Bethan RuddockMMU, 12th November 2012

Alternative careers for the new library & information professional

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What is an ‘alternative career’?Depends what you think of as traditional!

Can be:• A traditional role in a non-traditional environment• A non-traditional role in a traditional environment• A non-traditional role in a non-traditional environment

Whatever it is, it will use your librarianly skills and knowledge – and you might get to learn interesting new ones, too!

mimas.ac.uk

It’s not all stamping books and shhhhh!When you say ‘librarian’, most people think of public or academic librarians.In fact, there are librarians (often called ‘information professionals’) in nearly every sector.I asked some of them what they do every day...

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I am an Information Governance Office in the children’s services directorate of a local authority in Greater Manchester. I am responsible for providing advice and guidance in relation to the Data Protection and Freedom of Information. Most of my work is to ensure information is shared appropriately and securely, and includes providing guidance around how to do this and putting data sharing agreements together. I also coordinate all the Freedom of Information requests we receive, and provide help if colleagues think any of it might be exempt from release. I also work on records management, including putting together retention schedules.

Michelle Peel

mimas.ac.uk

Digital Resources Librarian, Royal Institute of International AffairsOrganisation: an International Relations think-tank, commonly known as Chatham HouseResponsible for: Electronic resources including discovery search, authentication and LMS.Customers: Members of the Royal Institute of International Affairs, who are politicians; policy makers in government, private sector, law; academics and others interested in international relations. Staff of the institute who are researchers in the fields of international relations, and international aspects of law, environment, economics and health.Job Involves: Managing subscriptions and access to e-resources, system administration of LMS, Sharing enquiry desk work with the other 2 librarians, supporting archive digitisation project with corporate partner, and being the library go-to person for IT questions.

Magda Robertson

Our main day-to-day role is research support for editorial staff. This involves putting together cuts packages on request, for interviews or opinion pieces (for example, today I've been asked to find cuttings on Scott Walker, the PCC elections, and the Social Charter of the Maastricht treaty in 1989.)

For this we use a variety of sources - we still have the old school cuttings files, where librarians would have literally cut and pasted articles on specific people/subjects into files, but its mostly electronic sources now, primarily Factiva and Lexis Nexis.

We are also asked for things like factboxes and timelines, either in advance of things that might happen or as a story breaks and develops, and fact-checking and statistical information - at the moment one of my colleagues is looking something up on the 1851 census.

We also compile things 'from the archive' - a daily piece which goes onto the website and in Saturday's paper, and an archive blog if we want to go into stories in more depth - from the digital archive (all of the Guardian and Observer have been digitised - see more here!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/series/from-the-archive

We are a research library for our journalists rather than for the general public, so it varies every day, although Nina (the current graduate trainee) does deal with queries from members of the public (this is usually asking for the date an article appeared, or someone whose grandad was in the paper in 1904 or something)

Lauren Niland, Research and Information Dept., Guardian News & Media Ltd

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In terms of more traditional "library" type management:

Head of Information manages subscriptions and access to the databases we have access to.

The graduate trainee manages the daily digital archiving of the paper and the storage of bound volumes and microfilm.

We maintain an intranet research page of resources (although this is being overhauled at the moment)

We do have a physical library, but (sadly) this is not used as often as it could be - here we have books relating to the paper itself and media/journalism history and biography, and magazines.

Lauren Niland, Research and Information Dept., Guardian News & Media Ltd

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• Provide a multiple-jurisdiction (Scotland, England/Wales, Ireland, Europe) internal current awareness service, tailored to the business interests of the firm. These interests cover many areas: waste and recycling, utilities like wind farms and wave power, banking, planning, construction, company law, employment law, commercial landlord and tenant issues, civil procedure in the various courts...• Provide research on any topic requested, whether it's a core business interest or a targeted new market - I'm always having to learn something new!• Train trainee solicitors on abstracting and categorising material from journals assigned to them, content is then uploaded to the current awareness system.• Train users on request on electronic resources such as databases we subscribe to, and organise external trainers to visit regularly for same purpose.• Identify, purchase, catalogue and process new materials, and general library maintenance.

Jennifer Findlay, Law Librarian

mimas.ac.uk

My job is to ensure health professionals have access to the best available information so that patients receive evidence-based treatments and care. I conduct literature searches for staff which involves searching online for guidelines, published research and systematic reviews (which are generally considered the strongest form of evidence-based medicine) on many different topics. I quality check and publish to the Trust intranet all new and updated clinical guidelines and policies. I also conduct regular information skills sessions with staff searching for and appraising medical information.

