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VideoTapir posted:How many of those people would be able to cope if you asked them to do anything else or use any other program besides their cataloging client? Probably pretty good. They've been there for decades and know all their poo poo pretty well.
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Sep 9, 2010 18:42
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I know people like that, too, but that's ALL they know.
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Sep 9, 2010 18:58
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VideoTapir posted:How many of those people would be able to cope if you asked them to do anything else or use any other program besides their cataloging client? Honestly the issue isn't with the client, it's with the cataloging rules and systems. Just ask any elderly cataloger or catalog librarian how they feel about RDA. We had a woman at my library who had been there for so long that she still uses the AACR(2?) rules from the 1970's and they couldn't get her to switch. Since she was there for so long they couldn't do anything about it other than put her in a closet and hope she didn't gently caress anything up. She's also apparently in her 80's, owns somewhere between 24-80 cats, and is a belly dancer. The cat estimate is based on varying, serious accounts. If you can get a job working for a state or government institution, get it. It's almost impossible for them to fire you if you don't do anything wrong. The wrong category would be stuff like sexual harassment and literally telling people to go gently caress themselves for example. Being laid off is one thing though but usually they just make the oldest and incompetent people retire early if they're close enough. RocknRollaAyatollah fucked around with this message at 12:35 on Sep 10, 2010 |
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Sep 10, 2010 12:30
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How different is RDA from AACR2? I was under the impression that the changes to the rules themselves were minimal, and it was mostly the reorganization of the rules that was the major difference. I was still using AACR2 at my last cataloging job last year (at a mid-size university) and have yet to learn RDA, so I hope this won't hurt my job prospects... 
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Sep 10, 2010 18:23
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People actually use RDA? I was under the impression that most (academic) libraries were still using AACR2. Generally I was told that RDA was another "they come up with a set of rules that only adds minor improvements and everyone ignores it" standard.
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Sep 10, 2010 18:37
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Insane Totoro posted:People actually use RDA? I was under the impression that most (academic) libraries were still using AACR2. Generally I was told that RDA was another "they come up with a set of rules that only adds minor improvements and everyone ignores it" standard. RDA hasn't been implemented yet but it's going to be the Library of Congress standard. The date is going to be announced July? of 2011 but things get pushed back because librarians fear change, mostly because a good deal of them are at death's door. Europe is going to implement it soon if they haven't already. Every academic and upper level library is moving towards RDA from what I've seen and I don't really know about local libraries because none of them have any idea how to catalog properly anyways. For those who think it's not happening, LC has invested a lot of money in pushing for it. That means that it's going to become the "law of the land" because LC doesn't invest in anything unless it plans to implement it. Europe as I stated is already moving towards it more quickly than the US. For those who don't know, RDA is essentially AACR2 reworked for the computer world so it allows for more dynamic searching. It also does away with a lot of rules that were designed for the years for one the system was used on card catalogs. This is pretty much what I've been told since I haven't started learning it yet though. RocknRollaAyatollah fucked around with this message at 22:35 on Sep 10, 2010 |
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Sep 10, 2010 22:32
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Am I on the right path to becoming an information architect? I am taking a blended HTML, CSS, and XHTML college course. I already taught myself some of the material before I took the class and it was far easier than I expected. I am also taking a computer course than teaches students how to increase their Microsoft Word, Excel, and Powerpoint skills to an advanced level. I am taking a course on desktop publishing that has a heavy emphasis on InDesign and am teaching myself the entire Creative Suite software. I am currently an undergraduate, is getting a master's in library science going to make a huge impact on whether I get hired? Also, How is the Queens College Library Science program?
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Sep 11, 2010 01:21
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resources101 posted:Am I on the right path to becoming an information architect? I am taking a blended HTML, CSS, and XHTML college course. I already taught myself some of the material before I took the class and it was far easier than I expected. Your learning some of the base skills, but it goes much deeper than learning some of this. What really separates IA from typical programming and web design is the study of human computer interaction (HCI), concentrating on the user experience (UX), and user studies.
