One thing that I note is complaining usually does nothing. If you want to change the world, change it, change yourself, and move on. But it has been my experience that complaining is the act of demanding someone else to change, and what happens when you do that? usually either nothing, or backlash.

Unless all the unemployed librarians get jobs soon we’ll be seeing more and more of this type of stunt.

Let it be a lesson to the ALA and the library schools… if you educate us and fail to hire us, we will turn against you until you do.

It may be that a large library somewhere has an acquisitions department filled with people who “like books” and do not have to interact with the public. Most of us, though, need people who have computer skills and human skills in addition to the (assumed) interest in books and what they contain.

(And I don’t want to get started on those whose “love of books” is confined to a particular genre!)

As for Rachel’s post – the firs thought in my mind was “AMEN SISTER!” You are so right – especially that last paragraph – which I’m going to post to my blog right now!

I will hire someone with the right outlook and attitude in an instant over someone who is technically proficient but lives in the past, blames everyone and everything, and never sees a need to step out of their own mind and look around.

The ads I see and the jobs described seem great. I’m working on teaching myself programming because I think that will be essential. I’m interested in instructional design for distance education, which is an area I think librarians can make a HUGE difference.

In my first library school class the teacher had us go around and say why we were there. About half the class started their explanation with “I like books.” I wonder if these types are the same ones that will have a hard time finding jobs. Who DOESN’T like books? Libraries are more than books, though. I got in because I like customer service but hate retail- libraries seem like a nice way to help people without trying to force them to buy something.

Sorry, got off track. Thanks for the post!

I think complaining is fine. I complained when I couldn’t find a job. Sometimes people need to vent. But venting alone will not find anyone a job and what a lot of these people are doing is more than just venting.

I was one of those people who couldn’t find a job once upon a time. And I worked my butt off trying to develop my skills and do things that would distinguish me from the pack. I learned new technologies, created a spiffy web portfolio, blogged, created a wiki for the ALA Conference, etc. And, yes, it did help me get my job.

On the other hand, I have also seen people on that same listserv (people who had an easy time finding a job out of school) writing really arrogant posts about how there must be something wrong with job seekers if they can’t find jobs. Those attitudes should be stamped out as well. There are so many factors involved in getting a job and it’s really frustrating to be told that you are somehow deficient because it’s taking you a while to get a job. I remember reading posts like that and thinking “maybe they’re right. Maybe there is some reason why I’m not finding a job and they are.”

While a lot of people do need to take responsibility for their situations, other people really need to be more sensitive too.

Every time I’ve complained about something in my career, I used that moment to make something happen. After being the worst library school student ever, I went out and got more experience, and figured out how to get myself back in school. I waited until I was ready. I had a moment of professional frustration lately. To fix that, I got more involved… and I was welcomed more than I was turned away. (Thanks Rachel.) Now I have positive momentum again in my career… and that’s the key. Only you can raise your own stock.

I failed myself. I’m responsible. I apologize to librarianship for not being better for and to it in the past. I apologize if I ever said that librarianship failed me. However… I feel that some opportunities that can help one’s positive professional momentum are realistically not available to everyone. I can’t, say, quit my current job to do a six-month unpaid internship… but for someone else, that issue might not even exist. (I’m sorry… I’m dancing around what is probably among the most difficult topics in our field to discuss, with the discussion itself bordering on unethical.) Everyone’s professional path will vary, and some will just be easier than others. You just have to work with what you have available to you. Hopefully, being overlooked due to a lack of life experience won’t be part of the equation.