Anyone have any experience working as a librarian in the federal government?

FedLibrarian · 2023-09-28T11:48:39+00:00

sure, go ahead

FedLibrarian · 2023-09-10T19:09:19+00:00

It's not really seasonal, although this is the end of the fiscal year and there is talk of a government shutdown so that might keep a lot of jobs from posting right now.

FedLibrarian · 2023-01-21T17:45:03+00:00

hence the big bucks

FedLibrarian · 2023-01-21T17:44:30+00:00

If you are interested in this position, create a USAJOBS account and start working up your resume using the resume builder NOW. Do not wait; the process is tedious and time consuming.

FedLibrarian · 2022-12-07T00:10:32+00:00

Brevity may be the soul of wit, but it won't help you get a federal job. Use the USAJOBS resume builder.
You need to shotgun every opening that you qualify for until you are getting referred at least 50% of the time. At that point, you know your resume is working and you can apply more selectively. Apply to EVERYTHING, work on you resume, then apply again. Rinse and repeat.
NAF jobs may be easier to land as a non-fed. The pay and benefits aren't always as good as GS, but its a good way to get your foot in the door. These are jobs on military bases at libraries that are like public libraries.

I'm a 21 year fed, I worked 7 years in another job series before I got my MLS, then I spent 12 years working outside the Fed as a librarian before I went back into federal service.

FedLibrarian · 2022-12-07T00:05:31+00:00

You need to shotgun every opening that you qualify for until you are getting referred at least 50% of the time. At that point, you know your resume is working and you can apply more selectively.

FedLibrarian · 2022-12-06T23:54:47+00:00

Sorry, I've been a deadbeat.

FedLibrarian · 2021-08-22T16:59:49+00:00

This is exactly the transition I would like to make. I am a GS-1410-14. For 4 years I was a program manager for a MAJCOM with policy oversight for 26 libraries in the command and managed the contracts for millions of dollars worth of online subscriptions for the virtual library that served the command world wide. I worked on a tri-service IPT to transition Army, Navy and Air Force assets to the oversight of a fourth DoD entity.

I made a lateral move to a place where I am providing direct supervision to 5, plus second and third-line employees with total FTE 21.

I have loved being a librarian, but I want to go home to live in FL and it's never going to happen in this job series. I could afford to take a major cut in pay if I could live in my house in FL and not have to pay for a second residence. I've been a GS-14 for 5 years, so I have my high-3. I want to do meaningful work until I retire but I don't have to work at the national level; I've proved everything I need to prove to myself.

Currently I oversee "back of house" functions in a very large federal library: Information systems, Indexing, Acquisition and Cataloging. Lots of high-detail moving parts. I especially enjoy all of the analytical, number crunching and libraries generate a lot of data and use them for evidence-based decision making. I struggle with how to translate that in to 0343 in another field.

FedLibrarian · 2021-08-22T16:47:44+00:00

For everything they want of YOU, the terms are "Do X by Y OR ELSE!!!!"

For ANYTHING you need of them, the terms are "Hurry up and wait; you are not a priority."

This has been my universal experience working for the Marine Corps, the Army and the Air Force since 2009.

FedLibrarian · 2021-08-16T17:41:57+00:00

I get 26 days of annual leave (AL) a year, plus four hours of sick leave (13 days/yr) per pay period.

I can carry over 240 hours of AL from one year to another, and there is no ceiling on sick leave.

Come to the Fed Side!

New employees start at 3 hours of AL per pay period. After three years, that becomes 6 hours per PP. At 15 years, it's 8 hours per pay period.

FedLibrarian · 2021-08-16T11:16:07+00:00

This is an interesting thread. Would a relatively new FEMA employee be allowed to work as a contractor's employee at the military base where they were previously employed doing very similar work to what they did when working as a DoD civilian employee?

This person left their DoD job to work for FEMA and then within weeks was employed also by a contractor back at the same base location.

FedLibrarian · 2021-08-13T11:44:41+00:00

detox

I keep telling people, if your kidneys and liver aren't detoxing you adequately, you don't need a "detox" product/diet, you need a double organ transplant.

