Comments on: ALA Programs I Won’t Be Attending

By: Real Librarian

Real Librarian — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 13:31:40 +0000

Amen cranky.

Most librarians have no idea what public service is. Most of the time they are condescending and rude.

“Well, if you had looked at our web site, you would know the answer.”

Well, if you had looked at our web site and figured out anything, you would be the first.

By: crankylibrarian

crankylibrarian — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 18:28:55 +0000

Well Fancy Nancy – you sound like my old boss who did not appreciate my 20 years of public sector experience prior to getting my MLIS. I was an enthused new librarian working with a bunch of very immature, bigoted, small minded staff & “professionals.”

I love that public libraries want the public to support them by giving them funding through taxes & then the staff goes in the back & makes fun of the patrons.

I was quite aware when I started my library career that it’s a lowly paid public servant job. I was not expecting the open hostility towards the public or any new ideas that were brought to the table. You want to keep your dang tax base? Be nice to your patrons and do new things.

Want to piss off your tax base and lose your job? Behave the way my system does. Thanks to the Fancy Nancys of the world I will probably never take another job in the public sector – a workplace that I have the aforementioned 20 years of experience.

By: Ada

Ada — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 18:36:29 +0000

Colons and Library Program Titles: What’s up with that?

By: BC

BC — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 17:48:49 +0000

You said: “I can’t remember the last time I actually touched a book cart.”

Of course you can’t. You have such a snooty job up at the “top” that you don’t even engage in real library activities anymore. Leave that to the servants and go have yourself some tea!

By: Aubrey

Aubrey — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 19:49:10 +0000

You missed an excellent session–Blasphemy–focusing on free speech and the right to offend–to ask questions. I recommend looking into it further.

By: Aj

Aj — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 11:56:09 +0000

“By the end of the next decade, nearly 60% of current librarians will reach retirement age.”

I may reach retirement age but no way will I be able to afford not to work.

By: Day

Day — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 13:44:39 +0000

Sigh. “By the end of the next decade, nearly 60% of current librarians will reach retirement age.”

They told me this when I went for my degree 4 years ago, and I wondered why the class laughed at me when I repeated it…

By: Oleg Boyarsky

Oleg Boyarsky — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 12:13:57 +0000

I just I love these conferences/ trade shows.

By: Pragmatic Philosopher

Pragmatic Philosopher — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 21:34:51 +0000

Agh. The myth of the librarian shortage. I wish ALA and the library schools would stop passing it around. We ARE starting to see more retirements but not at the rate predicted due to the economy. Plus any positions that are vacated are not being filled. So newbie librarians are competing with people who have experience.

By: CattyCataloger

CattyCataloger — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 18:10:29 +0000

I so love snarkiness! I attended ALA, once as a Friend of the library before becoming a librarian. I only went around to the vendors. That was great. Now I don’t think I would be caught dead at conference.