Over the course of this series of Blogs we are going to cover the Who, What, When, Where, Why and How of Alternative LIS or IP Careers. We also would like to initiate a Job Bank Blog that will be a collection of alternative career ideas and job titles and descriptions. Alternative LIS/IP careers are a very important topic in today’s tight job market and I think we should all be aware of the many possibilities that the LIS profession can offer us.
The traditional careers of people who pursue degrees in Library and Information Science usually include them working as reference librarians, researchers, children’s librarians, collection development librarians, catalogers in technical services, public services circulators, or as administrator archivists (McGuire, 2003) in settings such as school, public and academic libraries. Yet, more and more, librarians are applying their information management and research skills to arenas outside of libraries—for example, database development, reference tool development, information systems, publishing, Internet coordination, marketing, Web content management and design, and training of database users (http://stats.bls.gov/oco/ocos068.htm).
Moreover, entrepreneurial librarians sometimes start their own consulting practice, working as information brokers, providing services to other libraries, businesses, or government agencies (http://stats.bls.gov/oco/ocos068.htm). Additionally, some librarians have branched out even further, becoming private investigators, document analysts, business information specialists, data services specialist and resource managers.
With the coming of the information age, there are now more careers that are actually available for librarians because of the current emphasis on information technology. Traditional librarians may choose to jump to alternative careers because it is where the trend seems to be leading them. Now that everything revolves around the Internet and the World Wide Web, libraries are in the process of getting involved in ‘social’ networking technologies in order to more efficiently serve their patrons. This drives their employees to grow in skill and knowledge.
Being imaginative with possible job titles in the Library and Information Science profession is important. “According to career counselor Nancy Friedberg, ‘It’s OK to play with titles. For instance, one client was a librarian, earning $27,000. I suggested he reposition himself as an information-management specialist. He now makes over $100,000 at a consulting firm’” (Mach, 2008). In today’s economy, especially in Michigan, it is vital to be aware, and take advantage of all the possible job markets an LIS education can open up for us. Knowledge about computer software and technology and ways to find and manage information are very marketable skills.
According to Darwin McGuire (2003), there are six categories to choose from for a librarian who is searching for a career: (1) libraries, (2) corporate, (3) freelance, (4) technology, (5) government and (6) other. Most of the alternative careers, however, are technology related, and the list is almost endless: chief information officer, data information analyst, data manager, database administrator, database analyst, database consultant, database designer, database manager, database specialist, information architect, information engineer, information management specialist, information manager, information security engineer, information site architect, information specialist, information technology manager, knowledge management coordinator, knowledge manager, medical records administrator, network administrator, reporting analyst, and systems analyst (Shontz, 2004, p.94). Still, there are even more alternative careers under the research category (e.g., database researcher).
For some real-life accounts of librarians using their education in an alternative way check out http://studentorg.cua.edu/asis/march98.htm. Also check out the article by Brunella Longo: “How a Librarian Can Live Nine Lives in a Knowledge-based Economy” (See References). It talks about how being creative and proactive can keep our careers alive and well. As Longo states, “…we must avoid the risk of becoming trapped in narrow solutions that could quickly become obsolete, inadequate, or insufficient with respect to the expectations of users, the potential of information sciences and the opportunities offered by technological progress.”
Based on your understanding of alternative career options for Library and Information Science master’s degree holders, address as many of the following discussion question as you want in order to share and further thoughts and findings pertaining to this subject matter.
Toolkit Resources
http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6490671.html
http://www.fims.uwo.ca/mlis/careers/placement/
http://www.michellemach.com/jobtitles/realjobs.html
Alternative careers workshop. (1998, March 31). Retrieved April 4, 2008, from the Catholic University School of Library Science database: http://studentorg.cua.edu/asis/march98.htm.
Keller, L. (2000, November 8). Looking it up. Retrieved April 4, 2008, from the Cable News Network: http://archives.cnn.com/2000/CAREER/trends/11/28/librarians/.
