This guest post comes from our very own Maisam Nouh, Technical Solution Consultant at Innovative. Maisam previously worked at The Ferguson Library in Connecticut and has participated on the Innovative User Group (IUG) Steering Committee and served part of a term as IUG Chair before joining the Innovative team.
After my library switched to Innovative software, I heard of the Innovative Users Group (IUG) but I had no idea what it was exactly. After attending an IUG meeting at the former ALA Midwinter conference, I told my library director that I just had to start attending the IUG conferences. The enthusiasm of the attendees at the conference was contagious. I immediately started asking how I can get involved. I learned so much from the IUG community. I was able to write my first python script after attending a session. I also got to meet so many Innovative employees either from product, customer support, or leadership. Those connections helped my library to become a beta and development partner.
I learned so much from the community that I wanted to give back. I had the pleasure of being a part of the steering committee, first as a member at large as a co-coordinator for Idea Lab (now Idea Exchange), and eventually became the IUG Chair for a short time until I started working for Innovative.
When I began thinking about switching careers, my first thought was always, “What if I could work at Innovative?” I recall at my second IUG conference, I had a meeting with Michael Monroy, Director of Solution Consulting, we were chatting about an idea I had for the product, and he suggested that I would fit in well at Innovative. Then a few years when I was looking for change, I found a job opening on Michael’s team. If it wasn’t for the connections I had made at IUG conference, I wouldn’t have found this great job and feel this sense of belonging with my colleagues.
The Innovative Users Group helped me significantly during my role as a Sierra system administrator and supported me when I made the job change to the vendor side of libraries. If it wasn’t for the opportunity to meet amazing people, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Best of all, I’m so glad that I’m still able to come to the IUG conference and connect with all the friends that I have made over the past few years.
This year, you’ll be able to find me at the Innovative booth at IUG 2024 or roaming the hallways and chatting with friends. Please stop by and say hello!