Working Knowledge

A Monthly Column about Life on the Job

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By Mary Pergander
American Libraries Columnist


Mary Pergander is director of the Lake Bluff (Ill.) Public Library. She received her MS in library and information science from the University of Illinois in 2002. Contact her at working@ala.org.


Column for March 2006


Seeking the Land of Plenty (of Jobs)


Errin Brooks did everything right, but she is still unemployed. With many years of work experience in a nonlibrary field, she timed her MLS degree to coincide with the building or expansion of several public libraries in her region of Texas. While a student, Brooks took full advantage of an internship, mentoring, and involvement in professional organizations. What she did not foresee was her move to another state—Wisconsin. There, she found fewer librarian opportunities. The presence of several MLS-degree programs in the state, combined with declining library funding and the resulting library closures, created intense competition for shrinking numbers of jobs. One year after getting her degree and moving, Brooks remains unemployed but is still hopeful of fulfilling her dream of working as a librarian.
    Lisa Strauss took a different approach. Reviewing library employment trends in her home state, she expected the future job market to be flat, with a balance between retirements and library funding issues. “I chose to pursue an LTA [library technical assistant] degree instead of an MLS,” she says. “I know I might earn less money but I am hoping to avoid being overqualified for available jobs.”
    Strauss noticed that posted jobs often required very specific skills, and she correctly predicted that honed computer talents would help differentiate her from some other candidates. The result? “I got a job working in a library computer lab while pursuing my LTA degree,” she reports.
    As an employer, I have noticed that any type of job I post draws MLS-degreed librarians seeking full- or part-time work of any kind. Some librarians and employers consider this an ethical issue: Should MLS-degreed librarians fill nonlibrarian positions? Should employers get the benefits of their knowledge and skills without paying them MLS wages?

Employers' ethical issues
When I pose this question to those seeking work, they respond that working in nonlibrarian positions would at least acquaint them with the library, help them get experience upon which they could build, and perhaps position them for librarian positions that become available in that organization or elsewhere.
    Lyndy Jensen, currently pursuing her MLS at Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois, shared a different point of view about her expectations of the labor market. Jensen began her MLS to prepare for work in an archives. She doubts that the job market will be good when she graduates, and the job market did not influence her decision to pursue the degree. Nevertheless, class instructors are trying to prepare degree candidates for the real world of library jobs. “I was surprised to hear that non-MLS employees are also filling jobs formerly held by MLS-degreed librarians,” Jensen admits. “This was a new concept for me.”
    I actively recruit people who say they have always wanted to be a librarian. “Come find out if this is for you,” I tell them. Now I sometimes worry: If they leave comfortable but unsatisfying careers for their dream jobs, will the jobs be there for them?
    Additionally, what should I tell my talented staff members who inquire about going on for their degrees so they can become full-fledged librarians? Am I leading them in the right direction, or the wrong one? I already know that when they finish I won't have an MLS-level job for them. Is it possible no one else will, either?
    We are not the first profession to face this challenge. Teachers, computer programmers, nurses, and others have experienced wild swings in demand for and availability of talent. Perhaps we can learn from their experiences and develop a better employment-outlook crystal ball.


WORKING WISDOM

What tips can you share?
  • Erin Brooks obtained an internship, then kept in touch with her advisor to maintain the mentoring relationship. Well-connected mentors can help open doors or share opportunities of interest.
  • Lisa Strauss advises job candidates to “improve computer skills, even take a class if necessary,” while pursuing employment.
  • Lyndy Jensen suggests, “Narrow your focus to the desired employer(s), then keep them informed about your achievements from time to time,” a concept she compares to maintaining eye contact in a conversation.



(c) Copyright 2006 American Library Association

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