Librarianship offers a wide range of career pathways, and many of us find that our professional journey is not always a straight line. It's common to begin in one area, such as public services, youth services, or academic reference, and later discover a passion for something entirely different, like technical services, archives, or even corporate librarianship.
Maybe you started in a public library and moved into a special library setting. Perhaps you began in cataloging and later transitioned to instruction or outreach. These kinds of pivots can be both exciting and challenging, and they often involve intentional upskilling or rethinking how existing skills transfer to new contexts.
If you've made a career pivot at any point in your library career, the New Members Roundtable would love to hear your story:
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What prompted the change?
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What advice would you offer to early or mid-career librarians who are considering a shift?
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What skills or knowledge did you need to develop to support your transition?
Let's create a space where we can learn from each other and celebrate the versatility of our profession!
This post brought to you courtesy of ALA's New Member Round Table Online Programs Committee. The mission of NMRT is to help those who have been association members less than ten years become actively involved in the association and the profession. Thank you to all members of ALA for joining in on our monthly discussion posts.
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Melissa Herzberg
Instructional Design Librarian
University of Alabama
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