Librarian's (LIS) career inside—or outside—jobs in the traditional library setting: Hype or Hope???

This blog is updated regularly, last updated 14 Oct, 2014

•  Who Needs a DAM Librarian? Part I: Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are (DAM = Digital Asset Managemen)

• “The Graph” & What To Do About Rising LIS Graduation Rates
• Do not go to library school. Librarianship is a dying profession.http://hiringlibrarians.com
• Jobs Situation: It’s not Pretty, Library Journal,  BY ANNOYED LIBRARIAN OCTOBER 28, 2013
• Placements & Salaries 2013: Explore All the Data  
• Alternative Careers for LIS Grads 
• Forbes survey (2012): "The low pay rank and estimated growth rank make library and information science the worst master’s degree for jobs right now." in The Best And Worst Master's Degrees For Jobs - Forbes

Ps. The billion dollar question: Is the LIS profession saturated? If they say, NOPE. Then see the frustration, shock and the rest in the stories below; compare with the responses / hopes / dreams in the next section (other side...):

One side of the story (i.e., the new graduates and those who have completed LIS, but have no leads), Library and information science (LIS) career:

• Shame on Library Schools!   Nitty Gritty Gal  @ Linkedin.com nittygrittygal.com
• Rejected  @ Librarians Without Borders  
• Beggars Can’t Be Choosers   @ Librarians Without Borders 
• Second Time Around: Staying Positive during My Job Search, or I’m a Recovering Debbie Downer @ Librarians Without Borders 
• See also: 61 non-librarian jobs for LIS Grads @ Librarians Without Borders 
• JobHunter’s Revenge! The Survey @ Librarians Without Borders  
• 3 Off-the-Beaten-Paths to Librarianship   @ Librarians Without Borders  
• Breaking Out: Non-Traditional Jobs for Library Technicians  @ Librarians Without Borders  
• IWALJ – I Want A Library Job by Qraig De Groot   @ Librarians Without Borders
• My Friend Is Interested in Becoming a Librarian, … | INALJ
• New Grads on the Market: Report from the Field — Annoyed Librarian
• It's Academic: Using Programming Librarian in LIS Courses
• MLIS: a waste of money? - libraryschool newmexico sjsu |
• the pinakes: QUESTION FROM A MLIS STUDENT
•  Can We Talk About the MLS? | Editorial, Library Journal  
• Come to Library School! Just Don't Expect a Job! — Annoyed Librarian

Other side of the Story (i.e., the LIS Schools, policy makers, academics, proponents, etc. who are involved in the programs?):

• ALA Guidelines for Choosing a Master's Program in Library and Information Studies
• Is a Master's Degree in Library Science a Poor Investment?   @ infospace.ischool.syr.edu/
• “It's a Mad World” by Raymond Wang | APALA 
• RECRUITMENT TO THE PROFESSION : STUDENT WORKERS IN ACADEMIC LIBRARIES ... 
• Future directions for the library profession and its education: CLA ...  
• Future of Law Libraries: The Future is Now? | John Palfrey 
• The Future in Context: How Librarians Can Think Like Futurists 
• Librarians: Real Expertise for a Virtual World
• any one there??????????????????????????

On the same shelf:

•  Assessment Skills and the Academic Library Job Market 
• Most underpaid, overeducated occupations
• 5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Accepting a Job Offer You Don’t Love, By Heather Huhman    [Re: Wonder is this true in this age and time, of challenges that were never so many? I am not sarcastic. Aren't there applications in dozens for each post (are we still having the luxury of choosers, with malice towards none)? Aren't there shortage of opportunities? Aren't there highly specialized jobs that you need to be picking without love/hate formula?]
• The Countries You May Like to Go with your American / Canadian MLIS - A literature survey
•  Factors in success or failure of foreign-trained librarians in Canada
• "The evaluation of international credentials and the hiring of internationally trained librarians in Canadian academic and public libraries, Keren Dali and Juris Dilevkoa, The International Information & Library Review Volume 41, Issue 3, September 2009, Pages 146-162:
  

  "This study examines the way in which libraries in Canada approach the issue of the evaluation of international credentials (ICs) held by internationally trained librarians (ITLs) and the eventual short-listing and hiring of such individuals. In the United States and Canada, librarianship, a non-regulated profession, is to a large degree governed by the American Library Association (ALA), but the ALA's statements regarding ICs and ITLs are often ambiguous. It is therefore frequently left to individual libraries to decide how best to deal with ICs and ITLs"

Why it matters that you can't own an electronic copy of the Oxford English Dictionary

Cory Doctorow  @ Boing Boing  Aug 24, 2013

Extract:
In my latest Guardian column, I talk about the digital versions of the Oxford English Dictionary and the Historical Thesaurus of the Oxford English Dictionary, the two most important lexicographic references to the English language. As a writer, my print copies of the OED and HTOED are to me what an anvil is to a blacksmith; but I was disturbed to learn that the digital editions of these books are only available as monthly rentals, services that come with expansive data-collecting policies and which cannot be owned. It's especially ironic that these books are published by Oxford University, home of the Bodleian, a deposit archive and library founded in the 14th century, a symbol of the importance of enduring ownership of books... continue reading + + Oxford English Dictionary – the future, The Guardian Cory Doctorow 23 August 2013

