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Run and don't walk from that potential job and get you to the state liquor store.
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Feb 12, 2015 00:28
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VideoTapir posted:Unless you can get some really solid trustworthy assurances from and about the managers at that job, you don't want it. Insane Totoro posted:Run and don't walk from that potential job and get you to the state liquor store.  )
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Feb 12, 2015 05:45
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Chicken McNobody posted:We are currently rewriting a bunch of .asp apps that our predecessors wrote--things like our student timeclock, our helpdesk/ticket system, our consortial database access system--and it definitely sucks rear end. From our perspective the problem is that the librarians want ridiculous things from the software that no vendor can provide at our budget. There's a poem about New Yorkers by Billy Collins. It begins, "The city orbits around 8 million centers of the universe..." You could write something very similar about libraries. Is it possible to say what kind of ridiculous things the librarians want?
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Feb 12, 2015 06:24
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Giant Metal Robot posted:There's a poem about New Yorkers by Billy Collins. It begins, "The city orbits around 8 million centers of the universe..." You could write something very similar about libraries. I think that is true of anyone in academia and is not endemic to just the library/tech world.
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Feb 12, 2015 21:29
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Giant Metal Robot posted:Is it possible to say what kind of ridiculous things the librarians want? Nothing really specific off-hand, but basically if it's designed to have function X performed in Y fashion, it actually needs to be performed in Z fashion, even though making that happen would break functions A-E. The vendor will just have to do something about it. We're innovating! Also we need an explanatory paragraph about the very plainly worded function X and maybe a glossary of the library terminology we'll be using in that paragraph over on the sidebar, along with a news feed of the cool events we'll be hosting soon that no one seems to come to, and some clipart of a book, and a link to our chat service. The concepts of "show, don't tell" and good interface design are absolutely mindblowing to them. How will our users know to click that thing that clearly looks like a button if we don't say "CLICK HERE" in big red letters?! /rant Well, the plot has thickened, and there is a possibility that they'll be offering me a significant raise along with the position. So now I get to decide whether that is worth a job description that can be best described as 
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Feb 12, 2015 23:12
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Chicken McNobody posted:and maybe a glossary of the library terminology we'll be using in that paragraph over on the sidebar I worked under a woman who insisted that on the public for-patron-use map of the library that the catalog terminals be labeled "OPAC." I had to argue with her for a while before she agreed to compromise on spelling out the acronym. I pointed out that approximately none of our patrons would know what "OPAC" means. Her response, verbatim, was "well, they need to learn." I am a hateful man, and I've never hated anyone more than I hate this woman.
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Feb 12, 2015 23:33
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Chicken McNobody posted:
Is there any way that they would let you make up the exact responsibilities of this position before you agreed to take it? In this way you would know exactly what you will be doing and since you're the "expert" how could they question you?
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Feb 13, 2015 13:28
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a friendly penguin posted:Is there any way that they would let you make up the exact responsibilities of this position before you agreed to take it? In this way you would know exactly what you will be doing and since you're the "expert" how could they question you? Maybe. It is new territory for everyone. "Other duties as assigned" tends to get SUPER broad here, though. VideoTapir posted:I worked under a woman who insisted that on the public for-patron-use map of the library that the catalog terminals be labeled "OPAC." I had to argue with her for a while before she agreed to compromise on spelling out the acronym. I pointed out that approximately none of our patrons would know what "OPAC" means. Her response, verbatim, was "well, they need to learn." It has taken 3 or 4 rounds of LibQual (and some well-placed early retirement offers) for people here to finally start lifting out of that mindset. Super frustrating.
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Feb 13, 2015 15:55
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VideoTapir posted:I worked under a woman who insisted that on the public for-patron-use map of the library that the catalog terminals be labeled "OPAC." I had to argue with her for a while before she agreed to compromise on spelling out the acronym. I pointed out that approximately none of our patrons would know what "OPAC" means. Her response, verbatim, was "well, they need to learn." I once worked under an academic who refused to explain specialist terms in an exhibition, on the grounds that if people didn't know what was meant, then they weren't the intended audience. The idea that someone might come to a library and learn something new apparently hadn't occured to them.
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Feb 14, 2015 20:25
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Chicken McNobody posted:Well, the plot has thickened, and there is a possibility that they'll be offering me a significant raise along with the position. So now I get to decide whether that is worth a job description that can be best described as Official offer has been made, and "significant raise" turns out to be $2500/yr. Worth it? I don't know. The rest of my day will probably be absorbed in making pro/con lists.
