OLA's Super Conference 2007

The talk is over. The action starts now. Start with the Wednesday pre-opening session on how to network. Go to the Saturday session on how to follow up successfully. Visit the new, expanded career centre which will include one-on-one interviews, résumé critiquing and a Mr. FixIt help desk for easier questions. There is a stream of sessions on getting the job, refinding your enthusiasm for the job, career development and more.

Interested in mentoring? The mentoring database will give you an easy way to become a mentor or to request a mentor all year round. There is even a French session on mentoring.

THE ART OF NETWORKING: A SPECIAL SESSION ON AN ESSENTIAL SKILL
Four OLA Presidents presenting college, university, public, school and special libraries will give you a treasure chest of ideas on how to network anywhere but with special emphasis on the opportunities at Super Conference. Our resident career expert, Caitlin Williams, will moderate. This program has been created for new members and first-timers at Super Conference but anyone is welcome to attend.

Caitlin has a program at the end of Super Conference for you to share what you tried and how well it went. The session will then focus on what to do when you get home because the networking does not stop here.

THE CAREER CENTRE
New and returning Super Conference career programs and services will be useful in getting you the information you need:

Résumé critiquing. A perennially popular service provided by interested practitioners.
Mr. Fixit help desk. Library CEOs and senior managers will answer your questions about working in libraries, whether you are thinking about it or have been there for twenty years or are yourself a CEO.
The Super Conference mentoring program. See Get a Mentor. Be a Mentor.
The National career centre created by the associations of The Partnership. The fully searchable national job site will be on display to receive your comments and ideas.
Local job board and selected interviewing by libraries.
A library of selected articles on various topics from interviewing to job seeking.
Table discussions on topics you request.
One-on-one career advice from resident career expert, Caitlin Williams. This service is aimed at those librarians already working including those looking for advice on making a change.

THE CAREER SESSIONS
LIBRARIANSHIP AS A PROFESSION is the name of a series of workshops being offered on careers and career alternatives. This is where you get more depth and a focused place for your questions:

Scouting the Academic Library as a Workplace. Jim, Brett, University of Guelph; Jennifer Soutter, University of Windsor and others. (Session 303)
The 25 Things You Need to Know - and Do - to Get that Job. Caitlin Williams, Career Centre resident expert. (Session 422)
20 Tips for Re-Awakening Passion for Your Work. Caitlin Williams, Career Centre resident expert. (Session 608)
What's Next? YOur Career at the Third-Quarter Mark. Caitlin Williams.Ê (Session 1107)
Creative Entrepreneurship: Creating Opportunities in a World Full of Challenges. Kim Silk, Brightsail; Stan Skrzeszewski, Allison Standen, Convergent Library Technologies. (Session 1316)

GET A MENTOR. BE A MENTOR.
When registering (either on-line or using the printed program registration form) just check the appropriate box to ask for a mentor or to request a 20-minute interview with Caitlin. The deadline for requests is January 12, 2007.

If you want to be a mentor, e-mail Marian Kutarna at marian.kutarna@mississauga.ca or check the appropriate box on the printed program registration form.

MentoringOLA
is a year-round program to get concrete career information to our members no matter who they may be or where they are in their career. You can ask about these activities at the OLA Super Conference Career Centre.

Want to help steer this exciting new project? Contact us at mentoringOLA@accessola.com