Should you get an MLIS degree.

tl;dr NO

Wow, it's been a really long time since I have posted something.  Since my last post my jadedness and disenchantment with the public library and librarianship peaked.  Budget cut after budget cut, with no hope in sight.  Maybe I should have kept up my online ranting sessions for my own sanity.  Either way, here I am typing away.

Every week or so, there's a post on /r/Libraries asking if the OP should get an MLIS degree.  The characteristics of most thread starters are unshockingly similar:

- young
- about to graduate from college/just graduated
- has no idea what to do
- degree in History/English
- has never worked in a library before
- loves to read books
- library-delusional: thinks it would be cool to be paid to read all day
- already made up their mind about getting an MLIS, but just wanted affirmation from online strangers

9 times out of 10, I do not think that they should waste their time on an MLIS.  Let me count the ways:

- "The greying of the profession" is complete crap
- if the library actually chooses to fill any open full-time positions there are two things that usually happen now: turns into 1, maybe 2, part time positions and/or make the positions paraprofessional so ultimately getting an MLIS is moot
- if your only experience in the library world is as a patron, you have no idea what it's like behind the reference desk
- the majority of library jobs lies in the public library field, and they are struggling to stay afloat


I will upvote every person who cautions the OP to reconsider and downvote those that openly and enthusiastically encourage people to obtain an MLIS.  I find it completely reckless and moronic to do the latter.  Usually the encouragers give the following reasons:

- they had a full-time library job lined up before they graduated
- they weren't regionally restricted, so they took a job across the country
- they love books too!
- they used their network connections they made by being members to every god-forsaken library-related association out there
-you can totally use your MLIS degree in other places outside of a library


These people are the 1%, the exceptions to the rule.  For every one of these boasters, there are hundreds of those who are quietly disgruntled and underemployed.  Sure, take a job in the middle of no where, with such an overabundance of MLIS job-seekers, there's a reason why those library positions are open.  Honestly, I've always thought the idea of working in a library just because someone loves books as utterly ridiculous --- you do know that you'll have to weed the collection right?  I hate when people say that joining ALA/SLA/PLA/your state library association is the key to finding that dream job.  If the return on investment for this was truly as good as these people make it out to be, EVERYONE would be a member of these groups and employed.  Again, this is the vocal 1%. 

Do you know why so many people with MLIS don't work in a library setting --- BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T FIND A LIBRARY JOB.  People that say that their MLIS is helpful and worth it in non-library settings is in the biggest state of denial ever.  As it currently stands, and maybe always has in the library world, you cannot take someone with just an MLIS and no library experience and throw them behind the reference desk and think they'll do just fine.  What makes you think an MLIS can better prepare you for a non-library job if it can't even properly prepare you for a library one??

The only rare times I would say investing in an MLIS is worth it, is if your employee is paying for it and/or you already are in the library and you're in a position for a promotional opportunity for getting the degree.  Other than that, save your money and go for a paraprofessional positions, it's the exact same work minus the crippling tuition debt!

The Marginalization of Librarianship.

Let me preface this post by saying that I'm not saying that this is happening at EVERY library.  I do not have a finger on the pulse of the nation-wide public library realm.  Granted, what is going down in my library is only known to those in the system, so who knows what is really happening in any neighboring library system.

Also, your library might be on the right track and has not given up on real librarianship and maybe your MLIS school isn't selling out to fill in the seats.  Good for them, honestly, no sarcasm in that statement.  It is just that those seem to be the minority in the library world and no one seems to care that the profession is being sabotaged from within: library management and library schools.

There has been some debate within my library system about the shift to hiring paraprofessionals.  This is just one of the many issues at my library.  The justification for not needing Librarians is that the job has changed and patron needs have changed.  B#llsh*t, the job only changed because the positions have been marginalized to glorified paper jam clearers.  There is so much more to librarianship, but admin can't see it because there aren't any numbers to justify it.  It is easy to say that degreed librarians aren't needed when you limit what a librarian can do on the job.  Just to be clear, I am in a paraprofessional position, I am not saying that my coworkers in the same position cannot do the job.  It has gotten to the point where these positions could be filled with anyone with enough training.

