LIBS

Has anyone here done a Library Sciences degree? I'm seriously considering it, but not sure if it would have any value. Anyone's feedback would be much appreciated, thank you :)

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Honestly if you want to work in a library, most don't even require qualifications like that; better to do something else that you're really into and if its really necessary get some sort of post grad diploma in librarianship. Most catalogue work is outsourced and most circulation stuff is online. It'll probably be obsolete soon. I haven't done a course, but I do work in a library.

Don't get a degree just because you like an subject. This might not pay your debt back.

Haven't you checked your needed qualifications for the field you want to work? Do you have to have a degree? If not, don't waste your time and money. You can easily learn the stuff on your own at home for free thanks to free lecture notes form multiple universities.

Also, does you field have a realistic future? Check out other similiar fields which might be a better investment.

Don't romantize a job in a library. Most of your time you will spent on your PC organiuing or with Kids and Elderly and not with nice books.

okay thank you!

Excuse the hyperbole, but I'd rather get a small amount of debt (it's not too intense where I live), than study something boring that leads to a job I hate, and kill myself at thirty.
The needed qualifications for the field I'd ideally be working in include some sort of library sciences degree, but I'll go to university regardless of whether I do settle on this or not. I don't imagine that working in a library will be wearing pencil skirts, and rereading Proust, and I would have little to no problem working with children and elderly as those as both demographics I've volunteered with. This isn't very lucid, and comes of mostly as a rebuttal, but I am very grateful you took the time to force me to appreciate the realities of this as a career.

I've worked in libraries for about 3 years now without a library qualification.
first job was shelving books as a student at my uni library, went full-time for a year after I graduated this will be the best job I ever had: 80% of my time was spent hiding in the stacks reading
this experience was enough to get an entry level job at a public library in another city. After about a year of essentially being a shop assistant I now work in the archives (largely consisting of v. dry city council papers. there is a fairly substantial historical collection which is interesting, although most of the work I do now is extremely mundane describing/arranging records, paperwork, moving boxes around etc)

SO:

getting a job in a library does not require a library degree, and it is possible to "climb the ladder" to a certain extent. However, I think that without a degree you are limited to certain positions (ie. customer service) and that "climbing the ladder" is only really possible in one institution (where they know you personally and what you are capable of - you probably wouldn't have much success sending your CV off wherever). Having a qualification would, I think, expand your horizons a bit - but only in the sense that you would get a job easier (because anyone with even the slightest intelligence could do 90% of the work in a library, in that sense a degree is completely superfluous).

At the public library I work at now are people with various levels of qualifications at various levels within the organisation. There are people who have post-grad library qualifications that are "beneath" me and there are others "above" me who have never studied anything specifically to do with libraries (but most in meatier roles have studied something).
I myself am thinking about going back to uni for a masters in information management (that's what they call it here), but it is in no way the only path to becoming a librarian.

I understand that eventually gaining employment is not the only reason to study something, but from my understanding of it, library science is a very vocation-oriented degree.
As workshy as I am, if I have to spend my days in some building, a library is one of the better buildings to slave away in.

I'm considering this too.

How old are you OP?

I'll be 26 starting the Masters and I'm not sure if this is too old?

I don't want to be the weird older guy in class

Where abouts do you live?

Aotearoa

Seen this?: vimeo.com/122342786

Also how old are you?

I'm thinking of studying MA in library sciences and I'll be 26 starting. I'm not sure if it's a bad move.

bump

>library sciences
My friend from Wellington got a job at a local library by writing a comical cover letter. Just fake experience on your CV and have a friend cover you.

Haha, nah hadn't seen that. Was worried it was going to be some "100% pure" bullshit but it's pretty representative. Thanks for posting it.

I'm 26, and in my reckonings if I did end up doing my masters I wouldn't be starting it until I'm about 30 - largely because after 18-odd years in the education system I want a decent break. I don't think there's any shame (or whatever it is you're feeling) about studying when you're not fresh out of high school.
Are you a student right now?

What about the software they use in libraries?

I'm a good liar and a charming individual but if they ask me if I've used the software and then find out I haven't I'm screwed.

No I'm not a student. I've worked full-time since graduating aged 21 in an office job but I'm gaining no skills and I want to change. But spending $8.5k in fees plus accommodation is a lot of money to spend.

Also why would you be starting at 30? Can't you apply now and start next year?

I'm 25 but I'd be 26 starting the course. I don't want to be the weird quiet older guy in a class full of young SJWs or whatever.

The software will take all of 2 days to be fully proficient in. Just throw a book store in your CV instead of a library, I guess.

bump

Most of the technology is pretty intuitive. Basically click one button for returns then click it again for issues, searching for borrowers and items etc.

Think this through a bit more. You'll be studying how to work in a library for 3 - 4 years. I don't know what the content would be like but just imagining it is enough to make me want to kill myself.

Not OP but I'm thinking of doing an MA, which is one year.

Also I just received an email from a librarian telling me my experience working for a couple of months in my university library (where I never worked) is fine for the job I'm applying for. I really hope I get this.

Man, I forgot how shit Kiwi food was.

Makes me ashamed of my nationality.

Apart from the front-of-house stuff most of the work done in a library is office work. Of course, it's office work for the greater good (if you think helping people out is the greater good) rather than for lining some cunt's pockets.

Seeing how the library degree is post graduate only (here, anyway. The prerequisites for the MIS are a BA(Hons) or Master's degree in any subject), most of your fellow students will be in their mid-20s at the youngest, so you're unlikely to be a total outlier. Of the people I know with an MIS, the youngest started it at 24 while most of the others (I know maybe 6 people with an MIS) were 30+ when they did it. In NZ, it's only a one year course and since only one university offers it most people do it through distance learning.

The reason I don't apply to get qualified right now is that I have no desire to return to university in the immediate future. But like you said, the expenses are a barrier too. I figure there's no rush - not like libraries are going anywhere, right?

can you use a search engine? if yes, you'll be able to figure out whatever library software within a few days, including the specifics of how they deal with issues/returns/fees and whatever other admin-type things you'll have to deal with.

some qualities that are valued by the recruitment people at my workplace (and from what I can tell most public libraries down here):
>customer service
at its essence being a librarian is about helping people. whether it's finding books, filling out dole papers, looking up family history or whatever, you're going to be dealing with a lot of different people with a lot of different needs.
>computer literacy
because you'll be using a computer a lot, and you'll probably also be helping others with their computers and smartphones
>dealing with fucked up shit
things like aggravated assaults and indecent exposure unfortunately do come up and knowing what to do in these situations is helpful. At the other end of the "fucked up shit" scale: you'll probably witness some pretty heart-wrenching poverty and deprivation so a certain level of sensitivity and empathy goes a long way. (this only really applies to public libraries. in ~18 months at a uni library the only memorable incident of this sort was that a couple were fucking in a toilet once, and this other time I was asleep on a couch and got mistaken for a homeless guy; whereas at my current work there's probably violence/threats/spilt fluids every other day)

there's definitely more, but I think those are the main ones to lie about on your CV. it also helps not having a generic cover letter. let your personality show through rather than copy-pasting some mince about being a team-player with great communication skills.

Freshly outta high school which won't reassure you I'm afraid. You'll only be the weird older guy in class if you play that role. sidenote: that video you linked the other user is A+.

I'm also from NZ, so very relevant to me, thank you! I think I'm leaning towards an information management degree though, just because I want to be able to have a bit of freedom, and not have to work up from the bottom every job I get.

Shout out to Wellington anyway.