(Or, The Many Misconceptions of Librarianship) Since starting work as a Graduate Library Trainee, I have encountered all manner of odd perceptions people have about librarians and people who work in libraries. A Twitter conversation a few weeks ago revealed that some people don't know that being a librarian is a real, full-time job, and not volunteer work! So as many people I know are confused about the nature of librarianship today, this is a short guide to why my job does not involve being a dull, dusty, conservative, draconian introvert (feel free to choose your own variation of collected stereotypes), based on things people say to me when they find out I'm a trainee librarian.
"Oh... you wouldn't think being a librarian would be a graduate job, would you? Although really, I think it's a lovely thing to do with your Cambridge degree!"
Not only is being a proper librarian (something I'm still quite a way off from being) a graduate job, it's a postgraduate job. If I want get the word 'librarian' into a future job title, I will need to do a Masters degree in Library and Information Studies (or similar). It involves learning skills in information organisation and retrieval, management, digital media, IT and research methods, amongst other more specialised knowledge. Managing a library is far more complex than it looks from the outside, and at the moment it's what I want to do with my degree because it's something I believe in the worth of.
“Haha, are you getting good at shushing/telling people off/looking sternly over your glasses, then?”
I haven't done any shushing since I started this job! My job is not to present a front of austerity to readers, in order to intimidate them into submission (if you've met me, you'll know I'm not a very frightening person). I have to be friendly, or readers won't want to approach me with questions, and that's what I'm here for. We're about providing access to our resources, rather than denying it. Though we'd rather you didn't bring your pint into the library...
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| A well-worn joke worth remembering. |
Learning to be an information professional? Learning how to make libraries totally awesome hubs of learning? Yes, it is! Think of librarians as information wizards - masters of finding stuff, both in our libraries and in the vast world of digital information. I think that's cool.
"Is it a good time to get in librarianship, though? In ten year's time there'll be no libraries, what with e-books!"
I've addressed this before, but the main points are 1) we're about information, not books specifically, and there's plenty of that, which leaves lots of stuff for us to organise and help navigate. And 2) I don't believe the book is dying anyway. It's just not the only focus any more. Librarians need to adapt and be flexible and creative to keep up with the changing ways in which readers search for and handle information.
"Oh cool, I sometimes think I'd like to retire and become a librarian - you know, have a quiet life, just surrounded by books for company..."
Librarianship is definitely more about people than it is about books! I wouldn't be very good at putting readers in touch with information if I sat in a quiet corner gathering dust. I'm talking to readers all the time - it's my job to find out what they want from their library, and to give answers to the questions they have, or put them in touch with someone who can. I can be a little bit shy sometimes (those who know me as the loud one: yes, really!), but this job is really getting me connecting and communicating with people.
"Do you wear cardigans all the time?"
...Yes. Okay, you've got me there. But that's just me. There are, of course, many non-becardigan'd librarians. And there's a whole blog dedicated to tattooed librarians and archivists (here).
I'm sure most people do already know that the typical cartoon librarian isn't really an accurate picture of the people who work in libraries. But it is definitely an oddly misrepresented profession, and there are still rather a lot of people who cannot imagine what I do with my day besides stamping and shushing.
Best be off - there's someone talking loudly in the History section...*
*Disclaimer: I'm not actually writing this at work; I have far too much to do there!
