Placement Center

Welcome to the ALA JobLIST Placement & Career Development Service!

For more than 55 years, the American Library Association's (ALA) Placement Service has provided opportunities for employers and job seekers to meet, network, and achieve success in reaching their employment goals. 

Designed to give employers and job seekers access to information on a year-round basis, ALA JobLIST is the official ALA job site. Resumes and job openings should be posted there.

Events and activities held in the ALA JobLIST Placement & Career Development Center are designed to help job seekers retool their skills, prepare for job searches, and connect with employers and others. They are intended for people at every stage of their careers--not just new graduates. Employers are encouraged to interact with job seekers at every level.


ALA JobLIST Placement Center

Upcoming Events

  • ALA 2023 Annual Conference
    Location: Chicago, IL
    Conference Dates: June 22 - 27, 2023
    For information on activities related to jobs and career development, continue to visit this page. You may also contact Beatrice Calvin at (800) 545-2433, ext. 4280.
    For information on the full ALA 2023 Annual Conference & Exhibition Virtual, visit the ALA  Conference site.

*Note: Our top priority is your health and safety as we prepare for the conference. We’re carefully tracking the latest health and safety guidelines for large group gatherings. The ALA JobLIST Placement & Career Development Center will follow ALL conference safety protocols required by the American Library Association. Before attending any activities in the Center, please review the posted Health and Safety Protocols when they become available.  

 

JobLIST Placement & Career Development Service Activities

Conference Accessibility

ALA works to make sure that your conference experience will be a pleasant and accessible one. Please visit the ALA Conference accessibility page (when available) for details regarding accessibility measures for those in need. You may also contact ALA Conference Services Accessibility by email at confaccess@ala.org, before May 1, 2023. 

Activities listed below will be held during the ALA 2023 Annual Conference in the JobLIST Placement & Career Development Center. The Center will be in McCormick Place West – Level 3 – Halls F1 & F2.

 

  • Career Coaching
    Saturday and Sunday, June 24th & 25th, 2023

    Recharge your career by meeting with a professional counselor who can guide you in strategizing for the next phase of your career, solving a problem in your current job situation, defining goals, getting unstuck and/or rejuvenating your career.  Or, perhaps you have been laid-off and need help determining your next move. Each one-on-one session is 20 minutes and completely confidential.

    If you have never experienced career counseling, or just haven't used this type of service in a long time, this is the perfect opportunity to introduce yourself or reacquaint yourself with a service that can be useful throughout your career. Take advantage of the opportunity to talk with a knowledgeable professional about your career concerns. This service is complimentary. Appointments may go quickly, so consider signing up in advance using the online sign-up form.

    Sign Up through Sign Up Genius

 

  • Mentoring-on-the-Fly

    Saturday, June 24, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon and
    Sunday, June 25, 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

    Are you looking for some guidance and advice related to your library career? If so, the ALA JobLIST Placement and Career Development Service will host short mentoring sessions. Mentors with experience in academic and public libraries will be available to offer suggestions and guidance to help you discover ways to advance in your library career. The service will be facilitated by the ACRL - University Libraries Section. You will have the opportunity to talk with an experienced librarian about various aspects of your career. Mentoring sessions are available by appointment. Walk-ins welcome.


  • Open House - Job Fair

    Sunday, June 25, 2023, 10:30am - 12:00pm

    Employers will be given the opportunity to talk with individuals about their institutions and available positions. Advanced signup is required for employers. Registration not required for job seekers. Employers who want to participate in the Open House/Job Fair, should submit an online participation form no later than Friday, May 26, 2023. There is no cost to participate. Active ad on JobLIST is required by start of the Annual Conference.  Contact Beatrice Calvin at 800/545-2433 ext. 4280 for more information.

    Participating employers will be listed on our Recruiters at Conference page.

    Job seekers and others interested in attending information sessions with the listed employers my join at any time.  Registration is NOT required for job seekers.


  • Photography Services

    Saturday and Sunday, 9:00 am - 5:00 p.m.

    Have a professional headshot photo taken and set of digital images created for use in job applications, social media, and other networking opportunities. Thanks to the generosity of ALA President, Lessa Kanani’opua Pelayo-Lozada, the service will be complimentary for the first 100 people. Nominal fee of $20 payable at time of service for those who are not one of the first 100. Walk-ins welcome. Advance sign-up is not required.