On the same shelf:

• Reference Process -- Readings  
• Oxford English Dictionary : Toronto Public Library 
• ASAPLive - Virtual Reference Library - Oxford English Dictionary ...
• Definition is not endorsement Baltimore Sun (blog) 24 August 2013
• Why editors are 'literally' changing the dictionary BBC News Aug 18, 2013
• Let pedants roar, Oxford proves itself a friend of tin ears, literally  Brisbane Times-Aug 17, 2013
• http://oxforddictionaries.com 
• Oxford English Dictionary: Home 
• Oxford English Dictionary Revises Definition of Marriage to Reflect  Same-Sex Relationships. Towleroad-Aug 23, 2013
• UBC prof lobbies Oxford English dictionary to be less British Toronto Star-Aug 13, 2013
• Daily Mail Oxford University Press Monitoring Evolution of Marriage Definition

  Lez Get Real-Jul 27, 2013 Extract: "The definition of marriage has already changed in several countries. France changed their before their Parliament enacted same-sex marriage. The French dictionary Larousse changed their definition to a “solemn act between two same-sex or different-sex persons, who decide to establish a union”. The Canada Space Dictionary defines marriage as “the state of being a married couple voluntarily joined for life (or until divorce)”.
  However, given the diversity of marriage throughout the world, wouldn’t it just be simpler to bite the bullet and define it as the union of two or more people for the conveyance of property, raising of children, and/or companionship with other individuals?"
  

How Break Out of the Library Field and Feel Good About It, Veda Darby Soberman

Extract:

1.Don’t let them call you librarian.
2.Recall the broad core reasons why you chose to pursue a library career, and let those ideals carry you to other related jobs.
3.Pursue a variety of trainings, and apply for a variety of openings.
4.Maintain a Buddha-like detachment from librarianship. Continue reading all the details and much more, How Break Out of the Library Field and Feel Good About It @ INALJ: The I Need a Library Job eResource center! A community of information professionals working together to help you find a job!

Job Search Especially for LTs

Extract:
Library Technician Job Search 101 OR By Lisa Elchuk,  Ontario Library Association's Access Magazine, vol.19, No. 3, Summer 2013, 22-23

• Hint number one:  (try to) make friends with everyone.
• Hint number two: diversify your job scouring.
• Hint number three: consistency is key.
• Hint number four: if you are unemployed or even working part-time, VOLUNTEER.

On the same shelf for Library Technician (LTs):

Notes from and for Library Technicians

SHARPENING OUR SKILLS

by Donna Brown

Reference Process -- Readings

You may call it, Reference Process or Reference Transaction or Reference Work in the library environment!!!
Whatever it is called by the librarians (traditional, modern, virtual, etc.), there is chain process, that starts with the user need, need analysis, need negotiation, consulting appropriate sources, customizing search strategy, search, retrieval, evaluation of search results, modification if required, and delivery or suggesting alternative sources...

"Nearly forty years ago now, Shera (1964) not only foresaw the use of computing to take some of the menial labor out of library reference work, but he also proposed a method for achieving that goal. Shera wrote that “the really great promise of automation is to be sought in… the opportunity it affords to analyze the reference process and re-define reference service” (p. 203). He saw this redefinition as removing the “fetch and carry” aspects, and the potential to raise the intellectual level of reference work. To achieve this end, Shera proposed an agenda for action: first, analyze the processes involved in reference service, and how questions are handled by humans in those processes, and second, create algorithms to represent these processes. Forty years later, Shera’s agenda still provides a sound course of action." Jeffrey Pomerantz, Question Types in Digital Reference: An Evaluation of Question Taxonomies. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY.-- Chapter One

Interesting anecdotes about Reference Transactions by Swiss Army Librarian


On the same shelf:

A Model of the Reference and Information Service Process

2011 - Crimea 2011 - Workshop New Trends in Reference Services - Sudak - 7 juin 2011

Ranganathan Online: Do digital libraries violate the Third Law (of S R Ranganathan, 3.Every book, its reader)?

Understanding Reference Transactions: Transforming an Art into a Science (Academic Press, 2002) (1,000 citations supplemented)

Reference Interview Stages -- National Network of Libraries of Medicine

How to Create a Bibliography

Reference Process Interview Flowchart

How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography Cornell University

MLA Works Cited: Electronic Sources (Web Publications) -- Purdue OWL

eight of the 13 steps - Reference Process

Understanding the Reference Transaction: A Systems Analysis Perspective

The Current State of Digital Reference: Validation of a General Digital Reference Model through a Survey of Digital Reference Services

Roles in Digital Reference

Course Readings at University of Texas, Austin

Agosto, Denise, Lily Rozaklis, Craig MacDonald, and Eileen G. Abels, “A Model of the Reference and Information Service Process,” Reference & User Services Quarterly 50 (3) (Spring 2011): 235-244.