I believe that this affects what library schools teach or don't.  Let's be real, public libraries are the biggest employers of librarians and MLIS schools reflect this.  Unless you are taking a specialized course related to school media or archives, the public library is the "course du jour" for lectures.  Personally, I saw a strong disconnect between what professors taught and what actually happens at the public library.  In fact, in my reference services class, I honestly believe that that professor had never worked the information desk.

And then there is the ALA who absolutely DOES NOTHING while this all goes down.  Sure, maybe they'll jump on the latest bandwagon of whatever is in the media spotlight in an attempt to get some attention thrown their way.  But overall ALA sucks.  You would think that they would have a heavily vested interest in fighting for librarianship.

While I'm on a ranting rage, library marketing SUCKS.  The library only seems to be concerned about the patrons it currently has, what about the potential ones that make up the majority of tax payers?  Every year it's a survey about "What can the library do better?"  And every year the responses are always the same because the only people who take the time to do the surveys are current patrons.  Why not engage the people who say that libraries are pointless and are a waste of their money?  Why not prove them wrong, sure some can be convinced while others will remain staunch to their own biases.  I have tried bringing this up but it falls on deaf ears, sure my peers at the branch level agree with me but try talking to upper management and you'll find them in their ivory tower.

And another thing about upper management, they too have a strong disconnect about what actually goes down in the branch.  How are they to say what duties should be done at the branch level when they only base their decisions purely on numbers?  They also cannot grasp the fact that each and every branch is different.  "Same ish, different library" holds true, but each branch has their own way to deal with said ish.
The amount of cronyism and yes-people-ing that goes on in management and admin is disgusting and one of the reasons why so many people are looking for outside jobs.  The only way to get promoted is to drink the Kool-Aid.  A true Good 'Ole Boy system.  Voice an opinion that goes against the mainstream and you're met with fierce retaliation or being ignored for the rest of your career.

It is incredibly sad to see the system implode upon itself and not be able to do anything.  By the time fall rolls around, I will have worked for the library for 7 years.  I love the library and I have worked with some amazing people.  I cannot even imagine what the library will be like in the next 7 years.  Library management seems to be "leading us" in the wrong direction and it worries me that other libraries might follow this trend.

"Good News: Library Job Growth Exploding!" ... et tu Library of Congress?

According to this blog post on the Library of Congress website, library job growth is exploding.  Exploding?  Really?  I'm not quite sure the blog author is using the right term.

This is an example of something exploding:

This would mean the contents were expanding so quickly and/or vastly, that this poor lemon could not contain it.

I personally would describe the "growth" of library jobs as imploding:

The internal structure was weakened to the point where the whole structure and everything attached to it crumbles unto itself.

The reasoning behind that blog post is that there are other jobs titles that share the same characteristics as librarian positions.  Using this thought process, librarians would make great "Computer and Information Systems Managers."  Let's see what tools and technology are related according to the same source that links the top 4 tasks between the professions.

Librarians:

Tools used in this occupation: Bar code reader equipment — Barcode scanners Film projectors Microfiche or microfilm viewers — Microfiche readers; Microfilm readers Photocopiers — Photocopying equipment Scanners

CIS Managers:
Tools used in this occupation:

Computer servers — File servers; Mid-range computers; Netware servers; Web servers

Facsimile machines — Fax Machines

Floppy drives

High end computer servers — Workstations

Network analyzers

Librarians:
Technology used in this occupation:

Data base user interface and query software — Ex Libris Group Aleph; Microsoft Access; Saora Keepoint; Thomson Scientific Dialog

Information retrieval or search software — Classification Web; LexisNexis software; Westlaw

Library software — Online Computer Library Center OCLC; RCL Software Media Library Manager; Surpass software; WorldCat *

