Central Jersey Regional Library Cooperative
Connie S. Paul, Executive Director
www.cjrlc.org

@ your library
The Campaign For America’s Libraries

CENTRAL JERSEY REGIONAL LIBRARY COOPERATIVE,
OCEAN COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM CO-HOST CAREER SEMINAR
April 4 workshop in Toms River to focus on library options
for career-changers and high school students

The wealth of career opportunities for librarians will be the subject of an April 4 open house in Toms River hosted by the Central Jersey Regional Library Cooperative and the Ocean County Library System.

The 7:00 pm event is targeted at those in the workforce who are looking for a career change and at high school students interested in careers in the information profession. Librarians from public, academic, special-interest and school libraries will be on hand to answer questions. Prospective librarians will also be given the opportunity to make an appointment to "shadow’’ a librarian on the job.

"We want to tell people who might be looking for a change how rewarding library careers can be," said Connie Paul, director of the Freehold-based Central Jersey Regional Library Cooperative. "We’re seeing more people enter our profession who get tired of making money for someone else and want to make a contribution to society as a whole.

"And, of course, we want to let our high school students know that today’s libraries have gone beyond simply providing books and are full of opportunities for information specialists with knowledge of cutting-edge technology.’’

Paul said people working in other careers are surprised to learn how easy it is to become a librarian. Those with bachelor’s degrees need only complete a Master’s of Library Science degree to qualify. Rutgers University’s program has been rated one of the nation’s best by U.S. News and World Report, and 38 colleges and universities in 26 states and the District of Columbia provide distance education opportunities for MLS candidates.

High school students will also be interested to know that, beginning this fall, Rutgers will offer an undergraduate degree in Information Technology and Informatics.

The open house is part of the cooperative’s continuing efforts to attract top candidates to careers in libraries. Initiatives include brochures geared at each of the targeted recruitment groups and a new web site named www.becomealibrarian.org.

The open house will be in the Meeting Room of the Ocean County Library System’s Toms River Branch, 101 Washington St., Toms River. To register or for more information, call (732) 349-6200.

The Central Jersey Regional Library Cooperative is a non-profit association of libraries in Mercer, Monmouth and Ocean Counties. Its 400 members include school, academic, public, institutional and special libraries. The cooperative is located in Freehold.