Academic Library Services to Graduate Students Interest Group

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Questions about potential volunteer opportunities

  • 1.  Questions about potential volunteer opportunities

    Posted May 24, 2022 01:04 AM
    Hello fellows,

    I am looking for some volunteer opportunities in the academic libraries; however, it seems like most academic libraries only want student workers instead of volunteers. Any suggestions to gain some working experience in the academic libraries? How do you gain your library working experiences?

    Dandi

    ------------------------------
    Dandi Wang
    Student
    University of Alberta
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: Questions about potential volunteer opportunities

    Posted May 24, 2022 10:02 AM
    Hi Dandi, I no longer work in an academic library (have moved to the vendor side : ), but I imagine that it is a mix of several different things. Like managing & scheduling the volunteer to work, particularly if you are talking about tasks that student workers can usually do - volunteers have a bad reputation for some people of sometimes being unreliable, since obviously their paid work and studies come first.

    There is also the question of whether you would actually be an "intern" (versus a true volunteer); legally, an internship has to benefit you more than them and provide you with substantive learning opportunities more than just grunt work. So, you might consider being really specific and targeted with your volunteer/internship ask to minimize the amount of planning they have to (or feel like they have to) do for you. And, of course keeping applying for their paid positions! 

    Anyone else have advice?

    ------------------------------
    Tammy Ivins
    Library Services Team Lead
    Library & Information Resources Network
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Questions about potential volunteer opportunities

    Posted May 25, 2022 02:09 PM
    Hi, Everyone.


    The very first day of online library school, I contacted my closest academic library and told them I was now in library school online but had never worked in a library and asked if I could work for free.  They took pity on me and said yes, and though I completed library school with stellar grades, everything I really learned, I learned sitting at the knee of the cataloguer who kindly explained every single thing to me over and over and over until I got it.  (Surely no one ever took longer than I to understand some of the trickier points, but eventually I got it).  I have never had anything to do with cataloguing, by the way, but because I understand the pieces and how they work, I understand a lot more about the mechanics of retrieval than someone who never learned much about records because it wasn't in the scope of the job they wanted.  I also asked a million questions about every other part of the job (ILL, reference, etc.) and everyone who I asked told me something I didn't know.  In my personal opinion, my online degree would have been completely worthless without the accompanying real-life experience.  If you can't find any academic libraries nearby who'll take you as a volunteer, try the publics.  Any real-life experience beats none.  


    Good luck!

    Wendy


    Wendy Doucette, PhD, MSLIS

    Graduate Research and Instruction Librarian

    Associate Professor, East Tennessee State University

    Organizer and Program Chair, TLGS (Transforming Libraries for Graduate Students) National Conference




    Original Message


  • 4.  RE: Questions about potential volunteer opportunities

    Posted May 25, 2022 03:04 PM
    Wendy has an excellent point! She's a top research/instruction librarian who is always "in the know." I've had some excellent conversations with her at conferences.

    Try public libraries. Try academic libraries. And don't forget about special libraries either. A museum may be interested in having a volunteer, since they often are unable to hire enough personnel. I did a library school internship in the library of a major accounting firm. Even a municipal archives or records department would give you substantial experience that will help you later in your career.

    As Wendy said, don't be afraid to try something outside of the area that you intend to work in. I have also worked my whole career in reference, instruction, or electronic resources (until I became a director 4 years ago). Yet one of the most important classes that I took in library school was cataloging. Like her, " I understand a lot more about the mechanics of retrieval than someone who never learned much about records because it wasn't in the scope of the job they wanted."

    Good luck with your studies.

    Bryan M. Carson

    --

    Dr. Bryan M. Carson, J.D., M.I.L.S., Ed.D.

