Dear Annoyed Librarian,
I received my prestigious ALA-accredited MLS a little over a year ago. I've moved back home to Wyoming and have been working a part-time job in the local library. I've been looking all over Wyoming for a job, but just haven't been able to find one! I know there must be a great job for me in Wyoming, and I really don't want to leave. I'm from Wyoming. My family lives in Wyoming. My boyfriend lives in Wyoming. We're all very attached to the place and don't want to move. I'm writing you because I know you want new librarians to get good jobs. Do you have any advice for me?
Sincerely,
Settled in Wyoming
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Dear Settled,
You're obviously obsessed with Wyoming. Get over it. My advice to you would be to pack up your large bottom and move somewhere that has some library jobs! The Southwest seems like a booming place, why don't you try there. Take plenty of water with you, though, because it's all desert from what I hear.
Isn't Wyoming the least populated state in the nation? [Editor's note: according to the edition of the World Almanac I happen to have handy, it is.] Does it make any sense to move to the least populated state in the country and expect to find a job? No people, no jobs. It seems clear to me. What makes you think there would be any library jobs in Wyoming? Have you ever seen an ad for a library job Wyoming? I'm not even sure there are any libraries in Wyoming. They don't have any ALA-accredited library schools, that's for sure. Come to think of it, I'm not sure there's anything in Wyoming besides, I suppose, your family and other animals.
Of course I want new librarians to get good jobs, and I know decent entry level jobs are scarce. But really, girl, you've got to make some effort! You can't expect a good job to just come to you! So saddle your pony or pack your buggy or whatever it is you people in Wyoming do, and move your enormous bottom out of there.
Do you want a job or a career? If you just want a job, there are jobs in Wyoming. You can be a sales associate, a receptionist, or a delivery driver--all without leaving your home town! If you want to stay in the Cowboy State, you should become a cowboy! If you want to become a librarian, go to the Librarian State, wherever the heck that is.
If you want a career, then you're just going to have to move. You've heard of that whole "supply and demand" thing, right? The problem is you're supplying what nobody in Wyoming is demanding. I know the ALA has a problem figuring that out, but you've got to do better than them if you want a library job. If you insist on waiting for a good library job to come to you, I suggest you at least move to a more populous state with many more opportunities, like North Dakota.
Yours,
The Annoyed Librarian
About Me
- AL
- The Annoyed Librarian is possibly the most successful, respected, and desirable librarian of her generation. She has no other interest than to bring her wit and wisdom to the huddled librarian masses yearning to breathe free. The Annoyed Librarian is a free spirit and you are lucky to have her.
15 comments:
Settled,
I think the answer is pretty obvious if you think about it. Have you considered a PhD in Library Science? A PhD would set you up pretty nicely to be the Librarian Overlord of Wyoming I would expect. I'm sure whatever Internet school gave you a MLS has a robust PhD program as well.
"I know there must be a great job for me in Wyoming...." I love the uninformed optimism, but seriously [everything AL just said].
You actually have a "relatively" good library - part-time at the local library is nothing to sneeze at. I'm assuming that you're allowed to grab a plate at the semi-annual library covered-dish? Pretty sweet. You're not one of those library students who are just getting into the profession for the money, are you? It's about grassroots democracy and porn - get with it or get out! We have enough right-wing fascists in the profession as it is.
If you're that concerned about finding full-time employment, somebody at your library will kick the bucket eventually – then you’re in. Until then, spend your free time catching up on Oprah and regretting your career choice. Best of luck.
There is no online LIS PhD, at least not that I could find. If there wwere I would certainly get one as I am sure it would be as rigourous as my MLS.
Then I could force people to call me doctor. It would also qualify me for, um, well, hmmm, I'll get back to you on that.
Oh, wait I could teach at a libary school.
Lest anyone think AL jests, WY is indeed awash in broad bottomed book bringers, viz:
www-wsl.state.wy.us/training/2003pictures.html
"Ohhh, down beside that red firelight, ohhh, you gonna let it all hang out..."
And this is truly frightening:
salascove.com/summertime/photos/photo_5.html
It's as though someone had gone to Costco for primary coloured ceramic tiles and had a vague recollection of Piet Mondrian. "Design" indeed.
I couldn't stop looking and found this. Must. Look. Away.
www-lib.uwyo.edu/SubRes/UWER/uwerdavidkruger.html
Dude, seriously. White turtleneck and white cable knit cardigan? In Wyoming? C'mon...Dave, buddy, listen, you're in WYOMING. You can get KILT wearn' an outfit like that. I shudder to think of your footwear choice. My money is on Birkenstocks, though Clark's Wallabees are up there.
My secret word is "pexalm" which not surprisingly is the petroleum-based product Dave chooses for his hair.
There's always a career as a Library Assassin. Knock off them white haired biddies and free up a career path, if you don't want to leave the state. After viewing a few (not all, I have a weak stomach) of the current Wyoming librarian bottoms, they should be easy prey: how fast could they run, after all?
That photo of all the Wyoming librarians handling each other is a bit disconcerting. If that's what it takes to become a library leader in Wyoming, I don't think I'm up to it.
I think library assassin might be a good job, though. I can see me now: La Femme Annoyed Librarian!
Une œuvre qui Wyoming aujourd’hui le frottage des livres contenus dans une bibliothèque.
So far I've discovered that my fancy new degree and 1.50 will buy me a cup of coffee, as all the jobs I've looked at say "# years of supervisory experience" and I have approximately zero years of "official" experience in that area.
Plus I'm not at liberty to move right now and all the interesting stuff is six hours away, at least...
THat makes so much since. Being a city boi, there isn't a chance in hell that I would move to a place like Wyoming. That's not saying much since I was born in Kentucky. But atleast Kentucky has a school that offers an MLS.
To be fair to Wyoming, I picked that just because it is, in fact, the least populated state.
As for that "feeling" of each other: C'mon, that is the sort of happy-happy, feelgood stuff they usually teach in team-building sessions. I've never found any of it to actually translate into real job skills.
I'm not so sure. President Bush tried it on that German woman. That may be the leadership skill of the future.
Here's the answer: a workshop!
Marketing Libraries by Bringing the World to
Wyoming –and Nevada
10:30-12:00 Thursday Aug. 17th Dallas F
Tina Lackey, Publications and Marketing
Manager, Wyoming State Library
Tina will discuss the process of planning, researching,
and implementing a statewide marketing campaign.
Wyoming is using this to market all Wyoming libraries,
public, academic, and special. She will demonstrate how
the state library is giving individual libraries the tools to
use the marketing materials for their own use.
Montana has a lot of librarian jobs. Not really sure why, but my Dad talks about the epic search for ANYBODY with an MLS degree to head up some regional system in Billings. I've seen a few Bozeman and Missoula jobs listed in the past. Of course this just might be my Dad trying to lure me back to MT.
Montana is very Wyoming-like. And closer than either of the coasts. For what it's worth.
My main point in this was to assert that people usually have to move to get whatever good professional jobs there are. I chose Wyoming because it is in fact the least populated state, but I was inspired by a blog post I read by a young librarian a few years out of school who was complaining that she couldn't find any jobs in her very tiny New England state. And I would have said to that woman, move where the jobs are or stop complaining.
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