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Hopeless MLIS applicant here: So I just finished sending in an application to the MLIS program at the University of Western Ontario. I was also going to apply at University of Alberta but missed the deadline. I got my Bachelor of Music (University of Regina) in 2008 and since then have just been working as an insurance broker (don't ask) - chilling out and enjoying the time out of school. However, I've begun to absolutely hate my job, and feel like I'm wasting my education away. I specialized in music history and my favourite aspect of the time in school was in the library, which is why I decided to go into MLIS. I spoke to my former advisor from my Bachelor of Music days, and the music librarian at my school and they both recommended UWO. I also want to stay in Canada. I'm quite anxious now, because as mentioned I'm sick of my current job, and yearn for getting back into academic life. However I have my misgivings because I've been out of school since 2008 and been working in insurance since then - probably doesn't do wonders for my brain (not to mention my CV). Long story short I have no idea what I'm getting in to and will take any advice or reassurance I can get. klockwerk fucked around with this message at 22:41 on Mar 12, 2012 |
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Mar 12, 2012 22:20
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Alright, so further to this.... I got accepted. As of 10:00am this morning. I'm kind of stuck in a state of shock and disbelief. I guess being out of university for ~5 years and being a mindless drone (insurance broker) pays off? Nonetheless, I'm back here looking for a bit more guidance: is there any good reading material I should consider taking in before shipping off to Ontario in the fall? I feel like exercising my brain, and feel just a tad intimidated having absolutely zero library experience. Any other suggestions regarding being a first time grad student? Also, I'm sorry to hear about the U.S. folks in this thread seemingly having a hard time finding jobs. Any Canadian library science goons out there with an opinion on the situation north of the border?
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May 29, 2012 19:44
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So a librarian is being sued for libel by Edwin Mellon Press over a blog post. Some details here with links to other sources. Definitely something to keep eyes on. Some other thoughts from a (former) law librarian and educator at UWO. As McMaster is the next town over from here, there's a lot of talk going on about this from faculty and students. Things are starting to resonate internationally.
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Feb 8, 2013 19:47
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U-DO Burger posted:A librarian makes a blog post summarizing why he dislikes a publisher, based on his vast experience with the works produced by said publisher. So they sue him for $3 million. What the gently caress. As if there was another reason needed to dislike large commercial publishers. Please note the above statement does not represent the views of the author. The author apologizes for any misunderstanding that "large commercial publishers" may have with aforementioned statement. The author does not want to be sued. Thank you. Praise the gods Elsevier, Springer and Wiley for their vast wisdom and thoughtful contributions to academia.
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Feb 8, 2013 21:41
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Lee Harvey Oswald posted:stupid bullshit like accreditation I can understand your gripes with just about everything in your post but this. I'm still in school, but my academic libraries course has made it clear to me that if you want to be an academic librarian, you're going to be doing the same thing that faculty do at institutions in order to climb the ladder (research, tenure, instruction, etc.) unless you have a completely off-the-cuff collective agreement. I thought this was pretty much the norm now. Correct me if I'm wrong. The librarians here seem to really enjoy the work they do, but we (the students, faculty, librarians) are all well aware of the commercialization of education and snobbish elitism rampart in academia.
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Apr 6, 2013 23:56
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In the continuing saga of Canada's national library's shameful and embarrassing policy leaks: Don't have your LIS? Library and Archives Canada will hire you anyhow! http://bibliocracy-now.tumblr.com/post/47602135085/leaked-lac-employment-criteria
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Apr 10, 2013 21:04
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A full matching suit may be overdoing it (in my opinion - I've always been told to dress appropriately for the job you're applying for). A conservatively coloured shirt (blue, white) and tie with slacks will likely do you fine. Do the librarians you've seen working there wear business suits on the job? If so, the suit option may be OK. Sorry I can't answer any of your other questions. Edit: I assume by your mentioning "business heels" that you are in fact not a guy. Ignore my post or reinterpret it for ladies attire in whatever way you see fit!
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May 3, 2013 10:08
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VideoTapir posted:I've been searching for medical information for people and had them looking at the screen and saying "that's it!" pointing and telling me to click on things that were obviously ads that just happened to contain their keywords. Google needs human interaction. I'm taking a course on teaching information literacy! This report from the ALA may help you out in setting some goals and objectives for the people you teach, but I can't help you (at least not yet) with lesson plans and what exactly to teach.
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May 25, 2013 14:42
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apdear posted:maybe random question....i'm going to buy a new laptop soon. At work (in most library settings), do you all use PCs? And in library school, did most people use PCs? If you're getting a laptop for doing coursework and the like, it really doesn't matter whether you go Mac or Windows. In the library setting you'll probably end up using PCs since most of the software is made for Windows. That said, chances are you won't be installing software licenced by the library on your personal laptop anyhow so just go with your preference.
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Feb 27, 2014 14:19
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Subscribe/check up on the following for job postings: INALJ (I Need A Library Job) - Go here, bookmark whatever. Some provincial pages are run better than others (The persons behind Saskatchewan are right on top of things, not sure how they do it. Meanwhile other pages suffer a terrible lack of updates - either because no job postings or lazy editors). The Partnership Job Board - You can set up email alerts by registering. Most (90%?) librarian job postings will end up on here. The Canadian Library Association also has this handy list. You may also want to consider joining just as a way to keep tabs on the library/librarian community. Consider individual provincial and other associations as well, here's a list. A little more information on what exactly you're looking for, where you're from, and what your qualifications are might be a little more helpful in regards to helping you out. I can't tell if you're asking for job posting info (above), experience to have, resume advise, interview advise, or whatever. Generally, based on my friends' experience (mostly recent Western graduates), it's a lot of cover-letter writing and resume submitting. Some went for months submitting hundreds of applications and very infrequently getting responses. However, their hard work eventually pays off (most of my former colleagues are now employed) Experience definitely helps - if you're still in school, try your best to get a co-op/internship. If you live in Ontario and have no experience, don't expect to get a job there; the saturation of applicants and stubborn Western/UofT grads who refuse to move away from home is staggering. It's never too late to consider branching out from libraries into other information-related fields. Your skills are transferable to a variety of organizations. klockwerk fucked around with this message at 18:34 on Nov 5, 2014 |
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Nov 5, 2014 18:26
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Oh hey look, it's a quote of me! I posted a reply but I'll say it here too: a mention of library assistant/technician as a "career" (  ) might help people. Although it'd take time, you could ultimately end up with a managerial/supervisory position in a library without having to do an MLIS, or end up getting funding from your employer to pursue one.
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Mar 2, 2015 20:27
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