JPL Summer Internship - Library Technician

There are actually two different positions at JPL. The first one that was posted was geared to folks with a BA/BS degree and current library classes. Some folks in the program will qualify for that position.

This particular student internship is for library technician level workers. From the website:

As a Summer Intern in the Library, Archives, & Records Section, will review and select Cassini material of interest to the public from websites and news releases as well as from project personnel. Under supervision, prepare and organize the material per the Planetary Data System (PDS) standards, verify the content of the archive with assistance from PDS personnel, and deliver it to the PDS. Will input data using a variety of applications. Assist with photocopying, scanning, and digitization projects. Perform other clerical duties in support of records, archives, and library activities.

Required Skills:
College level student currently enrolled in an accredited university with a minimum GPA of 3.0. Coursework in history, IT, or library science or related discipline. Interest in archives, records management and information architecture. Excellent computer-based skills. Familiarity with computer applications such as Word and Excel. Must possess good judgment. Ability to perform tasks with a high level of detail accurately and completely. Excellent oral and written communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills. Ability to work effectively in team environment.

Specific Job Information:

Date Posted: 5/27/08
Job Code: N401
Category: College Internships
Job Family: Student Support
Requisition Number: 7636

JPL Summer Internship - Librarian

This one is very cool folks - it is a summer internship position at the Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena. This is an extract from the JPL website:

As a Summer Intern in the Library, Archives, & Records Section, will review and select Cassini material of interest to the public from websites and news releases as well as from project personnel. Under supervision, prepare and organize the material per the Planetary Data System (PDS) standards, verify the content of the archive with assistance from PDS personnel, and deliver it to the PDS. Will input data using a variety of applications. Assist with photocopying, scanning, and digitization projects. Perform other clerical duties in support of records, archives, and library activities.

Required Skills:

BA/BS degree with 0-5 years experience. Current enrollment in library, archives, or records graduate program. Minimum 3.0 GPA. Excellent computer-based skills and good judgment. Good oral and written communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills. Interest in archives and/or records management. Ability to work effectively in team environment.

Desired Skills: Knowledge of information architecture and retrieval practices, records retention and archival practices. Familiarity with the Cassini mission and with the Planetary Data System (PDS) standards. Experience with and understanding of electronic document management systems.

If you are interested you can submit your resume at the career section of the JPL website.

Specific Job Info:
Date Posted: 5/27/08
Job Code: N401
Category: College Internships
Job Family: Student Support
Requisition Number: 7636

Who's That Girl?

Dipping my toes in here, I'm a student in the PCC Library Tech program currently in my second semester. Come follow my adventures as you get to know....

Who's that girl? No, I'm not referring to that old 80's movie with Madonna. I'm pondering that's what the students in the library are thinking who turn twice or more to figure out what the heck I'm doing as I walk up and down the aisles in the PCC Shatford Library. As a new addition to the Library Task Force, one of my duties is to do book pick-up a few times a week. Some days, I pick up over 100 items that have been left around the library; other days, it's less than half that.

Anyhow, the first question of who I am is easily answered as they see my badge hanging from my neck. But what am I doing is the real question. I'm sure a lot of them think I'm some kind of library police attempting to look over their shoulders and see what they're doing, whether they're just studying or if they have a laptop set up. As tempting as it might be sometimes to see what the moving images on one's laptop are, I do not try to see what they're viewing. There is the issue of pivacy and that's not what I'm there to do. If students don't see me picking things up, they seem to remain puzzled in what my quest is as I walk through the library. Sometimes, I want to just want to say, "I'm just doing book pick-up," so they won't continuously wonder.

Last week, I came across two students studying in one of the study rooms that I'd seen before. The first time I saw them, I guess the girl may have been talking kind of loud and the guy told her, Shhh, when he spotted me. I watched him point to me from the other side of the window as he said that she was talking too loud, apparently thinking that's why I was peeking in the study room. But I was merely just looking in to see if there were any unused materials laying around in there. This time, they recognized me as they smiled and waved at me. I smiled and waved back and continued on with my task. I'm sure they still don't know why I glance into the room but I felt like I had made two new friendly acquaintances if nothing else which is one thing I love about my job. So till tomorrow as your friendly student library page is on her search once again for materials left around the library.