Web page creation and editing software — Adobe Systems Adobe Dreamweaver; Really Simple Syndication RSS; Wiki software; Yahoo Flickr

Web platform development software — Cascading Style Sheets CSS; Extensible HyperText Markup Language XHTML; Hypertext markup language HTML; PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor *

CIS Managers:
Technology used in this occupation:

Customer relationship management CRM software — ACT! software; Microsoft Dynamics CRM; Oracle Siebel Server Sync; Performance Solutions Technology ManagePro

Development environment software — C; K2 Business Process Automation; Microsoft Visual Basic; Progress OpenEdge ABL

Enterprise resource planning ERP software — Infor ERP Baan; Microsoft Dynamics AX; Microsoft Dynamics NAV; Oracle E-Business Suite

Object or component oriented development software — Borland Paradox; C++; Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services SSRS; Practical extraction and reporting language Perl

Web platform development software — Hypertext markup language HTML; JavaScript; Progress WebSpeed Workshop; Ruby on Rails

O*Net Sources: Librarians, CIS Managers.

The blog author mentions that that they personally know more librarians who match the CIS Manager description more so than the Librarian one.  You don't say, you work at the LOC.  You're not going to see the regular, run of the mill librarians.  Let's face it, the public library sector employs more librarians than any other flavor of libraries.  Also, a lot of my core MLIS courses were also public-library centric as well. 

Oh, and yes, even though the position description may seem "parochial" and outdated, but librarians still use "cash registers, microfilm readers, photocopiers and public address systems and technologies such as email, spreadsheets and desktop publishing software."  I'll say it again, "Librarianship" is so damn broad that you cannot try to define it efficiently and succinctly without alienating one facet or the other.  I would also question the currency of the CIS position, "floppy disks"?  Are you serious?

On a related note, I think it is a double edge sword when librarians try to sidle their way into core IT positions.  There is just no way librarians can compete with academically disciplined computer science grads.  Library schools that offer these so-called "tech classes" are a joke.  I took some of these classes and what they taught was basic 101 undergrad material.  Leave the IT/Comp Sci stuff to those graduates.

With that kind of article title and overstatement of facts, I would expect this sort of erroneous and out of touch library propaganda to come from the likes of ALA but not the LOC --- for shame.

Old Librarians vs. New Librarians, What about the Middle?

I only thought that a few select readers visited my blog, because quite frankly, this blog is generally all over the place.  My personal thoughts and views mostly come off as negative and snarky, and the majority of librarians/library workers disagree, sometimes vehemently, with me.  So it was a nice surprise to see a reply from Miss Gina Milsap about a post I made about her comments when she was running for ALA Presidency this past year.  I really do believe there needs to be more open discussion and debate within the profession if it is to make any progress in the digital world.

I wanted to make my reply a post instead of a comment to bring this to "The Front-page" so to speak.  Seeing as how comments on this blog are open to the public, I'm going to repost the comment here [edited to insert line breaks]:

"Sorry to be so late to the party. I just found your post. With respect, you've misinterpreted what I meant. That's the problem with not having a real conversation and not seeking clarification. In my library, we've created a cohort of librarian leaders. None of them are in formal leadership at this time, but we are investing in them with training and assignments to be leaders and to demonstrate the value of librarians within the institution and in the community. I had wonderful mentors as a new librarian and I'm paying that forward with less colleaguesin my own library and around the country.

 Here's what I meant with my statement about new graduates moving into management. Look at the data --- we are graduating more entry level librarians than there are positions available. So, what does a new graduate do? He or she either seeks a job out of the profession or seeks a position for which they may not have all the qualifications, specifically experience. My point was that we need to look to library education to help prepare newly graduated librarians for the reality of the workplace they're coming into. If the only job available is supervisory, how do we help them improve their chance to stay in the profession?

That is what I'm seeing as a library administrator with 35 years of experience in the profession and 16 years as a public library director. Not all librarians will make good managers, regardless of their tenure in the profession. The goal should be to identify those folks whether they're already in libraries or in library school and make sure they're prepared to lead and manage effectively. Thanks for the opportunity to comment."

