Anyone work in a career field that won't last until retirement? What do you do?

[collegejunkie]

look at universities. our librarians are CRAZY BUSY - especially our librarians that are assigned to our medical libraries.

i keep my librarians pretty busy myself by having them help me pull articles and information for me when i can't find it myself.

i was going to say this. i also know that law school librarians make very good money. i believe you may need an advanced degree for this (maybe even a law degree), but i think that indicates that there is definitely a need for librarians. i don't know what i'd do without the ones at school.

 

[bumbershoot]

e-readers won't obliterate libraries...how could they? Libraries now have access to rentable books in that format; just b/c a book isn't printed doesn't mean it's free! Once Kindle makes the library use feature go live I'll be using the library even more, as I read books much faster on the Kindle.


If anything would hurt libraries, I'd look to google, LOL. I've forgotten how to do proper research, it's really sad, ever since google showed up. I can't even remember what I used to do in college to research for papers....

 

[Cindy B]

At my school, the librarian is hardly in her library. We are in a large inner city Prek -8th grade school. She is doing things like reading in other classrooms, helping students research (she's working on reliable/unreliable sources with me and my 8th graders), conducting response to intervention sessions, supervising younger classes, plus having library "classes" for Prek-4th graders as a special.

She also teaches a 35 minute literacy block for my 8th graders.

If you are afraid of your position being eliminated, go to an inner city school-- you will be used (and then some).

 

[HugsForEeyore]

Hi, OP here. You guys are WAY more optimistic than I am about the future! Maybe it will rub off on me eventually. I still think the e-reader/tablets/phones will change how people get information. If you can't download it in seconds onto these devices, I think many people won't care or bother with any other way to get a book or to find information (whether go to a library, etc).

A curious fact I noticed here on the DIS about e-readers is that most people seem to read free ebooks. I have not seen people spend lots of money on buying ebooks. Maybe there is hope!

I just been in the doldrums - I want to plan a future but it's hard when it seems your field may die away. My current job at my library is pretty good - we are very busy and we already take on the "community center" role, but I still worry about the future.

But I think the poster who mention budget cuts is probably the most correct. It doesn't matter if libraries are well-used; if a town doesn't have the money, bye bye library.

I been trying to keep my computer skills up-to-date, which is probably my best game plan for now. Thanks for all the responses!!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Flip side (though these are not perfect analogies):

Radio stations (free music) still exist with albums, then 8-track, then cassette, then cd, then mp3.

Movie theaters still exist even though VHS, then DVD (and a few in between) were created.

People still make dinners at home (thus grocery stores stay in business) even with the abundance of restaurants.

Doctors still exist even though there is webMD and OTC medicines

Newspapers still exist, they are just converting to web based

Times change, it takes a long time to become obsolete. Libraries have existed for too long a time to disappear over one single invention.

Library hours may get cut, but it is doubtful that a library would be shut down completely over budget cuts.

There are many things the almighty kindle cannot do. (sometimes it is nice to have 4 reference books open and visible.

 

[NotUrsula]

Hi, OP here. You guys are WAY more optimistic than I am about the future! Maybe it will rub off on me eventually. I still think the e-reader/tablets/phones will change how people get information. If you can't download it in seconds onto these devices, I think many people won't care or bother with any other way to get a book or to find information (whether go to a library, etc).

With all due respect, I think you have a bit of a case of tunnel vision. I've been in the field one way or another since 1970 (got my MLIS in '87), and I've seen so many sea changes that I stopped counting at least a decade ago. In the old days things did not change as fast as they do now, so it does take more effort to keep up, but change has been a part of our reality for a LONG time now. (I remember a time when the very first thing that every single person in my tech services dept. did every single working morning was to file an inch of catalog cards -- when's the last time any of us did THAT?)

If you haven't been to a conference lately, I would really urge you to try to find time for one this summer. It will hugely broaden your horizons; it broadens mine so much that I'm on the verge of technology fatigue. If you haven't already, check out the LISevents website; they track every conference, meeting and webinar related to libraries and information services. http://lisevents.com/
SLA in particular is a great resource for training classes and specialty certifications; they call it CLICKUniversity.

