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1 | Timestamp | What kind of interview was it? | What level interview was it? | What questions did they ask you? | What questions did you ask the interviewers? | What position level was it for? | What type of organization? | Job focus was (check all that apply): | Where are you? | Where are you? | Any other comments, for me or for your fellow job hunters? | ||||||||||
2 | 7/31/2025 7:36:37 | Phone | First round | N/A | N/A | Assistant Director | School Library | Cataloging/Technical Services, Instruction, Outreach, Reference, Teen Services | Northeastern US | City/town | This was a very informal interview where we went over the basics of the job and what was expected. I provided an in-depth look at my background and brought a glaring error on their website I discovered to their attention. A second interview was scheduled almost immediately. | ||||||||||
3 | 7/21/2025 14:28:31 | Skype/Video Chat | First round | Entry level | Academic Library | Northeastern US | City/town | ||||||||||||||
4 | 7/16/2025 10:26:28 | Skype/Video Chat | Application | As a Youth Services Librarian, you would be responsible for creating and presenting programming for youth audiences, including weekly storytimes. Tell us about your experience in this area, and what excites you about the opportunity to work at the Skyland/South Buncombe Library. Part of Youth Services Librarianship is knowing how to pivot or respond to unexpected developments when executing programs you have previously planned out. For example, you planned a storytime geared towards preschoolers, but enter the community room to discover a room full of toddlers aged 2 to 3. How would you adapt on the fly with your programming? As a Youth Services Librarian, you will be expected to juggle several different job responsibilities, including programming as listed above, as well as collection development, and regular circulation desk work and reference help. How do you prioritize projects when scheduling your time? Give us some examples. What tools or techniques do you use to prioritize your time? As stated, one of the duties of the Youth Services Librarian is collection development, which includes both purchasing and deselecting materials. Describe how you would approach curating a community-oriented library collection. As a branch Youth Services Librarian, you will be part of a larger Buncombe County Library System, which in turn is part of Buncombe County Government, a large organization. Tell us about a time you were part of an organization that went through a difficult change. What made it challenging, and how did you overcome those difficulties as part of a team? On top of Youth Services-specific duties, you will be expected to spend a significant portion of your workload working the branch’s service desk, which includes fielding complaints from patrons. As an example scenario, a patron complains that a group of students in the back of the library is making a lot of noise, and they can’t concentrate on their work. How do you respond to the patron? What do you tell the students? Likewise, service desk work comes with reference inquiries as well. A teen patron approaches the circulation desk and asks for “something good to read.” How would you assist this patron? Walk us through the steps you would use to reply to this question, including any techniques you might use to gain more information. Technology assistance also frequently comes up in service desk interactions. A patron comes to the desk wanting to access one of the library’s digital offerings, but does not know where to start. Give us an example of a time you’ve helped a patron or customer in a similar situation, using specific programs or databases you have experience with, if possible. | How flexible is my schedule going to be? How much will I be expected to serve in a managerial capacity, being the "second in command" at my branch? | Two or more years of experience | Public Library | Children’s Services | Southern US | City/town | |||||||||||
5 | 6/30/2025 10:31:17 | Skype/Video Chat | Application | As a Library Assistant, you would be working on the public service desk, which includes circulation, reference and technical assistance, and collection maintenance. Tell us about your experience in those areas, and what excites you about the opportunity to work at this location. With regard to the duties of this position, which do you feel the most comfortable performing, and why? Are there any duties of the job that you do not feel as confident in performing? Two of [county]'s core values are Respect and Equity. Describe a time when you had to work through a particularly challenging interaction with a library patron or customer. How did you do this with Respect and Equity in mind? How was the situation resolved? Libraries serve patrons of all ages. What experience do you have interacting with children and teens in a professional setting? One of the main functions of this job is to provide patrons with instruction in the use of various library tools and reference resources. Most library resources are digital. Tell us about your own experience using library resources to locate materials. Which resources are you most confident using? Our busy branch library has a small but dynamic staff who work in close proximity to one another, and many of us work together for 8 hours every work day. What work styles or personalities do you find easiest to work with, and which do you find the most difficult? When working with someone you find challenging how do you handle these differences? A patron complains that a group of students in the back of the library is making a lot of noise, and she can’t concentrate on her work. How do you respond to the patron? What do you tell the students? A patron asks for “something good to read.” Walk us through how you would help them select a book, including telling us which tools you find most useful when offering suggestions. Our libraries are currently open Tuesday through Saturday. Can you work nights/weekends if needed? The department has the option of transferring staff to other branches if needed. Do you have any concerns about transferring? Do you have any questions for us? | Library Assistant | Public Library | Adult Services, Reference | Southern US | City/town | ||||||||||||
6 | 6/11/2025 5:11:06 | Skype/Video Chat | Application | Tell us about your education and how it relates to the job. Tell us about your work experience and how it relates to the job. Tell us about one challenge you faced in a customer service facing position and how you handled it. What do you know about the university? | What do you like about working at [university]? What do you find most challenging? What are the opportunities for career development and career growth? | Entry level | Academic Library | Ireland | Suburban area | Job interview was over MS Teams and was for Library Assistant. | |||||||||||
7 | 5/27/2025 22:12:30 | Skype/Video Chat | Second and final | 1. Tell us about your job experience as it relates to this position. 2. Why do you want to work in Special Collections and Archives? 3. Describe your experience with cataloging standards and management systems, especially as this experience relates to monographs and cartographic materials. What specialized training, certifications, or skill sets do you have that might support your work in this position? 4. How would you build or maintain your understanding of cataloging standards and practices for monographs and cartographic materials? 5. What has been your experience learning new software and/or systems for describing materials, such as integrated library systems, content management systems, and more? How do you “get to know” a system that is new to you or even new to the organization? 6. SCA is currently working to reduce harmful language in our catalog records and archival finding aids through remediation and reparative cataloging. What do you see as challenges and opportunities in critical cataloging along these lines? 7. How do you approach working with customers from various backgrounds who are conducting research? 8. Describe a time when you worked closely with a team to accomplish a goal. What worked or didn’t work? 9. How do you prioritize multiple competing tasks and deadlines? What is your process for managing your time? 10. How do you see the cataloging of monographs and cartographic materials evolving in the next 5 years? 11. What do you see as your strengths? | 1. Who would I be working with on a day-to-day basis in this position? 2. What is the scope of the cataloging quotas required? What does the general workload and workflow look like for the catalogers? 3. What current projects is the department working on? And the cataloging team specifically? 4. What do you enjoy most about working at the library? | Entry level | Public Library | Cataloging/Technical Services | Western US | Urban area | I always feel a little awkward bringing up projects or specialties of the institution I'm interviewing with to the panel, who know much more than I do about their own collections, but it helped in this interview to show a genuine interest and understanding of the culture the library was moving towards. I wrote out answers to common questions ahead of time, and then did a mock interview with the actual questions I received 24 hrs before the interview. I also found it helpful to just go over my own resume, bc things I usually write off as small responsibilities from less recent experiences ended up giving me a lot to talk about. I was uncertain about a few of my answers and the length of the interview not reaching the scheduled time, but I did get the job. It's not always worth stressing about! | ||||||||||
8 | 5/27/2025 21:24:59 | Skype/Video Chat | First round | How soon do you anticipate being able to start this position? This job is specifically focused on using MARC and applying national standards such as RDA to create original catalog records for our monographs and cartographic resources. What one experience do you think best prepares you for this? The person in this position will spend up to 25% of their time serving a diverse community on a busy reference desk during the week. Briefly describe your experience with customer service. Briefly describe your experience assigning call numbers from the Dewey Decimal and/or Library of Congress Classification Systems. Briefly describe your experience assigning Library of Congress Subject Headings. | Public Library | Cataloging/Technical Services | Western US | Urban area | |||||||||||||
9 | 5/21/2025 12:01:24 | Skype/Video Chat | First round | - To start off, please tell us about yourself. - What is your experience with instruction? - You noted that libraries were essential to your college experience. What do you see as the role of librarians and libraries in student success? How were instructional librarians important in your academic experience? - What made you interested in the position? - What is your librarian superpower? What is your biggest weakness? - Your resume mentioned your experience across different libraries impacts your perspective on trends in academic librarianship. What trends in academic librarianship are you interested in? | - The position description notes professional development as a responsibility. What support does the library provide for professional development and mentorship? - Where does this position fit within the library instruction staffing model? | Two or more years of experience | Academic Library | Instruction, Reference | Northeastern US | Urban area | The interviewers referenced my CV multiple times and even pulled direct quotes. Make sure you can explain and defend anything you wrote in your CV! | ||||||||||
10 | 5/12/2025 11:49:36 | Supplemental application questions | First round | Question #1 – Task Prioritization Please categorize (triage) these typical LA III tasks into three categories: Category 1: High priority, time sensitive, takes precedence Category 2: Time sensitive but lower priority Category 3: Important but not time sensitive and more long-term Cut/paste the following tasks into the table below, placing them into the column (Category 1, Category 2, Category 3) that best describes the task’s priority for completion. Committee work Copier maintenance Retrieve items for customers in the building Order office supplies Organize the supply cabinet Process new periodicals for shelf Repair materials from collection Router (searching for items to fill holds requested by customers through the catalog, Prospector, Worldcat, etc.) Run collection maintenance reports Attend staff meeting Attend training class LibAnswers/LibChat (email and chat) workflow and customer follow up Add government documents to catalog Prepare periodicals for binding Scan and send article requests for customers that come in through LibAnswers (email) Question #2 – Denver Public Library Catalog/Data Organization Go to this list of items in the DPL catalog. Based on the list of items, first create a simple spreadsheet using your choice of software (example: Excel, Google Sheets) that would help answer the following questions. Then, using the catalog records and your spreadsheet, answer the following questions: Of all the items represented in the list of bibliographic records, which includes the oldest item (item with the earliest publication date)? How many of the records are for items on the 3rd floor? On the 4th floor? What kinds of materials (formats) are represented? Which of these titles have items that can be checked out? How many of the bibliographic records represent federal government publications? Question #3 - Chat Transcripts Workflow The Reference Services department provides and staffs DPL’s 24/7 Ask Us chat service. Customers who chat overnight and on holidays are helped by librarians from different libraries or who work for a company called Springshare. Every morning, Reference Department Library Assistants review these chat transcripts to assign descriptive tags and to decide if tickets should be created from them so DPL staff can follow up with the customers with additional information or help. In order to create a ticket from a chat transcript, the transcript must have an email address provided by the customer. The descriptive tags and brief descriptions of each are listed below. Note: Multiple tags can be assigned to one chat transcript. Tags: Reference: The customer asks a question or makes a request that the librarian must use an information source (catalog, database, website, etc.) to find the answer, unrelated to specific Denver Public Library procedures or policies. Procedural/Directional/Technology: The customer asks a question related to using the library, their account, using technology in the library. Student (K-12 / College): The customer is a student asking for help with a homework assignment or school-related project. Student Research Appointment: Scheduled one-on-one research appointment. Read the three chat scenarios below and describe how you would proceed with the transcript. Chat Scenario 1: A customer logs on to chat to ask for help with an assignment for their debate class. It’s late in the evening and they connect with an overnight librarian from another library. They think they have a library card number but can’t find it. The overnight librarian offers to help search in the catalog and databases to find books, articles and reports to send as attachments. The student thanks them for the help. Chat Scenario 2: A customer logs into chat to report that a book they returned to a branch is still on their account and they received an overdue notice. They provide their library card and email address. The overnight librarian tells them to call their local branch in the morning. Chat Scenario 3 A customer logs on to chat because they can’t figure out how to check out an audio ebook in Libby. The overnight librarian asks for the title and discovers that all the copies are checked out, explains that the customer must place a hold on the book, and walks them through the process of placing a hold. The librarian offers to help the customer find similar titles that are available now so the customer can read something while they are waiting on the other title to become available. The customer finds another title by the same author and checks it out. The customer has provided their email address. Question #4 - Qualifications Tell us why you want to work in the Reference Services Department and what about your skills, expertise, and/or background makes you a good fit for this position. Thank you for taking time to provide thoughtful answers for these questions. | N/A | Library Assistant III in Reference Services | Public Library | Reference | Midwestern US | Urban area | |||||||||||
