Please note: this is an anonymous response to an online survey; I do not have any way of contacting the respondent or verifying responses. Their answers may reflect good, bad, or middling hiring practices. I invite you to take what’s useful and leave the rest.
This person hires for a:
√ Public Library
Title: Deputy Director
Titles hired include: Branch Manager, Technical Services Manager, Public Relations and Outreach Manager, Information Services Coordinator, Circulation Services Coordinator, Archives Assistant
Who makes hiring decisions at your organization:
√ The position’s supervisor
√ A Committee or panel
Which of the following does your organization regularly require of candidates?
√ Online application
√ References
√ Supplemental Questions
Does your organization use automated application screening?
√ No
Briefly describe the hiring process at your organization and your role in it:
In addition to being Deputy Director I also handle human resources. So I handle the whole hiring process and I also participate in at the interview process depending on the position
Do you have any instant dealbreakers?
Taking shortcuts in the application process, for example when the applicant uses the phrase “see resume”. To me that is just lazy.
What do you wish you could know about candidates that isn’t generally revealed in the hiring process?
Ability to work with others. Deciphering between what the applicant states in their interview with reality.
How many pages should each of these documents be?
Cover Letter: √ Only One!
Resume: √ Two is ok, but no more
CV: √ We don’t ask for this
Do you conduct virtual interviews? What do job hunters need to know about shining in this setting?
We have done a few virtual interviews, usually due to an out of town applicant. They should be sure that they have privacy and no interruptions. Also they need to be sure that their equipment is working properly prior to the designated interview time. To shine they need to be comfortable and personal in a virtual setting maybe even sharing their screen (if appropriate) for any document or presentation sharing
When does your organization *first* mention salary information?
√ It’s part of the job ad
What questions should candidates ask you? What is important for them to know about your organization and the position you are hiring for?
I like when the candidate mentions having done research about our library and asking questions about what they have learned. I also like when they ask what the panel this have been some challenges and major accomplishments of our library system
Additional Demographics
What part of the world are you in?
√ Northeastern US
What’s your region like?
√ Suburban
√ Rural
Is your workplace remote/virtual?
√ Some of the time and/or in some positions
How many staff members are at your organization?
√ 51-100
Author’s note: Hey, thanks for reading! If you like reading, why not try commenting or sharing? Or are you somebody who hires Library, Archives or other LIS workers? Please consider giving your own opinion byfilling out the survey here.
This anonymous interview is with someone who hires for a:
√ Public Library
Title: Director of Central Services
Titles hired include: Manager of Genealogy; Entertainment, Literature, and Biography Librarian;
Who makes hiring decisions at your organization:
√ HR
√ The position’s supervisor
√ A Committee or panel
Which of the following does your organization regularly require of candidates?
√ Online application
Does your organization use automated application screening?
√ Other: We use ADP; I’m uncertain which of the hiring tools within it our HR department uses.
Briefly describe the hiring process at your organization and your role in it:
Depending on the position, I might help write the job description and job ad and send it to HR to post on our library website as well as external job boards (depending on seniority of the position). We have a paper application, but I can’t remember the last time we actually had to review any of those as most people apply directly through the ADP software. Depending on the level of the position (youth services or librarian or supervisory), candidates will typically be asked to submit a cover letter and resume as well. HR reviews the applications and forwards eligible candidates and their application information back to me and the other members of the hiring panel. From there, the group of us (2 to 4 people) determine who we would most like to meet and send those names back to HR who coordinates scheduling the interviews. Each position has a certain set of predetermined questions we ask during the interview. Once the panel thinks we have a viable candidate, we submit that name to HR to make the offer which they do once they have checked references.
Think about the last candidate who really wowed you, on paper, in an interview, or otherwise. Why were they so impressive?
The person we recently offered a librarian position was an internal candidate who even though we all thought we knew him pretty well, had some very impressive extracurriculars listed on his resume that helped him to stand out. For example, the position maintains our library’s zine collection, and he has been working on various zine initiatives around town for several years.
Do you have any instant dealbreakers?
People who in the interview talk more about what the position would mean for them vs what they could bring to the position.
What do you wish you could know about candidates that isn’t generally revealed in the hiring process?
Their enneagram number!
How many pages should each of these documents be?
