Alex Lent, the Information Studies PhD Student
Alex took his MLS and found himself on an academic trajectory.
1. Can you tell us about your current position?
I’m a PhD student in the School of Information Studies at McGill University, where I also occasionally teach. This past semester (in the States, we would call it Spring 2012, but in Canada, they call it Winter 2012. Sadly, I am not joking), I taught Humanities and Social Science Information, which was a lot like my favorite course when I was doing my Master’s degree, so it was fun to get to teach it.
![These rankings are somewhat helpful, but as long as you get your degree from an accredited school and get as much experience as you can before you go job hunting, you’ll be fine. Some schools are extremely expensive. Going to a lower ranked school won’t hurt your job prospects, but may save you a ton of money.
—Alex Lent, the Information Studies PhD student and this week’s Five Question Friday interviewee
[photo via]
[to catch up on previous Five Question Fridays]](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m466tez8Uq1qihubfo1_1280.jpg)
These rankings are somewhat helpful, but as long as you get your degree from an accredited school and get as much experience as you can before you go job hunting, you’ll be fine. Some schools are extremely expensive. Going to a lower ranked school won’t hurt your job prospects, but may save you a ton of money.
—Alex Lent, the Information Studies PhD student and this week’s Five Question Friday interviewee
[photo via]
[to catch up on previous Five Question Fridays]
Claire the Cataloger from The Undercover Shelf
1. Can you tell us about your current position?
Sure! I am a cataloger at a large public library. When I took a cataloging class in library school, I remember thinking “I don’t ever want to be a cataloger or work at a public library!” I’ve since learned that, usually, when I make declarative statements like that, the opposite usually happens. And thank goodness! My position combines good old fashioned cataloging of books and other physical materials as well as metadata services for digital objects from the archives next door, so it’s perfect for me, basically.
![And be open to new career paths—the reason you went to library school might not be the job you end up choosing.
— Claire the Cataloger and Undercover Shelf, this week’s Five Question Friday interviewee
[image via]](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3t7c9RzlC1qihubfo1_1280.jpg)
And be open to new career paths—the reason you went to library school might not be the job you end up choosing.
— Claire the Cataloger and Undercover Shelf, this week’s Five Question Friday interviewee
[image via]
Pride & Prejudice Is Top Book Brits Lie About Reading
I can nearly quote P&P, though I suspect lifeguard librarian might have me beat.
I don’t lie about what I’ve read, but I have occasionally read things just to be able to say I’ve read them, and also, I have pretty terrible retention for plots, so sometimes I worry I look like I’m lying. (This is also why I reread books that are important to me. So I can remember them.)
Q:So. I'm an undergraduate (junior) and am considering graduate school for MLS already. The thing is--I really want to start a mobile library (a bookmobile, really) in the area. I've been talking to organizations and potential fund sources already, but with no luck. Would you say attending library school will help my chances at being better with a mobile library? Or is a Bachelor's in English/Creative Writing good enough for now? Just your thoughts :)
I’m of two minds. I could see an MLS giving you more credibility with potential funders and helping with some areas you’d encounter, like collection development.
On the other hand, an MLS can easily cost $30,000, and it sounds like you’re into mobile libraries for love and not money. It would suck to be trying to start a mobile library while paying off heaping loans.
I guess I would start by interning or volunteering for whatever libraries you can find, with an emphasis on the non-traditional (I spent a summer doing work with these guys before library school). It’s a cheaper way to start building experience and connections.
Fellow librarians, what would you advise?
Will this be the summer you finally read WAR AND PEACE?
I have no hope of reading War and Peace, but yet, I will almost certainly reread the Anne books.
Source: bookriot
Daniel Ransom, the academic reference, instruction and electronic resources librarian
Embodying and challenging all your library stereotypes.
1. Can you tell us about your current position?
I am a reference, instruction and electronic resources librarian at a small liberal arts university. It’s my first full-time librarian job; I finished my MLIS two and a half years ago and have been here nearly two years.
local library treasures: the Five College book bunker
So, we have an underground bunker full of books about a mile from my house, and you should maybe be a little jealous. In case of world apocalypse, I will be better read than you.
dispatches from library school and beyond by Katherine Grimm Bowers