11 | 5/12/2025 11:44:31 | In-person | Second round | 1. DPL’s values include Welcoming and Equity. Why should Reference Services consider these two values in its day-to-day operations? 2. How do you think this Library Assistant III position differs from your current or most recent job? What do you think you’d miss most about your current or most recent job if you got this one? 3. Who is responsible for maintaining morale in the workplace? How does this look when it is done well? 4. Tell us about a time you had a conflict with a colleague. What was the conflict and how did you resolve it? 5. Tell us about a time you took initiative in either identifying the need for a project and taking ownership of its completion or leading a team on an event or process. 6. Tell us about a time that technology changed how you do something and how you reacted to that change. 7. What do you find most challenging about using the DPL library catalog? What is your favorite catalog hack or trick? 8. What is the technology you’ve learned about lately that you like the best? How do you find out about new technology? 9. The Central Library has been in a season of change, having reopened after a major renovation with frequent service interruptions and many librarians coming back to the library after a period of working remotely. Denver Public Library is also looking for a new City Librarian and hiring more workers to support the expansion of hours over the course of the next few years. How do you adapt to change and unpredictable working conditions? 10. What do you do when you find yourself in a new or uncomfortable situation where you may feel out of your depth? How and when do you ask for help? 11. This position has very little direct contact with customers and the public - the work is primarily clerical and supports librarians who are working with customers in-person and virtually. How will you remain motivated when direct interactions with customers are limited? 12. What is your favorite DPL (or public library) activity/event/service and why? 13. What do you know about the collections that Reference Services oversees and manages? 14. Go to this list of items in the DPL catalog. Briefly describe the bibliographic records and items (e.g. where are they located, can they be checked out, are they available online, what’s the earliest publication date of the items associated with the records, etc.?) 15. Are you fluent in any languages other than English? How would you serve a customer whose language you do not speak? 16. This is a 20 hour in-person position at the Central Library. Reference Services staff work schedules based on department needs and the schedule may change as open hours are extended at the library. This position will likely require working on the weekend. Does this schedule work for you? YES OR NO 17. This position is located at the Central Library branch, located in the Golden Triangle. There are no free parking options available, however the City & County of Denver provides free RTD Ecopasses to employees. Will you be able to arrange transportation to this location? 18. Do you have any questions for us? | 1. What qualities would make me successful in this role? 2. What challenges would I face in this role? 3. How many customers do you serve in an average day? 4. What would my onboarding and training look like? | Library Assistant III in Reference Services | Public Library | Reference | Midwestern US | Urban area | |||||||||||
12 | 4/23/2025 17:02:53 | In-person | First round | 1. Describe your educational and work experience as it relates to this position. 2. Why are you interested in working in this position at this branch? 3. How long before the scheduled workday start time should staff arrive to have time to put away their personal belongings, fill up their coffee and water, and change into uniform (if necessary) before clocking in? 4. Describe a situation where you had to collaborate closely with a colleague with whom you had a difficult relationship or did not get along. How did you manage the relationship to ensure success for your company? 5. Give an example of the most difficult customers you've dealt with. How did you handle the situation? Is there anything you would have done differently? 6. Cash-handling would be a responsibility for this position. What experience do you have with handling cash and detailed recordkeeping? 7. At what point as customers walk into the building would you acknowledge them? 8. Here's a scenario: You're helping a customer find a book and come across another customer, who appears to be asleep. You do not know if the sleeping individual is intoxicated, or what the problem is. How would you respond? 9. How would you keep yourself motivated and engaged when you have done a specific, repetitive task? For example, working on the circulation desk for 6 hours. 10. Tell me about a situation or experience dealing with people whose background, culture, lifestyle or values are different from your own. 11. How would you assist a customer whose language you do not speak? 12. Do you speak any languages other than English? 13. How do you see this position fitting into your long-term career goals? Where do you see yourself in 3 years? | 1. Describe a day in the life at this job. 2. I noticed you have [program]. Is that something I'd be working with? 3. What do you find the most challenging about this job? 4. What do you find the most fun about this job? | Library Assistant | Public Library | Cataloging/Technical Services, Outreach | Western US | Urban area | |||||||||||
13 | 4/9/2025 21:49:57 | Skype/Video Chat | First round | 1. Do you speak any other languages? If so, how has this helped you at the library? 2. How would you assist a homeless person who comes to the library? 3. How would you go about helping someone fill out an application within an hour time constraint? 4. How would you help someone find a book who hasn't read in a long time? | Can you tell me more about what makes the role at this branch unique compared to other system branches? What does the hiring timeline look like? | Library Assistant | Public Library | Adult Services, Children’s Services, Reference, Teen Services | Midwestern US | City/town | |||||||||||
14 | 4/4/2025 18:57:46 | In-person | First round | - What technology do you use in your everyday life? - Would you be okay with running a book club? - What is something you liked the most and least in your last job and why? - What technology would you be comfortable with showing patrons how to use? - What would you do if a patron complains about a child running around the library? - What motivates you? | Library Assistant | Public Library | Reference | Southern US | Suburban area | ||||||||||||
15 | 4/1/2025 12:34:10 | In-person | First round | Why are you interested in this position? Tell us about a time you had to deal with conflict at work. Tell us about a project you managed. How would you handle it if someone you were managing was having performance issues. If there was a situation where either information you believed to be untrue or confidential information was being spread amongst your staff, how would you handle it? If a patron came into the library and requested a book that the library did not own, and then proceed to become upset and state he/she would go elsewhere, how would you handle it? | What are some challenges that you expect the successful candidate to face in this position? What are some project that I might be involved in? When can I expect to hear a decision? | Supervisory | Public Library | Collection Development for Adults / Supervisor of Interlibrary Loan Employees | Midwestern US | City/town | |||||||||||
16 | 3/24/2025 11:15:48 | Skype/Video Chat | First round | 1. What motivated you to apply for this position? 2. Describe your experience or training with cataloging, if any. Please include any software tools, classification schemes, and controlled vocabularies you may be familiar with. 3. What do you consider the role of cataloging in a library environment, and how does it intersect with other library functions? 4. What qualities do you feel are important for a cataloger to possess, and how do you embody these qualities? 5. This role is expected to work primarily with Spanish materials and vocabularies, so Spanish language skills are an asset for the position. To the best of your ability, please rate your proficiency based on the ILR scale. | 1. What career development opportunities are available to staff? 2. What does the onboarding process look like for this position? How long do you expect it to take for someone in this role to be considered fully trained? 3. How can I expect to receive feedback regarding my performance in this role? 4. What is the culture of the team I would be working on? | Two or more years of experience | Public Library | Cataloging/Technical Services | Western US | Urban area | |||||||||||
17 | 3/23/2025 16:54:40 | Skype/Video Chat | First round | 1. Why are you interested in this position? 2. What is your experience in processing archival collections and how do you set priorities within a team environment? 3. Please describe your experience in supervision and how you give and receive feedback. 4. Please describe your approach to reparative description/DEI/collection development. 5. How do you collaborate with colleagues–what is your style and what does effective collaboration look like to you? 6. Please discuss your experience with archival standards. 7. What is your approach to training and supervising volunteers and students? 8. Please describe your favorite project. | 1. Are there any large projects currently in the works or coming down the pipeline? 2. What is one of the first projects that I would participate in? 3. How are faculty supported in their scholarship and service? | Two or more years of experience | Academic Library | Outreach, Programming, Reference | Southern US | City/town | |||||||||||
18 | 3/17/2025 0:18:09 | ||||||||||||||||||||
19 | 3/12/2025 17:54:04 | Skype/Video Chat | First Round/Only Round | 1. Why are you interested in this internship? 2. Tell me about your coursework. In what ways is it relevant to this position? 3. Tell me about your experience in libraries – working, volunteering, or even as a patron. 4. What skills or experiences are you looking to get out of an internship? Do you have a particular interest in an area of librarianship (storytime, programs, collection management, customer service) or age group? 5. What are your goals after graduation? 6. Tell me about a time you needed to work as part of a team. What was the project, what was your role, and what was the outcome? 7. What hours are you available? How many units will you be taking for your internship? (2 units would be 90 hours; 3 units - 135 hours, and 4 units would be 180 hours.) Can you work Saturdays | What is your favorite program you have worked on this year? What are the next steps in the hiring process? | Intern | Public Library | Adult Services, Children’s Services, Teen Services | Western US | Suburban area | Thank you for this resource. I appreciate it as I used it to prepare for my interview. I got the internship so I wanted to contribute to help someone else. I received the questions when I logged onto the zoom and they gave me a few minutes to prepare. | ||||||||||
20 | 3/9/2025 12:42:38 | In-person | First round | 1. What books do you want to read? How do you "sell" a book to a patron? 2. Please tell us why you are interested in this position and in this library. 3. How would you describe yourself? 4. Could you tell us a time when you went out of your way to help someone? 5. Tell us about a challenge you faced on the job and how you dealt with it. 6. What is something you have done in your position that you are proud of? 7. Do you have experience working with various age groups? 8. How do you think your skills will help with RA? | 1. What are the most used databases at the library? 2. Is there room for growth and taking on new projects in the position? 3. What will the schedule look like? 4. What are your expectations for this position? | Entry level | Public Library | Adult Services, Reference | Northeastern US | Suburban area | |||||||||||
21 | 3/5/2025 10:55:40 | In-person | First round | What was the last adult book you read that identified an emerging trend in libraries? Why did you like it and who would you recommend it to?; Tell us about a time you took on additional responsibilities to meet the business needs of the branch?; Tell us about a time you managed conflict with a patron or staff member. How did you approach the situation and what was the result?; A key component to this position is adult programming. Tell us about a program you implemented and how did you measure its success? | What are the biggest challenges this branch is facing? What are some upcoming projects you'd like this role to take on? What's the team culture like? | Supervisory | Public Library | Adult Services, Programming | Southern US | Urban area | |||||||||||
22 | 3/2/2025 11:46:33 | Skype/Video Chat | Second round | What is your experience with DEI? Give us examples of your training and experience. Tell us about a time there was structural change and how you managed it. The Youth Services Librarian works with children aged 0 to 16. Tell us about how your work and experience has prepared you for this. The library system consists of X amount of branches how would you maintain relationships with colleagues? Give us an example. | What are some popular teen programs in this library branch? What age groups are most present in this library system? | Two or more years of experience | Public Library | Children’s Services | Western US | Suburban area | |||||||||||
