ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries


C&RL News ■ February 1998 / 85

C o l l e g e  & R e s e a r c h  L i b r a r i e s

Tips for new librarians

What to know in the first year of a tenure-track position

by Priscilla K. Shontz and Jeffrey S. Bullington

I f you are just beginning a tenure track position, you may be wondering, “Where 
do I begin?” How do you plan your work 
and pursue activities that will help you pass 
a tenure review several years down the road? 
Although tenure requirements vary by insti­
tution, most reviews will focus on three ar­
eas: librarianship, service (professional in­
volvement), and scholarship (publication). 
As novice librarians, we offer the following 
tips for making the most o f your first year 
on the job.

Fam iliarize yourself 
w ith the tenure process
Ask your supervisor and colleagues to e x ­
plain your institution’s tenure process. What 
are the expectations? What criteria will be 
used to evaluate your progress and qualifi­
cations for receiving tenure? Expectations 
can differ from place to place. Publication 
may outw eigh service to the profession. 
Active professional involvement or the pur­
suit o f an additional degree may replace pub­
lication expectations. Do non-refereed jour­
nal or newsletter articles, coauthored articles, 
or book and product reviews count? Are you 
expected to be active in the ALA, or does 
other professional involvem ent count as 
heavily? Ask about librarians who have been 
denied tenure in the past. Are there pitfalls 
to avoid? Are there periodic reviews through­
out the process or a single review at the 
end o f the process?

Read your institution’s policy statement 
outlining the tenure process. Does the cam- 
pus-w ide ten u re p o licy  d iffer from the 
library’s? In the tenure process, you will be 
evaluated not only by colleagues in the li­
brary but also by a college or campus-wide 
committee. Talk to teaching faculty about 
their expectations and experiences. Attend 
informational meetings to learn more about 
the process.

Maintain a calendar of your accom plish­
ments and events. From day one, start a ten­
ure file. Include a copy o f the tenure policy, 
your own notes, and any supporting docu­
ments such as user aids, policy statements, 
memos, procedures, Web sites, etc. Keep 
thank-you notes that people send for things 
you do in your job.

Even if you do not use all the documents 
you keep, you will be glad you have them 
when you prepare your tenure docum enta­
tion. Save e-mail or electronic files; print 
them out to place in your tenure folder. 
Having all o f this information in one place 
will make it much easier for you to put to­
gether your dossier.

Learn your job w ell
Y o u r first priority, naturally, will be to 
learn the new jo b — your daily routines and 
resp on sibilities. It often takes a year or 
m ore to feel com fortable in your new sur­
roundings. You may feel overw helm ed by 
the variety or am ount o f work. Try setting

Priscilla K. Shontz is head o f access services and Jeffrey S. Buhtu ht tuobaroeAllington is social sciences librarian at Trinity University in San 
Antonio, Texas; e-mail: Pshontz@trinity.edu; jbulling@trinity.edu

mailto:Pshontz@trinity.edu
mailto:jbulling@trinity.edu


86 / C&RL News ■  February 1998

a sched u le to learn different duties. For e x ­
ample, a new reference librarian might fo­
cus on learning collection developm ent re­
s p o n s i b i l i t i e s  o n e  w e e k  a n d  lib r a r y  
instruction duties the next. Ask colleagues 
to orient you to their areas o f responsibili­
ties. Do not forget to ask classified staff to 
explain procedures or give background in­
formation.

Becom ing proficient at your new jo b is 
your single most important ongoing task. If 
you are not doing your job well or pulling 
your own weight, no amount o f publication 
or service will impress your colleagues at 
your tenure review.

Learn your organizational culture
Every w o rk p la c e  has a u n iq u e cu ltu re. 
Learn how  to fu nction effectiv ely  in your 
new environm ent. W atch how  other librar­
ians interact with each  other, the library 
director, the teach in g  faculty, and the ad­
m inistration. How do classified  staff m em ­
bers interact with librarians and the d irec­
tor? Is it a bu reau cratic organization with 
a strict hierarchy, or is it m ore egalitarian? 
W atch how m eetings are run and, m ore 
im portantly, how  d ecisio n s are m ade. D o 
tenured  librarians and library adm inistra­
tors treat you as a peer? Are you ab le to 
sp eak  out in m eetings, or are new  librar­
ians e x p e cte d  to observe? Are you given 
freedom  to chan ge procedures and try new 
ideas, or should you subm it all ideas to a 
su p ervisor for approval?

Use your first year to evaluate the work 
environm ent and decide how you fit into 
your new library. Being aware o f the library 
and campus political environments can help 
you get things done and maintain good re­
lationships with colleagues. Tenure is a p o ­
litical process. If your colleagues do not like 
your work style, they might be less inclined 
to evaluate you favorably.

Discuss your perform ance and 
progress w ith your supervisor
Talk with your supervisor regularly to keep 
him or her informed o f your activities and 
to discuss problems or ideas. Even if your 
institution does not require a formal annual 
evaluation, set up a specific time with your 
supervisor to discuss your perform ance and 
progress towards tenure.