Lesley Firth, Health Librarian

I work for a property consultancy. This is a slightly niche, unusual job even within special libraries. There are, as far as I can tell, about ten librarians in the UK who work for properties consultancies which is tiny in comparison to accountancy, law or other professional services firms. We’re a very small team, two full-time and one part-time so there is a lot of scope for getting experience in lots of areas.  The way to manage working in such a fast-paced environment is to be as organised as humanly possible. Time management and prioritisation skills are absolutely core in a role like this. Communication skills also come in handy as you may need to pass work around within the team to ensure everything gets done.  I don’t really have an average working week because so much of my time is enquiry-based and thus driven by what demands the users have put on my time but a few of the tasks I might expect to get done over the course of a month are: meeting with one of the suppliers to discuss our new contract, our usage stats and how the product is developing; crunching the numbers on how many enquiries the Information Unit is taking and what kind of information is required; current awareness on various topics such as Planning or Housing; meeting with the heads of teams to see if the Information Unit can help them; cataloguing newly bought books or reports; checking in and circulating journals; attending fee-earner briefings; downloading and circulating market data such as property specific information, exchange rates, inflation and house price indices; undertaking complicated searches for the ownership of a piece of land; setting up new accounts for various databases; investigating companies or people with whom we might work; and training people on databases.  

The main key to working in a professional services environment is to socialise with the users. You need to know what makes them tick. If there is a briefing open to anyone in the firm, go. If there is a drinks reception, go. If someone mentions a team event and asks if you are interested, go. Additionally, go on courses in-house especially soft skills both because it will help you but also in order to get to know your users. It is also important that they know you aren’t a secretary. I chartered mainly because I work with chartered planners and chartered librarians and I felt it was important to be and be seen to be on the same level.  It might also be worth remembering that, unlike academic librarians, there is a dress code. I get to wear cardigans but I generally am in smart office attire…on the plus side there is very little climbing shelving or walking so I also get to wear killer heels! 

I help lawyers find the information they need to win cases and negotiate deals. I search specialist business, legal and news databases; I teach trainees how to use these resources in tandem with general internet searches; I circulate journals and I buy books. Sometimes I’m searching on a short deadline to help save lawyers’ time; other times I’m leaving no stone unturned in search of an elusive piece of data. Sometimes I’m troubleshooting database problems, evaluating new resources or thinking how we can promote our services to the firm.

Sara Batts, Law Librarian 

Special collections are materials that require specialist handling, description and storage because of their age, rarity, content or other significance such as who collected or owned them. Special collections librarians draw on detailed historical and technical knowledge to describe these materials using specialist standards. They interpret their collections for others via exhibitions, articles, public talks and educational events as well as managing and staffing reading areas where researchers can study the materials. They answer a lot of enquiries from a wide range of people. Special collections librarians have to manage security, preservation, conservation, budgets. They require technical skills to commission and manage digital projects.

Katie Birkwood 

Information Centre Manager for BDP -a multidisciplinary design firm (architects and engineers): I am a qualified information professional delivering Information Services throughout all UK offices. I used to just look after our Sheffield office but am now the only remaining info professional within the company, and thus am managing the Information Centres in our Manchester, Sheffield and London studios, but also offering research and a quality technical enquiry service to any member of BDP staff.

Roles also include library management skills, including stock control, digital and hardcopy info provision, info literacy; Intranet editing and dealing with intranet feedback and problems; assistance with marketing information, sourcing & collating tenders/ bids (ie to win work).

The main difference working within a corporate environment as opposed to academic, is that I am actually doing the research/ sourcing the documents in order to save the technical staff* doing it, as every minute of their time is paid by the project they are working on, thus wiser and hopefully more profitable for them to delegate than spending time searching themselves. It is much more a research role than an info literacy role, although we do subscribe to IHS so technical staff are encouraged to always search this first (available on our intranet) before coming to me, and info literacy does come into play with regards to teaching them how to search those databases available to them on their desktops. *technical staff = the architects, engineers, project managers, interior designers etc. Basically those members of staff earning a fee. Although a qualified professional, I come under “admin” and am not a fee earner as I am not being charged out to the client.

Tracey Lunt

I am an Assistant Librarian at the National Police Library at Bramshill in Hampshire. Currently our Library is a part of the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA), but will belong to the College of Policing as of the 1st December. This makes me a government librarian, but possibly only for the next few years. I am primarily responsible for enquiries and literature searches, abstracting and indexing journals, line managing two Library Customer Support Officers and I am now branching out into user education, a new area for the library. Our customers are the NPIA, in particular the research department, and potentially all UK police officers and staff. Often we support officers undertaking Master or PhDs as we are able to offer them more focused support than the universities they attend can. Challenges include the remote customer base, working within a secure network, and making the UK Police Forces aware of our existence!