23 | 2/25/2025 5:13:53 | In-person | First/only round | 1. Tell us about your proudest achievement, personal or professional. 2. Tell us about a time you had to quickly learn a new IT application. 3. Tell us about a time when you contributed to a team. What was your role, and how did you contribute to the success of the project? 4. Tell us about a time that you promoted diversity. 5. Tell us about a time you advocated for a service or organisation. | What do you think current library assistants would say is the most challenging part and the most enjoyable or rewarding parts of the role? How would you describe the workplace culture/how the team interact and support each other? The job description mentions lone working - how soon after starting the role would the postholder be expected to work alone, how often, and what measures are in place to ensure staff safety when lone working? | Library Assistant | Public Library | UK | Urban area | I was also given a book trolley sorting task which tested my ability in alphabetising and Dewey, and a written internet search test (basically testing my ability to use Google and to find accurate information). I got the job and was told it is partially because of my commitment to diversity, so make sure you learn about the library's efforts with EDI/DEI!! | |||||||||||
24 | 2/13/2025 20:14:34 | zoom call with both cameras turned off | First round | - What interests you about this position? - Can you tell me about your experience working in archives and/or special collections? - Tell us about any coursework you have taken that may help you with the responsibilities of this position. - Tell me about a time when you worked with a group outside your organization to accomplish a common goal. - Tell us about a project you accomplished that involved working both independently and also in collaboration with others. What did you find challenging and/or rewarding about it? - Tell us about a time when you adapted your perspective and considered an issue from someone else's point of view. - Why is it important for universities to support community archives? - Do you have any questions for me/us? | - What are the most important qualities you need from this intern that aren't necessarily in the job description? - Is the community excited about this project, or nervous? - What kind of challenges do you expect this project to encounter? - Is there anything that I didn't answer completely, or that you'd like to hear more about? | Internship | Academic Library | Community archives | Midwestern US | Urban area | Remember to check the salary range vs how much the apartment would cost! | ||||||||||
25 | 2/13/2025 13:59:00 | In-person | only round | What would you want to implement first when you start your job as librarian? What would you expect from a library aide? How would you communicate with parents? In what order would you take care of these things in this situation- You are helping a student search a book on the computer when you see another student slap another’s face. Immediately after that a student comes up to you saying he needs help with his chromebook immediately because he has to get to class. How would you discipline students? What professional development techniques would you use to further your education? | - What are job expectations during summer? - How much class instruction will the position involve? - Would there be any assistants to help in the library? - Collaboration with teachers? -How would I develop the library’s collection? - How does administration handle book challenges from parents/the community? -What technology do you have in the library? | library media specialist/school librarian | School Library | Children’s Services, library media specialist | Midwestern US | City/town | Bring physical evidence of what you have done in your job or in school. I brought reader’s advisory flyers I had made on canva. | ||||||||||
26 | 1/31/2025 8:03:11 | Phone | First round | -what are your career goals? -what do you think you do well as a teacher and provide an example? -what is your experience with DEI? -how would you get kids to engage with the library? -what resources would you need to be successful and what task are you most excited about? -what drew you to [school] specifically and what positive values will you contribute to an all-boy’s environment? -where are you in your job search? | -what is the collaboration between the library staff like? -what is the physical space of the library like? -the job description included teaching either a history or english course, how is that assigned and how frequently is it taught/how many students? -what are the expectations for the summer before the job begins, or is there any training/preparatory sessions? | School Librarian | School Library | Children’s Services, Instruction, Teen Services | Northeastern US | Urban area | |||||||||||
27 | 1/28/2025 8:33:30 | Skype/Video Chat | First round | 1. Why are you interested in working here? 2. Do you have a science background? If not, how would you prepare for this position? 3. How would you prepare for an instructional session? 4. What is your experience in collection development? 5. Please describe how you have promoted DEI in your current or past jobs. 6. What are your plans to engage a Gen-z student population? | 1. What is the timeline for hiring for the position? 2. What does a typical day at the job look like? | Entry level | Academic Library | Reference | Western US | Suburban area | The questions were given to me in advance. More institutions need to do this! | ||||||||||
28 | 1/22/2025 6:45:48 | In-person | First round | -What experience do you have with community engagement? -How would you respond to negative feedback from a customer? -How would your current manager describe you? -What's a positive change you've implemented at your current workplace? | -What does the typical day look like? | Public Library | Outreach, Programming | Canada | City/town | ||||||||||||
29 | 1/21/2025 14:46:37 | In-person | First round | Where do you see yourself in five years/what are your plans for the future? What goal is most important part to you when completing your work? Why do you want to join the archives field? What work environment suits you best, team setting or independent work? | Are there any new priorities or upcoming projects that this position will work on? Would this be a full time or part time position? | Entry level | Archives | Cataloging/Technical Services | Midwestern US | City/town | Past Perfect was the main software that would be used for this position and there is an online instruction manual that you can search up that gives you step-by-step instructions on how to use the software. | ||||||||||
30 | 1/7/2025 12:03:22 | Phone | First round | What do you find most attractive about this position and working at UMass Dartmouth? Can you can tell us about your experience within STEM disciplines? This could include studying, work experience, or working with students, professionals, researchers, or faculty. Teaching information literacy is central to our responsibilities here. What experiences have you had with library instruction? These could be as a student or as the instructor. What experience(s) do you have with providing reference services? Describe a project or initiative you've worked on, related to librarianship, of which you're especially proud. This can be from a work or an educational context. Tell us about technological tool you've recently learned about or used and what you've taken away from the experience. Can you see ways in which you could incorporate it into your professional practice? Please discuss your experience with, and approach to, collaborating with other librarians and faculty. Can you give us an example of a situation in which you collaborated with a colleague? What aspects of this job do you think would most challenge you and how would you approach them? Is there anything you want us to clarify about the job responsibilities or expectations? Or are there any other questions you have for us? | Is this a new position? If so, how will the expectations be decided/performance be evaluated? If no, did the previous librarian leave behind any resources/advice? Are there specific courses that have library instruction integrated into the curriculum, or is the librarian responsible for offering services to professors? What committees, task forces, and working groups do you have? How do they communicate effectively? How does the library staff stay up to date on each other's work? How does the librarian contribute to confidential grant-funded projects? | STEM Liaison Librarian | Academic Library | Instruction, Reference | Northeastern US | City/town | |||||||||||
31 | 12/19/2024 10:14:54 | In-person | First round | Walk us through your education as listed on your resume. What would you do if a parent brought their kid to a storytime for 0-3 year olds, but also had a 7 year old? Recommend us a book for an adult you read recently as if you were recommending it to a patron. Recommend a book for a child to read as if you were recommending it to the parent. Describe a time when you dealt with a difficult customer and how you worked through it. Describe a time when you faced a challenge at work and how you dealt with it. What is a program that you would like to see at the library? What makes excellent customer service in your opinion? Describe your experience with customer service. Tell us what you know about the digital resources at the library. Tell us what you know about the library. | 2 | Customer service assistant | Public Library | Adult Services, Cataloging/Technical Services, Children’s Services, Programming, Reference, Teen Services | Ontario, Canada | City/town | |||||||||||
32 | 12/16/2024 10:13:21 | Phone | Building a list/Initial screen | - Why do you want to work in programming? - What experience do you have in programming? - Do you have reliable transportation? - Are you happy with the listed salary? - What is your availability? | Customer service assistant | Public Library | Adult Services, Children’s Services, Programming, Teen Services | Canada | City/town | ||||||||||||
33 | 11/22/2024 13:26:59 | Skype/Video Chat | First round | 1. Why are you the best fit for this position? 2. Situational: You have a library patron who has been leaving notes in books that are romantic towards one of your direct reports. You've already had a conversation with this patron and they have continued to do it, what do you do? 3. You have a direct report who has been late 15 minutes twice a week for multiple weeks. They have indicated it is due to a medical condition. What do you do? | Branch Manager | Public Library | Western US | Rural area | |||||||||||||
34 | 11/21/2024 12:17:10 | In-person | First round | -Describe a time where you had to collaborate with your team members. -How do you handle rowdy children in the department? -Someone is waiting for a turn on the children's computers. There are only two computers and they are both taken. One child is playing Roblox and the other one is doing research. How would you handle this situation? -What was one of the biggest challenges you had to overcome? Were you successful? -How has your education and experience prepared you for this job? -What was a time where you had to make a decision without a supervisor present? -What would you do if your supervisor implemented a policy you didn't agree with? -What is your experience interacting with children ages 0-12 and their parents? -Why do you want to work here? | Did not ask, but was asked to tell them anything else about myself that I didn't get the chance to say. | Library Assistant | Public Library | Children’s Services | Western US | City/town | Told the interviewers I wanted to work for the library because I loved the city, and they asked me *why* I loved the city. Caught me off guard! | ||||||||||
35 | 11/19/2024 9:58:28 | In-person | First round | 1. How did you prepare for this interview? 2. Why are you interested in working here? 3. How would you handle a scenario where a patron is monopolizing your time discussing politics? 4. Describe a time when you navigated a difficult experience with a customer. 5. Where do you find books to read, and what was the last book you read? | 1. What does a day in the life of a library assistant look like? 2. What are common challenges that new team members face here? Any advice? | Library Assistant | Public Library | Northeastern US | City/town | ||||||||||||
36 | 11/14/2024 14:39:55 | In-person | First round | 1 Tell us about yourself including relevant work experience. 2 A patron asks for information on a topic you are unfamiliar with. How would you make sure that you are giving them accurate information and sources? 3 What are your skills and experience with technology/computers? 4 Your supervisor has assigned you to a tech help appointment with a patron who needs help downloading an ebook. How would you prepare to help this patron? 5 Describe how you would go about creating a display of Newberry and Caldecott award winning books. 6 Describe a time when a customer left an interaction unsatisfied with the outcome. What would you go back and do differently? 7 Describe a time when you went above and beyond to help a customer. 8 Describe your experience with contributing to a team. 9 How do you prioritize daily work tasks? | 1 In this position, what would elevate me from a good employee to a great one? 2 Are there opportunities for professional development such as attending conferences or mentorship programs? | Library Assistant | Public Library | Adult Services, Reference | Southern US | City/town | |||||||||||
37 | 10/26/2024 18:22:08 | In-person | First round | Can you tell us about a time you needed to reprimanded an employee and how did you handle it?' and 'Can you tell us about a time in the past when you needed to work in a team environment?' are ones that I can remember. | What is the culture like working here?' was a question I asked. | Supervisory | Academic Library | Circulation department | Midwestern US | City/town | |||||||||||
38 | 10/22/2024 8:14:58 | Skype/Video Chat | First round | What kind of manager do you like to work for? What about you, aside from your work experience and education, makes you uniquely suited for this position? What attracted you to this position? How do you track the work/projects of the people you supervise? How do you handle a conflict, with examples of steps taken and resolution? What is your experience with Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Acceptance in your workplace?? What are you reading? | What challenges or issues will the person taking this role on need to address immediately? What is your favorite and least favorite part of working here? | Supervisory | Academic Library | Head of Circulation Services and Resource Sharing | Midwestern US | Suburban area | Hang in there! There is so much competition out there. | ||||||||||
39 | 10/17/2024 7:52:51 | Skype/Video Chat | First round | What did you do to prepare for this interview? Why do you want to work here? What made you want to come into librarianship after completing your bachelor's? What are some areas of personal growth for you? Tell me a bit about this [specific volunteer project] that you did What do you think makes a good supervisor? Tell me about a time when you were untrained for a task, how did you manage it, and when did you need to step back and ask for help? | Do you have any upcoming projects for this position? | Entry level | Public Library | Adult Services, Cataloging/Technical Services, Outreach, Programming, Reference | Canada | City/town | |||||||||||