Tenure is a political process. If 

your colleagues do not like your 

w ork style, th ey m ight be less 

inclined to evalu ate you 

favorably.

Ask tenured colleagues to assess your 
progress. Provide your reviewer with a sum­
mary o f your accomplishments for the past 
year; it is virtually impossible for your reviewer 
to know about all o f your work activities. Do 
not be afraid to ask for guidance and feed­
back. Request clarification of review com ­
ments, suggestions for improvement, and an 
assessment o f your progress towards tenure.

Seek out m entors
Seek guidance from exp erienced librarians 
or professionals. You could use a formal 
mentoring program such as the ALA-New 
Members Round T ab le’s Mentoring Program. 
An NMRT Mentor will m eet with you at the 
ALA Annual Conference, show you how to 
get the most from the conference, and may 
introduce you to other exp erienced librar­
ians.

You may ch o ose a less formal route for 
mentoring. Is there som eone in your orga­
nization with whom you “connect?” Som e­
one who gets things done? A m entor might 
be a library school professor, a supervisor, 
a colleague, som eone at another library, or 
a faculty m em ber at your institution. Find 
people w ho will encourage you and guide 
you. Talk with them when you have ques­
tions, ask them for their opinions, and thank 
them for their help. Maintain regular co n ­
tact with them (w ithout becom ing a nui­
san ce). Throughout your career you will 
need m entors, although those mentors will 
change with time. Rem em ber to m entor oth­
ers as you progress through your career.

Start netw orking
It is never too early to start making contacts 
with other library professionals, even while 
still in library school. Your fellow students, 
professors, and work supervisors will soon 
b eco m e your professional peers; keep in 
touch with these people. Visit local librar­



C&RL News ■  February 1998 87 / 

ies to m eet librarians, attend local, regiona
or state co n feren ces and go to co n feren c
social events. Carry business cards to han
out w hen appropriate. V olunteer for org
nizational activities. Contact authors o f a
ticles that particularly interest you. K ee
track o f your contacts and w ork at rem em
bering nam es and faces. T he library worl

Getting committee appointm ents 

can som etim es feel like job hunt­

ing all over again. Volunteer for 

anything that interests you—it 

doesn't hurt to try.

is sm aller than you think, and ch an ces ar
good that you will m eet that person again
W ho knows? He or she may be the key to 
p u b licatio n , a co m m ittee ap p oin tm en t, 
great job  lead, or a friendship.

Join professional, campus, 
and com m unity organizations
You are e x p e cte d  to take part in p rofes
sional organizations, cam pus com m ittees
and com m unity service activities. In addi
tion to joining organizations, you must als
dem onstrate active involvement. Althoug
it can be exp en sive, it is a good idea to joi
professional organizations such as the AL
your state library organization, or special or
ganizations such as the North American Se
rials Interest Group (NASIG). Som e institu
tions valu e n atio n al p ro fe ssio n a l serv ic
above local, university or comm unity ser
vice. Ask your colleagu es what types o f ser
vice count m ost heavily towards tenure, bu
do ch o o se activities that interest you.

G ettin g  co m m itte e  a p p o in tm e n ts ca
so m etim es feel like jo b  hunting all ove
again. Volunteer for anything that interest
you— it d o esn ’t hurt to try. B ecau se appoint
m ents can b e com p etitive, d escrib e you
interest in that particular com m ittee w he
you volunteer. This gives the app oin tin
m em ber m ore inform ation about your quali
fications for an appointm ent. In a large or
ganization such as the ALA, consider a divi
sion, section, or round table com m ittee
there are many com m ittees at these levels
all engaged in different m issions. The AL

l 
e 
d 
a­
r­
p 
­

d

e 
. 
a 
a 

­
, 
­

o 
h 
n 

A, 
­
­
­

e 
­
­
t 

n  
r 
s 
­
r 

n 
g 
­
­
­

—  
, 

A

Web page ( http://www.ala.org) has links to 
m any division, se ctio n , and round tab le 
hom e pages. Use this inform ation to iden­
tify com m ittees you would enjoy.

An ALA New Members Round Table com ­
m ittee or state NMRT com m ittee can be a 
fun, effective way to begin professional in­
volvement. As ALA NMRT’s mission is to help 
new ALA m em bers develop leadership skills, 
NMRT guarantees a com m ittee appointm ent 
to any volunteer. Chairing NMRT com m it­
tees gives you leadership exp erien ce and 
contacts that can help you get onto other 
ALA division or section com m ittees. Rem em ­
ber our netw orking advice? B ein g know n 
as “so m eo n e w ho gets things d o n e ” can be 
a great way to get the com m ittee app oint­
ment o f your dreams.