Real job titles for library and information science professionals. Retrieved April 15, 2008, from Michelle Mach’s Job Title Generator http://www.michellemach.com/jobtitles/realjobs.html
References
Longo, B. (2001, November/December). How a librarian can live nine lives in a knowledge-based cconomy. Computers in Libraries, 21(10), 40-43.
McGuire, D. (2003, December). Librarians in the information age: Alternative uses of MLS degrees. Retrieved April 4, 2008, from LISCareer.com, http://www.liscareer.com/mcguire_alternativecareers.htm.
Shontz, P. (2004). The librarian’s career guidebook. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press. Retrieved April 4, 2008, from http://stats.bls.gov/oco/ocos068.htm
Discussion Questions
1. What are some of the true-to-life reasons why traditional librarians choose to take the alternative path?
2. Would alternative careers can be short-term solutions or long-term careers?
3. What is the effect of the Internet on those who have an the LIS degree?
4. What can current MLIS students do while in school to broaden their “scope” to better prepare for non-traditional job possibilities?
5. What aspects of a career in LIS do you find most attractive and do the “alternative” careers possess these?
6. What can be done to close the training gaps that might be present in an alternative job position?
7. If you were to decide to pursue an alternative career path, which would you choose and why? Include in the description the relevance of the career to the field of library and information science.
8. Is there any alternative career that you did not see discussed above in which you would be interested? If so, please share information about the career occupation.
9. Can pursuing an alternative career help us become more marketable in the traditional library profession?
(Submission by Tiffany Cotton and Holly Clarke - Group Seven)
32 comments:
I think that there are many valid reasons to consider alternative LIS careers, particularly in Michigan. I think that the Internet has opened up a broad range of options, such as the consulting and database services mentioned in this post. More and more individuals and companies rely on professionals to help them either gather or disseminate information. It is no longer feasible for an amateur to create an amazing, effective website that conveys information easily to the user or gathers information for the company running it. In this sense, technology is more needed than ever. Personally, I would avoid these alternative jobs because what is called "creative" titling in the post would feel ambiguous and a little scary to me, but it is nice to know that these options are open.
1. What are some of the true-to-life reasons why traditional librarians choose to take the alternative path?
There are many reasons why someone might decide to take the less-traveled LIS path. One, sometimes, a person needs to work "odd hours" that a less-traditional position may be able to provide. For example, some people need to be home weekdays to care for a child or elderly parent. Sometimes, a person needs to work from home because of health or family concerns. In this case, one could be an online reference librarian for a company/organization. Some of the nontraditional positions may pay more, which would help many of us to pay off our student loans. I think that a person who has been in the traditional LIS field could be burnt-out and want a change. The nontraditional field would offer a change of pace and a scenery. There are a million and one reasons why a person may choose the alternative paths.
Meagan Brown
Just a silly side note, the Darwin McGuire quoted in the blog is a librarian where I work. He's a great librarian!
Meagan Brown
1. What are some of the true-to-life reasons why traditional librarians choose to take the alternative path?
I would say that money is definitely a factor. Also, as stated in the studentorg.cua.edu article is the fact that traditional library jobs/tasks are being "turned over to highly paid recent college graduates" (Tassinari)
4. What can current MLIS students do while in school to broaden their "scope" to better prepare...?
Students can, and should, take electives that stretch their knowledge base as Martha Vander Kolk did (again from the studentorg.cua.edu article). She took an internet resources class and it turned out to change her focus towards alternative options.
7. If you were to decide to pursue an alternative career path, which would you choose...."
If I were to choose some type of alternative path, it may be some sort of trainer or instructor. I have had the opportunity the last several years of training new staff and subs. I really enjoy doing this, and did not hesitate when my supervisor approached me about providing basic computer skills training to the public. Internet knowledge and skills are a must here. I might even be interested in research--reference skills would be a must in this type of position.
Everyone is making important points about this area.
I would like to specifically agree with the need to juggle career around family needs. I also would like to add to that the likelyhood of needing more than one job and the logistics of juggling those is an increasing possibility. Especially in Michigan, it is more difficult to get a full time librarian job. The importance of branching out and keeping possibilities open is huge.
