(via Megan Hodge, Virginia Commonwealth University)
Chapter proposals are invited for The Future Academic Librarian’s Toolkit, a book collecting practical strategies on landing a first academic librarian position and building and enhancing one’s professional reputation. The publisher is ACRL Press, and the Editor is Megan Hodge, Teaching & Learning Librarian at Virginia Commonwealth University. Proposals are sought for two types of chapters.
practical, prescriptive strategies for the following topics (final length: 6,000-10,000 words)
- making yourself marketable before and during the job search: obtaining relevant experience, publishing, and getting involved professionally as a student or other non-professional
- troubleshooting the job search: overcoming barriers such as geographic immobility; transitioning from paraprofessional, non-library, or non-academic work; and learning from rejections
- advocating for your ideas: wielding influence in positions without authority and gaining administrative buy-in for ideas
- networking and conferences: saving money on conference attendance, networking as an introvert, and talking to vendors
- getting started in scholarship: identifying gaps in the literature and motivational strategies for overcoming writer’s block, finding CFPs, and turning presentations into publications
overviews of positions in the following areas, including necessary skills, credentials, and day-in-the-life scenarios (final length: 1,000-2,000 words each)
- scholarly communications
- special collections and archives
- preservation
- research-data management
- resource delivery and interlibrary loan
Proposals should be submitted as a single e-mail attachment to futureacademiclib@gmail.com. No previously-published or simultaneously-submitted material, please. Proposals should include the following information.
- author name(s), institutional affiliation(s), job title(s)
- author(s) previous writing and publishing history
- writing sample (optional)
- outline of proposed chapter
Proposals are due on Saturday, May 15. Those chosen to contribute chapters will receive the guidelines on May 30. Drafts of the full chapters will be due August 30, and the final versions must be submitted by December 30. For additional information, contact Megan Hodge, at mlhodge@gmail.com.