First off, thank you for the reply!  Better late then never and thanks for the dialog.

Okay, I wish I had more library mentors.  I have latched on to my supervisors and more experienced librarians and I constantly pester them with questions and bug them for their opinions about the library and the profession as a whole.  I love that they all have completely different backgrounds; ie, not an English or History major, worked outside of the public library realm, etc.  

I still have to disagree with the idea of hiring newly minted MLIS grads with library management positions, and this is coming from a recent MLIS grad (Dec 2011)!  Even if there were drastic changes made to MLIS curriculums, which I doubt would ever happen, it would be foolish to do this.  I know this isn't a direct comparison, but you don't see recent MBA grads stepping into CEO positions.  Book smarts =/= Branch smarts.  I never believed that a MLIS grad could go from the classroom straight to the info desk successfully and efficiently.

Personally, I believe there are many issues with the current state of MLIS schools; letting everyone in and graduating everyone.  There are A LOT of MLIS students who have no experience working in library, I am not saying that they don't belong in MLIS school.  It is just that they have no idea how the library day-to-day goes.  Okay, so we both agree that there is a deluge of MLIS holders and a drought of entry-level jobs.  Even if there are only supervisory positions open, what about those who aren't technically "old librarians" nor "new librarians."  There is black and white, but there's also a lot of gray in between.  It's not like MLIS schools haven't been continually pumping out MLIS's.  There has always been a steady stream of graduating librarians every year.  There are a lot of librarians with between 5 and 10 years of solid working experience in the library.  I am sure that some of them would be excellent for these supervisory positions.  It would be a huge disservice to this select group of qualified librarians to not promote them.  Especially after all the crap they've gone through with the recent and on-going budget cuts, changing hours and procedures, trudging through this "new normal" and "doing more with less."  I was with the library before it all hit, I have seen staff morale take a nose-dive.  How much more damage will be done when you bring in a new graduate to supervise older, more experienced librarians?  Or does library management not even care about its greatest asset --- the employees, not the branches or collection.

I have also seen several of these "middle librarians," for a lack of a better term, jump ship to other places because library management is doing nothing to retain and nurture them for their positions.  I am extremely worried that libraries do not seem to have a solid succession plan in place for when this "greying" takes place, nor do they care to seriously consider it.  They seem to be more obsessed with the right now and not about the near future.
Now, I'm not saying that just because someone has worked in the library for x amount of years that they should automatically become a manager.  I'm saying that the odds of finding library management material already within the library ranks is astronomically higher than someone sitting in the classroom right now or in the future.  I also believe that current library management is to blame for the lack of entry-level librarian jobs because they are the ones who have begun hiring paraprofessionals instead of librarians.  Is this the future plan for libraries now?  MLIS holders for management only positions and paraprofessionals for the info desk.  But that is another blog post for me to rant in.

I admit that I'm only a lowly info desk worker who doesn't know what upper management does during the day.  But I see first-hand how their decisions affect the bottom-line.  Again, I really am grateful that you responded, it is nice to hear from upper management, I doubt that my library director would have been so open to discussion. Thanks again Miss Gina!

It's just an MLIS, really...

A couple of weeks ago, my family went out to dinner to celebrate my graduating from Library School.  Yeah, it's a couple months late, but I was more nonchalant about it, much like the whole grad school thing, because it's just an MLIS.  To be honest, I almost felt guilty for celebrating such a non-event.

Last week at work I came across The Grad Cafe website for grad students and they had a forum for prospective MLIS students.  I know that I have a completely different outlook on librarianship and MLIS's, but is it normal for people to apply to more than one library grad school program??  I know that's the thing to do for undergrad programs but for library science graduate programs!??!  What a waste of money on application fees.