Fichter, Darlene and Jeff Wisniewski, “Put the `Service’ in Self-Service,” Online 32 (1) (January/February 2008): 55-57.

Murphy, Sarah Anne, “The Reference Narrative,” Reference & User Services Quarterly 44 (3) (Spring 2005): 247-252.

Neville, Tina M., et. al., “Reference Classification—Is It Time to Make Some Changes?” Reference & User Services Quarterly 48 (4) (Summer 2009): 372-383.

Pomerantz, Jeffrey, Scott Nicholson, and R. David Lankes, ”Digital Reference Triage: Factors influencing Question Routing and Assignment,” The Library Quarterly 73 (2) (April 2003): 103-120.

Tyckoson, David A., “What’s Right With Reference,” American Libraries 30 (5) (May 1999): 57-63.

Westbrook, Lynn, “Virtual Reference Training: The Second Generation,” College & Research Libraries 67 (3) (May 2006): 249-259. (source: INF 382D: Readings)

THE RIGHTS OF THE READER by Daniel Pennac

Pennac, Daniel, Quentin Blake, and Sarah Hamp Adams. The Rights of the Reader. London: Walker, 2006.
Image courtesy: Marwa Elnaggar



Extract from Marta Morrison @ Amazon:

1. The right to read. I liked this right because even though I am a reader there are times when I don't read because life has gotten to me. I remember a real sparse time after the birth of both of my kids. I didn't crack a book for about nine months.
2. The right to skip.
3. The right not to finish a book. This hit home with me, too. I always felt guilty when I didn't finish a book for a book club, but I have the right not to finish a book whenever I don't like it.
4. The right to read it again - Harry Potter, here I come!
5. The right to read anything.
6. The right to mistake a book for real life.
7. The right to read anywhere. This applies to me since I have read many times in Disneyland - and I have pictures to prove it.
8. The right to dip in.
9. The right to read out loud.
10. The right to be quiet and not discuss the book with anyone.

Behind the Scenes: A (Very) Quick Look at Library Acquisitions

Gloria Dingwall, Andrew Waller, Heather D'Amour Libraries and Cultural Resources Extract:
Ever wondered how that invaluable book or journal you are using in your research found its way into the library collection? Under the umbrella of Libraries and Cultural Resources, Collections and Technical Services Department, the Acquisitions Unit is responsible for acquiring print material while the Electronic Resources Unit in Collections Services is responsible for acquiring e-resources. Here some quick facts on how the acquisitions processes work. continue reading
On the same shelf:

Area Studies Collections at Virginia: A Comparative Data Set: Part 1: pdf | Excel : Complete Monographic Collections Comparison Data (74 Research Libraries); Part 2: pdf | Excel: LC Subject Comparison Data for Monographic Collections

Reading now: How to Find a Job on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Google+ 2/E

How to Find a Job on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Google+ 2/E, by Brad Schepp and, Debra Schepp; McGraw-Hill; 2 edition (2012)
A reviewer's comment relating to the previous edition (2009): "Most employers check for an online presence for prospective employees. These social networking experts show job hunters how to use these sites to market themselves effectively and impress employers." -- Library Journal 2/1/2010, Vol. 135 Issue 2, p32-34.

The Second Edition:
Finding your dream job the old way just doesn’t happen anymore. If you want to move up in today’s ultracompetitive job market, you have to master the most useful tools out there—social networks.
How to Find a Job on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Google+, Second Edition, helps you take full advantage of the bounty of opportunities found on the most popular sites. Online job-search experts Brad and Debra Schepp take you step-by-step through the process of joining networks, creating effective online profiles, and leveraging the job-search features of the most popular sites, including:
LinkedIn's InMaps—Get a complete visual of your network for a faster, more efficient job search
Facebook's BranchOut—Learn more about your friends’ careers, so you can help them—and they can help you
Twitter's Lists—Build a customized list of users to discover opportunities you might otherwise miss
Google+'s Circles—Get the most relevant information about yourself into the hands of the right people

Table of Contents (Ten chapters in two parts):
Part 1 Getting Linkedln 1-174 --includes Advantages / benefits (p.8);
Part 2 Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ 175-246

See also on the same shelf:

Creativity overrated in online profiles: Three never-use job-hunting buzzwords, by Vanessa Lu, Toronto Star Extract: "LinkedIn has compiled list of commonly used words used by Canadians to describe themselves: If you’re looking to get noticed by a potential employer, don’t use words like creative, effective or motivated...Instead, people need to speak to specific accomplishments and passions...Top 10 overused buzzwords: Creative; Effective; Organizational; Motivated; Analytical; Interpersonal; Problem solving; Extensive experience; Innovative; Communication Skills; LinkedIn Canada."