Comments on: Go Out and Be Inspirational!

By: Juno

Juno — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 18:06:03 +0000

I forgot to add that I have inspired and mentored several young college grads and midlife career changers to become librarians, and none of them have looked back. They are enjoying librarianship, too.

By: Juno

Juno — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 18:03:37 +0000

I stumbled into librarianship after I moved out of a big city and editorial work that I could mostly enjoy. Friends suggested that I could be as ambitious or not in librarianship and that librarianship needed someone like me. It’s been ten years since I got my MSLS. I started in public libraries as a branch manager. Now I’m a branch manager, essentially, in an academic library. It’s been rewarding and nerve-wracking. I think I still miss directly working with children’s books, but I get a chance to review them for the profession, so that worked out pretty well. I’m not living in a glamorous town. I’ve made personal sacrifices to stay this course. But I think it’s been worth it overall. I worry about the future and keeping up with the changes in the field–especially as this is a second career for me. When I was a kid, I wanted to be married. That was the sum total of my aspiration. I dropped out of college 7 times before finally finishing my generic interdisciplinary bachelor’s degree. I zipped my MSLS in 11 months. I’d say I was more motivated by library school than any other professional goal in my 30+ year working life.

By: Tanya

Tanya — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 08:46:55 +0000

I was too busy “being” to want to be anything when I grew up. Then, I grew up, graduated with a MA in English, stumbled into teaching (for want of a job) and promptly began contemplating suicide. Rather than meet the reaper, I earned my ME in library science. (And yes, it is just as good as yours!) To end, I love my job and would not trade it for anything save Hugh Jackman or perpetual wealth.

By: NotMarianTheLibrarian

NotMarianTheLibrarian — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 15:05:39 +0000

Forgot to add AL that I often find you inspirational. You dare say things that others won’t, certainly not ALA or institutions/faculty that grant MLIS degrees.

By: NotMarianTheLibrarian

NotMarianTheLibrarian — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 12:15:33 +0000

Definitely did not want to be a librarian growing up. I began working in a library to pay for college and, when original aspirations didn’t pan out, decided I liked my co-workers enough to stay in LibraryLand. But I got the MLIS so I could earn more money. The work can be demanding – first-year students have a lot more energy than this 50+ year-old – but I like it and it isn’t particularly stressful.

By: Kate

Kate — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 13:57:02 +0000

I most certainly did not want to be a librarian when I was kid. My mother is also a librarian, so being the good daughter I am, I tried everything I could to run from the inevitable. But in spite of my best efforts, I am, in fact, turning into my mother. Not always a happy thought, but there you have it.

By: Needs a ''nym

Needs a ''nym — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 05:30:21 +0000

I wanted to be an engineer, but I had a messy breakdown. Friends and family convinced me that meds were a scam, so I ended up with a worthless liberal arts degree.

After years of crap service jobs, I got medicated and was lured into librarianship by the promise of an intellectually stimulating career and a personnel shortage.

I think I’ve finally learned to stop trusting people.

By: Pas de Deux ex Machina

Pas de Deux ex Machina — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 14:17:19 +0000

I wanted to be an astronaut when I was a kid, and then I wanted to be a bass player in a band. And now I’m a librarian. I think I could be a bass player and a librarian…

By: shushie

shushie — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 12:05:24 +0000

I wanted to be a veterinarian as a child, but then I learned just like a good chef has to break some eggs, a good veterinarian has to dissect some kittens and the interest faded. I only thought about becoming a librarian after completing my undergraduate years and discovering that, as already mentioned, the English lit. degree didn’t count for anything.

My elementary school librarian had a crazy perm and a short temper. I don’t remember my junior high librarian, but in high school the librarian was a woman of sizable carriage and would have to use the elevator to move between the first and second floors instead of simply taking the stairs. I realize that none of these are good impressions for the profession :/

By: meh

meh — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 08:43:54 +0000

I wanted to be a librarian when I was a kid. Then I wanted to be an artist. Then a family emergency forced me to entertain the prospects of getting a real job, so I became a librarian.