Recently, libnet (an email list of some 700, mostly Colorado-based librarians) had a lively exchange in response to a simple question: one woman wondered if we would recommend that her niece pursue a Masters in Library Science. Several findings emerged:
* a lot of librarians love their jobs, and provided encouragement.
* a lot of librarians felt that, at least to date, the investment (and the assumption of debt) hasn't been worth it. They haven't found jobs that were professional in nature; they had to move quite a ways to find employment, and sometimes that has had a steep personal and financial cost. Most of these folks were still in the starting out phase of their professional lives.
* the always helpful Library Research Service did a "Fast Facts" publication about what's really going on with new library jobs. And I see the news as encouraging: there are still lots of jobs, some of them look to be breaking new ground, and most of them are in public libraries.
I threw in another comment about the issue: we are seeing those retirements starting to happen. But most of the folks leaving hold senior positions; it will take a while for that to translate into entry level positions. I continue to believe in the value of a library education, and in the long term need for us in our communities.
* a lot of librarians love their jobs, and provided encouragement.
* a lot of librarians felt that, at least to date, the investment (and the assumption of debt) hasn't been worth it. They haven't found jobs that were professional in nature; they had to move quite a ways to find employment, and sometimes that has had a steep personal and financial cost. Most of these folks were still in the starting out phase of their professional lives.
* the always helpful Library Research Service did a "Fast Facts" publication about what's really going on with new library jobs. And I see the news as encouraging: there are still lots of jobs, some of them look to be breaking new ground, and most of them are in public libraries.
I threw in another comment about the issue: we are seeing those retirements starting to happen. But most of the folks leaving hold senior positions; it will take a while for that to translate into entry level positions. I continue to believe in the value of a library education, and in the long term need for us in our communities.
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