LibGuides: Special Interest Group Archive: Reference 03/03/2020

March 3, 2020

The Reference Librarians met on Tuesday, March 3, 2020 to talk about Networking and professionalism. The convener of this meeting was Sharon Fetters, and our note taker was Jen Park. Our next meeting will be on July 21, 2020, and the topic will be games and gaming.

Notes from the meeting

Networking with other librarians and networking within other libraries.

As the budget becomes tighter and tighter, the librarian is the first one axed. There is a constant discussion of what we do. Stats are repackaged and provided to the same people over and over.
There may not be one answer.
You are an individual in your library. You are not just marketing your library but also you as a person.
Not only networking with other librarians but also networking within your own institutions.
It’s important to make inroads with other libraries and institutions.
Public libraries need to connect with community members—flu shots at the library, for example. More in this direction. Make sure community is aware of services. To help people and provide services, but also get funding. “Book of No”—publicly shamed for saying “no” to patrons.
If we are answering a question a number of times, wouldn’t it be easier to get a fax machine?
Do librarians go into the field know they will need to outspoken and visual?
Conference buddies—Southeastern conference goers group.

Maintaining a networking plan (also creating)

Choose your allies and do your homework
Execute networking plan
Take part in social events of your stakeholders
Attend events of stakeholders
Deal with rejection

Links

Weasels and Honey Badgers
Success as a librarian is largely dependent on the work relationships one forms, both with colleagues and with the population served. This chapter describes why networking and self-promotion in more critical than ever in this new e-Learning environment, how to create and execute a networking and marketing plan, and finally how to do some assessment to evaluate the success of your networking.

Networking Tips

Be interested in their library goals
Find your niche.
Offer to give help by sharing your LIS expertise and career. (With students who are interested in libraries)
Ask for library career help.

Networking Groups

Different Library Professional Groups

Southeastern

ALA—New Member RoundTable

New York Library Association

Empire State Library System

Ramapo Catskill Library System

Group by Specialty:

RUSA

ALSC

YALSA

Networking on Social Media

LinkedIn, FB, Instagram, Twitter

LinkedIn Slideshare