Not only do people apply to more than one school, but they also apply to schools across the country.  The school I went to is nearby.  If by some reason I wasn't accepted, I would have gladly taken an online only degree program.  No sense in moving somewhere, anywhere, for an MLIS.  Here's how it will probably go down, genius applies to a handful of schools, genius moves across the country to attend a "top rated MLIS school," genius gets degree, genius cannot find any local jobs, genius applies to library jobs all over the country, genius ends up moving somewhere else to take a library job that pays incredibly low wages.

EVERYONE gets accepted into an MLIS program.  There are only a couple of reasons why a college wouldn't accept someone's money, sorry - I mean application.  I guess if someone has a horrible undergrad GPA and even worse GRE scores, maybe, just maybe a school would say no.  I read that some schools only accept a certain number each semester.  Why -- I don't know, colleges love easy money and it doesn't get any easier than the MLIS department.  Seriously, you don't need anything special to give an MLIS lecture.  In reference to the BCG Matrix, they are the cash cows of the universities.  So as you can see, EVERYONE get accepted into an MLIS program.

Not only does everyone get accepted but everyone also gets the degree. 
"YOU GET A DEGREE! YOU GET A DEGREE! YOU GET A DEGREE!"
 All you have to do is pay the price tag.  Now, I know that just because I don't know of anyone who has dropped or failed out of library school does not necessarily mean that it hasn't happened.  But c'mon now, who knows someone who has?  And if anyone has failed out of library school, there probably is some special program, much like a witness-protection, that will relocate said failure and give them a new identity for fear of a life of mock and ridicule.

Getting an MLIS has to be the easiest graduate degree to obtain.  It's like getting an Xbox Achievement for inserting the game disc and starting the game.

MLIS schools pump out degrees like an automated assembly line.  To keep the cash flow coming in, they have to keep them moving.  Why would a college care if there already is a flood of MLIS holders out there and not enough jobs?  They already have your money, they don't owe you anything more than that piece of paper that says you're some certified info-hustler.

Anyone who claims that they went to a "Top Ranked MLIS School" should be forced to read every single romance novel written.  Their argument has no solid ground, the difference between one MLIS school from another is minimal if even measurable.  They all use the same textbooks, they all offer the same courses, they all tell you to read the same horrible "library research," and they will all tell you the same ALA spiel.  Do you really think that just because you went to the "#1 Rated MLIS School" you can copy-catalog better than another?  Or that it'll put you in top consideration for a position?  Sucker....

To those that want to argue that there is some prestige in an MLIS degree, I must say that you are highly delusional.  There is no "prestige" or "honor" with the degree.  Hey, don't be mad at me, I'm just as disappointed.  These library schools have no standards.  If they did, they would not allow every single applicant into the program.  If they did, not everyone would pass every class.  If they did, not everyone would walk away with a degree.  Of course, if a library school were to have any standards and reject people, those rejects would just go to another school and pay for the degree.  So no library school will up their standards because doing so would negatively affect their cash flow. 

Just because someone pays for the courses, does that mean they deserve ("earn") the degree?

ALA Presidential Campaign Adviser for Hire...

I don't like to take credit when I know I don't deserve it, but, is it just a simple coincidence that I happened to called out Millsap and she ends up losing the ALA Presidential race --- Yeah, probably but whatever. 

It is just not mathematically possible that the 5 readers of my blog could have accounted for the 1,786 difference in votes.  But I'm just saying, if any of you 5 readers plans to run for ALA President in the future, it would be sage of you to consider hiring me as a Presidential Campaign Adviser. 

Thank goodness the ALA president has no real power or authority...

Flawless Logic

In between the lulls from answering questions at the Info desk ("Where are the bathrooms?"), I spend a lot of time browsing the interwebz.  I try to keep it library related lest Johnny Taxpayer see me browsing electronic websites and complain about their tax dollars being wasted.  There really aren't a lot of interesting library related websites out there, at least not enough to quench my ennui, so I read even the "boring" stuff.  That is how I came across the Library Journal interview with the ALA presidential candidates.

What disturbed me the most was Gina Millsap's response to the question regarding paralibrarians damaging the elite and pristine status of the Almighty MLIS of which was blessed to be accredited by the infallible ALA.  Okay, so that's not completely verbatim but I could read the underlying tone the question was trying to evoke.

