WebJunction

Recently, I had an opportunity to speak with WebJunction's Executive Director, Marilyn Mason, about her career in libraries. I found it revealing, and, upon reflection, very important that the first word Marilyn used when reflecting on her career path was "fun."  As Marilyn continued this thought, she noted that she has only taken positions she was strongly interested in and challenged by--together, these elements ensured that her overall experience in each position was fun. Our conversation continued in this vein, and at the end, I compiled a number of tips that I know will help me as new librarian.  They seem so valuable, in fact, that they merit sharing with a broader audience:

• Networking is important.  It's important to make connections with people who are established in the field and your peers.  Marilyn noted that the people who were on first committee she served on at ALA, the (then) newly formed Social Responsibility Roundtable, are peers that have been important connections throughout the rest of her career.  
• Just ask.  Each time Marilyn took on a new library directorship, she made appointments to meet each elected official in the city, business leaders, other public officials, and the press.  These connections were invaluable to her success in the positions.  When asked how she approached these officials, Marilyn said, "I just asked--people will rarely turn you down, and if they do, they're probably not individuals you need to spend time cultivating relationships with anyway."
• Participate in professional associations.  This goes back to Marilyn's experience on the Social Responsibility Roundtable--her experiences with ALA have allowed her to make change in the field while networking with her peers.
• Publish.  After the first 4-5 years of her career, Marilyn was often hired for something she'd done outside of her job, or articles she'd written.  "Your work experience will get you in the door, but it's often something else that will get you the job."
• Desire to make change.  Marilyn noted that this desire has been an internal motivator for her and that she's seen it in many other leaders she's worked with.  It's evident that this has been a pervasive part of her career, from her involvement with ALA's first Social Responsibility Roundtable, to her acknowledgement that she actively seeks positions that allow her to make broad changes in an organization, rather than maintaining the status quo. 
• Take risks.  For Marilyn, this relates to her comment about positions being fun. The jobs she's taken have been challenging and not without risk, particularly financial.  New projects were often only funded for a year--it was up to her to find funding to keep the project (and her position) open much longer.