On your campus, find out what university 
com m ittees are available and volunteer to 
serve. This helps you meet people on cam­
pus and gives you the opportunity to pro­
mote a positive image o f your library to the 
rest o f the institution. Volunteer to help out 
with a pledge drive, graduation activities, and 
other events. Getting involved in student ac­
tivities or organizations can increase your vis­
ibility. Identify community service opportuni­
ties by asking your colleagues what activities 
they engage in or by contacting your local 
United Way chapter, public broadcasting sta­
tions, or local churches.

Keep up w ith professional 
literature and discussion lists
Set up a system to monitor trends in librarian­
ship. W hether you browse the current jour­
nals, read certain journals from cover to cover, 
or research specific subjects, it’s important to 
keep up with the current literature. In addi­
tion to reading literature about your specific 
job or interests, consider reading Th e  Chronicle 
o f  H igher E ducation  to keep up with general 
developments in higher education.

For electronic com m unications, subscribe 
to discussion lists that appeal to you. Look 
at ALA’s list o f d is c u s s io n  lists (http:// 
www.ala.org/lists.html) and ask colleagu es 
and other librarians what lists they monitor. 
Discussion lists can keep you informed about 
hot topics and in touch with fellow  librar­
ians w ho share your interests. Posting m es­
sages on a discussion list may also increase 
your nam e recognition.

http://www.ala.org
http://www.ala.org/lists.html


88 / C&RL News ■  February 1998

Develop research interests
During your first year, you may be too busy 
to write. Nevertheless, begin thinking about 
ideas for publication. Can you expand on a 
research idea from library school? Articles and 
lists you read or problems you notice may 
generate ideas. Consider researching one topic 
in depth to becom e an expert in that area. 
Discuss ideas with colleagues, mentors, and 
supervisors. They may provide helpful ideas 
or feedback. You may even find som eone to 
coauthor an article with you. O nce you have 
written an article for submission, let trusted 
colleagues proofread it. Ask them to suggest 
journals to which you could submit your ar­
ticle. Seek opportunities to present papers or 
poster sessions at professional meetings.

Plan or w rite  articles for non­
refereed publications
One way to begin publishing is to write a 
short article for a newsletter or a non-refereed 
journal. Investigate opportunities to cover ALA 
conference meetings, programs, or events for 
Cognotes or for section or roundtable news­
letters. Offer to write book reviews for jour­
nals. Compile bibliographies as you begin your

research. Such publications help get your name 
into print and give you a publication to list on 
your resumé. Some begin working on a spe­
cific topic in this way, and later develop the 
same topic into a more in-depth article for a 
refereed journal. Others may use this oppor­
tunity to refresh their research and writing abili­
ties as they begin thinking about publication.

Make the m ost of your first year
Don’t let the tenure review process overwhelm 
you. Use this time to plan and start your 
progress towards your final tenure review. 
Learning your new job, beginning your pro­
fessional involvement, and planning your pub­
lication ideas will put you well on your way 
towards a successful tenure track career.

A dditional reading:
Cubberley, Carol W., T en u re a n d  P r o m o ­
tion  f o r  A c a d e m ic  L ib ra ria n s: A G u id e b o o k  
with A d v ice a n d  Vignettes. (Jefferson, NC: 
McFarland & Company, 1996).

Park, Betsy and Robert Riggs, “Tenure 
and Promotion: A Study o f Practices by In­
stitutional T y p e ” J o u r n a l o f  A c a d e m ic  Li­
b r a r ia n s b ip  19:2 (1995): 72-77.



B u i l d  Y o u r  

L e a d e r s h i p  T o o l k i t !
An ACRL leadership Institute

Get the practical leadership skills needed for the next 
millennium. At this institute, you will develop a personal 
leadership toolkit of techniques, tactics, and strategies for:

*  negotiation/persuasion

*  implementing change

*  motivating and managing a team

*  making public presentations

*  running effective meetings

Plenary Presentations 
Robert Wedgeworth, University Librarian at the University of 
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, will look at leadership issues and 
what librarians should do to be successful leaders on campus.

Cliff Lynch, Director, Coalition for Networked Information, will 
address leadership roles for managing technology.

T o o lkit Presenters 
M ichael Butler, Executive Director, OHIONET
Margo Crist, Director of Libraries, University of Massachusetts
Elaine D idier, Director, Residential and Research University 

Programs, University of Michigan
Thomas M ichalak, Executive Director, Harvard Business 

School Library
Linda Wallace, Director, ALA’s Public Information Office

April 30-Mαy 1, 1998
The Tremont Hotel Boston 

cosponsored by ACRL's New England C hapter

Registration is $ 175 for ACRL and ACRL/New England C hapter members; 
$225 for ALA members, and $275 for nonmembers. To register, co m p le te  
the form available on the Web at http://w w w .ala.org/acrl/leadw eb3.htm l 
and send to  ACRL.

To reserve a room, c o n ta c t the Tremon† Hotel at: 800-331-9998 and 
specify you are attending the ACRL Institute.

Questions? C o n ta c t Tanga Morris, (800) 545-2433 ext. 2514; e-mail 
tmorris@ala.org

http://www.ala.org/acrl/leadweb3.html
mailto:tmorris@ala.org