IS Library Professional Development Opportunities 

The IS Library hosts workshops and events designed to help you find career clarity, develop your resumes and cover letters, and practice interviewing throughout your program studies in the Department of Information Studies. Keep an eye out on the events page for upcoming events, casual gatherings, and workshops. 

We are always open for your suggestions! To request a specific workshop, please fill out this survey:

UCLA Graduate Career Center

The UCLA Graduate Career Center is a campus resource designed to help you navigate personal, academic, and professional development. The resources created and curated by Graduate Career Services (GCS) are designed with graduate students in mind, to help you evaluate options and develop strategies to pursue your goals. 

Select Resources from the UCLA Career Center

Resumes & Cover Letters

Knowing how to write a stand-out resume and cover letter is a foundational skill for securing professional opportunities. This site covers the basics of how, when, and why to update your resume, and how to write an effective cover letter. Resume building topics include: phrasing bullet points to demonstrate scale and impact, choosing the experiences that best represent your professional self, formatting, and essential categories. Cover letter topics include: content, enthusiasm, and conveying related experiences. Click on the link above for more extensive information and guidelines for how to write effective resumes and cover letters.

Negotiation Tips

This site provides a collection of online resources for help with determining salary expectations according to your desired job and years of experience in the profession. A list of compensation benefits typically offered through full-time employment will help you to holistically assess the benefits package for a particular position. Topics include: when to negotiate, what is negotiable, and how to negotiate, with a list of guidelines and best practices provided for each aspect of the negotiation process.

Job Offer Evaluation & Negotiation Worksheet

Use this worksheet to evaluate the terms of a job offer and to identify priorities for negotiation.

Informational Interviewing Guide

This PDF document contains a wealth of information regarding the importance and process of conducting informational interviews. A key way to build your professional network and explore the career pathways that are right for you, informational interviews supplement your academic studies and bolster your professional knowledge.

IS Professional Organizations

Below is a list of information professional associations which may be of interest to students in the Department of Information Studies. Feel free to explore the websites for each association, to learn more about the areas of expertise, events, scholarships, and mentorship programs offered by each one. Professional associations are a great way to learn more about opportunities available in the field, the different kinds of organizations engaged in information work, and the variety of work performed by information professionals. They also offer opportunities to connect with working professionals and make contacts in the field. Some of these associations even have student chapters at UCLA! For more information about student chapters and ways to get involved on campus, please reach out to members of the Information Studies Student Governing Board (SGB).

American Library Association

The ALA Mission: To provide leadership for the development, promotion, and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and to ensure access to information for all.

Society of American Archivists

The Society of American Archivists empowers archivists to achieve professional excellence and foster innovation to ensure the identification, preservation, understanding, and use of records of enduring value. SAA is a vital community that promotes the value and diversity of archives and archivists and serves as the preeminent resource for the profession.

Society of California Archivists

The Society of California Archivists, Inc. exists to support and develop the education of those who collect, care for, and provide access to the documentary heritage of California and adjoining areas and to encourage public interest in and public support for archival facilities in public and private institutions.

Association of Moving Image Archivists

The Association of Moving Image Archivists (AMIA) is a nonprofit international association dedicated to the preservation and use of moving image media. AMIA supports public and professional education and fosters cooperation and communication among the individuals and organizations concerned with the acquisition, preservation, description, exhibition, and use of moving image materials.

Association for Recorded Sound Collections

The Association for Recorded Sound Collections (ARSC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation and study of sound recordings, in all genres of music and speech, in all formats, and from all periods. ARSC is unique in bringing together private individuals and institutional professionals—everyone with a serious interest in recorded sound.

American Alliance of Museums

The American Alliance of Museums’ mission is to champion equitable and impactful museums by connecting people, fostering learning and community, and nurturing museum excellence.

American Institute for Conservation

The national membership organization supporting conservation professionals in preserving cultural heritage by establishing and upholding professional standards, promoting research and publications, providing educational opportunities, and fostering the exchange of knowledge among conservators, allied professionals, and the public.

American Association for State and Local History

We provide resources for history lovers, professionals, volunteers, and enthusiasts. AASLH provides crucial resources, guidance, professional development, advocacy, new publications, field-wide research, and a sense of connectedness to over 5,500 institutional and individual members, as well as leadership for history and history organizations nationally. It is the only comprehensive national organization dedicated to state and local history.

California Library Association

CLA provides professional development and advocacy support for its members and the California library community at large. Additionally, CLA supports the administration of the California Summer Reading Program as well as further summer enrichment programs funded by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. The California Library Association is committed to helping library staff develop the knowledge and skills needed to work for 21st Century libraries, and to advance in the library field.

Art Libraries Society of North America

ARLIS/NA defines and champions the arts information profession. ARLIS/NA’s vision is for a vibrant and just world activated by arts information and advanced by arts information workers.