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Anyone else thinking about pursuing a Masters in Library Science?

I am finally getting my BA (in Creative Writing) this semester so I can go to graduate school. I'm in the process of applying to UCLA's program, so that means that I'm also in the process of studying for the GRE. If anyone's thinking about going into library science, I recommend starting a technical program at a local community college first, just so that you'll know what you're going into. I received a Library Technical Certificate last semester from a CC, and it's given me a lot of opportunities.

Also, it does help to work at a bookstore. The experience is similar although it doesn't count toward your library experience. I have 7 years of Bookstore experience (most of which I was in management), but you can't list it as library experience--even though you're much more prepared than a person with a MLIS and no experience (which is snake spit in my opinion!).

I work in a library now and everything seems so easy because of my previous experience. I'm sure many of you in this group have worked at a bookstore before (besides Alethea, Alfonso, Roxy, Liz, Drew, etc. --Who else?).

HmmmMMMmmMmm...... Now that you guys mention it I think this could be the thing for me. I mean I live at the library anyway so it makes sense I could work there as well. =) I'll keep you update at my final decision Mommy.

Liz, it creeps me out when you call them Mommy and Daddy, they would have to have parented you as weird tiny mutant vampire/werewolf babies! Ick!!! (That or they're remarkably well-preserved 50-year-olds.) You may call them so in your head but from now on I forbid you to call them your parents on the group, LOL! How about Lord Fonz de la Vromans y (sorry, I don't know your mom's name and I'm just making this up now) and Lady Jane of Monterey. Seriously much less creepy. (shudder! vampire babies!!)

I have always liked the idea of being a librarian, too (or working in a book store). Instead I got a degree in Elementary education so that I could teach children to read and have a love for great literature.

Oh Alethea you're just jealous because you dont have the vampiric gene! But fine mommy and daddy... I'lll call you by your real names. This is so weird I have to readjust my life now. Oh pooh!

Oh, all right, you can call me Pooh. ^_^

My friend went into Library Sciences, she enjoys it quite a bit actually. I envy her that. My dad wants me to go for a more practical job that will secure my future, any other interests can be secondary to that. Which is better then my mom who wants me to join the military in some form (she's career-military).

You know its the funniest thing I can't get hired at a bookstore to save my life. I've applied to every single one in the greater 25 mile distance of my house and I am uniformly told I wouldn't be suited. Which is silly considering just how much money I spend at bookstores on a monthly basis (or did. before losing my job). Bah.

I remember the first time I found out about library school -- it happened to be about 5 years or so after I've already been working at a bookstore. I was surprised to learn that you needed a masters in order to be one. I know I'm on my way to getting a masters, but it still makes me SO angry to see incompetent librarians who don't even read. I once snapped at a children's librarian because she told a patron that The Odyssey was a play and the original language was Latin -- What an idiot! That just goes to show that not all places hire for knowledge.

LOL. You know, Greek, Latin, it's all the same to her. Homer, Shakespeare, Ibsen, all the same guy. Plays or poems, who can tell the diff? Besides, the computer said so.

^_^ it's ok, Jane, we'll be good librarians!

I realized the two types after I took my first few classes in library services. Most of them were just looking for a career that was "learnable" and earn average income. There was also a boy (I'm going to call him a boy because he was only 18) who argued against me on everything about patron privacy and censorship.

Because I'm a clerk myself, I can usually tell the difference between an assistant/librarian and the for or against APA types. I also try to be careful not to call non-librarians librarians. My friend works in what most people call as a school librarian, but really, her title according to the job description is "library assistant who would run a school library." She does the job of what I would consider the school librarian, but she doesn't have the degree nor is she paid as a librarian.

I was thinking about going into archive preservation, but I decided to stick to Library Services and then take on a post-graduate certificate. Most likely in rare books and conservation. I've visited the library of the Huntington Library (the reading room, rare book vault, and the processing rooms) and got to see the rare books librarian in action. That looked like a dream job to me.

I am a librarian and I say go for it, if that's what you really want to do. There are many different types of libraries out there: academic, special, public, school. And something to fit everybody. However, there are many times when it feels like a thankless job, LOL! Be prepared for hard work and minimal pay. Those who become librarians, and I mean good librarians, don't do the job for the money but because they love to help others. Most people are shocked that you need a Masters degree to be a librarian, I suppose they think anyone could do our job; and yet those same people are shocked when I can answer all the reference questions in less than 5 minutes, go figure?
Though I never received a technical certificate, I do recommend trying to get a job in the type of library you eventually want to work in. There's a HUGE difference in library theory and library practice. I felt much more educated and ready for my career as a librarian when I went to school and worked in a library at the same time. You might even get lucky and be able to find a mentor, which really rocks when you need letters of rec. Good Luck!!