Cover Letter: √ Only One!
Resume: √ Two is ok, but no more
CV: √ As many as it takes, but keep it reasonable and relevant
What is the most common mistake that people make in an interview?
Not answering the questions asked.
Do you conduct virtual interviews? What do job hunters need to know about shining in this setting?
Yes. And I think we have seen a lot of great interviews in this format; the only one that felt weird was someone interviewing from their current office / library. I understand they were likely doing it during a lunch break or something, and we don’t compensate for interview time, so I get it! It just was sort of off putting.
How can candidates looking to transition from paraprofessional work, from non-library work, or between library types convince you that their experience is relevant? Or do you have other advice for folks in this kind of situation?
I was a person very much in this position- the catch22 of library workers. My advice would be similar to the advice given to me – figure out SOME way to get library experience whether it’s volunteering or a practicum or asking a friend to allow them to job shadow. Ultimately, I’m hiring for professionalism and customer service skills, but what that means in the library setting is different.
When does your organization *first* mention salary information?
√ It’s part of the job ad
What does your organization do to reduce bias in hiring? What are the contexts in which discrimination still exists in this process?
The overall whiteness of those with advanced degrees means we still see hiring bias when trying to fill “librarian” positions. There are fewer such positions, but it still presents a problem. Even when we list “equivalent experience” we find that people (esp those who don’t work at libraries) don’t always know what sorts of things would qualify them.
What questions should candidates ask you? What is important for them to know about your organization and the position you are hiring for?
How much autonomy will they have to do their job.The library is a bureaucracy, so I know it can sometimes be frustrating for folks with the levels of permission that are in place.
Additional Demographics
What part of the world are you in?
√ Midwestern US
What’s your region like?
√ Urban
Is your workplace remote/virtual?
√ Never or not anymore
How many staff members are at your organization?
√ 201+
Author’s note: Hey, thanks for reading! If you like reading, why not try commenting or sharing? Or are you somebody who hires Library, Archives or other LIS workers? Please consider giving your own opinion byfilling out the survey here.
This anonymous interview is with someone who hires for a:
√ Public Library
Title: Customer Experience Librarian
Titles hired include: Home Library Librarian, Marketing Officer, Library Technician, IT Support Officer, Library Assistant, Librarian, Children’s Librarian
Who makes hiring decisions at your organization:
√ The position’s supervisor
Which of the following does your organization regularly require of candidates?
√ Online application
√ Cover letter
√ Resume
√ References
√ Proof of degree
Does your organization use automated application screening?
√ No
Briefly describe the hiring process at your organization and your role in it:
1. Online application with responses along with cover letter and resume.
2. Interview Round – 2-3 person panel & behavioural questions, + practical exercise if it’s a children’s programs or cataloguing role.
Think about the last candidate who really wowed you, on paper, in an interview, or otherwise. Why were they so impressive?
Client-focused answers in interview that are recent and off the cuff rather than rehearsed examples. Written applications with persuasive writing that expresses why they want the role. Great interpersonal skills that translate to customer service during interview that are natural and not rehearsed or formal.
Do you have any instant dealbreakers?
Poor/average interpersonal skills in interview. Candidates who aren’t current and not aware of library best practice/other libraries. Candidates that don’t express that they want the job.
What do you wish you could know about candidates that isn’t generally revealed in the hiring process?
Why exactly they want the job and how do they think it will be a good fit for them. Short term career goals – Where do they see themselves in 5yrs
How many pages should each of these documents be?
Cover Letter: √ Only One!
Resume: √ As many as it takes, but keep it reasonable and relevant
CV: √ As many as it takes, but keep it reasonable and relevant
What is the most common mistake that people make in an interview?
Not expressing how/if they want the job. Waffling too much – not keeping focussed on the question. Not working on/ developing their interpersonal and empathy skills.
Do you conduct virtual interviews? What do job hunters need to know about shining in this setting?
None so far
How can candidates looking to transition from paraprofessional work, from non-library work, or between library types convince you that their experience is relevant? Or do you have other advice for folks in this kind of situation?
Seek to gain a work placement, casual work or volunteer in the new library sector.
When does your organization *first* mention salary information?
√ It’s part of the job ad
What does your organization do to reduce bias in hiring? What are the contexts in which discrimination still exists in this process?