40 | 10/16/2024 5:58:59 | In-person | First round | The mission of the library is to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion. How would you implement that into your daily tasks? Describe a project you lead within the past two years and the outcome. Describe an innovative project you implemented and the outcome. | What is the demographic of the neighbourhood of the library? What does the day to day of this position look like? | Two or more years of experience | Public Library | Adult Services | Vaughan, Ontario | Suburban area | |||||||||||
41 | 10/8/2024 14:31:37 | In-person | First round | How did you prepare for the interview? Why are you the best candidate/elevator pitch Start a job as a leader of a team with one member you wouldn't have hired to begin with, how do you proceed or how do you handle that? Tell me about your past teams0 were they mostly individual contributors? Is supervising a supervisor or manager different? (Included some different types of success measures and trends as a visual aid) How do you measure success? Have you had a staff member ask to do something outside of scope or area, how have you handled that? Have you ever let someone go? | What's your vision for the division and the role? What are the most important things that a [division director] can do to be successful in this role? What's your management style/what are you like as a boss? | Director/Dean | Public Library | Adult Services, Children’s Services, Programming, Reference, Teen Services | Western US | Suburban area | This was an initial interview for a division director reporting to the executive director, I was an internal applicant. | ||||||||||
42 | 9/25/2024 13:37:24 | In-person | First and only interview for the position with 3 people from within the branch. They said they would pick someone by the next week, so I'm not sure what level that makes it. | -Introduce yourself/ why do you want to work in a library -Tell us something about yourself that wasn’t on your resume -Tell us about an experience with an irate customer and how you handled it, what was the outcome? -This job will involve public outreach and going to elementary schools. Are you comfortable with public speaking? -Tell us about a time you bent the rules -Are you available for the schedule this job has? -Describe a work environment you work well in -What was a responsibility about your current/last position that you liked? What was one responsibility you didn’t like? -What is one aspect of this job you are excited about, and what is one that you aren’t enthusiastic about/don’t like? -How would you deal with a child that continued to interrupt you? -You are doing a story time and the kids are rowdy/disinterested and their parents aren’t paying attention either, but talking to themselves. How do you regain their interest? -How familiar are you with technology and helping people figure technology out? -This last question is for you to use the opportunity to explain one last time why you’re a perfect fit for this job. | -What is the dress code? -Do you envision this becoming a full time position? -What is the #1 mistake associates make in their first month, and what can be done to avoid that? -What does a typical shift look like? | Library Associate | Public Library | Children’s Services | Western US | City/town | |||||||||||
43 | 9/12/2024 14:53:09 | In-person | First round | Tell us about your work experience and how its relevant to this position. Tell us about a difficult situation with a customer/guest/patron and how you resolved it. What is the best part of working on a team? The phone is ringing, the printer is jammed, you have an IM question, and someone wants research help-- what do you do? Someone wants to use a computer but they're all in use. Some people are doing research, some people are on tik tok, etc-- what do you do? What is great customer service and how do you know when you've achieved it? Is there anything else you'd like to add? | What makes this library unique? What is the next step in the hiring process? | Library Aide | Public Library | Western US | City/town | ||||||||||||
44 | 9/9/2024 13:38:14 | In-person | First round | 1. Conflict between two library pages - how do you resolve? 2. How do you weed a fiction section versus a non-fiction section? How do you maintain the collection after? 3. Essential components of a reference interview 4. A teen asks you for books on hormone replacement therapy - how do you support them? 5. A homeless person comes into the library, how do you support them? 6. Walk us through your resume - why did you apply here? 7. How should a library be a welcoming space? 8. How do you promote library services? and increase usage? what do you do if it is not a success? | Two or more years of experience | Public Library | Adult Services, Reference | Midwestern US | City/town | there was an assessment component where we had to prepare a PPT in 20 minutes on a given subject and present it at the end of our interview | |||||||||||
45 | 9/9/2024 10:12:58 | In-person | First round | 1.) Walk us through your resume. Tell us how your past experience will lend itself to this position. Why did you decide to pursue a job in a library? 2.) Why do you want to work in public service? 3.) What are your hobbies or interests? How can these be implemented into running a program? 4.) Tell us about an experience you had working with a team. What does a healthy team look like to you? 5.) Your branch manager asks you to attend an outreach event at a local elementary school's book reading night. How do you prepare for it and what do you make sure to bring? 6.) How does a public library enrich a community? 7.) What does diversity, equity, and inclusion mean to you? What steps can a library take to be diverse, equitable, and inclusive? 8.) A group of students are working on a group project at a table in the children's reading section and a patron complains to you about the noise. How do you respond? 9.) A family needs help accessing one of the computers. They don't speak English. How do you respond? 10.) What age group do you prefer to work with? Why? 11.) What was the last book that you read? Who would you recommend it to and why? | What is the number one mistake that new library associates make in their first month? What steps could I take to avoid making that same mistake? | Library Assistant | Public Library | Adult Services, Children’s Services, Outreach, Programming, Reference, Teen Services, Web Services | Midwestern US | Urban area | This was a speed hiring event where around 10 candidates were being interviewed in the same room at the same time at different tables. A team of two librarians interviewed me for the position and they were wonderfully kind and set me at ease from the very beginning. They made sure to tell me that they were not allowed to rephrase their questions and that I should simply answer them to the best of my ability. | ||||||||||
46 | 8/29/2024 17:37:25 | Phone | First round | Tell me about yourself. Why are you interested in working here? Why are you interested in this position? What other skills and experience do you have that align with this position? | Entry level | Public Library | Adult Services | Midwestern US | Suburban area | ||||||||||||
47 | 8/27/2024 13:21:27 | In-person | First round | 1. What is a successful customer service experience to you? 2. What do you do when you get frustrated, and how do you resolve it? 3. What makes for a good team environment, and how can you participate in one successfully? 4. Tell us about the jobs you've had in the past. 5. What was your favorite job, and why did you like it? 6. If I was your supervisor, what could I do to best support you in this position? 7. Say you are working with someone who is a very strict rule follower and believes the policies are in place for a reason. Would you work well with this person? 8. What excites you most about this position? 9. What would you do if a colleague made a mistake and needed your help? | 1. What advice would you give to yourself before starting at this library? 2. Does the team work well together here? | Library Assistant | Public Library | Circulation | Western US | City/town | They were very impressed with the questions that I asked in return - one of the interviewers even said "Great questions!" I think they definitely showed my genuine interest in the library I was interviewing for. | ||||||||||
48 | 8/12/2024 16:33:53 | Phone | First round | 1) How do you handle a conflict between direct reports? 2) How do you earn trust? 3) How do you motivate direct reports? 4) Describe a recent tough challenge. 5) Describe a time someone thought you were being unfair. What did you do? 6) What do you consider is the most important part of a supervisor’s job? 7) Describe a time you led someone to excel/mentorship question. 8) Describe something you learned about yourself. How did you learn it? Tell us about a time you used this information. | Can't remember | Supervisory | Public Library | Children’s Services, Outreach, Programming | Western US | Urban area | I received feedback that my answers (each of which included a specific example) were excellent, but that I didn't talk enough about working with adults. | ||||||||||
49 | 8/12/2024 16:31:41 | Skype/Video Chat | First round | 1) What excites you about this position? 2) How do approach building trust with cross-division teams? 3) What do you like about working on a team and how do you feel about clear guidelines/expectations vs. open-ended/wing it situations? 4) Tell us about a time there wasn't a clear policy/rule to follow. 5) Tell us about a time you received constructive criticism. 6) Tell us about a time your empathy came through. 7) Tell us about a time you exercised leadership skills without being in a position of authority. 8) Which early literacy practice is your favorite? 9) Recommend a book/author for: Preschoolers; Elementary School; and Teens 10) Was there a question you were hoping we would ask you that we didn't/something else you think we should know? | What is the new vision for youth services? | Two or more years of experience | Public Library | Children’s Services, Programming | Western US | Urban area | First and only round. Weirdest interview of my life. During the 2020 pandemic days, my library went through a re-organization and made staff re-apply for their jobs. | ||||||||||
50 | 8/12/2024 16:26:55 | Skype/Video Chat | Second round | 1) Booktalk Presentation 2) Program Presentation 3) Our department teaches staff trainings, and we mentor staff on working with our service populations. With that in mind, how do you or would you train staff to be confident while working with kids? 4) What experience do you have with DEI professional development? 5) What resources do you use to stay informed about changing fads or trends in books, movies, music, games, etc. for kids? 6) If you were working in the library and a group of kids were being extremely loud and disruptive, what would you do? 7) Can you tell us about a time when you had to produce results or move forward on a work initiative with minimal direction? 8) Please describe a situation when you had to give a colleague difficult feedback. | Was there something I didn’t answer completely or you wanted me to talk more about? How does this library make you feel valued? What do you hope to achieve with the youth team's expansion? What does collaboration look like with other departments? | Two or more years of experience | Public Library | Children’s Services, Outreach, Programming | Western US | Urban area | |||||||||||
51 | 8/12/2024 16:22:43 | Skype/Video Chat | Second round | 1) The Outreach Librarian establishes and maintains relationships and partnerships. What are some strategies you’d use to make sure you’re reaching a variety of audiences and geographic areas? 2) Describe a situation or project where you had specific responsibilities but did not have direct authority over the individuals whose support was necessary. How did you accomplish the results? 3) We are a very collaborative team and place a high value on discussion and differing perspectives. At the same time, the Outreach Librarian is expected to take initiative and make decisions. How do you balance these different modes of work? What do you consider when shifting from collaboration to decision-making? 4) These functions of the job require a working knowledge of Reader’s Advisory principles. Please tell us about your experience helping readers find books they might enjoy. 5) Tell us about a time when something work-related "fell through the cracks." What were the circumstances? How did you handle it? 6) This job involves a lot of communication and requires solid time management and planning skills. What are some tools or methods you’ve used to keep track of information and organize yourself? | What do you love about working for the Talking Books Library? How would you describe your leadership style? What is the first, most important thing you need this person to start working on? By 2030, the US Census Bureau estimates that people over 65 will outnumber children in the US, and with age often comes disability. How is the State Library planning to meet this growing need and is additional staffing a part of that plan? | Two or more years of experience | State Library | Cataloging/Technical Services, Outreach | Western US | Urban area | Final Round | ||||||||||
52 | 8/12/2024 16:18:33 | Pre-Recorded | First round | 1) Elevator Pitch: Imagine you’ve got the next 3 minutes to explain Talking Books to a stranger. 2) Tell us about a time where you had to go with Plan B, C, and/or D: why did you change your approach and how did you go about it? 3) Thinking back to a time when you were at your best, what did that look like? 4) Please describe your experience with administering, training, supporting, and/or learning a new ILS. 5) Please describe two aspects of the Talking Books Outreach Librarian position that interest (or challenge) you the most. | N/A | Two or more years of experience | State Library | Cataloging/Technical Services, Outreach | Western US | Urban area | This was my first pre-recorded virtual interview! The questions were not given in advance, but I had 3 attempts to record my answers. | ||||||||||
53 | 8/8/2024 3:33:11 | Phone | Building a list/Initial screen | Why are you looking for a new job and why do you want to work here? Detail your employment history and why you think you would be a good fit for the role. Describe a time you had to deal with a difficult patron and what you did. Describe a time you had to help a patron with a technological issue: what went well and what didn't? What does accessibility, diversity, equity, and inclusion mean to you and how do you make the library inclusive? Do you have any questions for me? | What will my day to day look like in this role? What's your favorite and least favorite part about working here? Next steps? | Library Assistant | Public Library | Adult Services | Northeastern US | Urban area | |||||||||||