    Professor and Director, Murrell Library and Commons

    500 E. College Street | Marshall, MO 65340

    (Office) 660-831-4123 | (Mobile) | 270-799-4581; (Fax) 660-831-4068

    carsonb@moval.edu | bryan.m.carson@gmail.com | www.moval.edu/library



    Author, "The Law of Libraries and Archives" and
    "Finding the Law: Legal Research for Librarians & Paralegals" (Scarecrow Press)

    All original content copyright Bryan M. Carson



    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Questions about potential volunteer opportunities

    Posted May 25, 2022 04:17 PM
    Hello Wendy and Bryan,

    To be honest, I feel the same way about my MLIS degree that real-world experience is the key and there is a huge gap between the course provided by my institution and the requirements listed in the library job posts. So far the most useful courses I have taken are the organization of information which touches the foundation of metadata and the library instructional practices. That is why I am hoping to gain some real-world experiences in the academic libraries to at least understand the nature of librarian jobs because most of the knowledge that librarian jobs required is not taught at school.

    Thank you all for the tips on gaining working experience. I will keep searching around the local academic libraries and other related institutions, and see whether there is any chance I could learn from their librarians. 

    Dandi

    ------------------------------
    Dandi Wang
    Student
    University of Alberta
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Questions about potential volunteer opportunities

    Posted May 27, 2022 10:46 AM

    Dandi,

     

    If you're wanting to find out what happens in an academic library,  you might want to take a page from the pre-med handbook and see if you can "shadow" librarians from different institutions and in different parts of the library.  Most libraries know that there will be on-the-job training with any new hire; but spending some time behind the scenes at a library can give you a sense of what you skills you will need to work on after you get a job.  Plus, it will help you in answering questions during an interview because you'll have a better understanding of what the job entails.

     

    Good luck,

    --Christina

     

    --

    Christina Chan-Park, PhD, MaPA, MSIS (she/her)

    STEM Librarian Coordinator and Research Librarian for Science and Data

    Liaison to Aviation Science, Biology, Chemistry/Biochemistry, Environmental Science,
    Geology, Mathematics, Physics, Psychology/Neuroscience, Statistical Science

    Baylor University, One Bear Place #97146, Waco, TX 76798
    254-710-4538, 254-710-3116 (fax), CY_Chan@baylor.edu

    http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6047-9805

    Go to https://libcal.baylor.edu/appointments/cy_chan to make an appointment

     




    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Questions about potential volunteer opportunities

    Posted May 31, 2022 04:08 PM
    Hi Christina,

    Thank you for your reply. Do you mind if I ask what is the pre-med handbook?

    Dandi

    ------------------------------
    Dandi Wang
    Student
    University of Alberta
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Questions about potential volunteer opportunities

    Posted Jun 01, 2022 07:45 AM

    I have no idea what that is. I did a Google search and it looks like several different medical schools have their own handbooks that list out what the pre-med students need to do to be accepted into their programs but nothing official. Where did you see that?

     

    Sarah Wade, MLS, AHIP
    Medical Librarian
    Medical Library
    Campbell University Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine

    (910) 893-7334 (direct)
    swade@campbell.edu
    Post Office Box 4280
    Buies Creek, NC 27506

    medicine.campbell.edu
    https://www.facebook.com/CampbellMedicalLibrary/

    Schedule a meeting with Sarah

    My in-office hours are 8:30am-5:30pm EST. If you send me an email outside of these hours, I will reply to you the following business day. If you are not available when I reply back to you, please reply back when you are.

    I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.

    Jorge Luis Borges

    CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail, including any attachments, is intended for the sole use of the addressee(s) and may contain legally privileged and/or confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any use, dissemination, copying or retention of this e-mail or the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please immediately notify the sender by telephone or reply by e-mail, and permanently delete this e-mail from your computer system. There is no intent on the part of the sender to waive any privilege, including the attorney-client privilege, that may attach to this communication. Thank you. IF YOU HAVE RECEIVED THIS IN ERROR, PLEASE CALL ME IMMEDIATELY AT 910-893-7334

     




    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: Questions about potential volunteer opportunities

    Posted Jun 08, 2022 10:08 AM
    Ladies,


    I think you are looking literally for something that was meant colloquially.  Many programs (like pre-med) require shadowing, and therefore, you should do the same in libraries by seeking out informational interviews that will let you experience a taste of the daily job.  