She says, "There are more MLIS graduates than there are entry-level positions, but we’re having trouble finding managers and library administrators who are really qualified." 

Okay, first thought, why is there such a dearth of qualified librarians if the supply is so high?  Would it be because current managers did not do a good job, or any for that matter, of training and nurturing their potential successors?

She ends her answer with:  "I think we are going to have MLS librarians moving right into management from their studies, especially as we boomers retire.

How do you prepare a librarian to be a manager if that is their first job? 

There are library schools working on this, but part of it can only come from experience, or from a practicum. 

LIS programs will have to provide more opportunities for MLIS students to work with administrators and managers."

WTF lady!?!?  Thanks for giving the middle finger to every librarian out there who "is stuck" at a Librarian I position or the countless other underemployed and unemployed MLIS holders.  Do you know what this is?  This is a clear symptom of Library Management Syndrome.  It is a sign of the complete and utter lack of touch management has with branch employees. 

If  my current supervisor was replaced with someone right out of library school I would go ape-ish.  Forget Going Postal, I'm "Going Biblio": I'm kicking over book carts, jamming all the public printers and copiers, I'm going to circulate the Reference collection, hell, I'm going to tear down every single one of those damn Kitten Calenders in the backroom!  

You have to be crazy to think that just because someone with no library work experience, who just "earned" an MLIS, must mean that they can go from the classroom to the Info Desk successfully, let alone one with a II or III at the end of their title.  You are just the visionary role-model the world's biggest library association needs!  If this position had any real authority what-so-ever, you would see me on the next episode of "Doomsday Preppers."

Yet another example of how current and past librarians are screwing over the profession and field in general.  YOU LIBRARIANS WILL BE THE REASON FOR LIBRARY EXTINCTION!  My friend is going through this right now.  She has been in the library system as a Librarian I for about 5 years now, she's put in her time and hard work.  She's joined numerous committees (not like there's any shortage of them to join but still), she has taken the training and shown the initiative to lead.  And it has all been for naught, she is now looking out of the system, out of the region for a chance to climb the library managerial ranks.  She isn't the power thirsty/power trip type either.  Do libraries not care about succession plans for employees and managers?  It will be the library's loss when she leaves and they'll end up hiring Jane Greenhorn as a branch manager.  You know they don't teach you how to handle "special patrons" in library school.

How about this, now this is just me spit-balling here, brainstorming, you know, using my BRAIN/COMMON SENSE, how about instead of having LIS schools attempting (wasting time) to train students for these managerial positions, the library, you know, take a serious look at the current supply of able-bodied MLIS holders who already have library experience.  Crazy sounding, I know, some might even call it revolutionary, put a pin in that.

Year of the Tablet...

This time last year I had never owned a tablet.  Then it started with HP's firesale and I bought a Touchpad.  Around November the Christmas deals started to roll out and within 2 weeks I ended up buying an HTC Flyer, Nook Color, and a Samsung Tab 7, a week after that I bought an HTC View, and then finally another Touchpad.  So I started out 2012 with 6 tablets.

I originally bought them to practice downloading e-books from the library's OverDrive site.  I wanted to gain enough experience to give a detailed review and comparison but I was hooked on the HTC Flyer because of HTC Sense it felt just like a bigger version of my old phone: the HTC Inspire 4G, great phone with a horrible battery, don't buy it! --- I know have a Samsung Galaxy S2 and it really does live up to the hype.  In the end I kept the HTC View (a 32gb, black version of the Flyer) for my personal use.  I gave the Flyer to my sister and a Touchpad to my dad for Christmas, and sold the rest.

I personally LOVE the HTC Flyer/View.  The 7" form factor is perfect to carry around and has enough screen space to read/browse/email comfortably.  Personally, I couldn't spend that much money on a Kindle Fire or Nook Color when I could have a fully loaded tablet.  It's the same size and weight, why not get one that can take notes via a stylus or has front and rear facing cameras?  Then again not many people shop as diligently as I do for the good deals.