54 | 7/24/2024 19:01:07 | Skype/Video Chat | First round | 1. Write up a plan for a 30 minute storytime for children ages 2-4 years old and their parents/caregivers. Please be prepared to share the plan (in print or digitally) as well as present the first 10 minutes of your storytime to the interview panel as if we were the storytime crowd. 2. What strategies have you found effective in building relationships with children and their parents and caregivers? 3. Why do you believe creating a welcoming environment for all patrons is essential, and how would you live this value? 4. Tell us about how you approach challenging circumstances while working with customers. 5. What is your favorite database and how do you help others use it? 6. You’ve been asked to lead a 30 minute presentation to parents of K - 2nd graders on how the library can support their children as they learn to read. Describe how you would prepare for this event and name three things you’d like the parents to take away from the event. 7. Tell us about an experience you’ve had working on a team. What role did you play and what skills and abilities did you bring to the team? 8. What strategies do you use when recommending books or media in genres with which you are unfamiliar? 9. Tell us about a time you felt someone acted inappropriately or crossed your boundaries. How did you handle it? 10. Please describe one change in the workplace that you supported, and one change that you disagreed with or disliked. In each instance, how did you react? 11. How has your background and experiences prepared you to advance [the library's] commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion? 12. Could you describe a collaborative project you took the lead on? What steps/actions did you take to ensure the success of the project, and how did you measure that success? 13. How do you like to be managed? What are your expectations of your supervisor? 14. What do you think will be most challenging for you in this role and what are you most looking forward to? 15. Can you tell us about a children’s book you enjoyed recently? Who might you recommend it to? (these questions were provided the day before my interview. there was also an initial phone screening interview prior and those questions were also provided beforehand) | Start date, responsibilities, challenges, DEI in the workplace, professional development opportunities | Entry level | Public Library | Children’s Services | Western US | City/town | |||||||||||
55 | 7/24/2024 18:53:26 | Skype/Video Chat | First round | 1. Briefly describe what work experience, within or outside of the library field, has prepared you best for this position and its professional-level responsibilities. 2. Describe what you know about this part of the city. What steps will you personally take to get to know the community you are working in? 3. Please describe a time when you had fun at work. 4. What is one characteristic every good team should have, and how will you support that characteristic at this location? 5. What resources do you use for reader’s advisory? 6. What would you do if you had a reference question you couldn’t answer? How would you direct the customer? 7. How would you assist a customer who needs to find a homeless shelter, you have called a library Social Worker and no one is currently available. 8. Discuss one of your previous programs or projects that didn’t go smoothly. Explain how you dealt with those challenges to complete the project successfully. 9. Scenario: A child around 4 years old won’t stop crying. The caregiver nearby is looking up something on their laptop and continues to ignore the child. What would you do? 10. We regularly help customers learn new technology, using our devices and theirs. Tell us about a time when you helped someone learn something new. How did it go? Did you learn anything from the experience? 11. Describe a situation in which you had to take charge when there was not a supervisor on duty. What did you learn from the experience? 12. In this position, you will juggle many responsibilities, tell us about your organizational skills. What do you use to keep track of everything? 13. Tell us about any experience you have working with paid programmers, including seeking out new programmers, scheduling, and evaluating. 14. Tell us about one or two specific things that you have done to promote diversity, equity and/or inclusion in your current (or last) job? 15. The neighborhood here is a diverse and growing community. How do you consider everyone’s needs and welcome all customers? 16. The position requires some outreach to the community as well as meeting attendance at other branch libraries. Are you able to make use of reliable transportation to meet these obligations? 17. Please share an activity that supports social and emotional growth and lets kids explore new ideas and skills. (these questions were actually provided to me a few hours before the interview. there was also an initial screening interview before this) | Start date, challenges for the position, responsibilities for the first month | Entry level | Public Library | Children’s Services | Western US | City/town | |||||||||||
56 | 7/22/2024 1:00:29 | In-person | First round | 1. Please give a general summary of your career so far and what attracted you to this role 2. How would you balance the competing needs of the library and civil registration services? 3. Tell us about a time you took a big or innovative decision that was unpopular with the staff? 4. Can you tell us about a time when senior management placed roadblocks in the way of a project you were managing? 5. Tell us about a time when you had to choose between doing what was right for the team and doing what was right for the service? 6. Can you tell us about a situation when you managed a project with little or no support from the top? | 1. "Is there anything you've asked where you think I didn't answer fully, or where you'd like me to give more detail?" (An 'old reliable' but useless here: the lead interviewer just waffled about "I wouldn't want to pre-judge what my colleagues might say" and honestly looked pretty cross at being asked, which I've never seen before!) 2. "What do you think makes the difference between a good head of service and a great one?" 3. "What do you think are the biggest challenges I'd face stepping into this role?" | Head of Library and Registration Services ("County Librarian" we'd call it in my day) | Local Authority | Adult Services, Cataloging/Technical Services, Children’s Services, Outreach, Programming, Web Services, Civil Registration | UK | Gloucestershire | This was a weird one. Full day thing, two candidates per day, two days. Huge amount of staffing resource went into it (8 members of senior leadership giving 4-6 hours of their time), and in the end they didn't appoint *anyone* - as a hiring manager myself, I think they were asking the wrong questions because the feedback I had suggested they thought my answers and experience didn't cover area (x) well enough... when all the questions were about areas (y) and (z) (and area (x) was really clearly covered in my CV) That said, based on the questions they had asked, I already wasn't keen - I've done a lot of interviews for a lot of roles, including very senior leadership. I already know that anywhere top level management are asking questions that are solely focused on "What would you do if we blocked your project", "Tell us about how you make unpopular decisions" or "How would you deliver without any support from us" is not a place I want to try to be leading people: I realise you're here looking for the questions they might ask you (good research skills! :-)) but don't forget that no employer can help telling you a lot about their culture from the questions they ask, and trust your gut if it feels toxic! | ||||||||||
57 | 7/19/2024 19:20:35 | Skype/Video Chat | First round | 1. Tell me about yourself 2. What book did you read recently? 3. Who is your favorite children's author? 4. Why are you interested in this position? 5. Why do you want to work for this library? 6. How did you prepare for this interview? 7. Describe your supervisor style 8. How have you implemented STEM/STEAM in programming? 9. Have you ever used puppets/other props before? 10. Tell us about a time you made a mistake and what you learned 11. Tell us about a time you received constructive criticism 12. Tell us about a time a coworker did an exemplary job and how you addressed it 13. What experience do you have with ILS and other software? 14. What would you do if a parent said their child checked out an inappropriate book 15. What would you do if an adult was being disruptive during storytime 16. What accomplishment from this past year are you most proud of? 17. How would you build relationships/outreach with the local k-12 schools? 18. How do you stay up to date with youth trends? (there might've been a couple more questions, and some of these are paraphrased but these were the ones I could remember! they also had me do a sample/mock storytime session) | Mostly asked logistical questions about the job/position plus about DEI practices in the workplace/programming and book challenges | Two or more years of experience | Public Library | Children’s Services | Southern US | City/town | |||||||||||
58 | 7/18/2024 8:57:04 | Skype/Video Chat | First round | Tell us about yourself and what interests you in the Research & Instruction Librarian position at (university). Please describe your approach to instruction, training, and coaching. This position will support instruction efforts and (specific projects). How do you provide the environment and tools to ensure that students are successful? Tell us about a specific action you implemented to support diversity, inclusion, equity, or social justice. What prompted you to take this measure and what were the outcomes? This position plays a key role in enhancing support, resources, and engagement for students. Success involves both maintaining existing partnerships and building new ones. This includes, but is not limited to: faculty, vendors, and campus departments. Please share an example of when you collaborated with various stakeholders on a project. What was your approach and the impact? Do you have any questions for us? | How do you define a successful candidate? What is your ideal vision for this role? What is something you enjoy about working at (library) and (university)? What would be the biggest challenge for this role? | Entry level | Academic Library | Instruction, Outreach | Western US | City/town | This interview was over Zoom, but everyone had video off - the hiring librarian said it was meant to imitate a phone interview. Good luck to all of us! | ||||||||||
59 | 6/30/2024 18:28:58 | In-person | First round | Tell us about how you envision the library clerk position and why your experience and background make you a strong candidate. Give us specific examples of how you will contribute to [our described] work place culture. What strategies have you used to contribute to an inclusive environment. Recall a time when you made a mistake. How did you handle the situation? What was the outcome? What elements do you think are part of a welcoming and comfortable library space? As part of the library's team, how might you help us ensure we are providing this type of space? Please describe your comfort level with technology. Give us an example of when you really listened to what a customer needed and changed your service to meet their needs in a way that was outside of your normal duties. You're working at the desk and the phone is ringing, someone has a question, someone needs help on the computer, and some patrons are being loud in the quiet reading area. How do you handle this? Give an example of you had a situation with difficulty communication with someone and how you handled it. Please share some examples of high-accuracy tasks that you have accomplished and hwat strategies you envision using in this role. | How would you describe the work environment like the pacing, especially compared to the Main library branch. Do you have an idea about the shift schedule for this position? What are some of the most challenging parts about working as a clerk? | Library Clerk | Public Library | Circulation | Southwest | City/town | |||||||||||
60 | 6/24/2024 9:32:12 | Phone | First round | 1. What is your experience working in a public library? 2. Describe the strategies you've used to connect the public with the library. 3. Tell us about a time when you were given a new project, with a short time frame, and how you balanced it with your regular duties. 4. Describe your experience as a direct supervisor and provide detailed examples. 5. What experience and skills will you bring to be successful in this position? | None - not allowed to ask questions. | Librarian I | Public Library | Western US | City/town | ||||||||||||
61 | 6/17/2024 11:35:28 | Skype/Video Chat | First and only round | - Tell us about your work history and experience, and why you are interested in the position. - How do you manage your time and deadlines? - Tell us about a time you used data to inform your decision-making. - Tell us about a time you made a mistake in a professional setting. - Tell us about a time you led or advocated for a change in your workplace. - Tell us about a time you had a difficult conversation with a coworker or a supervisor. - How do you build relationships with coworkers, neighborhood partners, supervisors, and other parties within and outside of the Library? - This position is an entirely computer-based role: tell us about your experience with technology and work-related software platforms. - How would you handle an uptick in patron demand for books by an author you find problematic or have issues with? - How do you stay up-to-date on new releases and trends in youth literature and literacy? - What's a book or series of books that you love, and why should the Library have them in our collection? (Assume that the Library does not already have the book/books.) | - What is your vision or goals for the collection in the coming year or so? - What opportunities for professional development are available? | Materials Selector | Public Library | Cataloging/Technical Services, Children’s Services, Teen Services, Collection development; collection management; materials selection | Midwestern US | Urban area | |||||||||||
62 | 6/17/2024 11:09:06 | In-person | First round | - Tell us about a project where you worked as a member of a team and how you contributed successfully. - Tell us about your experience with teaching or library instruction - in any modality. - Tell us about a time where you needed to be flexible or adapt to a colleague's working style or when working with a challenging user? - What have you learned from an interaction with an individual or group from a different background than your own? - In working at the (college) library, you may have to learn new and emerging technologies. Tell us about your experience learning a new technology or tool. | - What makes a successful candidate in this role? - What is your favorite part about working at (college)? - The job description mentions creating physical and digital resources for students, can you give examples of how you envision them? What have past staff members done? - What does the rest of the process look like? | Entry level | Academic Library | Instruction, Outreach, Programming | Western US | City/town | Good luck, fellow job hunters! We've got this. | ||||||||||