    Thanks,

    Wendy


    Wendy Doucette, PhD, MSLIS

    Graduate Research and Instruction Librarian

    Associate Professor, East Tennessee State University

    Organizer and Program Chair, TLGS (Transforming Libraries for Graduate Students) National Conference




    Original Message


  • 10.  RE: Questions about potential volunteer opportunities

    Posted Jun 15, 2022 12:28 PM

    Dandi,

     

    I am using "take a page from ___ handbook" idiomatically.  There is not a real pre-med handbook, per se.  It's just a common thing that pre-med majors do in order to 1) make sure they want to become doctors and 2) show medical schools that they're serious about becoming doctors and 3) get more exposure to the day-to-day routine of being a physician.  Shadowing might be just accompanying a librarian for 10-20 hours over a period of time (a month or two)-whatever works in your schedules (i.e. from 1-3 on Thursday afternoons)-on whatever she needs to be doing (research consultations, collection development meetings, working on an internal assessment project, etc.).

     

    Sorry for the slow response, I've been out of town.

     

    Thanks,

    --Christina

     

    --

    Christina Chan-Park, PhD, MaPA, MSIS (she/her)

    STEM Librarian Coordinator and Research Librarian for Science and Data

    Liaison to Aviation Science, Biology, Chemistry/Biochemistry, Environmental Science,
    Geology, Mathematics, Physics, Psychology/Neuroscience, Statistical Science

    Baylor University, One Bear Place #97146, Waco, TX 76798
    254-710-4538, 254-710-3116 (fax), CY_Chan@baylor.edu

    http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6047-9805

    Go to https://libcal.baylor.edu/appointments/cy_chan to make an appointment

     




    Original Message


  • 11.  RE: Questions about potential volunteer opportunities

    Posted May 25, 2022 03:47 PM
    Hello Tammy, 

    Thank you for your information. I have applied for my school's student job at the library, however, got no reply. I am thinking about extending my volunteering radar to the universities nearby and seeing whether there are any learning chances. 

    Dandi


    ------------------------------
    Dandi Wang
    Student
    University of Alberta
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 12.  RE: Questions about potential volunteer opportunities

    Posted May 25, 2022 07:43 AM
    Dandi,

    I work in an academic medical library. Yes, I do use student workers in my space because I don't have a need or a budget for a paid intern. I know the main campus library at my institution does hire interns from local library schools. We only hire a couple a year. I can ask about the process if you would like me to and let you know.

    Sarah Wade
    Medical Librarian
    Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine

    ------------------------------
    Sarah Wade
    Medical Librarian
    Campbell University Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 13.  RE: Questions about potential volunteer opportunities

    Posted May 31, 2022 04:04 PM
    Hello Sarah,

    That would be great! Could you share some information with me, please?

    Dandi

    ------------------------------
    Dandi Wang
    Student
    University of Alberta
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 14.  RE: Questions about potential volunteer opportunities

    Posted May 31, 2022 04:08 PM

    Dandi,

     

    I will ask about it.

    Sarah Wade, MLS, AHIP
    Medical Librarian
    Medical Library
    Campbell University Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine

    (910) 893-7334 (direct)
    swade@campbell.edu
    Post Office Box 4280
    Buies Creek, NC 27506

    medicine.campbell.edu
    https://www.facebook.com/CampbellMedicalLibrary/

    Schedule a meeting with Sarah

    My in-office hours are 8:30am-5:30pm EST. If you send me an email outside of these hours, I will reply to you the following business day. If you are not available when I reply back to you, please reply back when you are.

    I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.

    Jorge Luis Borges

    CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This e-mail, including any attachments, is intended for the sole use of the addressee(s) and may contain legally privileged and/or confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any use, dissemination, copying or retention of this e-mail or the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please immediately notify the sender by telephone or reply by e-mail, and permanently delete this e-mail from your computer system. There is no intent on the part of the sender to waive any privilege, including the attorney-client privilege, that may attach to this communication. Thank you. IF YOU HAVE RECEIVED THIS IN ERROR, PLEASE CALL ME IMMEDIATELY AT 910-893-7334

     




    Original Message