For customer service work, sometimes a written application may not be a strength for someone with English as a second language, so they may not make it to the interview round. Our panels are not required to have a mix of genders or an independent panel member from another department.
What questions should candidates ask you? What is important for them to know about your organization and the position you are hiring for?
It’s ok not to ask questions if the candidate feels they have all the info they need. It depends on the role and what has been disclosed in the ad and interview. If there are obvious gaps in info and the candidate hasn’t probed the panel – I may think they are either nervous or not that serious about the role.
Additional Demographics
What part of the world are you in?
√ Australia/New Zealand
What’s your region like?
√ Urban
Is your workplace remote/virtual?
√ Some of the time and/or in some positions
How many staff members are at your organization?
√ 51-100
Is there anything else you’d like to say, either to job hunters or to me, the survey author?
Candidates need to be “people people” to work in libraries. Every role is client-focussed whether it’s cataloguing, IT or management. Put people at the centre of all your responses and application.
Author’s note: Hey, thanks for reading! If you like reading, why not try commenting or sharing? Or are you somebody who hires Library, Archives or other LIS workers? Please consider giving your own opinion byfilling out the survey here.
Which of the following does your organization regularly require of candidates?
√ Online application
√ Cover letter
√ Resume
√ References
√ Proof of degree
√ Demonstration (teaching, storytime, etc)
Does your organization use automated application screening?
√ Yes
Briefly describe the hiring process at your organization and your role in it:
HR sends me and the interviewing committee (IC) all application packets. IC makes suggestions, but the decisions on who to interview ultimately rest with the department supervisor. After interviews, the interviews are scored, references are called, IC again converses about who to hire, but the decision ultimately rests with Supervisor.
Think about the last candidate who really wowed you, on paper, in an interview, or otherwise. Why were they so impressive?
Their genuine enthusiasm. They asked questions about what we do and how they would fit into that. Asked if we would be open to trying new programs we haven’t tried before, and just generally were really excited about what we have to offer and how it would fit with what they have to offer.
Do you have any instant dealbreakers?
Answering phones, interrupting, Saying they wouldn’t help find information they might find objectionable
How many pages should each of these documents be?
Cover Letter: √ Only One!
Resume: √ Only One!
CV: √ We don’t ask for this
What is the most common mistake that people make in an interview?
Dial back their enthusiasm
Do you conduct virtual interviews? What do job hunters need to know about shining in this setting?
We aren’t currently, but we have. I think that just letting their enthusiasm shine through is so important. They have the interview because we already are convinced of their qualifications. We wouldn’t be interviewing them if we didn’t think they could do the job.
How can candidates looking to transition from paraprofessional work, from non-library work, or between library types convince you that their experience is relevant? Or do you have other advice for folks in this kind of situation?
Customer service, both internal and external, is the most important skill in this job. Be thoughtful about the answers to those questions.
When does your organization *first* mention salary information?
√ We only discuss after we’ve made an offer
What does your organization do to reduce bias in hiring? What are the contexts in which discrimination still exists in this process?
I *think* the scoring of the interview might possibly do something for this, but I wonder if it really is biased toward folks with more privileged educational opportunities.
What questions should candidates ask you? What is important for them to know about your organization and the position you are hiring for?
What are we doing to help underserved populations in our communities? This is a thing I am always looking for. I wish they would ask what the job is like day-to-day.
Additional Demographics
What part of the world are you in?
√ Midwestern US
What’s your region like?
√ Suburban
Is your workplace remote/virtual?
√ Never or not anymore
How many staff members are at your organization?
√ 101-200
Author’s note: Hey, thanks for reading! If you like reading, why not try commenting or sharing? Or are you somebody who hires Library, Archives or other LIS workers? Please consider giving your own opinion byfilling out the survey here.
√ Employees at the position’s same level (on a panel or otherwise)
Which of the following does your organization regularly require of candidates?
√ Online application
√ References
√ Demonstration (teaching, storytime, etc)
√ More than one round of interviews
Does your organization use automated application screening?
√ Yes
Briefly describe the hiring process at your organization and your role in it:
All of our applications are coordinated through governmentjobs.com.
1) Initial screening: HR does the initial screening based on the requirements of the position and the application filled out via governmentjobs.com.
