Comments on: Neither Fish nor Fowl nor… http://www.lisjobs.com/blog/?p=10 Fri, 02 Sep 2011 20:31:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: The Liminal Librarian » Blog Archive » Librarian by ethnicity http://www.lisjobs.com/blog/?p=10&cpage=1#comment-5607 The Liminal Librarian » Blog Archive » Librarian by ethnicity Fri, 23 Jan 2009 19:37:40 +0000 http://www.lisjobs.com/blog/?p=10#comment-5607 [...] own answer to this question is still evolving — I had to look back to see what I said several years ago, but talking to so many libraryfolk working outside libraryland while writing What’s the [...] [...] own answer to this question is still evolving — I had to look back to see what I said several years ago, but talking to so many libraryfolk working outside libraryland while writing What’s the [...]

]]> By: CarynW http://www.lisjobs.com/blog/?p=10&cpage=1#comment-26 CarynW Tue, 11 Jul 2006 16:58:00 +0000 http://www.lisjobs.com/blog/?p=10#comment-26 Shortly after I finished my MSLS in 1989, I was at a party with assorted professionals, telling one of them about my job woes. I had tried to move back to my home town, but had found no library jobs there, and had come back to the DC area where I got my degree (CUA, in case you wonder). I was telling him about how great my home town was to live in, but that as a librarian, I really had to have a library in order to function. Of course, he agreed that a librarian without a library really couldn't work. Boy, have times changed! Now I'm thinking that it might soon be possible to move back home, and work almost anywhere. But wherever I am, with or without a library, I'm a librarian. Shortly after I finished my MSLS in 1989, I was at a party with assorted professionals, telling one of them about my job woes. I had tried to move back to my home town, but had found no library jobs there, and had come back to the DC area where I got my degree (CUA, in case you wonder). I was telling him about how great my home town was to live in, but that as a librarian, I really had to have a library in order to function. Of course, he agreed that a librarian without a library really couldn’t work. Boy, have times changed! Now I’m thinking that it might soon be possible to move back home, and work almost anywhere. But wherever I am, with or without a library, I’m a librarian.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.lisjobs.com/blog/?p=10&cpage=1#comment-25 Anonymous Tue, 11 Apr 2006 22:02:00 +0000 http://www.lisjobs.com/blog/?p=10#comment-25 I'm a librarian, and I'm in my third round working outside a library.<br/><br/>In their current state, libraries are not as attractive as they once were as employers. The rate of change doesn't track salaries, and the generational clashes are real. <br/><br/>My sympathies lie with the next generation, which has to prove its skills to an older generation who hasn't made time to keep up with the very real changes. I’m a librarian, and I’m in my third round working outside a library.

In their current state, libraries are not as attractive as they once were as employers. The rate of change doesn’t track salaries, and the generational clashes are real.

My sympathies lie with the next generation, which has to prove its skills to an older generation who hasn’t made time to keep up with the very real changes.

]]> By: Dan http://www.lisjobs.com/blog/?p=10&cpage=1#comment-24 Dan Thu, 06 Apr 2006 17:34:00 +0000 http://www.lisjobs.com/blog/?p=10#comment-24 Even when I left the library world and worked as Marketing Director in a software firm, I STILL answered "Librarian" when people asked me whatb I did. And now I work as the "Information Officer" in a corporation, but I'm the "Librarian" to everyone who uses my services. I think if you have the degree and you do work that relates to your degree, you're a librarian Even when I left the library world and worked as Marketing Director in a software firm, I STILL answered “Librarian” when people asked me whatb I did. And now I work as the “Information Officer” in a corporation, but I’m the “Librarian” to everyone who uses my services. I think if you have the degree and you do work that relates to your degree, you’re a librarian

]]> By: Priscilla http://www.lisjobs.com/blog/?p=10&cpage=1#comment-23 Priscilla Wed, 05 Apr 2006 20:01:00 +0000 http://www.lisjobs.com/blog/?p=10#comment-23 I'm also a librarian who doesn't work in a library, and I still call myself a librarian. In reality I'm a stay-at-home-mom who maintains LIScareer.com and writes/edits to stay active in the field while I'm not "working." And I'm editing a book (A Day in the Life, Libraries Unlimited, probably 2007) full of examples of librarians-who-don't-do-the-traditional-library-thing. I’m also a librarian who doesn’t work in a library, and I still call myself a librarian. In reality I’m a stay-at-home-mom who maintains LIScareer.com and writes/edits to stay active in the field while I’m not “working.” And I’m editing a book (A Day in the Life, Libraries Unlimited, probably 2007) full of examples of librarians-who-don’t-do-the-traditional-library-thing.

