I’ve received several more emails for people who would like to be contributors. Don’t worry! I’m not ignoring anyone and will respond next week. For those of you in academic libraries, I’m sure you understand how busy this time of year can be for us reference types! Have a good weekend all and if you are in the path of the ice storm going through the Midwest, stay safe.

Has anyone ever asked you why you wanted to be a librarian? Maybe you have a quick, pithy response. Or perhaps, you’re reasons are a bit more complicated and convoluted. Some people grew up knowing that this was their calling while others kind of wandering into the profession.

I was one of those who wandered in somewhat by chance. My bachelor degree is in Music Therapy, about as far from Library Science as you can get. I was all set to change the world by drumming with messed up kids. And then I burned out. Yep, I completely went up in smoke and decided it was time for a change. Major change! So, I tried out insurance sales for awhile, but I’m just a bit too ethical to sell stuff to people who really don’t want or can’t afford to spend money on more insurance. Don’t get me wrong, I like insurance, have some myself, have nothing against salespeople in general. It just wasn’t for me. Even if we did have a fun commercial that generated great name recognition.

So, after a good try, I started looking for a regular job again. A friend pointed me towards the local library who was looking for someone to be a children’s librarian. Didn’t need an MLS and I like books and libraries, so it seemed like a good fit. Applied, got the job, and was encouraged by the director at the time to seriously consider getting my MLS. As I was really enjoying what I was doing, I decided to look into and agreed that it was a good idea. I’d been casting about for a couple of years thinking about getting a Master’s degree in something but hadn’t been really interested in much. Library Science actually was interesting in theory and became so in fact when I started my classes.

At first I thought I’d be a Youth Services Librarian or a cataloger, but after classes with a great Collection Development Librarian and a Reference Librarian, decided that my interests were much better suited to these areas. Being a reference librarian is sometimes a lot like being on a treasure hunt. And I like the instruction part of my job as well that fits quite well with being a reference librarian. As to Collection Development, how cool is it to be able to choose books? I enjoy reading reviews, getting faculty input, looking at the curriculum, etc. to get the best resources for my university.

Corny as this may sound, on some level, there was something guiding me into this profession. I’m happy and content with what I’m doing. There is room to grow professionally in this field and I have enough challenges to keep me satisfied. While I’m not likely to ever be one of the mover and shakers, I have found a place where I have something to offer and where my skills are put to good use. Personally, I can’t really ask for more from my job or chosen field.

So, now I turn the question to you. Why did you (or are you planning to) become a librarian?

Welcome back from the holiday weekend everybody! Hope you all had a safe and relaxing time. One of the nice things about working in an academic library is that we generally close for a few days over major holidays.

I’m fairly new to my position (started in mid-June) and am a tenure-track professor. While there are some things that are definitely appealing about eventually gaining tenure, the process also is a bit daunting. Hopefully all of those out there who are also on the same path have someone to mentor you and help you along the way.

One of the issues that I’ve been thinking about recently is scholarly publishing. Scholarly research work is extremely important in academia. And once you’ve done the work, you are highly encouraged to seek out a way to get that work published in a peer reviewed journal or some such thing. Fortunately, I’m working with a colleague and will be getting published in a conference proceeding in the spring. This is taking some of the pressure off this aspect so that I can focus on other scholarly pursuits in the next few years.

But scholarly communication in general is changing. Should journals or conference proceedings be the only recognized form of scholarly communication to meet tenure requirements? I say no. Part of my problem with journals is that often work is not published until at least a year later, making the research potentially out-of-date. And with so many people publishing to meet tenure requirements, I think that the potential is there for what is printed to be of a lower caliber. In the end this does a disservice to everyone in the field. Wouldn’t it be better for researchers to take the time to conduct good studies, compile adequate data, carefully analyze the results/conclusions before rushing to get something published?

Also, I personally get tired of seeing the some information stated in slightly different ways by different authors. It would be better to see more collaboration between researchers in some of these areas. I have to wonder if we wouldn’t get a better product if people were more willing (and encouraged) to cooperate with each other rather than compete against each other.

Most of us will readily admit that librarianship itself is a rapidly changing field. I think if we consider how we approach scholarly communication, we can better meet the needs of current and future librarians.

I’ve heard from a few people and author/contributor invitations are being sent out. I look forward to reading what other new or future librarians have to say. The easiest way to keep up is to subscribe to the feed. But be prepared for interesting posts a few times a week. And feel free to comment. Lively discussions will be welcomed!

I’ve been emailed by several people already about writing for the blog. What I’m looking for has shifted somewhat. Although I will welcome guest writers at any time, currently I’d like to find people who are interested in writing two or three times monthly regarding some specific areas.

So here’s the list of what I’d like to see covered. This may change as the blog develops and we discover other things that are important to the readership. Someone asked me what will be different here than what’s already available. One big thing is that this will be for and from people relatively new to the field. Another thing is that I hope we will hear some fresh voices and give new librarians a chance to write about things important to them and have it read. Lastly, I’d like to bring things together in one location. So gradually I will be adding feeds to the sidebar.

Okay. Now for the list:
*Public Libraries
Reference Services
Youth/Children’s Services
Technical Services
Instruction

*Academic Libraries
Reference Services
Technical Services
Special Collections/Archives
Instruction

*Library School/Education (specifically those currently in school)
Distance Education
Resident Programs

*Management/Supervisory Positions (there are some relatively new librarians who have landed these positions)

*Non-traditional jobs

*Paraprofessionals

*Unemployed/looking for a librarian position

*Relevant News Issues

*Technology

*Individuals states/regions/countries

If you want to become a regular contributor for one of these topics, please contact me at jsodt at emporia dot edu. My regular contribution is going to be about navigating the tenure track in an academic library. Together, I think we can really make an impact and help each other along with our professional development.

***If you wish to be an fairly anonymous blogger, I will respect these requests.

This blog will be dedicated to discussing issues important to new librarians. Guest authors are welcome. Please email me at jsodt at emporia dot edu if you would like to become a blogger on this site.