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Sep 11, 2010 07:33
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I think Jesse James Garrett is now saying that IA no longer exists and it's all about UX. I really doubt there is anything you can learn about this in undergraduate education because the practice is only a year or two old in industry and there are very few people working on it academically. That said, every person working in that field emphasizes that they know how to technically create web pages (i.e. they have HTML, CSS, JS, and some programming skills) and that they'll only hire and work with people who have those skills. I think the "path to becoming an information architect" is still working as a web designer and learning as much about UX as you can on the job, then billing yourself as an information architect or UX professional. Go poke around http://www.informationdesign.org/ and the blogs they link to. To add a little something to the topic of the thread: I work in a private college library, though my job is web programming for the college. As a way to reduce staff costs during this recession, the college offered a very generous retirement package which something like 15 librarians took advantage of. Only five of those positions were relisted and so far four of them have been filled by internal promotions whose other positions were then removed. Those four people had been in part-time or full-time library jobs for years prior to getting their librarian positions, mostly waiting for the older librarians to retire. That's the type of jobs situation you face if you're new to this field. From what I've seen the best way to set yourself apart is to get a ton of technical computer skills. Librarians who can set up and maintain database software, write programs to connect and aggregate data, administer OPAC software, and create web sites are desirable. Foreign language skills are a big plus too. And you'll be asked to do all sorts of things that you wouldn't think are part of a librarian's work. Our new reference and instruction librarian is in charge of doing usability testing on the web site. Joementum fucked around with this message at 17:10 on Sep 11, 2010 |
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Sep 11, 2010 17:07
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quote:That said, every person working in that field emphasizes that they know how to technically create web pages (i.e. they have HTML, CSS, JS, and some programming skills) and that they'll only hire and work with people who have those skills. Do you think the average person is able to learn JS and some programming skills? I don't have a strong math and tech background. However, I know my way around a computer as well as the average undergraduate. Would having good writing and reading skills make a difference when it comes to UX and HCI?
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Sep 12, 2010 02:34
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resources101 posted:Do you think the average person is able to learn JS and some programming skills? I don't have a strong math and tech background. However, I know my way around a computer as well as the average undergraduate. Yes. Most JS work now involves applying jQuery or Prototype which are as easy to learn as HTML and CSS. If you want to do web stuff without any technical knowledge, you're best off pretending to be a "new media" or "social media" snake oil salesman. If you want to be seriously involved in UX/IA work, you need to have technical knowledge of how web pages are created. quote:Would having good writing and reading skills make a difference when it comes to UX and HCI? No. There's maybe five or ten people world wide who can honestly claim to be UX professionals. You could use your writing skills to create a great UX blog, but aside from that it won't help you in your work. Part of the thing that makes people good at UX is working with a lot of different clients and you can't get that from education or innate skill.
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Sep 12, 2010 03:54
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quote:If you want to be seriously involved in UX/IA work, you need to have technical knowledge of how web pages are created. Yes, I do want to seriously work in UX/IA. I just hope it's not beyond my reach, so I won't waste my time attempting to do something that's beyond my ability. It would be nice if I could do something that involves writing and books, but those careers are either fiercely competitive or have pay that so low that it is not worth the trouble. I'm trying to find a job that I can realistically do that pays well. Sorry for drifting off topic. Should I make my own thread?
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Sep 12, 2010 04:15
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resources101 posted:Yes, I do want to seriously work in UX/IA. Should I make my own thread? There are very few people who really know anything about working in UX/IA and it's not likely any of them post on SA. You should read through that site I linked to earlier and work on your web design/development job skills if that's the field which interests you.
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Sep 12, 2010 05:38
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On topic for the thread: my father is a music librarian who is now head of that department for one of the top universities in the US. He tells me he spends most of his time managing people in his department and writing grants to bring money and collections to the school. Before his current position, he was music librarian at the college where I now work and, prior to that, worked for the Arnold Shoenberg institute as music librarian. He's heavily involved with the Music Library Association. If anyone has any questions for him, especially about what the work is like for a academic library administrator, I'll ask them.
