I became a librarian for the books. That's my confession. After everything I wrote in a previous post I thought it would be best to make my confession.
It all started with an employment ad for a local library. I was job searching after earning a Bachelor's degree in Family Studies. I saw an advertisement for a librarian and decided that's what I wanted to do. I didn't want a job working with families. Not particularly anyways.
To apply for the job I needed a Master's Degree in Library Science. "Okay, I'll get one of those." So while I was trying to get into the nearby Library Science program, I worked as a social worker. Two years of feeling depressed, cynical, sarcastic, looked down upon, and just miserable made me realize how much I wanted to be in a job where I was happy and enjoyed my time. I thinking was, if I'm going to work eight hours a day for most of my waking life, I better enjoy what I'm doing. I loved books, and I amazingly still liked people. What better place to be than at a library.
So, I'm finally in the Library Science program. I quit my full-time job to become a full-time graduate student and work part time at a library. One a my professors gave a snide remark in class about students entering the program just because they like to read. I gave him a mental eye roll and continued to listen to his very boring lecture. I didn't learn a damn thing from him. To this day one of my friends like to quote him and repeat some of his stories. She likes him, and I think he's a dork. He probably hasn't set a foot in a library in 20 years.
Anyways, I worked as a reference librarian. I never thought I would ever be a reference librarian. I mean, you have to be highly intelligent to be a reference librarian. Intelligence helps, but the key is to know where to find the answer. That I can to. Countless times, I have answered a reference question by saying, "I don't know, but I can find the answer for you." (And there are times in which Google is used.)
Even though the patrons will drive me nuts sometimes, and even though I feel occupational burnout riding my heels, I like the fact that I'm a librarian. I'm working at a place where there are answers to my questions. Occassionally I have the chance to educate individuals (that is if they are up to it.) If a book strikes my fancy, it's often in reach.
So for anyone who wants to be a librarian for the sake of books... go for it. Just know, there's always more to it.
2 comments:
You don't mean highly intelligent, you mean highly knowledgable.
I might try to get a masters of library science myself. It would take me three years at half-speed, but why not? Of course, the librarian here said there were nearly 100 applications for their last vacant job, so I couldn't really call it a good strategy. I just like the feeling of openness and possibility in libraries. And the books, of course.
Thank you Jeanne. Highly knowledgable is the correct term in this case. Don't let the fear of over 100 applicants for a job keep you from applying. In a previous job application, mine was 1 out of over 100 and I ended up in the top three. I didn't get the job, but somethings are not ment to be.
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