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Feb 17, 2015 16:32
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Lady Demelza posted:I once worked under an academic who refused to explain specialist terms in an exhibition, on the grounds that if people didn't know what was meant, then they weren't the intended audience. The idea that someone might come to a library and learn something new apparently hadn't occured to them. Academic librarian.txt. There is a shocking level of disconnect at the university library where I work between the actual academic librarians upstairs and the paraprofessionals like me downstairs in the Customer Service department.
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Feb 17, 2015 17:39
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Is the increase in responsibility proportional with said raise? And are the job responsibilities clearly defined? If either is "no" then do not accept.
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Feb 17, 2015 17:39
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Insane Totoro posted:Is the increase in responsibility proportional with said raise? And are the job responsibilities clearly defined? In my opinion it's "no" on both counts. 1) That amount of extra money I'd probably be able to get in the next round or two of raises; 2) they say they have a good idea of what they want this position to do, but I sure as hell don't, and that's after talking to a whole bunch of people. Sigh. Unless some great revelation happens overnight I'm going with "no." Someone else come start this whole new department and then leave and maybe then I'll take up the reins.
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Feb 17, 2015 18:43
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I hate being apparently the only person working in my library who knows how to use Microsoft Excel. If you're interested in a library job, please learn Excel first. Please. I'm starting to get very tired of getting multiple requests every day from every department under the roof asking for new, slightly different spreadsheets of statistics from our existing spreadsheets of statistics in such a way that I can't simply copy paste rows and cells, and instead have to manually input everything for each new sheet and chart.
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Feb 21, 2015 17:11
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Data visualization and statistical analysis is going to be big for libraries soon (more so than what they teach in LIS school). Well. It already is. But you know what I mean. That's a roundabout way of saying "know Excel at the least"
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Feb 21, 2015 17:56
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Does anyone know any good resources/ forums / mailing lists etc relating to Open Access?
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Feb 27, 2015 14:33
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I'm currently in the GIS (Geographic Information Systems) industry. I worked for all four years in my undergrad in the university library system (mainly the map library), and I find myself missing that environment all the time. I've seriously considered going back to school to get my MLIS, but I get pretty disheartened when I hear about people going so long without finding a job. The thing is, although I would LOVE to work in an academic library (it was always so much fun talking with people about their research and pulling out all of this data and info that they could use), I like working with data and information in general (hence my work in GIS). With my GIS and library experience, I already have acquisition, cataloging, Python, Oracle, SQL, and Excel experience. So I'm wondering if I have better chances by focusing on the technology/IT/database/etc aspect? Is there a growing need for that in the academic library field? Maybe I could combine that with extra IT courses? And like I said before, working in an actual academic library setting is lDEAL, but I really wouldn't mind working for a government or private agency for a while either, or even something else in the academic world. There is only one college in my area (Minneapolis-St Paul) with an accredited program, but I've heard really mixed things about it, so if I did decide to do this I would probably move to Milwuakee to get my degree. I also figure if I do take the leap and get my MLIS and I can't find something right away, I always have GIS to fall back on (which I'm sure my MLIS work would add more skills in that area for me) Kaini Industries fucked around with this message at 17:31 on Feb 27, 2015 |
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Feb 27, 2015 16:46
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We are looking for people like you regularly for the digital scholarship work that I do in the library which I am heading up ( http://sites.temple.edu/tudsc/ ). Right now its mostly through working with faculty and getting people from programs like the CLIR Fellows for those that have those skills and the ever increasing encroachment of PhDs in the library. You could definitely be a good fit in libraries with a digital scholarship or digital humanities center, though there are not many of the jobs or that many people with the right skill sets to fill them. I also went to Milwaukee for my MLIS with a concentration in archives and an MA in history. I don't know how much it has changed in the past 6 years but if you have general questions about that school or the area let me know.
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Feb 27, 2015 16:59
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Don't go for a degree in library science unless: You have another master's, or better yet a PhD (academic library jobs...not a lot open, but very selective) You are a certified teacher (school library jobs...most open library jobs are these, but won't take people who aren't certified teachers) You are currently working for a library (MLS improves your promotion potential) You are working for another organization that needs a librarian and is willing to employ you as such.