Emily Powell 

Looking for something even more alternative?How about a career in a related field? You could try

ArchivesTeaching

TechnologyResearch

PublishingCultural heritage

Knowledge managementCommunications

Community relations

mimas.ac.ukImage used under a CC licence from http://www.flickr.com/photos/duncan/99863704/

Bethan RuddockContent Development Officer,Library and Archival Services,Mimas,University of Manchester

mimas.ac.uk

How did I get here?Graduate Trainee, University of Manchester Library, 2006-7MA Library & Information Studies, MMU, 2007-8Copac Challenge Fund Officer, Mimas, 2008-9Content Development Officer, Library & Archival Services, Mimas 2009-now

How did I get this job? I took a chance, and applied!

mimas.ac.ukImage used under a CC licence from http://www.flickr.com/photos/wes2theg/2913960324/

What do I do?Take in data from libraries & archives in the UK, to make them searchable from a single interface.My job includes:• Communications• Data handling (MARC, EAD)• Data manipulation (XML, XSLT, json, javascript)• Cataloguing knowledge (library & archival)• Project management• Teaching/training (archivists & archive students)• Presenting• Writing (articles, blogs, columns)• Enquiry handling• ...

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My job requires me to be...• A good communicator

• Face to face• In writing- various styles• Teach & train

• Technically literate• Enough to know what can and can’t be done,

and work with programmers• Flexible

• Work on different projects & need to switch quickly

• Willing to learn• Don’t be scared of trying new things –

always ready to have a go• Proactive

• I need to identify and take opportunities• An expert

• And willing to use that expertiseImage used under a CC licence from http://www.flickr.com/photos/jessicafoley/4270697958/ mimas.ac.uk

Finding an alternative career• Decide what you want to do!• Skills audit

• Write down everything you can do!

• Think about:• What can you do?• What do you enjoy doing?• How can you do more of the stuff

you enjoy?Resources:CILIP Professional Knowledge & Skills Base:http://www.cilip.org.uk/jobs-careers/professional-knowledge-and-skills-base/pages/professional%20knowledge%20and%20skills%20base.aspx (members only) mimas.ac.uk

SLA Future Ready Toolkit:http://www.sla.org/content/resources/toolkit/index.cfm (members only)

Image used under a CC licence from http://www.flickr.com/photos/squeakywheel/296747265

Image used under a CC licence from http://www.flickr.com/photos/boliston/3966640589/

Finding an alternative career• Use the skills you’ve identified as

keywords• Look in professional press for the

area you’re interested in• Look beyond “librar*”

• Information• Communication• Research• Training• Data handling• Outreach• Support• Metadata

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Use your contacts• Build good professional networks

• Who knows where your current colleagues might end up?

• Be generous – give and receive

• Make new contacts• Talk to people at

conferences• Talk to vendors in the exhibit

hall• Ask them about their

workplace• You will often find out about jobs

through word of mouth, rather than adverts.

Image used under a CC licence from http://www.flickr.com/photos/bobbygreg/168206195mimas.ac.uk

Use your opportunitiesWhile you’re training and studying, you’ll have lots of opportunities to make contacts and find out about different areas of library and information work.

Make the most of them!

Can you shadow someone in a different area of the library?Or in a different library altogether?

Apply for bursaries to attend conferences

Once you have this experience? Make the most of it!Write it down and reflect on it

mimas.ac.ukImage used under a CC licence from http://www.flickr.com/photos/iansand/2216235850/

Applying for jobsSo, they haven’t asked for a librarian...

How do you convince them they need one?

• Tailor your application to that job.• Speak the language of the organisation • Don’t use librarian/info pro/sector jargon!

• Address all essential requirements• Address as many ‘desirable’ requirements as you

can• Be explicit, not implicit.

• Don’t expect them to make the connections between your experience and their needs – lay it out for them.

• Prepare to be Googled• Have a good online reputation that showcases

your professional skills• Be brave! A job application costs you nothing, except a

little time and effort, and the rewards can be huge.

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Resources & further reading

Library routes/roots: http://bit.ly/W34IrV

Library Day in the Life: http://librarydayinthelife.pbworks.com/w/page/16941198/FrontPage

My First Month: http://lisnewprofs.com/category/my-first-month/

Special Collections Librarianship: a map of the field:http://prezi.com/bmoag2sdf1d5/special-collections-librarianship-a-brief-map-of-the-field/

Voices for the Library features on ‘celebrating librarians’: http://voicesforthelibrary.org.uk/

Alternative careers webinar: http://vimeo.com/34984523

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27mimas.ac.uk

Bethan.ruddock@manchester.ac.uk

@bethanar

http://lisnewprofs.com

Sign outside Boise State University Library, from http://www.flickr.com/photos/travelinlibrarian/223839049/