63 | 5/28/2024 8:24:30 | In-person | Second round | Two or more years of experience | Academic Library | Medical | Midwestern US | City/town | |||||||||||||
64 | 5/16/2024 21:54:55 | Skype/Video Chat | Second round | What do you see as important issues facing academic libraries today? What can librarians and academic libraries do to address these issues? How do you keep up to date with developments in librarianship and technology? Can you describe your experience with and/or knowledge of managing gifts to libraries? Describe a situation in which you were successful in an initiative that was important to you. What did you learn from the experience? Describe a situation in which you were involved in an initiative that was important to you in which you felt the outcomes to be unsatisfactory. What did you learn from this experience? How would you go about building strong relationships with faculty and students? Required qualifications for this position include the demonstrated ability to work independently and to work collaboratively with others. Can you describe to us how you have demonstrated both these abilities in the past? Can you describe your research interests? What contributions have you made to librarianship as a profession? Is there anything we have not asked that you feel is pertinent to this job? Do you have any questions for us? | Can you describe the day-to-day responsibilities of this position? What is the relationship with faculty like? How often would I be working with faculty? What makes this institution a good place to work? Work/life balance? What are you working on right now that you’re excited about? How does the library system support open access? Is this a replacement position or will there be opportunities for a continuing position? When will I hear back? What is the onboarding process like for new hires? | Entry level | Academic Library | Liaison, Reference | Canada | City/town | |||||||||||
65 | 4/10/2024 11:22:38 | Skype/Video Chat | First round | Tell me about your work experience and how it qualifies you for this position. | Based on my answers today, do you have any hesitations about my qualifications for this position? | Librarian | Public Library | Western US | Urban area | ||||||||||||
66 | 3/13/2024 12:45:07 | In-person | 1 of 1 | - How did you prepare for the interview? - What would you say good customer service looks like? - Tell me about a time when you had a conflict with a coworker. - Tell me about a time you had a difficult customer and what you did to resolve the issue. - What would you say has been your most rewarding experience when working in a team? - What role do you succeed most in when working in a team? - Tell me about a work experience that was frustrating for you. - Tell me about a supervisor you've had in the past that you've had a good experience with. What did you learn from them? | - What opportunities are there for professional development? - Do you have any advice you'd give to someone who wants to succeed in this role? - What does a typical day in this role look like? - Is there any possibility of working overtime? | Library Aide | Public Library | Southwestern US | Suburban area | So glad I found this spreadsheet. It helped a lot when preparing the morning of my interview! Best of luck to everyone 🍀 | |||||||||||
67 | 3/8/2024 12:28:05 | In-person | Second round | Why do you want to work at this institution? What do you think will be your greatest challenge? What are three words that you use to describe yourself? How do you stay abreast of discussions in the profession? How do you approach teaching information literacy? Are there any organizations that you think are doing good work in this area? How you do you approach collaboration? What is important to you in a supervisor? How would you market and promote library services and events? | Two or more years of experience | Academic Library | Instruction, Liaison, Outreach, Reference | Midwestern US | Suburban area | The range for this position was 45k-50k | |||||||||||
68 | 2/5/2024 10:05:31 | In-person | I do not know. First round/application/initial screening..? | (They had a list of about 12 questions on the table on a piece of paper , and another piece of blank paper, they gave us 5min to write notes to help us answer the question, then proceeded to ask us said questions. 1 or 2 questions weren't written on paper but they asked anyways too. Didn't ask about any specific questions to do with CV or my application. It's like they didn't even read it haha) Questions are as follows: (that I remember, paraphrased) -Why do you want to work here? -How you meet the key requirements, with what experience? (give examples) -Experience working with public -Experience where you had to have a flexible approach -Give us an example of how you dealt with a difficult customer, your approach/how you resolved the conflict -Why is teamwork with staff and volunteers important? -When are you available? (it was a part time position) (not written on PAPER) -What training are you expecting to carry out for the role? -What can the library do to get more customers/ppl to use it. (not written on the paper) -What attitude should library assistants have towards there job? -What personal skills help with running a modern public library? -Are you willing to engage in story time/rhyme time, book club, and craft activities? -Do you have any gaps in employment and why? (this was a mandatory council ques apparently, not written on paper, she skimmed over it since she could tell I had only ever been in fulltime education) | Whats the most difficult/challenging part of being a librarian? (I didn't rlly need to ask this) | Part-time library assistant role | Public Library | General? | UK, town in north West England. | City/town | Read the job roles description/listing well, what they are looking for etc. and try to add it into what you say, they will most likely ask questions relating to this anyways. Act as if they have not read your application and supporting documments- most questions were just repeats of what they asked us to write about in our supporting documents- "How you meet key requiremnts for role", you have to refer to key requerment doc which was attatched on job listing. But yeh. And come on time to the interview and be friendly. Good luck! | ||||||||||
69 | 2/4/2024 22:38:20 | In-person | Application | In what instance did you went above and beyond for a customer? | Is there any hesitation about my fit for this role, how do i compare to other candidates? | Library Assistant | Public Library | Adult Services, Cataloging/Technical Services, Web Services | Western US | Suburban area | |||||||||||
70 | 1/23/2024 21:07:43 | Phone | First round | Tell us about your supervisory experience. Describe your management / leadership style. Tell us about a time when you had to reprimand a direct report. Describe a time you had a conflict at work and how you resolved it. Why would you be a good fit/what do you bring to the job? | No questions allowed. | Supervisory | Public Library | Southwestern US | City/town | ||||||||||||
71 | 12/13/2023 10:07:19 | Skype/Video Chat | First round | 1. What do you know about our commmunity college and the needs of our community, and as a librarian, how would you go about supporting their needs? 2. What is your process for discovering, learning, applying, and sharing new technological and pedagogical tools & practices in librarianship? 3. The position we are hiring for requires flexibility and independent work at multiple locations within HCC's Northeast College campuses, as well as collaborative work. Please give us one or two examples of your experiences having to work independently while making sure you still worked successfully as part of a team. 4. In what ways have you provided reference services and how do you see reference services evolving in the future? 5. In the age of AI, Google and paper mills, how do you approach conversations with students, either in instruction or one-on-one, about plagiarism and the ethical use of information? 6. How would you prepare to teach an engaging research instruction session on a subject that you are unfamiliar with? 7. What are some methods you would employ to promote library services to dual-credit students, public patrons, faculty, and traditional/non-traditional students who are unfamiliar with library services? 8. How would you go about developing a collection in a community college setting? How do you ensure that your selection process meets the needs of the students and faculty? 9. What challenges, for example: difficult patrons and book bans, do you anticipate facing as a community college librarian in Texas, now, and in the near future? And how would you meet them? 10. Why are you the ideal candidate for this HCC position? 11. Please give a 10-minute teaching demonstration appropriate for first year workforce community college students. Please utilize an interactive tool. | Entry level | Academic Library | Instruction, Outreach, Programming, Reference | Southern US | Urban area | ||||||||||||
72 | 12/2/2023 9:43:48 | Skype/Video Chat | First round | Why are you interested in this position? What do you know about the community here? What importance do you think a programming librarian has to their community? How would you manage boundaries between your work life and your private life? How do you manage to stay focused and work independently in a busy environment? How do you manage multitasking? What do you see as a successful program? Where do you see the future of library programming in 3-5 years? Be creative: what sort of programming would you like to implement at the library? Describe a time when you included an alternative, diverse perspective into a situation at work, and how did it inform your experience? What are your experiences working on a team and how to you approach team-building? | What does success look like for this role? What do you love most about working in this community? | Two or more years of experience | Public Library | Adult Services, Outreach, Programming, Reference, community engagement | Western US | Urban area | It's okay to ask interviewers to repeat the question. Remember to speak slowly on a virtual interview and put energy into your voice and facial expressions. You are evaluating whether they are a good fit for you as much as they are evaluating you! | ||||||||||
73 | 11/27/2023 10:26:46 | In-person | Second round | Discovery Services Librarian Interview Questions November 2023 Morning Questions with the search committee: 1. What initially interested you about librarianship? How has your experience influenced or changed your motivations since you originally considered pursuing a library career? 2. Describe a supervisor who brought out the best in you—including the traits you most admire and found most helpful. What did you learn from this person that you would bring to your role as a leader? 3. What are some common disconnects between library metadata, discovery interfaces, and user needs? What steps can be taken to bridge these gaps? 4. How do you address accessibility and inclusivity in library cataloging? What measures would you take to ensure that all users, including those with disabilities, can effectively access and discover library resources? 5. What experience do you have with OCLC systems/software and what library systems have you used? What did you like or dislike about them? 6. You have your interview schedule; do you have any questions for us? Collections Strategies Group Questions: 1. What do you value most in a work environment? 2. What are some strategies you have used to manage projects effectively? 3. What responsibilities of this position are you looking forward to accomplishing the most and why? 4. How would you go about learning about our library’s discovery services? 5. What are some of the things you would like to do in your first few weeks on the job? 6. How would you characterize your communication style? 7. What questions do you have for us? Significant Collaborators Group Questions: 1. What do you value most in your coworkers and in a work environment? 2. Many times, you may be managing multiple projects simultaneously. How do you prioritize the work and manage expectations? 3. Tell us about a time when you had to solve a problem with very little guidance or direction. 4. What is it about this job that interests you? 5. How will you gain the technical knowledge you need to do this job? 6. What skills and strengths do you bring to the position? 7. What Questions do you have for us? Special Collections Group Questions: 1. Describe colleagues who bring out the best in you—including the traits you most admire and find most helpful. 2. How would you foresee collaborating with various library staff to promote the discoverability of library collections? 3. What strategies do you use to help ensure a collaborative project has the best possible chance of succeeding? 4. What roles do you typically take in group projects or committees? 5. What is one thing you would like to accomplish in this role and why? 6. What questions do you have for us? Afternoon Search Committee Questions 1. Provide an example of a decision you made that did not turn out as you had expected. What were the implications of the decision? What did you learn? 2. When dealing with a large-scale cataloging project, how would you prioritize which records to work on first, and what criteria would you use to determine the order of processing? 3. This position requires working with people across the library and campus community. Tell us about a time when you communicated effectively across a broad range of stakeholders? 4. This position will be involved in loading and manipulating small to large files of MARC records; what sort of training would you appreciate to help you if you were hired (MARC record structure, OCLC, ILS, etc.)? 5. In this role, you would be working with library units who have a range of different roles with various priorities. How would you negotiate different priorities among all these groups and bring them together as a team? 6. Based on what you have learned today during this interview, if you are the successful candidate, what strengths do you think you would bring to this position and organization? What challenges would you face? 7. What questions do you have for us? | Supervisory | Academic Library | Cataloging/Technical Services, Liaison, Web Services | Midwestern US | Urban area | ||||||||||||
74 | 11/27/2023 10:22:50 | Skype/Video Chat | Second round | 1. What do you anticipate enjoying most about the Discovery Services Library position, and what skills would you bring to the job? 2. Describe a time when you actively promoted inclusivity and belonging in a team or project? What strategies did you use to ensure that all voices were heard and valued? 3. Provide an example of your cataloging experience in a professional or educational setting? Please describe the cataloguing standards and tools you used in that situation. 4. Tell us about a problem you encountered that was difficult to solve or required you to investigate to find a solution? What steps did you take to resolve the issue? 5. Talk about a complex project or workflow where accuracy and attention to detail were crucial. What strategies did you use to ensure quality work? 6. Please discuss your perspective on pursuing a tenure-track position? How do you see your creative and research endeavors leading to success in this role? a. Do you have any questions about the tenure process at USU? 7. You listed x, y, and z as your references. Could you describe the nature of your relationship with each reference and how they are familiar with your work and skills related to this position? 8. Do you have any question for us? | Supervisory | Academic Library | Cataloging/Technical Services, Web Services | Midwestern US | Urban area | ||||||||||||
