Comments on: If A Library Fell in the Forest

By: madlibn

madlibn — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 21:02:59 +0000

I’ve been a librarian for over 20 years, and I think the most valuable part of my MLS program was learning how to think. Also maybe some theory gave me a base to build future learning on (or: on which to build future learning). I believe a bachelors degree in librarianship would have accomplished the same thing. I think lots of people are like me (or were at the time)– not sure of what they were going to do with their life, and relieved to find there was a profession that fit their interests. I never worked in a library before library school which is unusual among my colleagues.

We are relevant now in helping people find the information they need online or in books and helping people do things which are now required to be online, such as applying for jobs or their digital tv box coupon. We are still helping people, and providing education to those who need it, and are no longer in school.

You never know what life will bring you — I thought I would be an academic library cataloger, and I’ve been a reference librarian in a public library for 20 years.

By: Mr. kkKat

Mr. kkKat — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 23:53:24 +0000

Jim, I slept at least once in every single class through my bachelors and near every single class in my masters. Once I learned I could sleep through class and still get B's and even A's, I simply stopped coming to class as often. Attendence wasn't required, you see!!! Why go to class and get an A when you can sleep at home and get a B? Simple Economics, see??

My notes some days included skematics of things important to me like car diagrams alongside my complete notes. My margins are filled with little sketches of airplanes and cars and stragne things seen nowhere else.

The degrees are meaningless and clas was usually quite dull. One day I fell asleep in Paleontology and I saw the entire lecture on a green chaulk board in yellow chaulk. when I woke up I saw the material that had yet not been erased only on white boards and in marker. My professor remarked that I had been mumbling in response to questions the whole time too. Que the twilight zone theme song!!!

Those who want to think that university degrees are meaningful need to know that real life experience trumps all. University degrees do not come with real life experience - unless you count Girls Gone Wild a real life experience.

I'm quite a bit foggy right now, the girl got me drunk tonight on this sweet peachy flavored wine. great stuff, but this is going to be a long night...oye vey!!

By: dork

dork — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 23:35:27 +0000

Maybe libraries should start training monkeys! They can direct people to the restroom or sign them up for a computer–oooh, there’s an idea! Librarians can then do real work, like answering reference questions.

“I am unsure Jim of your educational background, but I would guess you do not possess a Master’s degree.” NJShore, this comment of yours does sound a bit haughty and seems indicative of some, if not many, librarians who wear their degrees on their sleeve, as it were.

By: Jim Rettig

Jim Rettig — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 22:10:21 +0000

I attended one of those “ALA reputable programs” and became addicted to caffeine because I needed some type of stimulus to keep me awake. MLS classes are a joke. If you struggled in library school, then you weren’t intended to exist among the living. The term information professional is tossed around by insecure librarians who know that any high school graduate could do their job. It sounds impressive but it means nothing.

By: NJShoreLibrarian

NJShoreLibrarian — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 14:24:59 +0000

I am unsure Jim of your educational background, but I would guess you do not possess a Master’s degree. I believe if you took your negativity and channeled it in a more proactive way you too could one day become an Information Professional. Moreover, I disagree “any trained monkey” could persevere in any ALA reputable program. I wish you luck.

By: Jim Rettig

Jim Rettig — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 14:07:03 +0000

You librarians that call yourselves information professionals need to get real. Just because you got a degree that any trained monkey could get, that doesn’t make you a professional anything. Quit looking down on other library staff and join the real world.

By: NJShoreLibrarian

NJShoreLibrarian — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 13:50:33 +0000

Duane,
Your post defintely made me laugh. I too agree that information professionals functioning as circulation clerks degrades the quality of service libraries provides. Now I wouldn’t go as far as comparing our institutions to fast food joints, but I like your point. Moreover, if I only wanted to check books in and out books, I wouldn’t have pursued my MLS degree.
Also, MSNBC.com and Brian Williams posted a clip on the importance of libraries in our economy today. If you get a chance check it out.

By: Duane

Duane — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 07:08:50 +0000

Yo! LJ web programmer!! escape those double quotes!! If you built this – I know you can do it.

As I was saying – librarians unavailable because they were working the circ desk, and circulation clerks assigned to the reference desk(fail!)

Problem with librarians at the circ desk and circ at the reference desk? Well we’ll solve that by even more de-regulation. A solution in a term called ‘roaming’. Nobody is assigned anywhere. Just pee on everybody.

Let’s listen to the sound of silence together :
1. eliminate all the competent people or as much as you can.
2. give training called ‘core competency’ to those remaining. This week or so of training may someday replace the MLS if we can pull it off. Its job training.
3. disreguard negative complaints from staff and patrons on poor quality.
4. ask for more money to improve the same quality that was intentionally broken.

When the circ clerks and library aides are under the gun to do the librarians job(and fail at it) :

no – noone will hear the fall of the librarian.

People of the community will simply sit and wonder why the quality of their library is equivalent to that of a fast food joint.

Yes – they are building a drive thru window at that library.

By: Duane

Duane — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 06:46:11 +0000

You got to be kidding me cant use ”

By: Duane

Duane — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 06:43:47 +0000

Greetings!
I used to work at the Largo Library before I was forced to resign. I am here to slander them because apparently alot of the other libarians who were forced to resign have not done so yet. If you think anything I have said is inaccurate – find an ex-employee and ask them their experience.
I have a question for you! Who needs librarians when you can train a circulation clerk to do it for less?(sure a crappy failed job – but an attempt nonetheless)
During my time at the Largo library I saw the transformation : Librarians unavailable to the public(yes patrons verbally approached me often looking for them) because they were working the circulation desk(”