Every report from last week's CES says that 2012 is the "Year of the Ultralight" but I tend to disagree.  2012 is the year of the tablet.  With the amount of Kindle questions I am getting at the desk since Christmas, I am in no way shocked to hear that it is estimated that Amazon sold a million Kindles a week during December (one source).  On a side note, Hey ALA, is it now time to pay attention to Amazon or are we just going to chalk it up again as, "Amazon can't beat the library"?  I've never believed that tablets could/would ever replace laptops or desktops now or anytime in the near future; they are just another "must-have" electronic addiction we add to our ever expanding collection.

Today during our monthly meeting, we were told that e-books and a working knowledge of e-readers are now our top priority.  Circ and Info are now supposed to be able to explain to patrons the basics of downloading from OverDrive.  Just a couple months ago, we were supposed to redirect any e-book related questions to OverDrive.  So the library is not the quickest when it comes to adapting to current trends, hopefully they'll act much quicker to unite and defeat the evil empire that is OverDrive.

I Can Haz SOPA Blackout...

Seems like librarians are finally starting to blog about about the evil that SOPA/PIPA is.  It only took... a couple of months, better late than never?  I don't know, it's all very similar to how libraries started tooting their own horn about how "important and vital" they are to the community when budgets across the nation hit the fan.  Why wasn't this being done before hand?

Well, it's good to know that ALA is fighting SOPA/PIPA head on by stating that they "Strongly Oppose" it.

It is all about the bottom line about saying you're against it but actually not doing anything about it...

A couple of sites will be staging a blackout next week on Wednesday the 18th.  I plan to respond to every patron inquiry at the desk by telling them that "The system is down."  The I Can Haz Cheezeburger network has now joined the list: Mashable News Link.  So this will probably mean a lot of librarians will have nothing to do at work.  Might as well get busy with that weeding list you've put off for months, just sayin'...

ALA: What Us Worry?

So ALA likes to dispatch public statements whenever they feel that libraries or information is threatened.  It is all for good PR and what-not.  They made a big deal out of the OWS incident.  Okay, call it a library but it was far from a formal library which ALA is meant to represent.  I know that there is deeper symbolism behind it, but does it warrant this much attention: 'ALA alarmed at seizure of Occupy Wall Street library, loss of irreplaceable material'.  If that isn't sensationalistic writing, then I don't know what is.

Apparently, ALA is so damn nonchalant about the real issues looming on the horizon: Amazon's book lending and SOPA. 'Amazon Starts Lending Ebooks, but Head of ALA Says Libraries Still Offer Best Value' so libraries shouldn't be worried about the conglomerate-retailer behemoth that is Amazon?  Okay, so it technically isn't a conglomerate, but I think they are considering you can buy pretty much anything and everything from them.  One must be completely oblivious to think nothing of Amazon's foray into book lending, yeah, so it is restricted to only one title... FOR NOW.  New sales estimates say that the Fire will reach 5 million by the end of the year.  If last Friday is any indication, it sure seems like that will happen: Amazon Kindle Fire wins big on Black Friday.   ALA should know better, numbers don't lie.  You cannot just shrug it off like it's nothing big, it's FREAKING AMAZON.

Then we have a huge threat to the freedom of information with the idiots in government trying to pass SOPA.  Library Copyright Alliance Voices Concern about SOPA to US House.

The passiveness is killing me.  Here is a Bill that threatens the very nature of information freedom on the internet and ALA doesn't even bother to reach for its pitchforks and torches.  What good is the ALA for if it doesn't rally and stand up for its own Code of Ethics (II. We uphold the principles of intellectual freedom and resist all efforts to censor library resources.)  Oh, I guess letting ISP's and search engines censor results and certain webpages isn't that big of a deal either huh?

