by Sue Mecklem
Reference Librarian at Davis Wright Tremaine, Portland

Networking. n. An informal system whereby persons having common interests assist each other.  (The American Heritage Dictionary, 1993)

The concept of networking brings a shudder to many an introvert’s soul but it’s an important part of our professional life, and not just when searching for a new position. I see three main benefits of networking:

1. A bigger pool of brainpower from which to find resources and idea
2. The possibility of knowing someone who might have a say in hiring you someday
3. Personal satisfaction

One of the best things about being a librarian is the collaborative nature of the field; librarians are generally willing and happy to help others because that’s what we’re good at. We connect not just our patrons but each other with quality information, from the best resource for a particular project to the best person to ask about hard-to-find information in an unfamiliar field.

Though my demeanor is quiet and I consider myself an introvert, I enjoy meeting new people and have benefited tremendously from networking with colleagues. The first inkling I had that being a law librarian was a career possibility was when I worked as a temporary paralegal and had a desk in the firm’s library. I was intrigued by the librarian’s job and she answered my questions about library school and what being a law firm librarian was like, and unknowingly spurred my interest in the field. Networking can be as simple as being friendly and open to connecting with others.

Once I decided to go to library school, I chatted with every librarian I met about their job. I attended as many librarian related events as I could, both formal groups such as LLOPS and informal groups such as the Portland downtown librarians’ meetings. When a new facilitator was needed for the downtown librarians’ group, I volunteered to take on the job and met some amazing librarians. They were always very open to chatting with me about librarianship and encouraged me as I went from MLS student to full-fledged librarian.

In a practical sense, a network of librarians can point you to resources you’re not familiar with. My network includes a medical librarian who is always willing to suggest health law resources when I’m stuck, a very knowledgeable international law librarian who recently helped me find a French arbitration law, and a federal agency librarian who has helped me find obscure scientific documents. Of course I also know dozens of law librarians in different jurisdictions willing to answer quick questions about their local courts. A network of librarian contacts are an important resource, and keeping up our networks should be part of every librarian’s professional development.

Not only is networking important for connecting with librarians who can help you find resources, it might help you in a job search someday. I landed my first professional librarian job through networking at informal librarian meetings; I’d met the librarian at the local career college. When they had an opening, not only did she tell me about it, she invited me to visit the library and introduced me to the dean, who interviewed me right then. I was hired soon after.

I’ve been in my current position at Davis Wright Tremaine for more than three years, and had met my current boss at various librarian events. Networking didn’t exactly get me an interview or the position I currently have but it certainly smoothed the way because I was a known entity in the community.

An aspect of networking that I hadn’t expected was the friendships that have sprung from some of my professional relationships. It makes sense that like minds would become friends but I hadn’t consciously considered it a benefit of networking.

Now that I’ve been a librarian for about five years, I’ve been on the other side of the networking relationship many times. I’m always happy to talk to students and new librarians about my work and my experience in school, and enjoy seeing people finding their way in the field. I would jump through hoops to help a friendly librarian find something he or she needs.

There are so many ways to network and the how you network isn’t as important as that you do network. Become involved with the field in some way, whether it’s a very occasional blog post or article, subscribing to and being a part of a listserv, serving on a committee, or running for office for your local or national chapter. Face to face networking is great but even online connections can help you in your professional life. It won’t get you a job but might well smooth the way. It is rewarding to help people and the network of librarians I’ve met are amazing people.