  • Resume Reviews

    If you need help getting your resume polished off, be sure to take advantage of this service.  Discover the best way to show your most recent accomplishments with an updated resume.  The resume critiquing service is provided by the ALA New Members Round Table Resume Review Committee. Walk-ins welcome. Visit the committee's webpage for details. 

  • Career Guidance Workshops

    Saturday, June 24, 9:00am - 10:00am

    10 Critical Strategies You Need in Your Job Search Today

    So… you’re ready to make a career change – maybe take on a different role in your organization, seek a promotion, find work in a different setting – or even change your career path altogether.  Great!  But before you launch into job search or promotion seeking mode, it’s a really good idea to make sure you understand and use the most effective job search strategies that will make you THE ideal candidate for your next career move.

    Come to this session to learn the most important steps you need to succeed in your job/career transition. Join us to learn how to answer these critical questions.

    Can you clearly articulate what type of job or career change you’re looking for?
    • Is your resume as up to date as it should be?
    • Do you understand how ATS can affect your search?
    • Are you networking in the best possible / most effective ways?
    • Do you have a plan for researching organizations and types of positions you’re interested in?
    • Do you have a strategy for follow-up?
    • How will you make yourself the most desirable candidate for the job?

    Presenter: Caitlin Williams
     

    Saturday, June 24, 11:00am - 12:00pm

    Interviewing Etiquette in the Post-COVID Era

    The presenter of this session will help guide you through the new rules of interviewing in a post-COVID world. Interviews are difficult for both you – the interviewee – and the employer, especially now that COVID-19 has modified long-standing practices. Attend this session for answers to your questions about what is expected and accepted during these times of job seeking and interviewing.


    Presenter: Adriane Alicea

     

    Saturday, June 24, 1:00pm - 2:00pm

    Building Blocks for Your Professional Reputation

    If authority is “constructed and contextual,” what steps can you take to build or augment your own professional reputation? In this session, you will think strategically about the expertise and authority you have already built or would like to develop–whether you are just starting out in the profession, changing course, or simply seeking to leverage what you already have. Topics will include creating and enhancing your online presence, increasing visibility through professional service, networking, publishing, and presenting, and developing collaborative relationships. In addition to these building blocks, we will discuss the important issues of time management, when and how to say “no” and the art of negotiation.

    Presenters: Susanne Markgren, Assistant Director of the Library for Technical Services, Manhattan College, Riverdale, NY and Linda Miles, Assistant Professor and Librarian, Hostos Community College – City University of New York

     

    Saturday, June 24, 2:30pm - 3:30pm

    Stress Management for Real Life

    Learn about the signs of stress and how they impact you physically and mentally. You will walk away with stress reduction techniques to use immediately. Leave feeling refreshed and prepared to meet challenges in healthier, more productive ways. We’ll go beyond the typical advice of doing yoga and watching funny movies. Learn about concepts that can be applied at home and work. We’ll also address what leaders and managers can do to help lower unhealthy stress levels in the workplace for yourself and for those you manage.

    Presenter: Bobbi Newman, Community Engagement and Outreach Specialist, Network of the National Library of Medicine, Region Six Office at Hardin Library for the Health Sciences, University of Iowa

     

    Sunday, June 25, 9:00am - 10:00am

    Ask HR

    Join us for an open dialogue with human resource professionals about what to expect in the current job market. Do you have questions about what employers expect of job candidates and new staff? Do you want to know how to make yourself shine above other candidates? Do you want advice from someone who does hiring in libraries? If you responded yes to any of these questions, then join us for an informal discussion/Q&A session where you can gain an insider's perspective on what employers really look for in job candidates. Come prepared to ask library human resource professionals your questions about the current hiring situation in libraries. Hiring managers from academic and public libraries will be available to answer your questions. Take advantage of this opportunity to get the real scope on what hiring managers expect from you. 

     

    Sunday, June 25, 1:00pm - 2:00pm

    Library Career Alternatives: How to Market Your Transferable Skills to Get Your Next Job

    The librarian, or information professional skill set is highly transferable and applicable in the rapidly changing information job market. There are many opportunities across industries that allow library workers to utilize their skills in non-traditional library careers — not just in academic, public, or school libraries. You probably already know that any company that deals with information has a need for information professionals (whether they realize it or not). Join us as we discuss ways you can expand your job search and discover the variety of employment options available to you. You don’t have to feel stuck in your current role. You have the necessary skills and knowledge required to work in libraries. Why not use this to your advantage and transition to a position that may be outside of the world of libraries? The greatest strategy for career success may be using what you already know in an environment that perhaps you are not familiar with. You can leave the session with tools to help you feel empowered to land your next rewarding position.