When I was younger people told me to go into Library Services as a field, because I preferred books over people, but I was talking to my HS librarian (who was a true blue librarian with all the criteria, but retired and wanted a job that gave her time to be with her grandkids) and she remarked I had an incredibly low tolerance for stupid questions.

I helped out in there on my study hall/lunch hour (and free period) so a lot of my classmates were used to hailing me to ask where Natural Science section was located or History. Those were okay questions since we really DID need new signs that were readable.

The students who asked me why the library only had two computers and only then for looking up books, but couldn't read a card catalouge to save their lives, I wanted to punt out the door. We had a computer lab (or two), no reason to have that in the library as well! Then the students who thought the entire library was ABC order, and couldn't understand why they couldn't find a Stephen King book in the Mathematical Theory area ('I looked between J and L and there's nothing!') deserved to be thrown off a balconey. I reserved my special ire for the ones who thought they could just take the books and leave without checking out.

Mrs. Landau, the librarian, said it might be better if I found a job with books that didn't involve the public since I will encounter far stupider people in the real world. XD

Lexie did you find a job that let you work with books and not people? Because I'll change my major right here and now if you tell me what it is!

I found a job that allowed me to work with books and with kids--which is infinitely more pleasurable for me. At the daycare center where I was an associate teacher (until returning to college this fall) I took on the added responsibilities of organizing the center's 'Library' for the classrooms. Many of the rooms would need a certain book about a topic or theme, but have no idea where to look or who to ask. After two months of that I got fed up and spent another month and half writing down every book that every class had, compiling it all into a database and then setting it up so that from the computer stations the teachers could easily look up a book by theme, author, age group and classroom. I then took three days a month thereafter updating the lists with new books/books tossed away (from toddler chewing on them...).

After the system was in use for a while I set up a chance for the older kids (in Kindergarten and school age program) to visit a classroom once or twice a week to read stories to the kids. It was a nice change of pace for the infants/toddlers/preschoolers and gave the older children a chance to interact and practice their vocabulary skills.

Let me tell you how freaking happy everyone was with me and how much praise I received. Until my boss forced my leave taking the Regional Director wished me to hold a couple of workshops to show other centers interested in it how they could do it easily.

I am definitely going into Library Science. I actually have a degree in Elementary Education and am currently working on what they call a "media" endorsement, which will enable me to get a job as a librarian in a school library. I currently work as a Media Center Aide in a school district. I'm doing my certificate/endorsement through the local community college and then when I land a job, I hope to go for a Masters degree in Library Science or Information Technology. I really love my job and my classes and would highly recommend taking at least an intro class at a CC if you can and make sure you like it. I can't really see myself doing anything other than Library Science in the future.

Well now I want to ditch my time spent preparing to be a teacher and be a librarian instead. You make being a librarian so much fun!

Tracy, thanks so much for your insights! I've wanted to be a librarian since I was little (I was one of 4 "Book Club" members in 3rd grade, I remember--back then, in Manila that just meant you hung out in the library for an hour on Friday afternoon during "Club" period) and the cons you listed I have mostly run into already working in a bookstore for 10 years. You forgot to mention dealing with "difficult people".

I almost wish I could just skip over next semester and just start the Lib Tech program... but I do want to get my BA in art eventually, so I'd better keep at it for now. ;) I am occasionally tempted to take a semester off just to knit.

Jane I've also gone to the Huntington library's rare book area. I did some research with an English professor and it was way cool. I felt like I was at the restricted section in the Hogwart's library. All I needed was an invisibility cloak!

When I was in kindergarten, I became obsessed with libraries. I love them. It's kind of sad. So it's no surprise that I work for my county's public library system and am currently in Clarion University of Pennsylvania's online/distance-education program. It's fabulous. I'm doing two classes a semester, including summers, and will be done in December 2010. It's a 2 year program, with all of the classes planned out ahead of time. You don't even have to register for your classes, it's done for you.
So far my classes are great, but cataloging is being a bit of a pain in the rear right now.
I love my life as an (almost)librarian, and highly recommend it to others!