It is also a good point that employers are anxious to hire recent graduates. Obviously a recent graduate will more likely be very current with today's technology. However, I think that a diligent person can focus on keeping up to date technologically and avoid this possible future pitfall.
Mary like you, if I was to choose an alternative LIS career path, it would probably be as a ‘trainer or instructor’ as well. During the last three years of my work experience within an academic library, I was responsible for training all of the new student staff members and volunteers within the technical services department. I really enjoyed explaining to people how to do certain acquisition related tasks and moreover I can definitely see how money could attract more librarians to want to use more of their technical skills in order to generate more income. Thanks for sharing the article source.
Also, good points Meagan; job flexibility and career change would probably be the “main” reasons (in addition to money) why someone might want to pursue an alternative career path. In my opinion, another reason why someone may want to pursue this type of career may be because they eventually become more interested and prefer to work in a technological field because they have been working with technology so long (versus just deciding to change to see if they would like the new career field). Yet I think it is important for any librarian who decides to work in a technical field to be prepared to do so by knowing just as much as those who have extensive education and experience in technology.
Current MLIS students can better prepare for non-traditional positions by working with individuals who have non-traditional positions. One way to do this would be to job shadow, which will give the student a better understanding of the job and its responsibilities.
I find the public service aspect to be most appealing in the LIS field. I want to use the available resources to find information for patrons or clients. Public services would still exist in alternative careers, it would just be different publics that are being served. For example, being an instructor or trainer would require services to students or employees, not the general public.
To close training gaps for non-traditional positions, LIS programs could offer a course or seminar on Alternative Career options, such as job searches and how to start your own information business.
Jessica Kay-Oosterhouse
What we can best do to help are carer is to take more and more technology courses. It seems that the way of the future is heading to technology and libraries I can see will one day be all on the internet.
7. If you were to decide to pursue an alternative career path, which would you choose and why? Include in the description the relevance of the career to the field of library and information science.
I would like to be a special librarian in either a corporation or law firm. I currently have a masters in management so that career choice would be a great fit.
Ifla [International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions] describes special libraries as a specific library with specific kinds of service functions and subject specialties, such as art, biological and medical, geography and map, government, science and technology, and social science libraries (Ifla, 2007).
As the role of librarian is expanding it would be challenging and exciting to grow and change with the trend. Becoming an information specialist in the age of information just seems to be a wise choice.
IFLA. (2007, October 2). Division of Special Libraries. Retrieved April 20, 2008, from http://http:// www.ifla.org/VII/d2/dsl.htm
People choose to work outside mainstream academic or corporate culture for many reasons; from political to personal. I think the internet has only helped the LIS profession and will continue to do so. Access to information is faster and easier. Despite the perils of misinformation, I think the good far outweighs the bad with the rise of the internet.
I have always dreamed of opening and running my own lending library. Hopefully someday that could be a reality; albeit not a fas track to independent wealth.
With regards to number 3, I have to say that if you would have told me as an undergraduate that I would be in any field that was Internet intensive, I probably would not have believed it at the time, despite my normal everyday usage of the net. Deeper still, I am completely amazed how much it is now used in the library system and within the LIS program. I think it is interesting how it has changed the face of traditional education and the workplace.
I think some people consider alternative LIS jobs for multiple reasons. Some people may do so because it can be tough to find a full time job w/ benefits in the traditional role (especially in Michigan). I think others may simply want a change of pace after working in a traditional positions. Others may never have wanted a traditional position and went through the LIS programs to prepare for an alternative career because that's what they were interested in.
These reasons could each be either long term or short term career plans. I think once people are in a position that is right for them they know and it becomes the long term plan. However, people may or may not know that when they are looking for positions and it may seem short term.
2. Alternative careers can be both long term and short term solutions. It is pretty much a common fact that the economy especially in Michigan is suffering. Long gone are the days of finding a job if you have a high school diploma and especially a college degree. By broading our outlooks into different areas where we can use our LIS degrees, we are allowing ourselves to be more marketable and find greater success in employment.
