Recruitment and Retention

 

Encourage students to consider careers in libraries.

 

Practical Ideas to Implement

• Encourage students to look at library careers as an occupation option. Refer them to www.rose.edu/lrc/careers/index.asp. Link to this page.





• A hat display, representing many kinds of library careers, is available. To have volunteer models show off a variety of library profession options, you can use this script for Librarian Models show. Contact ssaulmon@rose.edu for scheduling the hat display in Oklahoma. 


 
• Contact your school counselor and let them know about the exciting possibilities of being an information specialist. ALA has brochures available with information at the ALA Office of Human Resource Development and Recruitment --  http://www.ala.org/hrdr/.



• Recommend that middle-schoolers apply for the Information Matrix Camp -- http://www.rose.edu/careers/camp.asp.
  
  
• Utilize videos on library careers. (OLA has purchased two videos about library careers. These may be interlibrary loaned through the Oklahoma Department of Libraries.)
  
  
  • Me? A Librarian? [videorecording] by the State Library of Ohio and Ohio Library Council; Committee on a Diverse Professional Workforce; Ohio Educational Library Media Association. 1 videocassette (10:00); 1/2 in. + 1 instructor video guide. Position yourself for success by considering becoming a librarian/information specialist. Young people present their ideas of librarians, and librarians discuss what they like about their jobs. For middle school and high school students.
    
  • Looking for Leaders In the Information Age. by the Ohio Library Council. 1 videocassette (10:00); 1/2 in. Young librarians introduce careers in libraries, explaining the advantages of being an information specialist. For college age students.
  
  

• Have a display on library careers. Here's some ideas you can use for presentations or bulletin boards to promote Library Careers.





• Link to the The A B C’s of Library Careers web page for library career job titles and links to further information. Notice the variety.


 


• Share positive stories about libraries with children. Here's a bibliography of books with positive library role models.

 


• Begin a Teen Friends of the Library group.
  
  
• Form a Youth Advisory Council or actively seek Teen Volunteers. Some school libraries have formalized student groups. Here's what some school media specialists reported recently on a listserv..."What Other School Libraries Are Doing."

   
• Contact your school counselor and let them know about the exciting possibilities of being an information specialist. ALA has brochures available with information at the ALA Office of Human Resource Development and Recruitment --  http://www.ala.org/hrdr/.



• Volunteer to participate in a career fair, sharing your enthusiasm about library careers. Free brochures are available from ALA at http://www.ala.org/hrdr/.
  
  
• Develop a Power Point presentation on library careers. Here's some ideas--Library Careers.
  
  
• Make learning about the library and librarians fun. Here's a Library Game Show. (Prizes are always fun.)
  
  
• Publicize and talk every chance you get about the dedication and education of librarians. 
  
  
• Visit with academic counselors on library careers as a career field for students with a liberal arts background. Some fliers are available from ALA. Contact the person on this page.
  
  
• Integrate library careers into information literacy sessions. I usually do it when I discuss careers, i.e., Occupational Outlook Handbook or vocational databases.
  
  
• Encourage minority recruitment--targeting liberal arts students and letting them know about scholarships. The American Library Association has Spectrum scholarships for minority library school students. The Oklahoma Library Association has a Minority Conference Scholarship for paraprofessionals.
  
  
• Participate in the OU SLIS' mentoring/coaching program.
  
  
• Develop Job Shadow Day activities.
  

• Give information to students several times throughout the year about library careers.
  
  
• Make students, library support staff and scholarship winners feel welcome in the organization.
  
  
• Sponsor a career day (involving especially school counselors and gifted/talented students).
  

The Oklahoma Student Library Association was active for many years. A short outline of their activities is given.

Contact Sharon Saulmon, ssaulmon@rose.edu, with comments or questions.

Last updated Jan. 21, 2009