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Sep 12, 2010 05:46
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t3ch3 posted:Foreign language skills are a big plus too. As mentioned way earlier, my g/f is probably going to Drexel next year for Library Sciences. She's fluent in German, so i am guessing that is a big plus? t3ch3 posted:On topic for the thread: my father is a music librarian who is now head of that department for one of the top universities in the US. He tells me he spends most of his time managing people in his department and writing grants to bring money and collections to the school. Before his current position, he was music librarian at the college where I now work and, prior to that, worked for the Arnold Shoenberg institute as music librarian. He's heavily involved with the Music Library Association. I may ask you in just a bit on this.
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Sep 12, 2010 06:01
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resources101, what is your email address? You can't get PMs.
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Sep 13, 2010 15:40
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My e-mail is enigma1119 [at] hotmail.com
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Sep 13, 2010 16:18
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I wish I'd jumped in on this thread sooner, but I rarely check this section. I am currently on hiatus from my degree. When I was an undergrad, I was sold the idea of doing LIS as a logical supplement to my degree in History. I started in Math and ended up in History. I'm kind of kicking myself, but whatever. Can't do anything about that now. Anywho, I was sold the idea that the LIS degree is a professional degree that gets you into the field. I have discovered that, at least for me, this is not the case in the least. As soon as I arrived, I realized that the overwhelming majority of my classmates already worked in libraries as paraprofessionals. The ones that were like me were told to immediately find jobs. In other words, this is not a degree that involves you being just a full-time student, unless you luck out and get some kind of grad assistantship in a library. I'm at a very small school, so those are harder to come by right now. I tried finding library employment so I could go to part time for school and work part time. Every job I applied for was the same story: "we decided to hire someone with library experience." I came to the conclusion that you cannot get work in libraries, at least right now, without starting on the absolute bottom rung. With my obligations and situation (no debt, but I still have to eat, and I can't live at home like most of the high schoolers who have these jobs), I can't afford to take a min. wage part time job. So it's like this: you can't get a job in a library without library experience and the only way to get library experience is to spend time working for free or next-to-free. You also can't just get the degree and go straight in because, once again, you need library experience and you can't get a job without seemingly starting at the bottom. I currently work in video production for another local college (a job I got based on skills I basically taught myself), but I feel like the 24 hours I've completed in the meantime has been wasted. Still haven't found library employment. I'm getting married soon and want to get on with life (aka not be working part time editing educational videos and organizing tapes), so I'm applying to everything from more paraprofessional library jobs to jobs in record management, banking (I got through enough finance math and statistics to be qualified for this, and jobs are plentiful in community banking), and even administrative work in education. I'll find something, but I don't think it's going to be anything involving the degree. Will I finish it? Probably, it might at least get me a raise at a new job.
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Sep 13, 2010 17:22
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I think the most important components of getting a job in libraries, as well in most jobs, is luck and not quitting. I had to apply to a bunch of library jobs before I got mine and I had 3 years experience, even a years worth of supervisory level experience, and a grasp of two languages besides my native English. Only one other place called me back for an interview and I was in house. I also applied for two others at my university and I didn't hear a thing back. You really have to hustle, especially in this economy, and libraries are not a place where one climbs the ladders right out of school. You honestly have to watch for retirements and openings like a vulture. EDIT: Also, make friends because most libraries tend to hire people they like because they can't get rid of you easily. Just make yourself known to the people, let them know who you are, your predicament, and your passion for cats as well as tote bags. RocknRollaAyatollah fucked around with this message at 03:12 on Sep 14, 2010 |
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Sep 14, 2010 03:08
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Oh, I don't know if it's all bad. Librarianship has worked out okay for me. I've been a reference librarian for about 28 years, make around 90k and get 4-6 weeks off a year. Very few of the librarians I work with or have worked with are either crazy or own cats. Most of my colleages are pretty good with machines having worked with computers for the past 30 years or so. Almost all of the library school students or grads I've worked with through the years have gotten professional jobs they're happy with. Teaching and administrative specialties seem to have served them well. I don't know about the market lately, though. As for the future, who knows?
