I used to be a Librarian in an academic library, but I found the job too exciting.
― DV, Wednesday, 10 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― DeRayMi, Wednesday, 10 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― jel --, Wednesday, 10 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― j.lu, Wednesday, 10 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― jamesmichaelward, Wednesday, 10 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
DeRayMi, if you've worked in a library for a while, you must have picked up some marketable skills, so just start applying for jobs that you want to do...don't worry about matching the skill requirement, just EMBELLISH. Good luck, and don't think about work when you're not there!
2. The fact that most librians in this area keep their jobs for 20+ years. You have to keep up with the obituaries and go for it as soon as somone pass out of this mortal coil.
― brg30, Wednesday, 10 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
If I had it to do all over again I would not have bothered trying to get a degree and would make a living off of some internet porn site or something instead. I'm bitter today, see.
― Nicole, Wednesday, 10 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
Sounds like academia in general these days.
― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 10 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Dave M., Wednesday, 10 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― petra jane, Wednesday, 10 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Arthur, Wednesday, 10 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― maryann, Wednesday, 10 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Nichole Graham, Thursday, 11 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― PJ Miller, Thursday, 11 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― RickyT, Thursday, 11 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Madeleine, Thursday, 11 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
We use the National Library of Medicine Classification...
WD 400 = Animal poisons; spiders, scorpions, centipedes, leeches.
WL 108 = Nervous system; physiology of sleep
Cataloguing is the bane of my existence.
― jel --, Thursday, 11 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― DV, Thursday, 11 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― erik, Thursday, 11 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Sarah, Thursday, 11 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
there are loads of jobs in the uk, people are finding it really hard to fill vacancies. money's not bad, but it does level off too early.
Today I'm scanning pictures of posters to put on our database, and having a power trip by telling researchers what they can and can't photocopy, in our new reprographics policy.
And I get to go to the society of archivists conference in Jersey, which is ace, all expenses paid, and loads of my friends are going too. boozefest!
― Vicky, Thursday, 11 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
there are some jobs specifically designed for getting experience, I know Marks and Spencers have one every year, and pay them about £17K Once you've qualified starting salaries in london tend to be around 18K, but it's not too fantastic working in county archives. business archives are where the money's at, and you tend to rise quicker too.
It's not exactly an easy path, and you have to want to do it, but it is a satifying job, even if it doesn't feel like it some days!
Archives is much better paid than museum work though. Starting salaries after the masters are as low as 12K, and doing the most boring jobs too. Quite responsible jobs are advertised with pittance salaries. The principal heritage officer post at Heritage services Herefordshire council is only offering £26,368 pa despite having a key management and strategic role leading the team.
Only one downside to being an archivist - I was absolutely devastated when I realised that I would have to change career if I ever wanted to live in a non-english speaking country. Not much use for an archivist who can't read the documents in her care!
― Ally C, Thursday, 11 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Menelaus Darcy, Thursday, 11 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Archel, Thursday, 11 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― maryann, Thursday, 11 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― mark s, Thursday, 11 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Josh, Thursday, 11 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― angela cotter, Friday, 12 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― c., Friday, 12 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― power trippin', Friday, 12 July 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
And yes, (cough cough) I was a Librarian Assistant for over a year for anyone who's interested in that info...
― Sarah McLusky (coco), Thursday, 2 January 2003 21:48 (twenty-one years ago) link
― jel -- (jel), Thursday, 2 January 2003 22:09 (twenty-one years ago) link
― gaz (gaz), Thursday, 20 February 2003 23:45 (twenty-one years ago) link
― electric sound of jim (electricsound), Friday, 21 February 2003 00:06 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Elisabeth (Elisabeth), Friday, 21 February 2003 01:22 (twenty-one years ago) link
― gaz (gaz), Friday, 21 February 2003 01:48 (twenty-one years ago) link
none of it seemed to rub off though, since i don't really read very much.
― phil-two (phil-two), Friday, 21 February 2003 08:36 (twenty-one years ago) link
I see that upthread I posted that I wouldn't do one because of the cost. Newsflash to self last year: YOU CAN DO IT FOR FREE! (Working at a university has finally yielded some benefit, to the tune of £2000 or so in waived fees WOO!)
So, any advice for my forthcoming studies?
― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 30 April 2003 12:25 (twenty years ago) link
― Jodi (Celerina), Wednesday, 30 April 2003 12:59 (twenty years ago) link
― Chris V. (Chris V), Wednesday, 30 April 2003 13:01 (twenty years ago) link
― Nick Southall (Nick Southall), Wednesday, 30 April 2003 13:06 (twenty years ago) link
― Bryan (Bryan), Wednesday, 30 April 2003 13:08 (twenty years ago) link
Good luck with the MA archel! Just try and think of something interesting to do for your dissertation, is the best advice I can give.
― jel -- (jel), Wednesday, 30 April 2003 13:10 (twenty years ago) link
― Mary (Mary), Wednesday, 13 September 2006 01:18 (seventeen years ago) link
This is what the ALA site says:
Conditional: Some entries have a notation of (Conditional) next to them. This indicates conditional accreditation — a status assigned to a program that must make changes to comply with the 1992 Standards for Accreditation of Master’s Programs in Library and Information Studies to enable accreditation beyond the date specified by the Committee on Accreditation (COA). Please note that these programs are fully accredited under the Standards.
― molly d (mollyd), Wednesday, 13 September 2006 14:48 (seventeen years ago) link
― askance johnson (sdownes), Wednesday, 13 September 2006 14:56 (seventeen years ago) link
― molly d (mollyd), Wednesday, 13 September 2006 14:58 (seventeen years ago) link
― askance johnson (sdownes), Wednesday, 13 September 2006 23:33 (seventeen years ago) link
― molly d (mollyd), Thursday, 14 September 2006 00:15 (seventeen years ago) link
― -- (688), Sunday, 17 September 2006 12:37 (seventeen years ago) link
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54177448@N00/244926428/
― -- (688), Sunday, 17 September 2006 12:38 (seventeen years ago) link
― jel -- (jel), Sunday, 17 September 2006 15:28 (seventeen years ago) link
― tiit (tiit), Sunday, 17 September 2006 20:39 (seventeen years ago) link
― Mary (Mary), Monday, 18 September 2006 00:17 (seventeen years ago) link
― Rockist_Scientist (RSLaRue), Monday, 18 September 2006 00:35 (seventeen years ago) link
― Rockist_Scientist (RSLaRue), Monday, 18 September 2006 00:37 (seventeen years ago) link
― youn (youn), Monday, 18 September 2006 01:24 (seventeen years ago) link
― Mary (Mary), Monday, 18 September 2006 01:42 (seventeen years ago) link
― youn (youn), Monday, 18 September 2006 02:56 (seventeen years ago) link
― Mary (Mary), Monday, 18 September 2006 03:37 (seventeen years ago) link
Ohio seems conspicuously absent. And what about Seattle? Portland? Minneapolis? Madison? I don't know anything about libraries, but these seem like places that would keep them well-funded.
― gabbneb (gabbneb), Monday, 18 September 2006 04:28 (seventeen years ago) link
― molly d (mollyd), Monday, 18 September 2006 13:25 (seventeen years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 18 September 2006 13:28 (seventeen years ago) link
― Mary (Mary), Monday, 18 September 2006 19:28 (seventeen years ago) link
http://www.majordojo.com/photos/public_library/DSC_0558-photo.JPG
― zaxxon25 (zaxxon25), Monday, 18 September 2006 21:24 (seventeen years ago) link
On the subject of the O.C. (and a new orchestra building): http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/18/AR2006091801393.html
I thought this was a very non Post article, in that it was pretty good.
― Mary (Mary), Wednesday, 20 September 2006 00:33 (seventeen years ago) link
― the kinkade fire (willpie), Wednesday, 20 September 2006 00:44 (seventeen years ago) link
― Mary (Mary), Wednesday, 20 September 2006 00:49 (seventeen years ago) link
http://www.library.cmu.edu/Libraries/etc/game1/game1.swf
― forksclovetofu, Wednesday, 12 March 2008 16:01 (sixteen years ago) link
That is quite, quite insane.
― treefell, Wednesday, 12 March 2008 16:15 (sixteen years ago) link
We will be glad to answer questions like these:
* What is the zip code to Panama City, Florida? * What is the capital and state bird of New Mexico? * Who wrote the patent on the Cotton Gin?
But we will be unable to answer questions like these:
* Please give me the complete history of the Roman Empire. * Please give me a biography of Theodore Roosevelt. * Explain to me how the stock market works
― Filey Camp, Monday, 7 April 2008 10:03 (sixteen years ago) link
http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kxax1xzJ321qz6f9yo1_500.jpg
― mookieproof, Thursday, 4 February 2010 18:08 (fourteen years ago) link
sign otm
― that sex version of "blue thunder." (Mr. Que), Thursday, 4 February 2010 18:09 (fourteen years ago) link
It is true, this.
― quincie, Thursday, 4 February 2010 18:12 (fourteen years ago) link
I applied for a job as Library Services Assistant. There was a digital book sorting test and somehow I only got 11/18 from the fiction shelf correct (maybe one book messed up the rest of the books). I got 18/18 from the nonfiction shelf.
Librarians, is this a sign that I won't be hired?
― yookeroo, Thursday, 21 October 2010 20:19 (thirteen years ago) link
on librarian-porn literature
― mookieproof, Monday, 30 January 2012 17:47 (twelve years ago) link
I dropped out of my library grad program today after two weeks.
I thought I would love it, but it turns out that at this juncture, my brain just can't click with it. I deferred, technically, so there's always the future (if someone can convince me that it's worth it and I don't find a sick gig in the meantime), but I have to admit that I don't think I want to be a librarian any more!
― healthy cocaine off perfect butts (the table is the table), Friday, 4 September 2020 19:33 (three years ago) link
good move. you strike me as creative and it's not a great career for creative people ime.
this thread is partially responsible for me taking this path and i should have chosen differently but seeing as how i'm finally securely employed w/ decent benefits in a quiet job with no looming budget cuts (at least this year), i'm going to stick with it.
― Give me a Chad Smith-type feel (map), Friday, 4 September 2020 19:56 (three years ago) link
Thanks for yr thoughts, map.
It's funny, I'm very good at certain types of tasks that are distinctly uncreative— editing papers, proofreading, building spreadsheets, etc. But for some reason, you ask me to dwell upon questions like "what is a document?" or whether records can ever be neutral and I'm just like, "this is so obvious as to be incredibly boring, why am I wasting my time with this shit." I almost feel like my own understandings of the way the world works got in the way of my being able to really click with the discipline in some way.
Kudos to you on getting a decent job, tho. I'm hoping that with some work and study, I'll get a proofreading/editing gig soon enough.
― healthy cocaine off perfect butts (the table is the table), Friday, 4 September 2020 20:03 (three years ago) link
i got my MLIS about a decade ago and have been working in libraries, but after getting laid off from my most recent library gig, i'm back in the corporate world and not a librarian anymore (though still working in research/info organization, so technically still using my MLIS). ironically i used part of the severance payment from my last library job to finally finish paying off the grad school student loans from getting my MLIS. the degree seems pretty pointless for the most part, it's sad that it has become almost mandatory for most professional library jobs because it's not really necessary to do the work of a librarian in most cases.
― na (NA), Friday, 4 September 2020 20:21 (three years ago) link
i went to library school thinking of it mostly as a trade school, i.e., trying to get the skills and knowledge i needed to do the work rather than a deep-dive into the philosophy of information sciences or whatever. from that perspective it was pretty frustrating.
― na (NA), Friday, 4 September 2020 20:22 (three years ago) link
best to you table, i hope you find something decent soon.
― Give me a Chad Smith-type feel (map), Friday, 4 September 2020 20:35 (three years ago) link
in retrospect i have the opinion that if a person doesn't have a pretty clear idea of what library job they want from the get-go and are like dead set on it they should probably not be paying $ for library school.
― Give me a Chad Smith-type feel (map), Friday, 4 September 2020 20:38 (three years ago) link
I am most interested in digitization and preservation of analog media such as VHS cassettes and tape cassettes, as well as small press books, flyers, and other cultural ephemera. I don't really care too much about the philosophy of information sciences— I just want to find solutions for objects like my pre-condom VHS gay porn collection, which seems like it is important to queer studies and media studies fields.
― healthy cocaine off perfect butts (the table is the table), Friday, 4 September 2020 21:38 (three years ago) link
there really isn't a lot of technical know-how involved, it's more about who you know for that sort of thing, and who has money to fund it. i did attend a rare booksellers' school (weeklong symposium thing) where i learned that a lot of specialty booksellers have gotten into acquiring and and then selling archival material to academic institutions and private collectors.
― Give me a Chad Smith-type feel (map), Friday, 4 September 2020 21:59 (three years ago) link
tbh i'm glad that i'm no longer employed by / working within higher ed especially after this year but a lot of that is due to my own personal experience of disillusion.
― Give me a Chad Smith-type feel (map), Friday, 4 September 2020 22:02 (three years ago) link
Yeah, I guess that I thought the MLIS might help get me into a position where I might be able to work on such projects in a real way, but I'm pretty certain it's not worth it! I just wish I had the resources to do all this work myself.
― healthy cocaine off perfect butts (the table is the table), Friday, 4 September 2020 22:16 (three years ago) link
Heya folks -- friend of mine (here in the US) just contacted me saying this:
wanted to pick your brain for a sec - my partner started her library science masters last fall and is coming up on the end of her first year. as you can imagine zoom university has made the whole ordeal less than ideal and she's been looking for help to kind of guide her into her next year and potential specialization.
Since I'm an assistant and not an MLIS holder nor currently on top of what hiring trends/hot areas are like, I said I'd ask around -- would anyone who feels they can provide some good perspective be available to help? If so, send me contact info via ILXmail or elsewhere and I'll pass it along. Much thanks!
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 13 April 2021 20:10 (three years ago) link
Keep reading about these old school Library Apartments in Manhattan.
― It Is Dangerous to Meme Inside (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 16 April 2021 15:12 (three years ago) link
I was a librarian at school, on my second shift I was told that a pen had been lost, found the pen, labelled the pen with a post-it-note saying "the lost pen" then labelled all the other pens with "not the lost pen." Then I was told off for wasting post-it notes and was suddenly no longer a librarian.
― Camaraderie at Arms Length, Friday, 16 April 2021 15:17 (three years ago) link
Not a librarian. I married one.
― sharpening the contraindications (Aimless), Friday, 16 April 2021 18:17 (three years ago) link
drop out of school immediately
― John Cooper of Christian rock band Skillet (map), Friday, 16 April 2021 18:46 (three years ago) link
Drop out of BU.
― It Is Dangerous to Meme Inside (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 16 April 2021 18:58 (three years ago) link