Comments on: Is the United States Training Too Many Librarians or Too Few? (Part 1)

By: sharon

sharon — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 10:04:33 +0000

joyce, in my limited experience (3.5 years of part-time library jobs while I worked on the MLS, and 2 years of full-time work), when the job description is that specific, there is already someone in line for the position. For whatever reason–civil service rules, union rules, or both–the promotion can’t be called a promotion, but must be opened to outside applicants so that if challenged, the administration can point to a folder of applications to prove that they did due diligence in searching for candidates.

The other thing I learned in my limited experience is that when the first sentence of the job description specifies a particular personality type, it means they want an extrovert. Not just someone who can fake it for 9 hours a day, but a real extrovert. I don’t waste my time and theirs by applying for these.

By: joyce

joyce — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 07:59:24 +0000

It’s easy to blame the graduates. But so many cannot find jobs it cannot be the only reason they cannot find a job. And they need to pay back loans. Why should the library school make more money on the graduate once they have graduated? Especially when they have accepted graduates who are facing the unlikelihood that they will ever be employed as a librarian. It one both several larger libraries shut down accepting applications for a pool because they had too many people employed who were qualified for promotions. Also many jobs shut down accepting applications after a week or less because there are so many applying. If these schools want their own to have success why don’t they hire their own when a job comes up??? Often they don’t. Since when is education is for profit on the student that is produced???

By: joyce

joyce — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 07:52:10 +0000

I think they are struggling to fill jobs because what they want is a person who has qualifications for 5 jobs. They want 5 to 7 years of progressively responsible job growth. Language ability in Spanish, I’ve seen Russian, Parsi, and some dialects that are spoken in a small area of one country. Then there is the bouncy happy personality, a team player, computer skills that would require a computer degree, marketing skills. Often for Librarian 1 jobs they want a year of professional service. Supervisory skills. For children’s librarian they often prefer those who have often been teachers. I have been amazed….and the income does not live up to the list of qualifications. Some places, even public libraries, want two master’s degrees. Never mind the person is still trying to pay for one…It is inflexibility not that they couldn’t find someone close to the description…and for public library work I don’t see that in most positions it’s needed. I have been reading that many new MLs graduates are giving up and entering other professions. I believe the truth needs to be told. They do not need anymore librarians minted for at least 20 year.

By: Tell Me My Math is Wrong, Because I Don’t Like These Numbers | Hiring Librarians

Sat, 31 Mar 2012 15:05:13 +0000

[...] I was thinking about this, I came across Brett Bonfield’s piece Is the United States Training Too Many Librarians or Too Few? (Part 1) at In the Library with the Lead Pipe. He has more statistics, from different places, including one [...]

By: Andy

Andy — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 14:54:10 +0000

I worked for over 6 years in a special library at a state preservation agency, before moving into the whacky and vibrant world of public libraries, where I am managing a serials collection for a library system and also serving as a public services librarian. Although I would like to work in a management capacity at some point, I’m just glad to be working as a professional librarian at all, as many of my former colleagues on the state level were laid off or are working as “super-clerks.” I think this is also contributing to the glut–many MLS holders who worked for state agencies and libraries across the country have lost their jobs because of the economic crisis. Supporting a family of four, relying on state funding was incredibly precarious, and so folks like me with a number of years of experience are applying for entry level and/or non-management type jobs at institutions with more stable funding, and/or the librarians who have lost their jobs are applying to these positions. I applied for an academic post before accepting my current position, that paid just $2000 less than I’m currently making, and the position had apparently 200 applicants. It’s just a hard time for folks in all professions, across the board.

By: Wendy Bunch

Wendy Bunch — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 18:35:08 +0000

Thanks so much for getting back to me! Any idea how to cite the link? I’m using MLA style. I’ll probably figure it out but thought you might know…

By: Wendy Bunch

Wendy Bunch — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 18:33:42 +0000

Thanks so much for getting back to me! Have any idea how to cite it? I’m using MLA style on my paper. I’ll probably figure it out but thought you might know….

By: Brett Bonfield

Brett Bonfield — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 17:47:16 +0000

Yes, looking back on it now I could have made the relationship between the link and the data a lot clearer. The 84% figure comes from the Department of Labor, via a project it sponsors called O*Net. The link is labeled "Department of Labor," and in the article above it's a couple of paragraphs before the 84% figure. When you follow the "Department of Labor" link, scroll down to the Education section of the resulting page (the page itself is titled, "Summary Report for: 25-4021.00 - Librarians").

By: Wendy

Wendy — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 21:31:59 +0000

Hi there,
I am in library school and appreciated your column. I am working on a research paper and was wondering where you got the stats for the claim that 84% of jobs require a MLIS degree…it wasn’t clear from your lists of cites. Thanks!

By: Bill

Bill — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 19:26:35 +0000

In my library system, recent MLS graduates are applying for clerical and library assistant positions that are paying $25,000 per year. Yes, there are too many librarians graduating from college and not enough jobs for them, as they are soaking up the lower paid positions that were never intended for them.