justify pay differences between genders, and by making it illegal for bosses to retaliate against subordinates who share salary information with co-workers.

  All Republicans voted not to consider the bill, while all Democrats and Independents … Read the rest