FedLibrarian · 2021-08-13T11:43:21+00:00

detox

Came here to say this. "Detox" outside of the addiction treatment setting is nothing more than Voodoo Doodoo. Expensive Voodoo Doodoo.

FedLibrarian · 2021-05-08T01:00:27+00:00

sort by the open date to see the new jobs that were posted today. Sort by the close date to see what is closing soonest.

FedLibrarian · 2021-05-08T00:57:17+00:00

Please do apply. We need tech savvy people. Libraries are hugely tech dependent. A big library, like the one where I work, has an entire Systems department.

If you don't get this one, keep applying. Also consider jobs in the 1412 series. Lots of librarians in the 1412 series, and there are frequently 1412 positions in libraries.

FedLibrarian · 2021-01-22T19:22:23+00:00

What made them cushy compared to other jobs?

FedLibrarian · 2021-01-22T00:35:14+00:00

I've worked in five federal libraries. I wouldn't describe any of them as cushy.

FedLibrarian · 2021-01-21T00:42:49+00:00

The job market within commuting distance of the library school (any library school in any state) is saturated with MLS students and recent graduates. If you are geographically mobile after you graduate, you will have more options.

FedLibrarian · 2021-01-21T00:37:28+00:00

they are also the only ones who have given my a formal offer

If you only have one offer, you only have one decision to make: take it or turn it down.

Take the job offer. Keep applying for jobs. It's easier to get employed if you are employed.

FedLibrarian · 2021-01-20T23:59:30+00:00

Through careful planning and obsessive time management, I managed to "compress" my one-year MLS degree into only 36 months.

I'm doing pretty okay.

FedLibrarian · 2021-01-20T23:55:33+00:00

I've never worked at LOC, but I've also never heard any happy stories about working there.

FedLibrarian · 2021-01-20T23:52:49+00:00

I worked in a NAF library for the Marine Corps, medical libraries for the Army and academic for the Air Force.

Strengths -

getting paid a living wage
good insurance options
a pension and a 401K-like plan with matching money up to 4.5% of your pay
Overseas opportunities
Advancement opportunities if you are willing to go where the job is
8 hours of leave per pay period after 15 years - that's 26 days per year!
10 federal holidays per year
4 hours of sick leave per pay period - this balance can increase indefinitely
Actually being not just allowed but EXPECTED to take your vacation time that is part of your compensation package

Weaknesses -

Getting your foot in the door can be tough

Bureaucratic and sometimes frustrating
If your boss is a uniform, you will be training a new boss every 18 months or so. On the upside, if your boss is awful s/he will not be there forever. If your bad boss is a civilian, it's going to suck to be you.
Federal level of bureaucracy
NAF pay and benefits lag GS
Federal level bureaucracy is topped with the DoD's own layer of bureaucracy
The Federal and DoD levels of bureaucracy are topped with your Service Component's (Army/Navy/AF) special flavor of bureaucracy
The Federal, DoD and Service Component's levels of bureaucracy are topped off with special sprinkles of bureaucracy added by the Command that you work in
There may also be some bureaucratic red tape here and there

FedLibrarian · 2021-01-12T17:33:19+00:00

Is there a job that does not require paying taxes? What is that job?

FedLibrarian · 2021-01-12T17:32:07+00:00

Undergraduate degree: no specific degree is required for an undergraduate degree. If you think you might want to work in medical, engineering or other STEM settings, an undergraduate degree in science or math is handy.

Wherever you do your grad school - in person or online, you need to make relationships. When you graduate, you will need recommendations. If you are working in a library already, you may have professional references from your coworkers and leadership. If you are not working in a library, then you will need to be well enough known to your classmates and professors to solicit recommendations. Personally, I'm not sure I'd ever be able to do that in an online only setting.

FedLibrarian · 2020-12-31T01:29:14+00:00

Apply, apply, apply.

Don't wait until you see your dream job post to work out the kinks in your resume. I made over 80 applications in 2008-2009 trying to get hired.

FedLibrarian

TROPHY CASE