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Feb 27, 2015 19:18
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nesbit37 posted:We are looking for people like you regularly for the digital scholarship work that I do in the library which I am heading up ( http://sites.temple.edu/tudsc/ ). Right now its mostly through working with faculty and getting people from programs like the CLIR Fellows for those that have those skills and the ever increasing encroachment of PhDs in the library. You could definitely be a good fit in libraries with a digital scholarship or digital humanities center, though there are not many of the jobs or that many people with the right skill sets to fill them. What he said. VideoTapir posted:Don't go for a degree in library science unless: I've been working on a thread for BFC about LIS and related fields AKA "How do I become a librarian? Do I want to be a librarian?" What you just said should probably be the opening paragraph. That all being said, should I compile an OP out of this thread and would anyone want to collaborate on it? Do we NEED one?
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Feb 27, 2015 22:33
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It boils down to understanding what you want to do. I see so many people waffling about it and just think it would be a nice job to have and they could use an OP to be warded off. That said, some areas it is very beneficial to be a librarian. Any e who wants to do something with library or information Science that is beyond what most people think of as a school/public/generic academic librarian should definitely be encouraged to ask more questions in here and elsewhere.
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Feb 27, 2015 22:53
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Probably add "and is paying for your school" to the last one, too.
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Feb 27, 2015 23:00
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So riddle me this. Why SHOULD you want to be a librarian?
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Feb 27, 2015 23:08
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Insane Totoro posted:So riddle me this. Been working in this field for two years, still don't have an answer to that that isn't an empty platitude. 
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Feb 27, 2015 23:18
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Insane Totoro posted:So riddle me this. Awesome job if you can get it and your coworkers don't suck. Technical services and cataloging are excellent jobs for spergs and introverts. Reference librarian is the ideal job for know-it-all types. There are niches for generalists and specialists (I've not met many who were in between). In public and school libraries you'll almost always feel like you're doing something important, as they're basically the emergency backup to our education systems. They're also places where if you want it you can have a lot of contact with the public in a customer-service-type context except almost everyone you meet actually wants to be there. Reference librarian (like at an actual, active reference desk, not my lovely job where they used that title as a rank) is pretty much the best job ever. Learn something new every day without even trying. gently caress austerity forever.
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Feb 27, 2015 23:27
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Insane Totoro posted:So riddle me this. Speaking as a digital preservation person, you should want to be a librarian if you're interested in helping people make amazing things, and then trying to make those amazing things resilient to changes in technology, economics, usability, etc. This came to my inbox today. http://robustlinks.mementoweb.org/spec/ Think of how much stuff we link to with the assumption that it will stay in the same place, but it won't (i.e. waffleimages). More than 30% of URL's cited in legal opinions/rulings are dead already. Encouraging the use of tools like this in ETD deposits, student legal journals, and other places starts a culture where information isn't as fragile as it is today. I need to go read some stuff on digital literacy.
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Feb 27, 2015 23:51
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VideoTapir posted:Reference librarian (like at an actual, active reference desk, not my lovely job where they used that title as a rank) is pretty much the best job ever. Learn something new every day without even trying. I actually don't fit any of the bullet point criteria, but I got ridiculously lucky with a part-time job opening at the library I interned with, plus I went to a best-in-state school for undergrad which I think led to more interviews than I would have had otherwise when I made the leap to full time. I was also willing to (and did) move out of state.
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Feb 28, 2015 03:30
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After I lost my first paying library job, I went to China to teach English because I didn't want to spend another 6 months or more unemployed looking for work. Unless things have gotten a lot better in the last 3 1/2 years (hey, the old librarians have to die eventually, right? And at least we've got a smaller backlog of un/underemployed graduates than lawyers, right?) I'm not sure I'd recommend someone go into this without having some kind of edge on the job market. VideoTapir fucked around with this message at 03:46 on Feb 28, 2015 |
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Feb 28, 2015 03:43
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VideoTapir posted:After I lost my first paying library job, I went to China to teach English because I didn't want to spend another 6 months or more unemployed looking for work. I got ridiculously lucky getting a full-time library job less than a month after finishing my MLIS with only an eight month internship and volunteer experience to my name, but I definitely would not recommend trying it.
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Feb 28, 2015 03:57
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It took me 5 months after graduation (and over a year of active searching) to find my first job offer. Taking it was the biggest mistake I ever made. And then it was 3 more months before I actually started. I had 340 dollars in the bank, and 3000 dollars in student loans at that time.
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Feb 28, 2015 04:23
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Well, I made a thread in BFC: http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3703604 Feel free to crucify/suggest edits.
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Feb 28, 2015 22:14
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Oh hey look, it's a quote of me! I posted a reply but I'll say it here too: a mention of library assistant/technician as a "career" (  ) might help people. Although it'd take time, you could ultimately end up with a managerial/supervisory position in a library without having to do an MLIS, or end up getting funding from your employer to pursue one.