    Presenter: Rachael Altman

     

    Sunday, June 25, 2:30pm - 3:30pm 

    Self-Care During Stressful Times

    Self-care is more than bubble baths, yoga, and meditation. Let’s talk about ways to incorporate self-care that could work for you specifically. We will discuss holistic ways to manage our wellbeing so that we avoid burnout. The discussion will focus on practices designed to care for the body and mind in ways that can get us through stressful times.

    Presenter: Bobbi Newman, Community Engagement and Outreach Specialist, Network of the National Library of Medicine, Region Six Office at Hardin Library for the Health Sciences, University of Iowa

     

    Employers

    Employers who want a recruitment booth on site in the Placement Center should complete the Booth reservation form and email it to the Placement & Career Development Center's manager, Beatrice Calvin. The cost of a booth is $625.00. Please review the Booth Reservation form for information on what is included in this fee.

    We are planning on holding an Open House in the Placement Center on Sunday morning. Representatives from various library and library-related companies will have an opportunity to talk with conference attendees about work environments as well as activities in and around their institutions (i.e. sports, arts, music, community involvement, etc.).

    There is no cost to participate in the Open House. Employers interested in participating should complete the Open House Participation form . Active ad on JobLIST is required. Tables assigned on a first come basis until all available tables have been assigned. For more information, contact Beatrice at (800) 545-2433, ext. 4280.

    Employers who want to post job positions should register and post them on ALA JobLIST. Special discounts may be available for organizations participating in the face-to-face Placement Center; contact  Beatrice Calvin for more information.

    Employers with an active online ad on ALA JobLIST can also review resumes of registered job seekers with active profiles. Once your ad is active, you will have access to the résumés. To arrange interviews before and during the conference, employers can contact job seekers directly, if they have opted to include access to their personal contact information within their JobLIST profile or résumé.

    Employers who want to use the on-site interviewing facilities in the Placement Center must have an active ad on ALA JobLIST during the conference period.

    It is the employers' responsibility to reserve interview tables. Job seekers cannot do this. To reserve interview space, employers should first confirm the date and time of your interviews with candidates. Then sign-up for a table on the online form. You should be prepared to give the candidate's name along with the day and time of the interview. You may also go to the onsite Placement Center to get a table assignment.

    Employers who have a recruitment booth onsite in the Placement Center will not need to get table assignments. You can conduct interviews in your private interview space. You have control of your own scheduling.

    Employers who have contacted job seekers directly through ALA JobLIST (or chosen to include a link to it in their ads for job seekers to contact them) should login to JobLIST on a regular basis to check for messages in the period leading up to and including the conference.

    Employers who will be meeting with potential candidates in the Placement Center during the next ALA conference should be sure their JobLIST account information and communication settings are up to date.

    If you have questions, concerns, or need help, feel free to contact ALA JobLIST Placement & Career Development Center Manager, Beatrice Calvin at bcalvin@ala.org or (800) 545-2433 ext. 4280. 

    Job Seekers

    Job seekers should register and search for jobs on ALA JobLIST. All services are free to job seekers.

    Free registration on ALA JobLIST is not required to view job postings, but it can be to the job seeker's advantage to do so. Registration and activation of a free job seeker profile will give actively hiring employers access to your resume information. It will also allow for direct communication between you and the employer. If you see a position that you are interested in, you can contact the employer directly as they instruct in their ad.

    Be sure to visit our Recruiters at Conference page to see which employers will be interviewing during the conference.

    If you need help getting your résumé polished, stop by the Placement Center while you are at conference. The New Members Round Table provides résumé critiquing service to conference attendees. You will be able to sign up soon. The service is free.

    There will also be a number of free workshops on interviewing, résumés, cover letters, etc. at conferences. Go to the Conference Workshops page for the latest information.

    There are several podcasts which were developed specifically for library workers on the General Career Information page of our career resources section. Some are directly related to preparing for and making the most effective use of conferences as an active job seeker.

    You will also find numerous other resources on various job hunting topics on the Career Development Resources page.

    If you have questions, concerns, or need help feel free to contact ALA Placement Service Manager, Beatrice Calvin at bcalvin@ala.org or (800) 545-2433 ext. 4280.

    Related Links

    Career Coaching sign-up form

    Recruiters at Conference

     

    gold star image with a smiling face If you're interested in volunteering in the Center, contact Beatrice Calvin, the Placement Service Manager.

     

    revised June 8, 2023