It's old news that librarianship is changing as a profession, and we understand that library professionals need to change with it. But how? How do you learn to see yourself 5, 10, or 20 years down the line when we have no idea what's coming next spring? Learn from someone who has bootstrapped herself from a tech-nervous newbie to a code-savvy web librarian over the last 20 years, and brainstorm ways to evolve all your strengths, skills and interests into your next big thing.

2. Not a Geek
 Bachelors in Film and English
 Library Science concentration in Youth
Services and Public Libraries
 For fun:
 Technical theater
 Collage / assemblage
 Beadwork
 Live music / dancing
 Writing

3. Surrounded by Geeks
 My husband = sysadmin, network engineer, web
performance consultant
 My friends = every possible kind of geek
Osmosis is awesome

4. Web Services Librarian?
 1998 = Children’s Librarian
 2003 = Adult/Generalist Librarian
 2005 = EXISTENTIAL CAREER PANIC
 2006 = Internet Librarian Conference
 2009 = Branch Manager
 2010 = Web Services Librarian

5. Web Services Librarian
 Self-taught, entirely
 Need-to-know basis
 Build on what you know
 Play – push the buttons
 Become comfortable with discomfort
(In other words, exactly what we tell patrons)

6. Expect Change
 The days of staying in the same job / role forever are
long gone
 The Accidental… series
 What's the Alternative? Career Options for Librarians
and Info Pros by Rachel Singer Gordon

7. Stay Informed
 Social media – friends & colleagues
 Popular magazines & websites, pop culture sites
 Gizmodo, Engadget, CNet, Slashdot, Lifehacker, ZDNet,
Atlantic Cities, ThisIsColossal
 SXSW, TED / TEDx
 Major news sources: New York Times, BBC, CNN, Time, The
Economist Tech Quarterly

8. Stay Informed
Technical conferences – even if you don’t attend, skimming the
session topics will tell you what’s important / coming
 Tech: Consumer Electronics Show (CES) , Interop (general IT),
Macworld, Velocity (web optimization), Defcon (security),
NANOG (networks), LISA (sysadmin)
 Gaming conventions: E3, Gaming Developers Convention (GDC)
 thenextweb.com/entrepreneur/2014/01/04/10-must-attend-
tech-conferences-2014/

9. Don’t be afraid
of the tech

10. Even if you’re afraid
of the tech

11. We are more than our
fears

12. Be Realistic
Start with
current
strengths
& skills
Find directions
in which to
grow
Do the job,
push yourself
Don’t force
yourself to be
what you’re
not
Focus on your
strongest, most
passionate
interests
Stay aware of
what else is out
there

13. Be Realistic
 Sometimes, it’s a long slow slog
 Sometimes, you use controlled bursts of energy
 Sometimes, you need to just jump

14. Engage All of Your Interests
 What skills have you learned in non-work
environments that might be useful for your work?
 What information and resolution about the world
have you gotten from all of your interests?
 How can you bring all this to your career?

16. List!
 What is your current role at work?
 What do you enjoy most about it?
 What are your current interests, inside and
outside of work?
 What skills have these interests fostered?
 List at least 5 things that you’ve discovered
during this conference.
(Ideas, technologies, job titles, anything)

17. Interact!
 Pair up and exchange notes.
 Read the other person’s lists (to yourself).
 Does anything jump out at you – possible
future roles, or themes / patterns?
 Tell each other what you see. Any surprises?

18. Brainstorm!
 Based on your lists and your partner’s
feedback, what possibilities do you see?
 Pick one and list what you need to follow
up on it: training, research, money, time.
 Is it doable – if not now, then in the next
few years?

20. Thank you!
Jennifer Koerber
jennifer.koerber@gmail.com
Web Services Librarian
Boston Public Library
Librarian, Trainer, Presenter
www.jenniferkoerber.com/about/