Comments on: California is the Future

By: Emily

Emily — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 07:43:38 +0000

It is my understanding – having seen many job postings from California community colleges – that most academic jobs in from community colleges in California are required to include a statement to the effect of “Have sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, and ethnic backgrounds of community college students.”

This is required whether or not this “minimum qualification” actually related to the work the candidate will do in the position. Usually the candidate demonstrates this sensitivity and understanding during the application process via a short essay or statement about working with diverse populations.

Before one nitpicks this requirement, s/he may want to think about job postings and the context from which they typically originate – job postings are often based on a standard template created by the institution’s HR dept. in order to comply with a number of institutional, state and federal employment and hiring regulations.

By: Sharon

Sharon — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 21:34:49 +0000

I’ve never had to move a ton of books during an interview process. It could be quite comical, though, especially if you had to do it while keeping a smile on your face and making sure that you don’t bump into any patrons! :)

I have had tests to make sure that I know how to put books in order using various classifications (Dewey, LC, etc.)

And in my various interviews, I did have to assure them that I could meet all of the physical aspect requirements. I’m sure that all of that is done so that you can’t turn around and sue them if you have to move a cart or box of books around!

By: Andrew

Andrew — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 07:30:38 +0000

Kim – I graduated right as the Great Recession was getting into full swing and a part-time gig ended up being my ticket into the field. It didn’t pay well and there were no benefits, but it gave me the job experience that was needed to get my resume noticed at other jobs. After I’d been at the part time gig for a little over a year I went from no response to applications to fielding several job offers at the same time.

The problem is that a lot of people don’t have the ability to work without benefits or for less than a living wage. For people who don’t have a good support structure it’s definitely a job that sucks, but if you do have a safety net they’re a good foot in the door.

By: Techserving You

Techserving You — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 18:02:44 +0000

I have to point out, regarding Joyce’s comment – there are now many things which MUST, legally, be included in job postings. Specific physical aspects of the job are one such thing. Many library positions, including professional library positions, require lifting the occasional box of books, whether a new shipment, or something being moved. It is extremely common for librarian job postings to specify that one needs to be able to lift 25 pounds, or 50 pounds. There is no test of interviewees, but they must be made aware of the requirements.

And Joyce, please, get a life. I really don’t know why you busy yourself with trolling this professional blog when you’re not in the profession. I graduated from my MLIS program in 2007, after significant paraprofessional experience (at excellent universities, and with no trouble finding paraprofessional jobs which themselves pay a living wage) and I have had a series of good jobs. In trying to find just the right atmosphere and location in which to settle, I have worked in three separate professional positions (starting my third just last month, 4.5 years after graduating, so my stints haven’t been quite as short as it seems.) I have never had any trouble finding good, full-time employment with benefits. There are jobs for those who have experience. And, experience is not hard to come by. But those who graduate with an MLS/MLIS with minimal experience who believe they *deserve* a professional job immediately will be disappointed. They may also have to move. As in other fields, some states have more jobs than others.

Finally, I think some people need to look at the actual job posting to which AL links, not just AL’s post. It is for temporary teaching positions. Again, while they may accept some unemployed new grads, I think this is more geared towards professionals.

By: Techserving You

Techserving You — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 17:51:49 +0000

AL, usually I am right with you on the “jobs that suck” front, as well as most of the other issues you write about. But, I don’t agree that this job is in the same category as those other jobs that suck. I didn’t read all of the previous comments, but at a glance, it seems that some others are viewing this the way I do.

I don’t think there is anything wrong with libraries and educational institutions creating pools of substitutes and temps. I could see (and have seen) employed full-time librarians who have flexibility in their schedules (as do many academic librarians) applying for this. It could be a good way to supplement one’s income, and might even provide experience which enhances one’s resume. Such an applicant would already be staying up on the goings-on in his or her field. I don’t imagine they are expecting applicants who otherwise wouldn’t, for their own purposes, be staying abreast of changes in their field, to be doing so just for this position.

This is not the same as a minimum wage low-level no-benefits librarian position which expects applicants to have extensive credentials (usually beyond the MLS) and to be on call at all times, to work with no notice (which basically precludes them from holding other jobs.)

By: CA Librarian

CA Librarian — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:44:08 +0000

More than you might think, I’d guess. The job market in CA is extremely crowded. There are two library schools and one of those is online. There are a large number of graduates each year and many of those are not willing to leave CA. The community colleges pay really well so there’s a lot of competition to get those jobs. Academic experience, even at the adjunct level, helps a lot. Plus, you make connections with a lot of librarians and if you do good, you can parlay that into a full-time gig. I think the key part of your post is your last sentence. If you didn’t get experience before you graduated or have unique skills, a job like this is a good way to get your foot in the door.

By: teetop

teetop — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:33:31 +0000

Based on the ad, it looks like the job pays either $41 or possibly $54 an hour. So even one shift a week would mean $700-1000 a month during the semester.

By: teetop

teetop — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:23:47 +0000

Adjunct Librarian jobs at community colleges in California are great jobs, you simply could not be more wrong. There’s enough fight for them already that I probably shouldn’t hip you to it, but it’s true. If one such job is the only source of income for your household, that’s a problem. But they are great weekly gigs for additional income. As a previous poster mentioned, the floor for adjunct pay is about $40 an hour–some pay over $50. You are always front and center at reference or leading a classroom orieintation, but the pay is comensurate.

Also, bear in mind, these aren’t usually ‘on call’ jobs; usually a schedule is set at the beginning of the semester. So you know going in that you will work, say, 5-9 every Tuesday night from mid August until the week before Christmas. You can pretty easily weave that into whatever the rest of your comitments are.

I think you are mistaking this for an entry level job. It isn’t that. It’s a gig for professionals, like, say a CPA who also teaches an accounting class in his spare time.

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 16:08:52 +0000

Actually stay-at-home-moms with kindergarten age children are about the *least* likely to be able to suddenly run off to work; there’s pickup and dropoff, after school, weekends, etc., and many kindergartens are just in the mornings. I had a job like that when I was still in library school. My boss (actually she wasn’t my boss but acted like it) would freak out if I did something like use one of the coffee cups in the cupboard instead of bringing in my own. It paid about $15/hour and I had to run several programs a week working only 17 hours/week. I quit when she asked me to make myself available evenings and weekends as well (still working 17 hours a week, which would’ve meant lots of driving back and forth).
But hey, I did get some good experience, the kids were adorable, and now I have a job managing a technical library. So nyaaah to my former non-boss.

By: Kim

Kim — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 05:43:21 +0000

I’m curious how many people get into the field in this way? When I graduated in 2006, I wanted to avoid a non job like this one because I thought it would make it harder and possibly impossible to land the type of high level job I have now. But I was lucky because I graduated in ’06. The people I went to school with who graduated when I did mostly found jobs if they gained significant experience before graduation, or if they had unique skills.

Jobs that fall to the low caliber to fill the AL Jobs that Suck list used to be listed pretty frequently, but I haven’t seen too many of them lately either. To me this job fills the Jobs that Suck category, or at least it would have a few years ago.