ALA's shortsightedness is one of its biggest attributes.  I hate to bring it up each time I mention my frustration with ALA, but I cannot for the life of my fathom what librarians saw in Second Life: ALA Island in Second Life.   ALA also likes to push the agenda about the 'Graying of the Profession.'  I wonder how many people they've suckered into library schools with that line.  They really need to reevaluate what they're doing before they continue to screw libraries and librarians over.

ALA: It's So Hard to Say Goodbye...

ALA, I'm not going to lie to you and say that, "It isn't you, it's me," but it really is you.

At first I thought we could have a good, mutually beneficial relationship but then I realized that our beliefs and personality just do not match up.

First, you fell for that book burning troll, NEVER FEED THE TROLLS.  I cannot believe you wasted time on him.

You don't seem to have a sense of humor at all.  If you can't take a joke from Jay Leno, I really doubt you can appreciate/handle the librarian jokes on 'Parks and Rec,' and your last April Fool's Joke was utterly miserable.

Also, I think you purposely don't tell the whole truth.  You tell people to pursue an MLIS because of the "graying of the profession" but I personally find that to be pretty deceiving.  The economy has been in the tank for awhile now and library budgets are still being cut left and right, yet you still pretend that there will be jobs for every librarian out there as well as for future prospects.  Yes, there are a lot of librarians who are reaching retirement age, but 1.) they are staying longer in those positions because of the economy and 2.) if/when they retire a lot of those positions are not being refilled.  I believe in being hopefully realistic, not deceivingly delusional.

I also feel like you don't reciprocate much.  You know that MLIS's can be pretty expensive and that the vast majority of librarians do not bank 6 figures.  So why are your fees for everything so damn high??  You would think you'd look out for those that you claim to speak up for.

Lastly, you've given me another example of libraries hating trees.  You've sent me 4 of these thick renewal letters in the past few months.  If I didn't respond to the first two, you should have taken that as a hint.  Sure, we may see each other in the future at a conference but other than that just let it go.

Fool Me Once ALA, Shame on You. Fool Me Twice... damn it!

Wow, it's already been a year since I forked over my 30-some dollars.  Stupid me also joined an ALA sub-committee because it had a mentoring program, something which I have always been interested in (note to self: jaded Children's Librarians do NOT make the best mentors).  I guess that's the second time I was fooled-- shame on me.

I was hoping to get paired with someone in the local area who understands the region and it's unique opportunities.  Nope, I get someone from Canada, eh.  No offense to our Northern brethren, but the person does not even work in the library field which I marked as my primary interest (nor secondary for that matter) on the application form.  Here's how my mentoring has gone: I sent an email to my mentor, giving them my background in education and experience in libraries and what I was planning to do after I graduate.  I was at least expecting a reply with their basic history as well, but NNNOOOOPPPPPEEEEEE, all I get is a one sentence reply that they are available to answer any questions I have.  If I wanted/needed virtual reference I would have gone somewhere else, I wanted a mentor.

My opinion on ALA isn't much better.  Every other month it seems like they publish the same regurgitated articles in their magazine: "Why Libraries Matter."  Really?  It's like constantly hearing someone bragging about how humble they are.  Who said that libraries never mattered in the first place?  The conspiracy theorist in me suspects the ALA is behind that.  Of course when it comes to budget cuts, people will choose public safety over libraries, who wouldn't?  Until they make a book that can put out fires on its own then my opinion will stay the same.

ALA - it's been a great year, thanks for all the junk mail, I really loved getting those catalogs for bar code scanners and those creepy bronze statues of children reading on benches.

ALA Student Membership - $35
ALA Committee Membership - $10
Receiving unlimited shredder fodder on library equipment which I will never buy/use - Priceless

ALA

Two weeks to go until I get to see what the big fuss is about the ALA and convention.  What's better than a bunch of librarians herded together?  I think I'm looking forward to it mostly because my summer classes end that week.  Whatever the reason, I'm not sure what to expect.  Half the librarians I talk to tell me to join ALA (like there isn't a better way to spend my disposable income) and the other half say that ALA is a joke.