2) Reviewing applications: All librarians have a log in to governmentjobs.com and we evaluate all applicants that passed HR’s initial screening. We then send our top 5 (give or take) applicants to our department head.
3) Department head selects the final list of applicants and schedules a phone interview.
If the job posting is for a PT person in the department, the Dept Head usually has one librarian with her doing the phone interviews and in-person interviews. If the posting is for a librarian-level position, she tries to have all librarians in the department available for phone and in-person interview.
4) After phone interview, hiring committee selects who they want for in-person/Zoom (if they don’t live within a reasonable distance)
5) After in-person interviews, the person is selected.
Our city HR department then takes over again to notify the selected candidate.
Whenever applicants call/visit the library to check in on their application status, we refer them to our City HR. The Library does not respond to these requests.
Think about the last candidate who really wowed you, on paper, in an interview, or otherwise. Why were they so impressive?
They took the time to look specifically at our library. They made mention of upcoming or recent programs, they read Library Board Minutes, when asked questions about ‘Why do you want to work here’ they had specific reasons for wanting to work at our library. It’s amazing the number of people we interview who I don’t think have even visited our library’s website to learn more about us.
Well thought out and detailed responses. We ask very basic questions relating to customer service and past experiences. Having specific examples is the best. Generic answers are not helpful.
Do you have any instant dealbreakers?
Applicants who speak very negatively about their current or past employer. I understand there’s a reason you want to leave, but you can answer questions without basically trash talking about current/previous jobs. Also, this makes me wonder what you’d say about me/my library in the future.
Being overly negative in general.
Not having any questions at the end.
What do you wish you could know about candidates that isn’t generally revealed in the hiring process?
Willingness to learn. Our staff is learning all the time…new resources that come out, staying updated with technology changes, it can be hard to tell if they will actually be comfortable with constantly learning.
If they will be responsive to our community. We don’t have any questions related to this, so this is our fault. But I want to know if a librarian coming in will be looking at our demographics, looking at our community needs assessment and really create programming and services for our specific communities, not just what they are interested in.
How many pages should each of these documents be?
Cover Letter: √ Only One!
Resume: √ Two is ok, but no more
CV: √ We don’t ask for this
What is the most common mistake that people make in an interview?
Not having any questions at the end of the interview for the hiring committee. Not researching our library ahead of time if they have never visited.
Do you conduct virtual interviews? What do job hunters need to know about shining in this setting?
Yes. A microphone that works well and a stable connection to the internet. It is difficult to shine with garbled sound.
How can candidates looking to transition from paraprofessional work, from non-library work, or between library types convince you that their experience is relevant? Or do you have other advice for folks in this kind of situation?
I already value other types of experience. I think that library staff and librarians should reflect the community and bring a variety of experiences to our library. I would highlight any experience you have working with difficult customers. How you are able to problem-solve. I can teach you how to use our library catalog and how to use our library equipment, it’s harder to teach people how to engage well with residents.
Also, are there any experiences in your personal life you can pull from, if you don’t think you have relevant professional experience? Do you manage budgets for your house? Do you coordinate family/friend outings and experiences? That shows me you can research different offerings, make decisions, and coordinate logistics.
When does your organization *first* mention salary information?
√ It’s part of the job ad
What does your organization do to reduce bias in hiring? What are the contexts in which discrimination still exists in this process?
The city recently deleted applicants’ names and names of their colleges from applications so the hiring committee cannot be biased by names or reputation of the college.
My department prefers to hire staff that have previous library experience or students currently in library school and in my opinion, that greatly reduces the number of well-qualified applicants. I have tried to talk with coworkers and managers about that, but there’s only so much I can do when I am not the manager.
What questions should candidates ask you? What is important for them to know about your organization and the position you are hiring for?
Ask me if there are any upcoming projects/programs/initiatives that were not in the job description but that this person would be responsible for or expected to be a part of.
Ask me what are the challenges working in this department and this library.
Ask me what advice I would give to the person coming in to this position.
Ask why this current position is vacant.
Ask about management styles.
Ask about the culture of our department. Is it more team-based or individual-based?
Additional Demographics
What part of the world are you in?
√ Other: Texas 😛
What’s your region like?