 

[SeattleRedBear]

Very good advice from many people. I got my MLS in 1990 and have seen the field change immensely. I do believe that the current economic environment will cause the profession as a whole to contract (since most of us are funded by public money...less money means fewer jobs) but the services we provide are too valuable and transferable enough that I don't think we will disappear completely (it will take a lot more than a Kindle to replace us). We've been told to adjust to a new reality which involves fewer people with different skill sets, but that the core of what we do (provide access to information services and resources; promote literacy and community; etc.) won't go away. However the tools, processes and environment will change.

I work for a research university library. Over the last three years, we've lost just under 10% of our positions, but we are busier than ever. Not as many people coming to the reference desk to ask questions but online/chat reference statistics are through the roof. Gate counts still increasing (due to the services we provide rather than the collections) and campus surveys indicate we are seen as one of the most vital services on campus.

As we in the profession all know, the great irony in library funding is that we receive the least funding (from public sources) at the time that we need it the most (due to increased demand for services because people can no longer afford getting their DVD's from blockbuster, their books from amazon or their home DSL from comcast). A kindle...that's nothing.

 

[dawnball]

out e-readers is that most people seem to read free ebooks. I have not seen people spend lots of money on buying ebooks. Maybe there is hope!

My husband and I did exclusively free ebooks until we decided which technology we wanted to be stuck with. We picked kindle (because you can read kindle books on a rooted nook!) about two weeks ago. We set up a new amazon account just for kindle (so we can share books) and populated it with a $25 gift card. It took us less than a week to blow through that, and we refilled with $100, then started adding our coins to it when we take them to the coinstar machine. Consuming books via kindle is so much easier than buying them. I don't have to wait for delivery, I don't have to go get it. Click, password, click, wait for the download, done.

Also, since my phone runs kindle, I -always- have a book handy, and I never lose my place. This is a dangerous thing for us. I may have to start rationing.

 

[englishteacha]

Our librarian at our middle school is the queen of, well, everything! If she doesn't know something, she knows exactly how to find it! She's helped me so much with my MS Ed. degree, and the kids practically worship the ground she walks on. She's our expert on social media, internet safety, smartboards, and all that stuff, as well as the book lady. Learn everything you can, and what you don't know, figure out where to find the answers. Think of this as a great opportunity. Learn how to use a Kindle or a Nook, learn where people can get free e-books and free, reliable reference sources. Be a reference yourself!

 

[Tink3815]

Yup! I'm a high school Drafting/CAD/Engineering/Architecture/Interior Design teacher. I thought I was good, I thought I was safe. But honestly with the massive budget cuts, stricter HS graduation requirements, the move to break up unions, eliminate tenure, etc, etc, etc, I don't foresee having a job for more 10 years. If things keep up at the current pace, I say less then 5.

I've been teaching for 12 years, and with 13 more I can "retire". I'm at least vested in the state's retirement system for now.

This summer I'm brushing up on my "real world" skills. I've never worked as a CAD designer. I started teaching at 22 years old. But I know I possess skills that could be transferred to a 9-5 job. So I'm gearing up for the possibility that it might become my reality.

The real world as you call it can at times be eyeopening for somone who has never worked in the private sector. You are very fortune that you have your pension vested by the state. Most private companies do not even do matching contributions into 401k's anymore.

 

[dimimi]

Sorry to be negative, but I just talked to friends from a school I used to work at. They are cutting all of the librarians, that were certified in Library Science and replacing them with aides.

 

[HugsForEeyore]

Sorry to be negative, but I just talked to friends from a school I used to work at. They are cutting all of the librarians, that were certified in Library Science and replacing them with aides.

This is the stuff I worry about, and probably why I posted this thread. I am actually surprised so many on this thread were so optimistic, cause I'm sure not!

To the other poster who said that libraries won't close because of budget cuts: this nearby library is shutting it's doors this month: http://northvale.bccls.org/. I think this is why I am soooo pessimistic at the moment, since I just heard of this closing. I feel like I need to bail ship and ward off impending disaster somehow! My library is OK for now, but I know I have to think ahead.

I didn't mean for this thread to be all about libraries - if anyone else works in a field that may go obsolete, love you hear from you, too!

Thanks for all the replies! An interesting read ...!