4. I guess the best way to broaden our scope would be to network and communicate we those who are at the end of their degrees, just graduated, or those who have been in the job market for awhile. These individuals can provide valuable information and advice on what to expect in the job market, do's and don'ts, and what areas are hot for employment.
Tory Wells
1. What are some of the true-to-life reasons why traditional librarians choose to take the alternative path?
If someone's interests change or become more refined into a certain area, then a traditional librarian may take a different career path.
2. Would alternative careers can be short-term solutions or long-term careers?
I can see how they could be a short-term solution if a new mother wants to work less or if one is wants a break from the more traditional role.
3. What is the effect of the Internet on those who have an the LIS degree?
It's amazing! I saw a T-shirt the other day that said "Librarian: the original search engine", and it's so true! Sure people can still use google and such, and they always will, but librarians are great search engines. Access to more information via technology means that more people are needed to sort out the information.
The Internet has definitely changed the librarian's job. The "Nine Lives" article referenced in the blog says, " Over the centuries, the librarian and teaching professions have become elite groups that are currently losing their exclusive privileges in the access to knowledge." Before, people came to librarians for answers to questions. Now people have Internet access, so the job of the librarian is more of a guide to information than the keeper.
I also love the quote from the Greek philosopher:"Everything flows and nothing abides; everything gives way and nothing stays fixed."
Basically, just being flexible in everything you do is the key.
I like the way the person changed their title to Information Management Specialist and found better paying employment. I think this is a great idea. As time goes by I wonder how many of us will call themselves a Librarian and not something else even though we will have an MLIS. In the future I think the emphasis will be the IS part
1. What are some of the true-to-life reasons why traditional librarians choose to take the alternative path? There are no (full-time) jobs in public libraries. Alternative paths might pay more...
2. Would alternative careers can be short-term solutions or long-term careers? Working as contract employee is short-term. Working as a salaried employee for a corporation or non-profit can be long term.
3. What is the effect of the Internet on those who have an the LIS degree? Much more of the job is web-based. Some libraries are going completely online.
4. What can current MLIS students do while in school to broaden their “scope” to better prepare for non-traditional job possibilities?
Understand web applications and the changing needs of the patrons.
5. What aspects of a career in LIS do you find most attractive and do the “alternative” careers possess these?
I enjoy promoting the intellectual development of others. I think alternative careers can provide the same thing.
6. What can be done to close the training gaps that might be present in an alternative job position?
Attend seminars and training workshops on databases and researching. In any job there's a learning curve once you start.
3. What is the effect of the Internet on those who have an the LIS degree?
I think the Internet can have both a positive and negative effect on people with an LIS degree. It has a positive effect because it opens us up to more resources that aren't necessarily available in every library. It provides access to other library's collections, access to databases, and opportunities for speedier communication. It makes the catalog process easier and more handy to point patrons in the right direction of a book. The Internet can have a negative effect too. The library may not have as many physical visitors because people are using the Internet instead of coming into the library. It means that there is more training for anyone working in a library. Overall though, I think that the Internet is a generally positive things for people with an LIS degree as long as we know the correct ways in which to utilize the information it provides.
I am always looking at job postings, even though I am not currently looking for a new job. I just like to see what is out there, which is actually a lot. I have seen some interesting postings from non-profit organizations, researching and cataloguing the organizations history. I have also found job postings in the entertainment industry. One in particular dealt with researching for documentary films.
There are many options out there, you just have to get a little creative with your search methods.
3. What is the effect of the Internet on those who have an the LIS degree?
I believe the Internet has helped librarians broaden their skills which can lead to different job opportunities. Maintaining and creating web pages is something I learned to do in the LIS program and those skills alone are valuable. Web page development is a pretty big industry and our skills with the Internet could easily translate into this field. I think it makes us more marketable to libraries. As older librarians begin to retire, they are going to look for a new librarian that knows a lot about technology and what you can do with it.
