Higher Education
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Johnny Mnemonic
- Newbie
- Posts: 12
- Joined: Fri May 16, 2008 12:07 pm
Ack, I too was a library monkey when I was younger, and I go through phases now where I am, though these days I tend to just buy much of what I want. I'm still always in a state of reading some book or another. You want a real kick in the pants, try reading some L. Ron Hubbard. That man was nuts and an ass :) Anyway, I've just found I really like library staff and librarian types, and a friend from high school's mom was a library director in GA and was a big influence on me.
In all honesty, the MLIS program at Kent State actually isn't very hard. It's the only program in Ohio and has lots of students, many of them older with library experience already but lacking a degree. I think because of the great funding Ohio libraries get and the high student enrollment they have made it a little easier. Well, easy for me, anyway. Their core requirements don't stress technology competency (awareness just ain't enough, folks) enough and they do seem somewhat public library biased. I'm doing a dual degree to make sure I'm on top of technology issues libraries are facing, and also so I'll have a second masters when I go looking for an academic library job. Most academic libraries that make librarians faculty instead of professional staff require a second degree.
I thought about teaching, but I don't think I'm independently motivated enough :)
Pick your courses carefully. Don't just fill up the core and some fun ones. Make sure you get some of the tougher, more technical classes as well, even if you're aiming more for reference/instruction work like I am. The more you know about where libraries are going and how the stuff behind the scenes works the better off you are when it comes to trying to get and keep a job.
I think you'll enjoy library school. It can be lots of fun. Other library students are a hoot and finding commonality may be easier than in some other fields. I was apprehensive when I first signed on, but now I'm not so worried. I mean, I'm worried about what my final project will be in a year and about finding a job, but I know I'll do fine in my classwork.
In all honesty, the MLIS program at Kent State actually isn't very hard. It's the only program in Ohio and has lots of students, many of them older with library experience already but lacking a degree. I think because of the great funding Ohio libraries get and the high student enrollment they have made it a little easier. Well, easy for me, anyway. Their core requirements don't stress technology competency (awareness just ain't enough, folks) enough and they do seem somewhat public library biased. I'm doing a dual degree to make sure I'm on top of technology issues libraries are facing, and also so I'll have a second masters when I go looking for an academic library job. Most academic libraries that make librarians faculty instead of professional staff require a second degree.
I thought about teaching, but I don't think I'm independently motivated enough :)
Pick your courses carefully. Don't just fill up the core and some fun ones. Make sure you get some of the tougher, more technical classes as well, even if you're aiming more for reference/instruction work like I am. The more you know about where libraries are going and how the stuff behind the scenes works the better off you are when it comes to trying to get and keep a job.
I think you'll enjoy library school. It can be lots of fun. Other library students are a hoot and finding commonality may be easier than in some other fields. I was apprehensive when I first signed on, but now I'm not so worried. I mean, I'm worried about what my final project will be in a year and about finding a job, but I know I'll do fine in my classwork.
Ack wrote:Thanks guys, I appreciate it.
An MLIS degree is a Master's in Library and Information Studies. So I'm basically going to school to become a librarian. I'm kinda nervous about going, as I'm going to have to move and figure out how to pay for it all, but as Fast mentioned, I'm following in my mother's footsteps. My mother's been working in libraries before I was born, is an accomplished children's librarian, and is the current president of the Alabama Library Association. I've grown up visiting libraries, I read lots of books, worked in the university's academic library, worked in a bookstore...you get the idea. I don't know if I'll go find a job and work after I finish, or see about getting a Ph.D. I absolutely love studying history and literature, so maybe I'll go back for another degree in either subject. I've got the test scores for it, but let's see how I feel after two more years of school.
By the way, Marurun, glad to hear I'm not alone. I gotta ask, how difficult would you say the program at Kent State is? I don't know how tough this is going to be so I'm kinda wondering about it...