]]> By: Rachel http://www.lisjobs.com/blog/?p=10&cpage=1#comment-22 Rachel Wed, 05 Apr 2006 14:51:00 +0000 http://www.lisjobs.com/blog/?p=10#comment-22 I'm not a big fan of the "information professional" term, either, though I can live with it. (Bigger battles!)<br/><br/>Julian - Thanks - I'm glad you're enjoying the book, though I don't think I could have written it years ago :).<br/><br/>Dorothea - My guess is that I could call myself a flying spaghetti monster and they'd still be happy to accept my dues...<br/><br/>Judith - I don't know that I could think of you as anything but a librarian. So, all you librarians-outside-of-libraries are helping clarify the issue for me!<br/><br/>I think we have a consensus here -<br/>Rachel-the-librarian I’m not a big fan of the “information professional” term, either, though I can live with it. (Bigger battles!)

Julian – Thanks – I’m glad you’re enjoying the book, though I don’t think I could have written it years ago :) .

Dorothea – My guess is that I could call myself a flying spaghetti monster and they’d still be happy to accept my dues…

Judith – I don’t know that I could think of you as anything but a librarian. So, all you librarians-outside-of-libraries are helping clarify the issue for me!

I think we have a consensus here -
Rachel-the-librarian

]]> By: Dorothea http://www.lisjobs.com/blog/?p=10&cpage=1#comment-21 Dorothea Wed, 05 Apr 2006 13:45:00 +0000 http://www.lisjobs.com/blog/?p=10#comment-21 I'm firmly in the "expand the definition of 'librarian'" camp. Librarians-in-libraries are a slowly-dying breed, strangled by deprofessionalization and blind adherence to the labor structures mightily struggling to make them obsolete (kiss-kiss, ALA!).<br/><br/>If librarianship does NOT open its tent to people like you, Rachel, and you, Walt, it's just shooting itself in the foot. Again.<br/><br/>I do wish librarianship weren't so good at that. I’m firmly in the “expand the definition of ‘librarian’” camp. Librarians-in-libraries are a slowly-dying breed, strangled by deprofessionalization and blind adherence to the labor structures mightily struggling to make them obsolete (kiss-kiss, ALA!).

If librarianship does NOT open its tent to people like you, Rachel, and you, Walt, it’s just shooting itself in the foot. Again.

I do wish librarianship weren’t so good at that.

]]> By: T Scott http://www.lisjobs.com/blog/?p=10&cpage=1#comment-20 T Scott Tue, 04 Apr 2006 22:15:00 +0000 http://www.lisjobs.com/blog/?p=10#comment-20 My wife, Lynn Fortney, has for the last fifteen years been director of the biomedical division at EBSCO -- she is adamant that she IS a librarian (she worked in academic libraries for fifteen years before moving to EBSCO). A couple of weeks ago, when I met with the Elsevier managers, I sat at dinner next to the woman is coordinating services to "small customers" -- and she introduced herself as a librarian, pointing out that she had spent several years at the University of Heidelberg. I know many people in similar situations. So for you, I think it's a matter of how you choose to identify yourself. Most of the librarians that I know who do not work in a library are pretty determined to maintain their librarian identity. I'll echo anonymous -- it's not what you do, it's who you are. My wife, Lynn Fortney, has for the last fifteen years been director of the biomedical division at EBSCO — she is adamant that she IS a librarian (she worked in academic libraries for fifteen years before moving to EBSCO). A couple of weeks ago, when I met with the Elsevier managers, I sat at dinner next to the woman is coordinating services to “small customers” — and she introduced herself as a librarian, pointing out that she had spent several years at the University of Heidelberg. I know many people in similar situations. So for you, I think it’s a matter of how you choose to identify yourself. Most of the librarians that I know who do not work in a library are pretty determined to maintain their librarian identity. I’ll echo anonymous — it’s not what you do, it’s who you are.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.lisjobs.com/blog/?p=10&cpage=1#comment-19 Anonymous Tue, 04 Apr 2006 21:38:00 +0000 http://www.lisjobs.com/blog/?p=10#comment-19 I agree...most people who could practice law (even if choosing not to do so) call themselves lawyers. As would a doctor of medicine or a PhD or a registered architect would call themselves a doctor or an architect even if not working at a hospital/university/architecture firm; that is, if they valued or identified with that title So, I would say you are a librarian, unless you'd rather not call yourself one. I agree…most people who could practice law (even if choosing not to do so) call themselves lawyers. As would a doctor of medicine or a PhD or a registered architect would call themselves a doctor or an architect even if not working at a hospital/university/architecture firm; that is, if they valued or identified with that title So, I would say you are a librarian, unless you’d rather not call yourself one.

]]> By: walt http://www.lisjobs.com/blog/?p=10&cpage=1#comment-18 walt Tue, 04 Apr 2006 20:46:00 +0000 http://www.lisjobs.com/blog/?p=10#comment-18 Well, if I <b>did</b> have an ML[I]S, I would certainly call myself a librarian, even though I haven't worked in a library in the last 27 years. And I wouldn't call myself an information professional on a bet. As it is, I use "library professional." (Or, well, senior analyst, 'cause that's my job title.) Well, if I did have an ML[I]S, I would certainly call myself a librarian, even though I haven’t worked in a library in the last 27 years. And I wouldn’t call myself an information professional on a bet. As it is, I use “library professional.” (Or, well, senior analyst, ’cause that’s my job title.)

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