Also, if you’re going to school in a region of the country that isn’t the one you plan to stay in, try networking with the local chapters of places you want to move to. I’ve been playing email tag with my chapter of SLA and Northwest Archives and they’ve been nothing but great at getting back to me.

I completely agree — volunteering is an excellent way to supplement your library school studies, and as you noted, experience is crucial.

I also agree with blogging — I’ve only recently started blogging, but already I’ve connected with other professionals and library school students, and I’ve found that I think more critically about library issues when I blog about them.

As for involvement in professional and student associations, while it’s not more important than actual library experience, I think it offers great opportunities for both leadership experience and networking. That’s why I think that library school students can’t afford to let those kind of opportunities pass by — it lets them stand out in another way.

Thank you for dropping by, and for your very helpful comment!

I want to echo your comments about volunteering – I think many library students neglect this possibility – certainly from what I have seen at the local library schools. The internship, by itself, just doesn’t cut it. All library jobs require some form of significant experience – and I think the internship provides scant experience for many job requirements. Doing anything to make yourself stand out and above the other applicants is key.

Actively examining the profession, your ideas, and overall trends is key as well – and then sharing them in a blog is very important. And, while I think involvement in associations is important, I don’t think it is as important as “getting your hands dirty” volunteering or doing part-time work in a library.