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Sep 14, 2010 15:51
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Salt posted:Oh, I don't know if it's all bad. Librarianship has worked out okay for me. I've been a reference librarian for about 28 years, make around 90k and get 4-6 weeks off a year. Very few of the librarians I work with or have worked with are either crazy or own cats. Most of my colleages are pretty good with machines having worked with computers for the past 30 years or so. RETIRE, DAMMIT
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Sep 14, 2010 16:36
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Salt posted:Oh, I don't know if it's all bad. Librarianship has worked out okay for me. I've been a reference librarian for about 28 years, make around 90k and get 4-6 weeks off a year. Very few of the librarians I work with or have worked with are either crazy or own cats. Most of my colleages are pretty good with machines having worked with computers for the past 30 years or so. Obvious troll spotted.
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Sep 14, 2010 16:54
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VideoTapir posted:RETIRE, DAMMIT This. I've been doing my applications for Grad school, and considering picking up my A+ cert in the meantime, as it's still a lifetime cert until Jan 1 2011, after that it's every 3 years. If for nothing else, it's something for the resume. 
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Sep 14, 2010 18:45
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Thanks for bringing that up again: EVERYONE GET YOUR A+ CERT RIGHT loving NOW. If you aren't sure you know enough to do it, go read the FAQs and associated resources on SHSC, and take your computer apart (well, if it's a desktop) and put it back together a couple times. You'll be halfway there, at least.
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Sep 14, 2010 18:58
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I really hope volunteer work counts as experience, because I can't find any type of paying job, and I'll be hosed in terms of experience if it doesn't count.
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Sep 15, 2010 00:10
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The last few shelvers my branch has hired have all come from our volunteer pool. It's not much, but I guess it does beat working for nothing.
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Sep 15, 2010 02:32
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Lee Harvey Oswald posted:I really hope volunteer work counts as experience, because I can't find any type of paying job, and I'll be hosed in terms of experience if it doesn't count. The employers with whom I have spoken but by whom I have not yet been hired seem to think so. Just make sure you're not just shelving. Of things you're likely to be allowed to touch (I'd like to learn more about systems, but hahaha, that ain't happening here. I think I'm a little too adventurous for the IT department's taste), cataloging, youth services, ILL, and marketing/outreach/grant writing (all done by the same two folks at my library) are the things I've seen the most ads specifically seeking.
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Sep 15, 2010 04:14
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VideoTapir posted:systems, cataloging, youth services, ILL, and marketing/outreach/grant writing If my next to GA applications fall through, I'm gonna be begging to volunteer positions doing either this; or I might try my hand at a specialized reference desk. Speaking of reference, has anyone done work with the Internet Public Library before? My reference class requires us to sign up as volunteers and answer some number of reference questions, and so far I'm not looking forward to it.
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Sep 15, 2010 19:15
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How legitimate are Information Science degrees as an IT MS degree to get into the IT field? I have no real interest in actual library science but the information science program offered at the library school at my uni seems pretty legit and the content like something you'd learn at any IT degree. This seemed like the best place to ask. Would going that route pidgeonhole me? (any more than getting any other kind of IT degree would?)
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Sep 17, 2010 14:07
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Insane Totoro posted:Obvious troll spotted. Naw, I'm not trolling. I'm just saying that it's worked out for me. I'm not nearly old enough to retire, yet. If the market would pick up, I'd be quite a bit closer though. Tech skills are great, but I really wouldn't discount teaching and admistrative skills/experience. It is a profession with more than its fair share of introverts. Oh, and be willing to move. There aren't a lot of cities with library schools. You might not be able to get a job near your alma mater.
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Sep 19, 2010 05:32
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Ah what the hell... I'm on tenterhooks waiting to hear about the cataloging assistant position I applied for. I never thought I'd be interested in cataloging, but when I took that first class in grad school it was like a whole new world opened up for me. I enjoy the secret-code aspect of MARC records, and debating where to classify a multi-subject book, and contemplating aboutness. This is my idea of fun.
