Librarians Going Global
To give you a bit of background, in 2003 I served as a librarian intern with the United Nations. My station was the UN headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya in East Africa. I worked for UN Habitat mostly in reference and information management capacities. Specifically, I helped with an internal knowledge database, a compendium of publications for a conference, and gave training to the librarians working at the UN library. My trip required a business visa and 9 vaccinations.

One of the things that attracted me to librarianship is the portability of our skills. Like several other professions, we can practice our craft anywhere. No matter where you are, there is always information to organize and a public to serve.

I am going to share an overview of how to become an international librarian. Things to think about before going, the types of jobs available, how to get the job, and things to remember.

Starting Out
Know Yourself and What You Want

Questions to ask yourself:

What is it that you enjoy about traveling? And how much international travel have you done?
Are you comfortable in unknown places and situations?
Does a nomadic lifestyle appeal to you?
Do you own any well-thumbed lonely planet books?
If you are going as an individual, can you be alone?
How do you feel out of your culture?
Will working abroad as a librarian make you happy?
Do my questions excite OR frighten you?

Tips for the Undecided
Talk to colleagues who have worked abroad and ask them their opinion of the experience.

Read library journals from other countries or look up their national association websites. (I know I feel better when I have tons of information.)

Do some armchair traveling or try the real thing.

Shadow an international librarianship listserv such as the IFLA listserv.

Research your desired country in Background Notes or the CIA World Fact book.

Attend informational sessions like this one.

Possible Issues
What if you have a family? Is your partner willing to follow you? Can you both have international jobs? Weigh the benefits and challenges of exposing younger children or teenagers to living in other cultures.

What is your commitment level? Are you willing to try out a short-term experience first and then commit to a full-time position abroad? Or do you want to jump in feet-first and take that job in Dubai?

Do you have any medical conditions? There are varying levels of healthcare available around the world.

For me, the first week of living abroad is the make it or break it week. You are more homesick than you thought you would be; you are overwhelmed by this new culture; you are trying to figure out how to get around; and you haven’t yet made any friends. You ask yourself: What are you doing here anyway? Why did you leave your comfort zone? Why aren’t you at home on your couch watching a DVD? Then you remember: I want a new experience, I want to share my skills as a librarian, and my couch and DVD player are in storage. Put yourself in this place and imagine how you would do. If you think you’ll be okay, then you are probably ready.

Major Types of International Positions
I have identified 5 major types of international positions for librarians. The job title and length of time will vary with these positions. Look for the terms librarian, information manager, knowledge manager, researcher, etc. Visas and vaccinations may be required. Be sure to check the Department of State (at travel.state.gov) and the CDC. The following are suggestions for the types of positions available.

Exchanges
Most exchanges I have seen are between academic libraries. But, if you create your own exchange it could be academic, public, special, or school library related.

Sister library. Check to see if this is possible within your institution. Do you have a sister university or library in another country? Can you start one?

Exchange committee of the IRRT has loads of ideas.

The British Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals also has an exchange committee.

Rotary International Group Study Exchange. Gather and go as part of an educational team.

Library Association Partnerships, such as the American/Bulgarian Library Partnership Project out of the Colorado Association of Libraries and the Iowa Resources for International Service.

IREX, International Research & Exchanges Board, irex.org. Provides grants for exchanges and research. Has a presence in Europe, Eurasia, Middle East, Asia. You could also work for them.

International Organization Positions
These are in special libraries.

United Nations Secretariat (includes all of the UN branches). Information Managers.

Large NGOs, such as the World Bank, IMF, OECD, and NATO. (Non-Governmental Organizations are those that operate in a foreign country and are not tied to any government sponsor. They usually have a specific mission or a specific need.)

Smaller NGOs looking for researchers or information managers.

Charitable Organizations and Foundations, such as the Salvation Army, Red Cross, or the Room to Read Program started by John Wood in Southeast Asia. roomtoread.org

Peace Corps, like the new 2003 partnership with Mexico targeting research specialists for business services and technology centers.

Full-Time Private Positions
The job listings on IFLA’s LIBJOBS listserv will help here. Countries vary on work permits and visas. Sometimes you must have the job before you go. The full-time jobs that I have found tend to be academic or special in nature.

Foreign universities

American universities with foreign campuses. This seems to be more prevalent. For example, Qatar has an education city, Georgetown, Carnegie Mellon University, Texas A&M, and Cornell have campuses there. Other schools are opening campuses in China and Australia. The University of Pittsburgh’s Semester at Sea employs an assistant librarian each semester and stops at 10 ports on its trip around the globe.

International universities, such as the American University in Cairo, American University of Paris, American University of Beirut.

