For me, the decision to go to library school was a relatively recent revelation, representing a huge change in career and lifestyle. This has led many of my friends and relatives to ask me, "You want to be a librarian? Why?"
This is the story behind my decision.
In reality, librarianship is an occupation that has occurred to me every now and then since I was in undergrad (a surprisingly long time ago). Like many big changes, I had to talk myself into it. There always seemed to be a long list of reasons that I shouldn't pursue it. It's expensive, and when would I have time? I don't really need a Masters degree on my current career track, and I will probably make less money as a librarian. It just seemed too hard. However, I began to feel that my paychecks alone weren't doing a very good job of making me want to get up early 5 days a week.
A couple of years ago, I decided that while I cherish having my nights and weekends to do what I please (a real novelty after working three jobs to put myself through undergrad), I also wanted some of this free time to do some good, and really become more involved with my local community. My natural inclination was to volunteer at my local library branch. I became involved with the Friends group that raises funds and awareness for the branch. It's a great fit, because we meet once or twice a month and plan events on approximately a quarterly basis to benefit the library. It fits my schedule, but I'm still able to have an ongoing relationship that benefits the library and my local community directly.
Through the Friends group, I now know archivists, catalogers, and managers who work in public libraries, museums, and as contractors from their home. It's become apparent to me that my experience in the corporate world could really benefit a library system. While I am still unsure exactly what kind of job I would like, one possibility I'm considering is being an assessment librarian. Assessment librarians analyze resources and limitations, and is able to develop strategies to help a library better serve its community.
Finally, that idea that I'd been kicking around and dismissing for the better part of a decade got stuck. I couldn't stop thinking about it. One day, when I said to my husband that I was thinking about library school, I was greeted with such enthusiasm, I realized maybe it wasn't such a crazy idea.
Once I decided to go for it, the past couple of months have been a whirlwind comprised of preparing for the GRE, submitting applications and researching scholarships and financial aid. If I can make this work financially, I will begin classes in May, as I have been accepted to Syracuse University's MLIS program.
This is the story behind my decision.
In reality, librarianship is an occupation that has occurred to me every now and then since I was in undergrad (a surprisingly long time ago). Like many big changes, I had to talk myself into it. There always seemed to be a long list of reasons that I shouldn't pursue it. It's expensive, and when would I have time? I don't really need a Masters degree on my current career track, and I will probably make less money as a librarian. It just seemed too hard. However, I began to feel that my paychecks alone weren't doing a very good job of making me want to get up early 5 days a week.
A couple of years ago, I decided that while I cherish having my nights and weekends to do what I please (a real novelty after working three jobs to put myself through undergrad), I also wanted some of this free time to do some good, and really become more involved with my local community. My natural inclination was to volunteer at my local library branch. I became involved with the Friends group that raises funds and awareness for the branch. It's a great fit, because we meet once or twice a month and plan events on approximately a quarterly basis to benefit the library. It fits my schedule, but I'm still able to have an ongoing relationship that benefits the library and my local community directly.
Through the Friends group, I now know archivists, catalogers, and managers who work in public libraries, museums, and as contractors from their home. It's become apparent to me that my experience in the corporate world could really benefit a library system. While I am still unsure exactly what kind of job I would like, one possibility I'm considering is being an assessment librarian. Assessment librarians analyze resources and limitations, and is able to develop strategies to help a library better serve its community.
Finally, that idea that I'd been kicking around and dismissing for the better part of a decade got stuck. I couldn't stop thinking about it. One day, when I said to my husband that I was thinking about library school, I was greeted with such enthusiasm, I realized maybe it wasn't such a crazy idea.
Once I decided to go for it, the past couple of months have been a whirlwind comprised of preparing for the GRE, submitting applications and researching scholarships and financial aid. If I can make this work financially, I will begin classes in May, as I have been accepted to Syracuse University's MLIS program.
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