'Thinking Outside the Box' as an Information Professional

I was honored to speak at a recent SLA (Special Libraries Association) meeting called “Thinking Outside the Box: Exploring Alternate Careers.” I spoke about the importance of being a writer, curator, and teacher as you pursue your career as a librarian or information professional. I also told the audience that librarians add value to their work and develop career satisfaction by analyzing and helping patrons make context of the information they present, rather than just handing over that information. On a practical level, I've been fortunate to develop my career in a few directions. This is important for the obvious reason that careers and companies change constantly. 

I also recommend contributing to a professional or nonprofit association early in your career and throughout your career. The meeting co-sponsors, the SLA's New Jersey and New Jersey - Greater Princeton/Trenton Chapters, are good choices for info pros in the Garden State. 


The other four speakers on the panel (Margaret Bennett, Joan Keegan, Amy Silvers, and Joanna Wojciechowski) presented interesting and inspiring messages about how they developed and redeveloped their careers. Read more about the event in Barbara Burton's blog entry.