1. Networking for Success: Networking Tips to Help You in Your Library Career
Rebecca L. Mugridge
University of Pittsburgh
LIS Professional Development Day
March 28, 2009

2. Why address networking?
It’s not what you know, it’s who you know

3. What networking is NOT Using people to get what you want Superficial
Counting how many business cards you give away or collect

4. What networking IS Building relationships
Maintaining those relationships over time and distance
Identifying commonalities (and differences)
Helping others
Quality over quantity

5. What can networking help you do?
Get a job
Find a better job
Acquire funding for your library
Identify programs and speakers
Recruit librarians and other library staff
Identify research partners
Become active in professional organizations

6. Networks that we already have
Family
Friends
Alumni groups
Co-workers
Religious
Social organizations
Community groups

7. Public librarians interact with:
Patrons
Community groups
Potential donors
Government organizations
Grant-funding organizations
Board of trustees
Friends group
Professional committees
Other?

8. Academic librarians interact with:
Colleagues
Administrators
Library committees
University or college-level committees
State or national professional organization committees
Consortial groups
Potential donors
Student groups
Faculty groups
Grant-funding organizations

9. Graduate School
Build relationships with your professors and instructors
Build relationships with your fellow students
Apply for internships in your area(s) of interest
Volunteer for your graduate student organization

10. Graduate School, cont’d
Contribute to your school newsletter
Attend school events when possible
Join and become involved with student chapters of library associations
Keep in touch!

11. On the job Build relationships with your colleagues
Build relationships with administration
Don’t exclude non-librarians!
Attend library-wide events
Volunteer outside your area of expertise

12. On the job, cont’d Seek committee appointments (but not too many)
Seek public speaking opportunities
Volunteer to draft documents

13. Networking within your parent organization
Seek organization-wide volunteer opportunities
Seek committee appointments (but, again, not too many)
Attend organization-wide events

14. Mentoring relationships
Find a mentor
Meet regularly
Use your conversations to learn as much as possible about your organization
Keep in touch even if you move to another institution
Become a mentor yourself

15. Community Volunteer in the community
Seek ways to help community groups use the library to enhance their success
Encourage library use by community groups
Identify community groups whose mission might overlap with the library’s

16. Professional organizations
Think broadly when deciding which to join
Join regional or state library associations
Join local chapters of national library associations
Attend meetings of any or all groups that interest you
Speak to the chair if you’re interested in getting involved

17. Professional organizations, cont’d
Volunteer to serve at the division booths at conferences
Volunteer for leadership positions
Offer to present papers or moderate discussions
Attend membership meetings
Form a local chapter if one doesn’t yet exist

18. Research and Publication
Contact editors and publishers directly
The more you write, the more you will be asked to write
Everyone who reads your work becomes a part of your extended network

19. Social networking online
Facebook
MySpace
Twitter
Flickr

20. “Like any new behavior, the more you practice the skills of networking, the easier it gets.” Harvey Mackay Dig your well before you’re thirsty: the only networking book you’ll ever need.

21. For more information, please contact:
Rebecca L. Mugridge
Head, Cataloging and Metadata Services
Penn State University Libraries
126 Paterno Library
University Park PA 16802
phone:
fax: