The official GC Librarians and Library Schools Thread

[KappaStargirl]

...because we aren't all cardigan-wearing, bun-sporting shushers.

So I've been playing in this park for a while, and have noticed that there are at LEAST two of us on here who are librarians, and more who are interested in library school, working in libraries, or thinking about going to library school.

Archivists, you can play too.

This thread is for anybody who is or wants to be a librarian or archivist, share your advice, questions, anything here.

About me: I hold a Master of Library Science from the University of Pittsburgh School of Information Sciences, which I believe is the oldest library school in the nation, celebrating its centennial in 2001. I specialized in public library services to children and young adults. Pitt only requires 4 courses: Cataloging, Understanding Information, Library Management (depending on your specialty), and Retrieving Information. The rest of your coursework is your choice, and can include an internship or field study, which I HIGHLY recommend. If you attend full-time, you can finish your degree in a calendar year. For distance learning, Pitt has started their FastTrack MLIS program.

I'll provide the ever-important link to the American Library Association, and the librarian's slogan: Got questions?

[Cluey]

I have a question that I am hoping you can answer. I am actually asking this for my roommate, because she's been trying to find out a definitive answer out for a while.

She wants to be a librarian. Ideally, she'd like to work in a school situation, but would like to have the option of doing archival work. Is there a big difference in occupational avenues available if you get a masters in library science, rather than a masters in education with a concentration in library science? Or, is this just a technicality that doesn't really matter?

We appreciate your help!

[KappaStargirl]

Originally posted by Cluey
She wants to be a librarian. Ideally, she'd like to work in a school situation, but would like to have the option of doing archival work. Is there a big difference in occupational avenues available if you get a masters in library science, rather than a masters in education with a concentration in library science? Or, is this just a technicality that doesn't really matter?

It depends on the state in which you live. In CA, all you need to be a school librarian is a BA. In Pennsylvania, you have to have a BA, a teaching certification, AND a MLIS. There is a difference in available careers, you cannot work in any public or academic library as a librarian if you do not have an ALA-accredited MLIS, even if you have a masters in education. Nobody hires without an ALA-MLS anymore.

Does she want to work in a school archive, as in a university? I'm a little confused on this matter.

[Cluey]

She can't make up her mind, honestly. On one hand, she would love to work in a high school or college library and help with research. She loves research! I always drug her along when I had to look something up. On the other hand, she's a history buff and would like to learn more about archive work, but isn't sure if that's something she would like to be more involved with than education.

We live in Florida, by the way. I had asked our school librarian what she would advise, but she wasn't too much help. She only has certification and the university in town that she got her certification through does not offer that program anymore. Basically, she's going to have to move to get into a program that would work for her and that's sad.

I appreciate your advice. She is interested in how the two degrees are viewed within the library world; she wants the degree that will offer her the most flexibility and options. Thank you!

[Greekgrrl]

We resurrect this dormant thread!

Any GC librarians or information professionals out there these days?

[Still BLUTANG]

omg, i never saw this thread the first time around. i was actually IN library school in 02.

i got my MLS from the university of maryland college of information studies and have always worked in "special libraries." i prefer to stay in my office cataloging, playing on the internet, or dealing with the electronic resources (subscription databases, etc). i now work in a law library but spent the early part of my career at a major national nonprofit.

even though now it's the "iSchool" and people are pressed to call themselves anything but, i love called a librarian. it's a great conversation starter and (in my opinion) less pretentious than information architect, search guru, research maven, or any of those other nonsense things people like to be called.

:-)

[Greekgrrl]

Originally Posted by Still BLUTANG

\less pretentious than information architect, search guru, research maven, or any of those other nonsense things people like to be called.

:-)

It's funny, my little brother's an architecture student ("real" architecture - buildings, etc.) and it drives him crazy when job sites list a dozen IA jobs and nothing in his actual field.

I'm not a big fan of anyone calling themselves a "guru" or "maven" of anything, unless they're with friends/being casual or funny.

I'm a MLS student at Pratt Institute in NYC right now (which is the oldest still-open library school -- 1890 -- since Columbia closed theirs) and I'm really looking to go into traditional academic librarianship, but I know the job market's tight. We'll see what happens in a year!

[jitterbug13]

Librarians thread! WOOHOO!!!!

I am in my fourth week as a MLIS student at the University of South Carolina School of Library and Information Science. Right now, the only thing I am sure of is that I don't want to be a media specialist (fancy words for school librarian). I worked in a public library for a year and now I work at a medical school library (does that count as academic or special?). So far I haven't know of anyone who hasn't called themselves those fancy terms, but I think librarian is fine.

[VandalSquirrel]

I'm likely starting library school in the fall, as well as one of my sisters I was initiated with.

[Still BLUTANG]

yay! welcome
:-)

[BetteDavisEyes]

Just a little clarification. Where I work here in CA, my school clerk has often corrected me on this. The woman has her panties in a wad over this issue.

She is not an official librarian as she only has a B.A. She is a library clerk (I work in an elementary school). Only someone with a MA in library sciences would be called a librarian.

[UofISigKap]

She seriously corrects people who call her a librarian? Does she even do that with the students too?

[BetteDavisEyes]

Originally Posted by UofISigKap

She seriously corrects people who call her a librarian? Does she even do that with the students too?

Yup. It's the dumbest thing I've ever heard of. We also have a health aide but everyone calls her the school nurse. I don't understand what difference it really makes but to each his own.

[Leslie Anne]

I'm half way through my MLIS program at Dominican University. I absolutely love it! My focus is on archives and special collections. More than likely I won't actually become a librarian per se. I'm really interested in attending classes at the Rare Book School. If it's old and rare, I like it.

[Thetagirl218]

Originally Posted by BetteDavisEyes

Yup. It's the dumbest thing I've ever heard of. We also have a health aide but everyone calls her the school nurse. I don't understand what difference it really makes but to each his own.

My mom works at a library as a circulation assistant. They (The city she works for) makes a big deal of titles. An circulation aide just as a high school degree, while an assistant has at least an AA. To be a Library Assistant you have to have at least a BA, but to be a Librarian you have to have a Masters.

Its kinda stupid to me because for years her library had a nasty old lady who was the Children librarian, and the library assistant was friendly and knew more than the actual librarian.

No offense intended to those of you who are librarians this was just my mom's experience.