75 | 11/27/2023 10:18:36 | Skype/Video Chat | First round | Tell us about yourself, your career path, and how you decided to become a librarian. What about EKU specifically interests you in this position? How do you see yourself contributing to this role as well as EKU’s mission? Describe a project you worked on that best displays your interests and skills. Tell us about the role you played. What, if anything, would you have done differently? Tell us about a time where you partnered or worked with students/faculty/staff/or another department to accomplish a goal/project. What worked well? What didn't work well? What would you do differently? What does Open Education mean to you? What makes you interested in that? What questions do you have for us? | Two or more years of experience | Academic Library | Instruction, Liaison, Outreach | Midwestern US | Urban area | ||||||||||||
76 | 11/26/2023 6:35:11 | In-person | First round | what skills do you need to be a good team member and a leader? How would you demonstrate equal opportunities? How would you handle cash and record financial transactions? Had to also sort fiction and nonfiction books in order. (Non-fiction we’re sorted by decimal numbers). How would you run a reading session? Also had to do a demonstration reading a children’s book. Demonstrate how to find a book from the online library and how to find an address for another library? Had to within 5 minutes | What is your favourite thing about working here? what advice would you give to yourself when you first started? | Library Assistant | Public Library | Cataloging/Technical Services, Children’s Services | UK | City/town | Try to get into more detail with your answers and develop them. Also if you haven’t worked in a library before express you interest for training. If you need to demonstrate reading session talk loud and mention author and illustrator. Equal opportunities include examples like changing text size, different colours. | ||||||||||
77 | 10/28/2023 21:45:18 | Skype/Video Chat | First round | What are your communication skills/how do you rate your communication skills? How do you deal with feedback when you make a mistake? Are you good at working independently? | (1) What is your favorite part of your job? (2) What characteristics are you looking for in a candidate? (3) What kind of professional development do you offer? (4) What exactly is the CAMPI project? | Library Clerk | Special Library | Cataloging/Technical Services, Law, Reference | Western US | Urban area | |||||||||||
78 | 10/26/2023 21:16:00 | Skype/Video Chat | First round | 1. Tell us about yourself, and why you applied for an archival role? 2. do you have experience using our archival services before and how? 3. what do you understand about records management? 4. how do you see a role here fitting into your plans and goals for the future? | 1. what are the general responsibilities/learning opportunities for new trainees coming in? 2. what is the working arrangement like? (hybrid/in-person) 3. what is the working culture like? | Entry level | Archives | Cataloging/Technical Services, records management | Singapore | City/town | i didn't have prior 'formal' experience working under archives but a researcher background which influenced the questions I was asked, but just keep calm, be honest and express your interest and what you do know (def prep and research beforehand, it'll help). we got this! | ||||||||||
79 | 10/19/2023 10:24:28 | Phone | First round | Why do you want to work here?, What experience or skills qualify you for this position?, Describe your approach to teaching., Describe how you work with others., | What were the biggest challenges you have faced in the last year?, What is the instruction faculty relationship with the library like?, How is success measured in this position? | Two or more years of experience | Academic Library | Instruction | Southern US | Urban area | |||||||||||
80 | 10/5/2023 12:25:36 | Application | |||||||||||||||||||
81 | 9/6/2023 11:49:53 | Skype/Video Chat | First round | Tell me about yourself. Why do you want this job, and what do you think the challenges of it would be for you? What is your preferred method of communication with your coworkers? How do you organize, plan, and prioritize daily tasks? What is your experience with using Microsoft Office or Sierra? How would you approach a variety of items that all need to be cataloged? How do you handle criticism, and what would you do if you didn't agree with it? Is there anything else you want to tell us about yourself that we didn't go over? | What does an average day on the job look like? How are performance reviews done? How often is feedback given? What does success look like in this role? (Because I'm out of state) How long do you expect the hiring and interview process take? | Public Library | Cataloging/Technical Services | City/town | |||||||||||||
82 | 8/9/2023 4:21:29 | In-person | Second round | -Based on the job description, which aspects of this position do you believe would be easy for your to carry out? Which would be challengin? Which would be new? How would you go about learning what you need to know about these? -Please describe a recent information literacy session that you are particularly proud of. What did you teach and how did you collaborate with your faculty member or other colleague on it? -What do you consider your greatest professional success? -Describe how you would help a student navigate the pros and cons of preprint servers in STEM (arXiv, bioRxiv, chemrxiv). -Many STEM students mistakenly associate libraries with humanities more strongly than with their STEM-related classes. What would you say to these students to highlight the advantages that library services can provide STEM students in 2023? -What were some of the buggest challenges you have faces in your career coming into a new environment/employer? How did you overcome these challenges? -What is a reponsibility or an aspect of your current position that you are hoping this role at [college name] will either offer or fulfill for you? -What aspects of STEM information literacy excite you, that you would like to explore in this job? -This job requires that you build relationships with all faculty and staff across the college. What has been successful in building relationships with faculty in the past? -How do you approach new experiences and partnerships where you may feel less prepared or knowledgeable? -Studens in STEM fields often come to librarians for help finding existing datasetrs for their research. What is your experience helping people find quantitative data? How do you envision learning about sources of data in fields less familiar to you? -How do you shape your instruction to make it accessible and inclusive in order to help all students learn? -What do you look for in a colleague? | -With the growing pushback against college education and the affordability crisis, what is [college name] doing to position itself to remain relevant? -What did you see in my CV and cover letter that made you reach out for an initial interview and then to invite me to campus? Why do you want me to fill this position? -Why do you think you’ve had trouble filling this position? -How long has this position been vacant? -I am here during a time when normal classes are not in session. What is the difference in atmosphere here and in Northfield when classes are in session? -How many information literacy classes do the RILs do in a typical semester? -I saw a message on the chat window saying the librarians are not available, but librarians from other institutions are available to help 24/7. Which institutions are those, and how does that work? -What is the annual review process like? -How much is the budget for material purchases? -How does the library support open access? -What are some immediate concerns for the person in this position in the first few months on the job? -What professional development resources are available? -How do you all communicate with one another as a team? -How often do you have department meetings? -Do you feel supported by the library and college administrations? -How would you foresee working together with the person in this position? -How would you describe the students you work with at the reference desk? -In what ways do you support open access? -What are your thoughts on AI? Have you used it in your work? -Do you conduct assessments in your sessions? How do you go about it? -Have any of you been in a faculty librarian position prior to this one? How would you describe the differences in the faculty position and your non-faculty position now? -What is your leadership style? -What do you think are the biggest opportunities and challenges for [college name]? -What excites you about [college name]? -Will the recent Supreme Court decision in affirmative action have any effect on [college name]'s admission process? | Two or more years of experience | Academic Library | Instruction, Liaison, Reference | Midwestern US | City/town | Ask them as many hard questions as they ask you. One of the questions hiring committee's love to ask candidates is "Why do you want this position? or Why do you want to work here?" Turn it around on them also and ask them "Why do you want me? What did you see in my CV and cover letter that made you invite me for an interview." Let them tell you why you why they think you are great. | ||||||||||
83 | 6/28/2023 8:47:39 | In-person | Second round | 1. Tell us about yourself 2. What does customer service mean to you and what experience do you have with customer service? 3. Tell us more about your most recent work/job/career experience. 4. What are your strengths and weaknesses? 5. What software programs are you comfortable with? What is your level of experience with each? 6. Tell us about a time you had trouble with a customer and how you resolved it. 7. Do you work better independently or as part of a team? 8. What is your five year plan/where do you see yourself in 5 years? 9. What made you apply for this job? 10. What are you passionate about? 11. What are your 3 favorite/most read book genres? What has been your favorite recent read and why? 12. Why would you be a good fit for this role? And then questions regarding logistics - do you have reliable transportation, what hours are you available, etc. | What is the library policy on collection management and reconsideration? | Library Clerk | Public Library | Adult Services, Cataloging/Technical Services, Outreach | Southern US | Urban area | Looking over questions in this database really helped me prepare for the interview - I had a good idea of what type of questions to expect and had prepared an outline in my head of how to answer them. I also made sure to look around the library's website and read some information from the ALA to prepare. | ||||||||||
84 | 6/18/2023 7:19:42 | In-person | First round | Comfort with computers, computer proficiency (specific questions such as how I would help a patron format a word document, copy and pasting, etc) Customer service, how I would deal with stressful situations such as upset patrons. | Hours Uniform and appropriate dress How librarians workshop ideas, how to contribute to that | Library Aide | Public Library | Cataloging/Technical Services | Southern US | Urban area | |||||||||||
85 | 5/30/2023 15:23:27 | Phone | First round | 1. Why are you interested in this position? 2. Tell us about your experience working in libraries. 2a. Follow-up: Questions we may have about specific work experience in their resume or cover letter. 3.Tell us about your experiences providing research help. 3a. Follow up: What resources/databases are you most comfortable with? Which subject areas are you least comfortable with? In what modalities do you have experience providing research help? 4. Tell us about your experience providing information literacy instruction in-person and online. 5. What do you enjoy most about working at a service desk? 6. What is your availability? We are looking for coverage during the late afternoons/evenings (possibly a weekend rotation?). Does this work with your schedule? 7. Is there something we didn’t ask you about that you’d like to highlight? 8. What questions do you have for us? | 1. How has reference and research help changed during and since the pandemic? 2. How has instruction evolved over the years, and especially with the pandemic? Have relationships and work with faculty changed? 3. When can I expect to hear back about the next steps? | Entry level | Academic Library | Instruction, Reference | Midwestern US | Urban area | Starting with this phone interview and going for all remote interviews, I'm starting to time myself when I answer questions so I don't ramble. I have a bad tendency to during interviews, so this will help me check myself | ||||||||||
86 | 5/26/2023 12:26:04 | Skype/Video Chat | First round | 1) Tell us about yourself, including education and work experience and how they are relevant to this position. 2) Tell us about a time you used technology to improve a program/event/process. 3) How would others describe your leadership style? 4) Share your experience regarding programming for children, teen, and adults. 5) Tell us about your current work priorities. How do you manage and organize competing priorities? 6) Tell us about a time you worked on a team, what was your role? How did it turn out? 7) Share about a time you had to deal with a difficult situation. How did you handle it? How was it resolved? 8) Tell us about a time you solved an issue in a unique way. 9) Do you have any questions/final comments. | 1) When do you anticipate the start date for this position? How does the library system support entry level librarians? What qualities do you seek for a person in this position? | Librarian I | Public Library | General Librarian | Southwest US | Urban area | Lots of the questions follow the formulaic answer structure - 1) Situation, 2) steps taken to improve/resolve, 3) how did it make it better (especially from the perspective and context of the patron/library user). Self-advocate and remind them why you are the best candidate at the end, do not omit this step! No one else can speak for you better than you can! | ||||||||||
87 | 5/24/2023 20:15:45 | Skype/Video Chat | First round | 1) How do you adapt to new technology? 2) Tell me about a time you received excellent customer service. | Page | Public Library | Western US | Urban area | |||||||||||||
