Different kinds of library work

[Orang Utan]

ta - my working hours are erratic so it would be impossible to get one day off a week. Not sure if I can afford a course either. May have to try another route.

 

[han]

Jan's an art librarian at a university in London, and she loves it.

It's v interesting and varied - chat to her if you want any tips/advice - she's been working in libraries for nearly 20 years. She qualified as a librarian a few years ago and it really is worth getting the qualification.

If you really think you want to be a librarian, do the qualification (you can do a postgrad diploma or MA) - it instantly means you get to do more interesting work and get paid more.

She did it f/t over a year, but you can do it distance learning over the internet (I know someone who did the librarianship MA by distance learning online, whilst doing a f/t job, I think it's some Scottish university that does it).

 

[han]

The course I did was the MA course at London Metropolitan http://www.londonmet.ac.uk/pgprospectus/courses/information-services-management.cfm part time one day a week - I would recommend it. Of the 100 or so people on the course about half were part time continuing to work in libraries etc, the others were recent graduates who had done the one years work experience

ooh! My other 'arf did that one (but f/t).

 

[Donna Ferentes]

She did it f/t over a year, but you can do it distance learning over the internet (I know someone who did the librarianship MA by distance learning online, whilst doing a f/t job, I think it's some Scottish university that does it).

Aberystwyth certainly used to do a course of that nature.

 

[mattie]

Apropos of nothing, many engineering firms are now empolying librarians (or archivists, as they seem to be referred to).

Most have been stung by an inability to retrive design or early project information, which they thought they'd solved merely by 'going digital'. They were badly wrong.

Anyway, although you're keen to get out of the corporate world I thought I'd mention it - some of the jobs look pretty interesting and the pay is quite good in places, and I can only see it getting more and more important. I am referring predominatly to digital curation, which I assume is part if most librarianship nowadays in any case.

eta: apols for spelling. Either my keyboard's on its way out or I'm losing the ability to type.

 

[Buds and Spawn]

The course I did was the MA course at London Metropolitan http://www.londonmet.ac.uk/pgprospectus/courses/information-services-management.cfm part time one day a week - I would recommend it. Of the 100 or so people on the course about half were part time continuing to work in libraries etc, the others were recent graduates who had done the one years work experience

I did that one too. It really is worth it if you want interesting library work (and a decent wage).