√ Urban
√ Suburban
Is your workplace remote/virtual?
√ Never or not anymore
How many staff members are at your organization?
√ 51-100
Author’s note: Hey, thanks for reading! If you like reading, why not try commenting or sharing? Or are you somebody who hires Library, Archives or other LIS workers? Please consider giving your own opinion byfilling out the survey here.
Today I am pleased to share a job board that reaches beyond libraries and archives. While you can visit the site anytime, they also send a weekly digest that includes a short note featuring a resource or item of interest. They’re friendly and responsive to feedback – I recommend checking it out!
What is it? Please give us your elevator speech!
The CLIR (Council on Library and Information Resources) and DLF (Digital Library Federation) Job Board is a place for job seekers in the galleries, libraries, archives, and museums (GLAM) fields to find current positions posted by CLIR sponsors, DLF members, and non-member organizations. Listings are active for 60 days and require minimum salary to be included. Each week, a job board digest is sent out with the latest listings to digest subscribers. When requested by an employer, we actively promote listings on CLIR and DLF social media.
When was it started? Why was it started?
The DLF Jobs Board began in 2011 when the DLF staff began posting positions on the DLF blog. In 2015, an email digest of current positions on the board started going out to subscribers. In July 2016, the standalone site – jobs.diglib.org – was started and DLF member institutions could post unlimited jobs for free. During this time, CLIR also had a similar job message board titled “Jobs Connect,” which provided job posting services for CLIR sponsors.
In 2019, the DLF Jobs Board and CLIR’s Jobs Connect combined to become the “CLIR+DLF Jobs Board,” allowing DLF members, CLIR sponsors, and other non-member organizations to post jobs in one location.
In 2020, the board was renamed the “CLIR and DLF Job Board.” Another important change that year was the requirement that all jobs posted specify a minimum salary amount or range. In July 2022, a resource section was added to help job hunters consider issues of cost of living, social issues, and civil rights access as they looked for a new position.
Who runs it?
The job board is run by CLIR and its Digital Library Federation program. The job board is administered by a CLIR staffer (that’s me!), who reviews and approves each job as they are submitted by employers. I also handle any technical issues or problems with payments, when they occur.
Are you a “career expert”? What are your qualifications?
I am not a GLAM career expert, but I have worked in libraries, museums, and IT recruiting, and I am fortunate to be surrounded by colleagues at CLIR and DLF who have extensive experience in the fields.
Who is your target audience?
Our current audiences are employers and job seekers in the GLAM and MLIS fields. Most of our sponsors and members are in higher education, but I would like to reach out to organizations of all types that hire people in the GLAM fields.
What’s the best way to use your site? Should users consult it daily? Or as needed? Should they already know what they need help with, or can they just noodle around?
I hope that using the job board is straightforward, and I recommend checking periodically during the week. Job postings are lighter during the summer months, so checking more regularly starting in the fall is a good idea.
I am always interested in hearing from job board users! During the pandemic, we made a change in how long jobs were listed, thanks to a user who wrote and shared how depressing it was to see so many job links on the board, but to have most be dead links or jobs that were no longer taking applications. My colleagues and I agreed, and decided that jobs would be active for 60 days unless requested by employers to go longer.
Does your site provide:
√ Job Listings
√ Links
Should readers also look for you on social media? Or is your content available in other formats?
CLIR sponsors and DLF members are able to post unlimited jobs for free. Non-sponsor or member organizations are able to post jobs for $200 per job.
What are your standards for job listings (e.g., must include salary)?
We do not post or publicize unpaid positions or internships. We also require employers to include a minimum salary amount and support fair employment practices. I review every job posted to be certain it is a real position and meets our listing requirements.
Can you share any stories about job hunters that found positions after using your site?
I would love to hear from job board users! I often hear kind messages from job board digest readers about my introduction to each digest, which I greatly appreciate. It would make my day to hear from someone who found their next position using the job board.
Anything else you’d like to share with my readers about your site in particular, or about library hiring/job hunting in general?
There is a lot of information about the GLAM fields online, sometimes positive and helpful, sometimes negative and discouraging. My goal with the job board and the digest is to provide links to jobs and information about professional development opportunities through CLIR and DLF, with a dash of care and hopefulness.
Hiring Librarians 