Citricon - Library Defender

From the other OC in Orlando, Florida comes Citricon: Library Defender. This is a video game that you can play online at the Orange County (Orlando) Library System.



The game is simple. Space Aliens have absconded with items from the library. Your job? Get them back without getting yourself whacked in the process. All you need is a keyboard and some time to waste, preferable on the job (library employers please disregard that last sentence).

Oh and perhaps an updated copy of Flash installed on your browser. Ready to save the printed word? Visit http://www.ocls.info/citricon

Job Search Links for Library Technician/Associates

It is almost graduation time so it is never too early to take a closer look at the employment resources that were provided at the Job Search and Mock Interview session. If you didn't get the opportunity to attend here are some of those resources.

Special Libraries Association is a mix of Library and Library worker position throughout the United States. You can view a list of job opportunities but you must register in order to view the details. You don't have to be a member but there is a student membership that would allow you access to a variety of benefits.

EdJoin.org give you an easy way to look for employment opportunity with the various school districts in California. On the date of this post I found 32 current library positions with many of them requesting library technician skills. Definitely a resource to keep an eye on.

Along the same line is the California School Library Association Job Hotline where you can view listing for California library work or nationwide. On the day that I visited these were librarian specific listings.

Check these listing out on a regular basis even if you are not currently looking for employment. It will give you a good sense of what the market is looking for, what the current wages are for certain types of work and it will give you clues on how to prepare your resume.

LACCD Library Tech Job Opening

Thanks to Jose Guzman for the job tip of the day. The Los Angeles Community College District has a library technician job opening. If you are interested in it you better step on it. The closing date is May 30, 2008. From the website:

General Job Description
Performs specialized clerical and technical duties in one or more of the functional areas of acquisition, circulation, periodicals, or cataloging in a library or learning resources center.

Eduction and Experience:

• Graduation from high school or its equivalent and two years of library clerical experience or
  
• Successful completion of three core courses in library media technology, and one year of library clerical experience or
• Successful completion of six core courses in library media technology.
  

Knowledges, Skills, and Abilities Required:

• Technical library resources including catalogs, indexes, and bibliographies
• Technical procedures for the acquisition of library and media materials
• Technical procedures involved in the cataloging and classifying of library and media materials using MARC format
• Technical procedures involved in the circulation of library and media materials
• Library classification systems
• Organization and use of records and files
• Basic computer operations
• Public service techniques for public contact in person and on the telephone
  

Distinguishing Characteristics:

A Library Technician performs specialized clerical and technical duties in one or more of the functional areas of acquisition, circulation, periodicals, or cataloging in a library or learning resources center.

A Library Assistant performs clerical duties which include circulation work; preparing new acquisitions; mailing overdue notices and billing letters; typing of bibliographies, correspondence, purchase orders and requisitions; filing; and operating various library equipment.

Minimum Salary (Monthly): $3,153.40 Maximum Salary (Monthly): $3,906.50 (and don't forget those benefits folks!)

If you are interested visit the LACCD website to begin the application process. Applicants may also request an application be mailed to them by calling 213-891-2129 or sending e-mail to: class_jobs@email.laccd.edu.

COMPLETED APPLICATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED via our ONLINE EMPLOYMENT SYSTEM or SUBMITTED to the Office of the Personnel Commission, LACCD, 770 Wilshire Blvd., L.A. 90017. Completed applications will not be accepted at any other location and must be received in our office by the application deadline noted under each job listed.

Zotero - Reference Manager for Your Browser

Oh the joy, the rapture. I would have paid for it if I had know where to find it. Zotero, where have you been all my life? I learned about this little beauty from the InfoLit ListServ and I have plugged it in for immediate use.

Zotero is a reference manager add-in for Firefox, Netscape and Flock browsers. Yes, you Microsoft Internet Explorer folks are temporarily locked out of this goody. You add the plug in to your browser and then re-start.