I also wanted to say that Craigslist is a great resource for finding alternative job postings. You have to search according to city, but I have found a couple of my dream job postings on this site.
www.craigslist.org
7. If you were to decide to pursue an alternative career path, which would you choose and why?
I have the feeling that my perfect job is an alternative LIS career that I haven't run across yet! But of the ones that have been discussed there are two that I find attractive. I think being an information broker would be very interesting and great for earning the big bucks. Unfortunately I'm not sure I'm organized enough to be my own boss, so I'd have to work in a firm that was already established. After awhile I might get tired of constant deadlines, but it's something I'd be interested in for at least a few years.
Number two would be a job where I could create/maintain/update a website of some sort. I discovered that I liked programming at the end of my senior year of college, and if I could learn a bit more about it and apply it in an LIS job that would be great! Plus I like learning about new unusual ways to use the web to make life more efficient.
I think there are a wide array of reasons that could contribute to a librarian choosing an alternative LIS career as opposed to a more traditional position in a library. Income seems to be one of the more popular factors in determining what LIS career to pursue. As in the blog post a librarian can easily double their income by switching to one of the more lucrative alternative positions. In the article "How a Librarian Can Live Nine Lives in a Knowledge-Based Economy" the librarian found many of her library-related skills transfered to her new "alternative" career, with a few glaring exceptions. "Here I discovered new "user centered" design methods, based on the construction of experience. Interface design must begin from the understanding and definitions of the goals and activities of the user, and not from the classification and ordering of the information." She found that to meet the needs of her new client base she had to be much more hyper-sensitive to the users and the context that they were seeking.
Other reasons for librarians to travel down the alternative LIS job avenue can be boredom, lack of upward mobility in their current libraries and lack of job security.
1. What are some of the true-to-life reasons why traditional librarians choose to take the alternative path?
The world of librarians and technology is constantly changing and evolving into something new. Therefore career paths are also going to be changing. As new technology career paths form so will library positions. Some of us going through the LIS program right now could end up in a position that isn't even created yet! Pretty amazing stuff!
2. Would alternative careers can be short-term solutions or long-term careers?
I think many of these careers would be a long-term career as new things come about new jobs are created that are able to evolve with technology. If you take one of these jobs there would probably be room for expansion and development for the library also. There will always be some need for librarians, eventually it may not contain books but technology resources will always be around.
3. What is the effect of the Internet on those who have an the LIS degree?
The Internet is one of the technology tools that is most commonly used. There are always new resources that are being developed for the Internet that are used in everyday lives. For example librarians need to know how to use blogs, wikis, podcasts and other forms of technology now, but years from now there will be new forms of technology that need to be learned in order to teach them to patrons of your library.
I think those attracted to an alternative career are more entreprenueral in their thinking. They see the LIS degree as a set of tools that can be used in multiple settings. I think that sometimes one might do a job that starts out short term, but the fire that gets ignited in them makes the transition long term. While in LIS school, we should take various courses in many areas that develops many skills, ie I am interested in being a media specialist, however maybe I will take legal documents course or advanced online searching, just to have a diverse background. Particularly we may all need to look at more technology courses. Nowadays it seems the more technical training you have the more opportunities you have.
1. What are some of the true-to-life reasons why traditional librarians choose to take the alternative path?
More money, better hours, opportunities to work from home, different challenges, no jobs available in library setting and a variety of personal reasons can lead to this choice.
4. What can current MLIS students do while in school to broaden their “scope” to better prepare for non-traditional job possibilities?
Take electives that are challenging and offer new information, instead of looking for an easy grade. Network with professionals and future professionals through classes and extracurricular activities. Work in a job that can help you gain transferable skills. Join library associations. Attend conferences. During breaks from classes, read all the materials and recommended readings that you haven't had a chance to really absorb.
6. What can be done to close the training gaps that might be present in an alternative job position?
Continuing education classes through your community,reading related books and journals,and keeping up to date on new technologies can help one to close the gaps.
7. If you were to decide to pursue an alternative career path, which would you choose and why? Include in the description the relevance of the career to the field of library and information science.
Like Mary V and others, I am interested in looking into career paths that involve training and education.