88 | 5/24/2023 12:37:14 | In-person | First round | Why are you interested in the position and what are your expectations for the position? Tell us about a time you were part of a team to achieve a goal. What was your role? Tell us about a time you took initiative without waiting for directions. Tell us about a time you dealt with a difficult customer and what was the outcome? Tell us about a time you had a conflict with a coworker and how did your relationship progress? Do you have any scheduling experience? What is your supervisory experience? Two people are having an audible discussion. Other patrons complain. What do you do? Is there anything we should know about you that wasn't covered in the interview? | If you had to pick the most important trait to have for this job, what would it be? Is there anything on my resume or that was said in the interview you need clarification on? | Supervisory | Public Library | Adult Services | Southern US | City/town | |||||||||||
89 | 5/23/2023 12:10:34 | Skype/Video Chat | First round | 1. Why are you interested in this position? 2. ______ Libraries currently uses ArchivesSpace to manage and provide access to manuscript collections, university archives, and artifacts. What tools and systems have you used to manage and provide access to archival materials? Please tell us about your experience using these tools. 3. Tell us about a particularly challenging or complex collection that you processed successfully. Why was it challenging and how did you address these challenges? 4. When processing large and/or complex collections, what strategies or methods have helped you to manage your time so that collections can be made available in a timely manner? 5. Please describe your experience working with born-digital materials. Please provide examples. 6. At _______ Libraries, scholarship and service are incorporated into our annual faculty work plans. If you were offered this position, what scholarly and service interests would you like to pursue? 7. Please tell us how you keep up with current archival practices and standards. What recent developments or trends in the profession are most compelling to you? 8. How do you plan to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion as a faculty member through archival practice? 9. Describe a specific example of how you have helped create an environment where differences are valued, encouraged, and supported. | What can you tell me about the workplace culture? How does the organization support your professional development and career growth? What would you expect in the first six months? Is there a dedicated digital archivist which the procesing archivist works with? Is there any room for the processing archivist to cross-train on other duties such as accessioning and reference? | Two or more years of experience | Academic Library | Archival processing | Northeastern US | Suburban area | |||||||||||
90 | 4/28/2023 10:39:08 | In-person | First round | 1. What drew you to this position? 2. How familiar are you with our library's collections? 3. How familiar are you with library collections in general? 4. Do you prefer repetitive tasks or creative ones? 5. Do you prefer working independently or with a team? 6. Give us an example of a time you worked independently and succeeded. 7. Give us an example of a time you worked as part of a team and succeeded. 8. You will frequently be shelving and organizing books. What is the importance of this to you? 9. Are you comfortable working with children and their parents? 10. If a minor checked out a book on pregnancy, would you tell their parents? 11. If a patron wanted to find books on a topic that goes against your beliefs, would you help them? | 1. What would a typical shift look like? 2. Tell me more about your community outreach efforts. 3. What is your favorite thing about working here? | Library Assistant | Public Library | Reference | Southern US | Rural area | Definitely read up on the library's policies and the ALA Bill of Rights. Also be prepared to do a shelving test. | ||||||||||
91 | 4/12/2023 12:21:11 | Skype/Video Chat | First round | Tell us a little about yourself and why your experience makes you a great fit for this role, Why are you interested in this specific location [within a large library system]? Tell us about a time that you received excellent customer service, Tell us about a time that you had to adhere to policy while dealing with a difficult customer/patron, Tell us about a time that you went against policy to help a customer/patron, Do you prefer working individually or in a team? What does working in a team mean to you? What does working in a diverse community mean to you? Scenario: You are the only employee at the service desk. There are four patrons waiting for assistance, one of whom is a parent with a screaming toddler. This causes another patron to come to the desk and complain because of the noise level. How would you handle the situation to achieve a successful outcome?, What would you do if a patron approached you and was looking for a book about trains? What questions do you have for us? | What have previous people in in this position done that you would like to see continued, and conversely, what is one area of improvement you consistently note for this position? What happens during the typical day/shift? Does this position offer any kind of tuition reimbursement if I were to pursue an MLIS? [City that the branch is in] has undergone a lot of changes in recent years, in particular, we've seen an expanding and diversifying community along with a much higher cost of living. How has the library adapted to these changes? | Library Clerk | Public Library | Adult Services | Western US | Suburban area | Research as much as possible! I did thorough pre-interview research for a hypothetical question about recommending books (after scouring this spreadsheet), which meant when the "book about trains" question came around, I had a list of clarifying questions to ask and databases to consult. My response elicited a "Wow, I really love that answer" from one of the interviewers! Also, have an anecdote/example prepared for a variety of answers. Take deep breaths, take your time, sip water, etc. if you need time to think. | ||||||||||
92 | 3/29/2023 17:54:41 | Skype/Video Chat | First round | What interests you in this position? What do you think most qualifies you for this position? What are you your short term and long term career goals? Describe a time when you have encountered a problem or something you didn’t understand in your work. What did you do, and what was the outcome? Could you elaborate on the types of materials that you have the most experience cataloging and the least experience cataloging? What things have you done to become more effective at your job in your current or former position? | How is the library approaching DEIA issues? Are there any dei projects happening or planned? What does collaboration between departments look like for your team? What work are you hoping the person in this position will bring to the team right out of the gate, and what are you hoping they'd build toward in the future? What would you be hoping to see them doing in this positoin within a few months versus at the end of several years? | Two or more years of experience | Academic Library | Cataloging/Technical Services | Western US | Urban area | Are you asking about our current area or where the position is that I applied for? This particular response was for a job on the opposite side of the country from me. | ||||||||||
93 | 3/28/2023 10:42:46 | Skype/Video Chat | Application | 1. There are a variety of tasks outlined in the job description that the incumbent will need to handle. Which of these represent the greatest learning curve for you? How will you handle this? 2. Describe some working conditions that made you feel dissatisfied or did not bring out your best qualities, and reflect on why. What gives you satisfaction in your work? 3. Tell us about your experience juggling work with different deadlines, and your methods balancing detailed quality control with productivity. | 1. How did the pandemic affect your work and the department's? 2. What recent projects or initiatives have been exciting or interesting? 3. What new projects or initiatives are coming up for the department? | Two or more years of experience | Academic Library | Cataloging/Technical Services, Preservation | Western US | Urban area | |||||||||||
94 | 3/20/2023 9:32:01 | Skype/Video Chat | First round | What is the difference between marc21 and RDA. | Was other e-resource work going to be added to the position. | Library Assistant | Academic Library | Cataloging/Technical Services, Acquisitions & E-Resources Processor | Western US | Suburban area | It's all about personality and answering "the right way" during the interview. Hired individuals don't necessarily have the experience or skills called for in the job post, but they do have something that made their interview better than others. Secret sauce. | ||||||||||
95 | 3/14/2023 10:50:34 | In-person | First round | 1. Please introduce yourself. 2. Why are you interested in this position, specifically at this location? 3. What makes you a unique applicant? What can you bring to this position? 4. Name a scenario where you knew you were correct and/or had to follow policies but had to resolve conflict with another person. In general, how would you confront a library patron? 5. Are you able to work in a public setting where you may be interrupted a lot? 6. Are you able to work [specific hours of position]? 7. How do you go about working independently vs. working in a team? Do you have a preference for either? 8. How do you deal with conflict with a colleague or higher-up in the work setting? 9. What do you NOT want in a work environment? 10. Follow-up questions about my resume, previous work experiences, and computer skills. | 1. When should I expect to hear from you? Are there any next steps that I should be aware of? 2. Was there anything of concern or anything that I should clarify? 3. How did the library navigate changes from the pandemic? 4. [City name] has changed a lot in the past few years, from the expanding and diversifying immigrant communities, to gentrification, to new developments. How has the library adapted? 5. What are some of your favorite events/programs/resources? | Paraprofessional Assistant | Public Library | Adult Services, Cataloging/Technical Services, Children’s Services, Outreach, Programming | Northeastern US | Urban area | Relax! Like some other people who answered in this form, the employers/interviewers also tend to look for personality/community fit, not just qualifications. The folks who interviewed me were kind and fair and let me know that they were asking all applicants the same questions without any trick questions. I should also note that I was interviewed by a panel of four people -- 2 library directors, 1 junior librarian, and 1 HR staff member. | ||||||||||
96 | 3/13/2023 5:08:21 | In-person | First round | The responsibilities of this position include things like digital exhibitions as well as patron image requests. Tell us how you would prioritize patron vs. institutional needs? Tell us about your experience working with Omeka. How comfortable are you with acting as the subject authority on digital media at (library) and asking colleagues to defer to your expertise? Tell us what you know about the long-term digital archive at (institution)? Tell us about a project you found challenging and how you saw it through? What attracted you to this position and make you want to apply for it? Please describe strengths you have using specific technologies, tools and software that would be helpful for this position. What do you think are the latest trends in digital library services as they pertain to special collections, and why are they important? | Work culture between library and faculty, expectations for first six months | Two or more years of experience | Academic Library | Special Collections | Southern US | Urban area | |||||||||||
97 | 3/10/2023 3:55:20 | In-person | Second round | What motivates you? Tell us a time that you failed and what you learned from it. Tell us about a good/bad manager you had and what made them good/bad. Why should we hire you rather than the other candidate(s)? | What sort of leadership qualities are you looking for in the person that fills this position? What is the biggest challenge the town will face in the next 5 years and how will this affect the library? What measures do you take to ensure effective communication occurs from the top down and across departments? What actions are you taking to prevent burnout among staff (or to support management who are trying to prevent burnout among their team members)? | Department Head | Public Library | Cataloging/Technical Services | Northeastern US | City/town | |||||||||||
98 | 1/20/2023 10:18:05 | Skype/Video Chat | First round | 1. Tell us about yourself. 2. What is a project that was memorable for you? What worked, didn't work, and what did you learn from it? 3. What drew you to this internship and what do you hope to gain from it? 4. How would you describe yourself in the workplace? How would your coworkers and supervisors describe you? 5. Describe a time where a mentor helped motivate you and how did they do it? 6. Describe a time where you had to create a lesson. How did you go about the research process and putting materials together? 7. Describe how diversity works in higher ed and the workplace. 8. How do you handle multiple deadlines at a time? | I asked how long the internship typically lasts | Internship | Academic Library | Instruction, Liaison, Medical, Reference | Southern US | Urban area | |||||||||||
99 | 1/15/2023 15:21:09 | Skype/Video Chat | First round | 1. Why do you want to work at this institution? 2. At this institution, we have files interfiled, how do you handle those files? 3. How would you go about appraising materials that have donated? 4. Name a time you failed. | 1. What is the size of the backlog? 2. How does one measure success in this role? | Digital archivist | Archives | Special collections | Southern US | Urban area | |||||||||||
100 | 1/11/2023 10:28:01 | In-person | First round | - Describe your library experience. - Describe working with a team. - Provided a scenario of a patron being disruptive & asked how I would address the situation. - What was the last book that you recommended & why did you recommend it? - Describe your experience with tech troubleshooting. - Describe/ list software programs that you have used. - Describe working with a diverse community. - Provided a scenario of planning a program that was six months away & asked for ways that you would promote the program and keep people engaged. | - I asked about work scheduling because the position was part-time and I am entering my last semester of graduate school. - I asked about any permanent changes to library programs that resulted due to the pandemic. | Entry level | Public Library | Adult Services | Southern US | Suburban area | The hiring manager provided a very good overview of the library system, the position itself, and the potential for career development. They also provided a hard copy of the interview questions for me to refer to during the interview. I found it very helpful to have the copy to read while they read the questions out loud. It helped me focus on the question while I was nervous. Also I could glance back at the question while I was answering & make sure I was answering all parts of the question. I wanted to pass that along for managers conducting interviews. |