Let’s Look Into Our Crystal Ball!

How are libraries, and the services they provide, adapting to all of the technological changes facing them?  What will the future look like for libraries considering the increased availability and use of mobile devices (along with the World Wide Web)?  One thing is for sure, librarians or information professionals (and the skill sets they possess) will be needed more than ever.  Here is a great infographic (courtesy of LibraryScienceList.com) that might just shed some light on this topic.

Source:LibraryScienceList.com

The Value of Librarians!

Here’s a great infographic that shows the value of your local librarian. Happy Friday! Enjoy!

Time Waits for No One!

Five years ago today, after a twenty-five year career, I retired from the Tulsa Police Department!  Wow, how time flies!  And I’m sure the next five years will fly by equally fast.  Of course I’m now pursuing another career (librarianship) . . . and who knows how long I’ll stay with this one.  But I’m still fairly young (early 50s) and I’m certainly not ready to really quit working completely just yet; I’ve probably got somewhere between 15 and 20 years left in me.  I’m your typical Type-A, workaholic personality — I’ve just got to keep busy doing something.

Here’s an article on the seven keys to retiring happy (by Chuck Joyner).

1.  Have a plan (I did, and I’m executing it to perfection).
2. Have interests NOT related to your law enforcement job (I do).
3. Don’t take on a victime mentality (this is a tough one, but I’m getting better at it).
4. Never love anything that can’t love you back (i.e., the job or the organization — I don’t).
5. It’s okay to miss the people, but don’t miss the job (I do miss the people and stay in touch with a few).
6. Recognize the privilege of being a warrior (’twas the greatest job in the world and it was a privilege).
7. Don’t forget you’re a sheepdog and a warrior (I don’t, I’m ever vigilant).

For those of you still working, take these seven keys to heart and start your plan today, for your retirement will be here before you know it and I would hate for you to be unprepared!

And, if you are not sure if you are ready to retire from law enforcement yet, check out this article by Dave Smith.

Worst Master’s Degrees for Jobs?

Have you ever wondered just how valuable your Master’s degree really is?  Well, the wait is over thanks to Forbes.com.  They have compiled yet another one of their lists . . . and, “Library and Information Studies” landed near the bottom on the list (#25 out of 30).

To determine the worst master’s degrees, they looked at 30 popular degrees and mid-career salaries, as provided by Payscale.com. Then they looked at Bureau of Labor Statistics data, to see how fast employment was expected to increase over the next decade for popular jobs held by people with these degrees. Finally they considered the number of job openings based on expected replacement needs during the next 10 years.

30. Divinity.
29. English.
28. Education.
27. Counseling.
26. Fine Arts.
25. Library and Information Studies.
24. Psychology.
23. Social Work.
22. Accounting.
21. Speech Pathology.

Need Help With That Resume?

Have you found yourself out of work during this economic downturn?  Was your resume up-to-date?  I’m a firm believer in always having your resume up-to-date and ready to use (you just never know).  And, by having all of the data already collected it becomes much less onerous to merely “tweak” the resume for the specific job application at hand.   So many jobs now require online application; by having your resume ready -and up-to-date, you simply cut and paste the factual stuff and move on.  It’s quick and easy.

Here’s a great article on some of the rules that apply to resumes for those of you in the law enforcement field.  Of course, many of these “rules” will apply to everyone, regardless of the discipline. 

1.  Follow directions.
2.  Be detailed.
3.  Be truthful.
4. Check the facts.
5. Check spelling and grammar.
6. Don’t sweat the length.
7. Pick the font wisely.
8. Pay attention to the layout.
9. Use bullet point information.
10. Provide your name and contact information.

Courtesy of www.policelink.com (Dr. Richard Weinblatt)

More Rankings . . .

How about the “10 Best Jobs in America?”

How about the “10 Worst Jobs in America?”

How about the “Comprehensive Ranking of 200 Different Jobs?”

Pretty interesting indeed (librarians finished #43; police officers finished at #174 [just ahead of firefighters at #181] ).

Best Careers of 2009?

Yep, librarians (at least according to the U.S. News and World Reports article).

Check out the story here.

WAY COOL (but really no surprise to those of us already in the profession)!