As Toryw has said I think that the best way of increasing our scope is to communicate with fresh graduate people and people already in the domain. I think that we can learn a great deal from people who have been in the field for a quite time, we can learn from their experience because theory is something and real practice is something totally different. I would like to add the professional organizations; I believe that you can learn a great deal by subscribing to these organizations it is a great place to learn about the field and networking.
I think alternatives career can be long term and or short term; it all depends on the person who is to carry this job. Basically every person put some goals and expectations before pursuing any career; I might want to choose an alternative profession because I am bored or dissatisfied with my current employment so this would be a long term job. However if I am to consider an alternative career because I couldn’t find another job or I can’t work full time at the library where there isn’t any part time job; this would be a short term job so I may go back to practicing my desired occupation when I have the opportunity to do that.
NPR had a really interesting story on today's broadcast of Day to Day about the increasing number of professionals (in all fields, not just libraries) who are taking the independent contractor route, and I immediately thought of this week's blog topic. Most of the people interviewed for the story made the decision to freelance after they'd been laid off from more than one job, but were actively seeking a way back into the traditional job market for a variety of reasons.
The people interviewed cited cashflow issues, working extremely long hours, and difficulty separating their work life and their personal life as reasons for going back to a traditional job. These are many of the same reasons independent contracting and entrepreneurship never appealed to me. They also wanted the security of a steady job with health insurance.
You can listen to the story online here: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89913857
That was a great story on NPR and I thought it was interesting how people preferred working in a structured business environment, as opposed to having more freedom and working as independent contractors. In some instances working as an independent contractor is a very appealing idea, but, again, it is more erratic then working a "9-5", type job, and requires A LOT more time and resources to get started and reach sustainability.
That was a great story on NPR and I thought it was interesting how people preferred working in a structured business environment, as opposed to having more freedom and working as independent contractors. In some instances working as an independent contractor is a very appealing idea, but, again, it is more erratic then working a "9-5", type job, and requires A LOT more time and resources to get started and reach sustainability.
1. What are some of the true-to-life reasons why traditional librarians choose to take the alternative path?
One big reason that traditional librarians may choose an alternative career path is simply the dearth of full-time librarian jobs! These jobs are disappearing as more and more libraries replaces librarians with part-time aides. As at least one other person pointed out, the job market is particularly tight here in Michigan. I know a young adult-librarian who searched for a full-time job for TWO years after she graduated! The alternative path can sometimes lead to employment when all the traditional avenues have dried up.
3. What is the effect of the Internet on those who have an the LIS degree?
I can't imagine what the library field was like before the internet! In general, I think it has made the research aspect of our job much simpler. In addition, it has created a demand for LIS professionals who know the ins and outs of databases- from searching to maintenance. I think it has had a particular impact on catalogers, because so many records are online now and can be downloaded from OCLC.
4. What can current MLIS students do while in school to broaden their “scope” to better prepare for non-traditional job possibilities?
Take technology courses!!!! I feel like this is one way to make yourself stand out. Although I am pursuing the school media endorsement, I am seriously thinking about taking the three extra technology courses in order to get the information management certificate, too.
5. What aspects of a career in LIS do you find most attractive and do the “alternative” careers possess these?
I am interested in all aspects of LIS and I am open to any opportunities that come along- in the public or private sector. However, I just do not have a lot of faith that I will be able to find a good job in a school or public library and I want to make myself as marketable as possible.
Thanks for linking the NPR story, Jessica. I had caught a sliver of that, but missed most of it.
I think everyone has brought up really great points why someone would take an alternative career path instead of a traditional one; for example, the hours, family, money, and a change of pace.
Another reason for taking an alternative job seems that they are much easier to land, especially right out of graduate school. Matt Church, my IT instructor is a prime example. He concentrated in public libraries, but after job searching for a while he decided to take a teaching position and another position with serial solutions out of Battle Creek. After a year of gaining some valuable additional skills, he was able to get his foot in the door at a public library!
It seems to me, unless you have had networking opportunities during your graduate studies or an internship position, a lot of my alumni friends have taken alternative careers initially, to continue building their portfolio while they keep their eyes open for library jobs.
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