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Mar 2, 2015 20:27
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Giant Metal Robot posted:This came to my inbox today. http://robustlinks.mementoweb.org/spec/ Think of how much stuff we link to with the assumption that it will stay in the same place, but it won't (i.e. waffleimages). More than 30% of URL's cited in legal opinions/rulings are dead already. Encouraging the use of tools like this in ETD deposits, student legal journals, and other places starts a culture where information isn't as fragile as it is today. I recommend WebCite to try and get round the problem of dead links, although that itself assumes that this website won't collapse. It's no good for digital preservation but it might help keep links in academic or legal documents relevant for a little longer. It might not be of any great interest to anyone here, but generally librarians in the UK don't need another Masters, PhD, or teaching qualification to get jobs in academic or schools libraries.
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Mar 2, 2015 20:53
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Lady Demelza posted:I recommend WebCite to try and get round the problem of dead links, although that itself assumes that this website won't collapse. It's no good for digital preservation but it might help keep links in academic or legal documents relevant for a little longer. This was founded for law students, but perma.cc is another great similar service. Right now I'm looking at adding robustify.js to our website in order to start adding this time dimension that Herbet van de Somple is promoting. I'd love to see wider acceptance of it by LAMs and things like wikipedia.
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Mar 3, 2015 02:12
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nesbit37 posted:Any e who wants to do something with library or information Science that is beyond what most people think of as a school/public/generic academic librarian should definitely be encouraged to ask more questions in here and elsewhere. Thatkind of sounds like how I feel. Yeah it would be great to be a librarian, but I also wouldn't mind working more in the general fields of database and information management. For a while I was planning on finding a low end library job and then going from there to get my MLIS, but I found most of the jobs required knowledge of things like specific schemas, etc. (I've been told this was why I didn't get a library job in the past). I enjoy working with data and information (both digital and paper) with my clients at work, similar to when I got to work with students and professors while working at the library in college. So now I'm considering taking some ancillary classes on more of the tech side (more database architecture, developing, etc) paired with an MLIS. If anything I think it could help me with what I'm doing now (I work in information services with a GIS focus) Kaini Industries fucked around with this message at 21:54 on Mar 5, 2015 |
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Mar 5, 2015 21:45
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So I don't know if this is the right place for this, but I've been accepted to a good MSIS program for archival studies, at a university with great archives and libraries (one of which I've volunteered at in the past, when I knew I was applying), but I'm not funded yet for my first semester at least. I talked to a student who said that about half of all students in the program have either partial or full funding. I have a master's in history and would be pursuing archival studies at a university with archives that fall right into my specialization. So I think I would be a good candidate for funding and jobs assuming I work hard and make the most of it, but I'm still pretty nervous that employment will be totally random and thus that the program is a horrible idea. Does anyone have a sense of how much the university you get your MSIS/MLS at matters for archive jobs? I only ask because the program talks about how well-regarded it is and I want to know if it would be better to just go to some tiny-rear end school. Is it a bad idea to commit to a program like this? I'll probably have more specific questions if I see that this actually gets responded to (hopefully!), and I'll crosspost to the BFC thread. Thanks in advance for any help. 
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Mar 17, 2015 14:48
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For those of you who get to sit on hiring committees, when someone asks you for feedback on how to improve for future interviews, this is an unhelpful answer:HR person posted:I thought you did a fine job with your interview. We were very fortunate to have many applicants that had outstanding qualifications for this position. Even if we're perfection personified, there's still a reason you chose someone else, please tell us what it is. Anyone else get similarly poor feedback? Or for interviewers, is this standard feedback so as to avoid offending anyone?
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Mar 22, 2015 13:31
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So I took some time off from my library career to be a stay at home dad, but my kids are now old enough that I can cart them off to daycare a few days out of the week. The other night I was looking at part time library jobs (I've finally decided to bite the bullet and get my MLS) when my wife looks over my shoulder and says "12 dollars an hour? Teenage babysitters get paid more than that."
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Mar 22, 2015 14:31
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a friendly penguin posted:For those of you who get to sit on hiring committees, when someone asks you for feedback on how to improve for future interviews, this is an unhelpful answer: Those are written by HR. Not the committee.
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Mar 22, 2015 18:58
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Insane Totoro posted:Those are written by HR. Not the committee. The HR person was on the hiring committee. And this was her response when I asked for specific feedback.
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Mar 23, 2015 00:34
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