Rabbit Hill fucked around with this message at 05:49 on Sep 19, 2010 |
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Sep 19, 2010 05:45
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Salt posted:Naw, I'm not trolling. I'm just saying that it's worked out for me. What I've noticed about cities with library schools: Employers in the area tend to fall into two main categories: those that deliberately seek out candidates from out of their region (whether it's for diversity, or because of the quality of the local school, I dunno), see King County. OR Employers who setup loving bullshit insane hurdles because they know they're going to get every student at their local school applying for their jobs and they'll have their pick of them. See: Milwaukee not screening applications, sending out 150 of invitations to come and take their screening test, in person. See also: Pima County and their bizarro cryptic interview where the interviewee is not allowed to ask questions. (Which really helps them get through the 60 or so interviews they were doing, I think.) If I know that a city has a library school, I pretty much write it off. I'll apply if I already have my information in the application system they're using, otherwise, probably not.
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Sep 19, 2010 08:43
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Rabbit Hill posted:Ah what the hell... I'm on tenterhooks waiting to hear about the cataloging assistant position I applied for. I never thought I'd be interested in cataloging, but when I took that first class in grad school it was like a whole new world opened up for me. I enjoy the secret-code aspect of MARC records, and debating where to classify a multi-subject book, and contemplating aboutness. This is my idea of fun. This week was my introduction to MARC and metadata in general. I'm really, really hoping that cataloging is a lot more interesting in practice than it is on paper.
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Sep 19, 2010 15:56
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Doc Faustus posted:This week was my introduction to MARC and metadata in general. I'm really, really hoping that cataloging is a lot more interesting in practice than it is on paper. Cataloging can be fun, but also a huge headache. We have a huge undertaking at HSP you can read a little about that highlights the importance of good original cataloging. This project has been by far the biggest pain of my work so far: http://processandpreserve.wordpress.com/2010/06/21/out-with-the-old/ http://processandpreserve.wordpress.com/2010/08/25/obsolecence-inv/
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Sep 19, 2010 16:20
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Doc Faustus posted:This week was my introduction to MARC and metadata in general. I'm really, really hoping that cataloging is a lot more interesting in practice than it is on paper. Trust me, it is. When you're looking at different books and most the stuff is done for you, it's not so bad. I usually listen to podcasts, internet radio, or my mp3's while I do it as well.
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Sep 19, 2010 16:23
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RocknRollaAyatollah posted:Trust me, it is. When you're looking at different books and most the stuff is done for you, it's not so bad. I usually listen to podcasts, internet radio, or my mp3's while I do it as well. Are you kidding, that's the least interesting. I like the "I know what the final record should look like, but I have to go and fill in all the blanks myself" level of cataloging.
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Sep 19, 2010 20:03
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Is there any point to ALA membership besides newsletter subscriptions? Because everything I've seen in the "get involved" pages or the ALA connect site is loving dead.
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Sep 19, 2010 22:52
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That's something I've been wondering. During my only day of face-to-face class in my otherwise completely online program, they stressed that we should all sign up to join the ALA. Every librarian I know is a member, but... why? I'm getting the weekly loving huge email, but I'm not sure what (if anything) I'd get from paying my membership dues or whatever they call the fee.
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Sep 19, 2010 23:32
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My school only recommended we join now because it's cheap for students, since we won't be making any money after graduation anyway. 
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Sep 19, 2010 23:38
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VideoTapir posted:Are you kidding, that's the least interesting. You probably won't be doing any original cataloging, when you do it's rare, and a lot of times you derive from a pre-existing record. Most the time you sit in front of a computer, hope the record is in OCLC, they usually are, and then make sure they're up to par. The Library of Congress, British National Library, and the Library and Archives Canada do most the work for you. Most of the time I just add the 505 which is the table of contents after I make sure everything is right. Since I'm in the US, I also add the LCCN if it exists and is not present as well as make sure the 043 is there since the UKM usually doesn't add it a lot of times. You're also expected for statistics to do a certain amount of books a day unless you are the cataloging librarian. At mine they say about 12 a day but I get about 16. They've also told me it's not a huge issue but if your statistics are consistently low it really is an issue, probably because you're an idiot usually. This has mostly to do with certifications. You also shouldn't expect to be a cataloging librarian until you have a good amount of experience, my boss worked for 10 years as a cataloger before she got the position. So don't really go into cataloging expecting to just be doing original records.
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Sep 20, 2010 02:06
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