Special libraries, such as the McMurdo Station in Antarctica.

Foreign Service through the US State Department, such as an Information Resource Officer. You could also work at an embassy in another information capacity.

Corporations with a large foreign presence

Civilian Jobs in the Military, work at libraries on foreign bases

Grants and Scholarships
These can be written for academic, public, special, or school libraries.

Fulbright Scholarships and Grants (you can also do an exchange through Fulbright)

Foundation Center grant listings

Research grants through your university or place of employment

Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholarships and Rotary Grants for University Teachers (The Rotary Foundation's Educational Programs include Ambassadorial Scholarships, Grants for University Teachers, Group Study Exchange, and work for Rotary Centers for International Studies.)

The Open Society Institute, “a global alliance for open society,” gives grants, scholarships, and fellowships for educational purposes.

Institute of International Education administers the Fulbright Program and initiates or sponsors other programs.

Volunteer
If you are willing to volunteer, there are many groups willing to take your time. The ones I have found tend to be special libraries or school libraries.

Internships (through many of the organizations listed above) especially if you are a library school student

World Library Partnership (suspended for 2005). I am not sure of their future. Their website is down. Their funding may have run out.

Globalvolunteers.org does short-term international placement of volunteers in 17 countries. Consultative status with the UN

Charitable Organizations and Foundations such as Rotary International, Earthwatch, anything with an educational focus.

Finding These Jobs
How to find these international jobs.

Listservs, IFLA LIBJOBS

Chronicle of Higher Education

ALA’s Career Leads

Idealist.org

Individual Web Sites of Organizations and Universities

International Schools Service (for work in k-12 schools)

CIEE, Council on International Educational Exchange to work or study abroad. Most placements are in English-speaking countries.

Networking

Getting the Job
While you are deciding to go, you can develop the skills that will help you get that international position.

Knowledge of a foreign language or two is helpful and sometimes expected.
International travel experience.
Genuine interest in working abroad not just traveling.
Knowledge of international issues in librarianship and beyond.
Because you will most likely interview for a job from your desk in the US, you need to have the ability to sell yourself well in your emails, website, resume, cover letter, and phone interview.
Appropriate education or work experience.
Membership in one or more international organizations such as IFLA (International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions), ISKO (International Society for Knowledge Organization), and/or the ALA-IRRT (American Library Association International Relations Round Table).
Suitability to International Work. Intangible, goes back to knowing yourself. Independent, flexibility, adaptability, can be away from family, etc. related to next slide.

When You Have the Job
Depending on where you get a job, new skills may be required, especially if you are in a developing country.

You may need to:

Improvising something out of nothing and thinking on your feet.

Ability to work without the aid of technology.

Ability to apply practical, basic library and organizational skills, such as a paper shelf list.

Adapting yourself to another library’s and/or country’s set of rules and procedures.

Openness and curiosity.

If you are a volunteer, the ability to work without resources you would expect at your regular job, such as a computer, software programs, fast internet connection.

Shortcuts
Network in IFLA or IRRT or other organization to find jobs that aren’t advertised.

If you are applying for jobs in the US, choose environments that offer time flexibility. These could be sabbaticals for research or professional development or time for exchanges. Make sure there is a sister library abroad.

Email foreign libraries directly and start up your own partnership. A new librarian named Dallas Long found a job in Hungary by asking his library school professors to send letters to colleagues in Europe. Jane Kinney Meyers started the Lubuto Library Project to bring books to Africa’s disadvantaged youth. Lubuto.org.

Take the United Nations National Competitive Recruitment Examinations Programme. You must be under 32 years old and your country and profession must be under-represented in the UN.

Be creative and flexible.

Have tons of money to travel and work but then you wouldn’t be here, would you?

Caveats
Challenges include homesickness, language barriers, and cultural barriers. There are psychological ramifications of exposure to extreme poverty and human suffering, especially in developing countries.

The value of the dollar is declining right now.

Anti-Americanism abroad is increasing.

Sometimes, there is general hostility towards Westerners regardless of country of origin.

Dangerous situations may arise where you or your family are not familiar with local laws, customs, or language.

There are varying definitions of Intellectual Freedom around the world.

Inadequate or varying degrees of medical care and varying access to quality medical care.

Reasons to Go
Why you SHOULD Go and Work Abroad:

Preconceptions formed about a country or a people are almost never as bad when you are actually in the country or meet the people.

Every person you meet that says they don’t like Americans has most likely never met one. That person is an opportunity to change the perception of America.

Fear won’t get you anywhere.

I can guarantee almost everyone who has worked abroad highly recommends the experience.

If you are open, curious, courteous, and respectful of custom, you are likely to have a life changing experience.

Thanks!