You will be able to cite all kinds of material from just about anyway you travel on or off the Net. Books from WorldCat, MP3 and podcast, presentations, webcasts, journals, articles and more. You can copy and past your reference notes and export what you need as a RTF, HTML or even paper format. It is the merger of the best of the old reference techniques and new information management in one package.

All this and it is free.  Free and well documented. There is a demo on the front page that give an overview of the product. There is also a page of screencast tutorials that show you the basic function of how to use Zotero.

After losing all of my bookmarks/favorites not to mention the daily research I do just snooping around the Internet I needed a better way to log my travels. It is becoming increasingly important that we all have to start documenting our sources and find what we need quickly.  Not just for library staff but bloggers, writers, journalists or others who transfer thoughts to a fixed format.

I'm giving it a test run and if there are hick-ups I'll let you know but so far it is quarter past slick.

I feel you pain Mircrosofties so I'll see if I can find an equivalent product for you I.E. folks.

Award Celebration and Ice Cream Social

Set the day, May 13, 2008 at 12:15pm to celebrate. In case you haven't heard, The Shatford Library is the proud winner of the 2008 Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) Excellence in Academic Libraries Award.

This national award recognizes the accomplishments of librarians and other library staff as they come together as members of a team to support the mission of Pasadena City College.

So ditch the diet and stop by the library for celebration and ice cream libation. And if you have a bit of time on your hands could you help out and volunteer for ice cream scooping duty? The library needs four volunteers to help dish out the good kind of Rocky Road (not saying that there will be Rocky Road ice cream but one can think positive).

If you can help out please contact Mrs. Kim and she'll get you set up for the ceremony.

Cataloging SOS - Cataloging Reference Books

AACR2 is many things but easy reading it is not. It is not too late to find more humane help in understanding cataloging and classification.

Libraries Unlimited has a number of books and workbooks on cataloging/classification.

I think this was the one that we flipped through at the California Library Convention in Long Beach.

Closer to home, Cataloging & Classification for Library Technicians is on the third floor of the library - 025.3 K 4, 2001 or if somebody beats you to it you can order at Amazon.com

Descriptive Cataloging, this one will be good for both 105A and 105B You can find it at Amazon.com or Powell's Books

Remember, if you are short on cash don't hesitate to do the WorldCat thing, somebody, somewhere has got these books.

Cataloging SOS - Tag of the Month Club

Yes indeed, it is that time of year when Library 105 students go into a cold sweat. Ten or more weeks of cataloging goodness will do that to you. It is not just learning how to write and understand the concepts of MARC, it is that pesky punctuation that just kills the majority of the class.

I know, one doggone period in the wrong place and boom, there goes your grade. No worries. There is help. Check out Follett Software Company's Tag of the Month.

It goes into a description of what the tag is, the reason for the tag and most important how to punctuate the sucker.

Now if there is a discrepancy between what the Tag of the Month suggests and what Dawn says the punctuation of the tag is don't be a dope, go with Dawn! But at least this will help you to understand the syntax of the tag in question. Don't forget about spacing, that counts too but this will help you remember what goes where and why.

Background Information for Non-Library Folks

For those visiting from other parts of the blogosphere we ask for your sympathy and good wishes for every library cataloging student in the world. There is a whole bunch of technical stuff that happens long before you get your hot little hands on a book or library material.

One of the skills those of us who are interested in library work have to know (or should know) is Machine-Readable Cataloging or MARC. It is a process where the material, let say a book is described by a number of data points such as the name of the author, the type of material, its physical dimensions (if any) the publisher and a bunch of other stuff.

All of this happens in the background so when you step up to the terminal or log on from home you put in what you know about a book and bada-bing, you get results based on your search request.

There is no artificial intelligence at work - this is organic human brain power generated data. Why? Because every book, DVD, CD, Sheet Music, photograph, mp3 file, video or other materials is unique. Way too many variables for a (current) software program to account for automatic entry. The picture above is showing an example of a MARC 300 tag which defines a material by its physical description depending on what kind of object it is. .