Librarians in training

gre scores
When I took the GRE for my M.A. I got a 690 V and a 550 Q. I decided to try to bring those scores up a bit for my MLS applications. So I've been diligently studying for the past 2 months ... and my scores on the practice tests have been steadily decreasing. I take the GRE in a week (a week!) and I'm getting really nervous. I'm starting to think that it might be safer not to risk getting a lower score by not taking the exam again. What do you guys think? Would by 690/550 qualify me for admission? I'd like to apply to UNC, Simmons, Austin and UCLA.

This is a great forum, I check it everyday. Thank you all for making this a less bewildering process!

Who better to ask than you!
I wanted to ask you a favor. I'm taking a class for career planning in library science and I'm supposed to find some librarians to ask a few questions. Would you be willing to answer them?

1. What is your job title?
2. What do you like about your job?
3. What frustrates you about your job?
4. What would you change at your job?

MUCH MUCH MUCH appreciated!

Jamie

Top Rated Online Programs
Please excuse my bringing this question up again. I know that sometime last year a similar question was asked (if not again some time sooner) but I have been unable find everyone's helpful answers.

I have a particular interest in youth services but my present circumstances have made it necessary to complete a degree online. While I have a fairly good idea what programs would be good if I could physically attend classes, I am not sure what online programs come highly recommended other than the program offered by the University of Illinois. I'm currently based in Illinois but distance should not be a problem if the program does not require its students to come to campus more than once a year. Can anyone make any recommendations either from personal experiences or anything they may have heard by word of mouth about online library science programs in general and/or online programs with the option to focus on youth services? If anyone has completed or is enrolled in an online program with focus on youth services, do you feel that completing the program online was at all detrimental to your education?

Halp!
Does anyone here attend the University of Denver MLIS program? After finishing up my B.A. in History I intend on applying there. I was just wondering how it compared to other schools. Applying to another school, however, is not an option for me as I have a mortgage and can't just up and leave the state of Colorado. Also, are there any good online degrees that are from accredited schools that I could apply to...and how is it doing this type of degree completely online? What about "hands on" type of stuff...will I miss out on this with an online degree?

Current Mood: curious

BOOK WEEK
YO! English teachers! Librarians! IN ONTARIO, CANADA

Are you aware of Canadian Children's Book Week? NO, it is not just for children, it is also for young adults. This year we have Meg Tilly (yes, the actress from Agnes of God) who does a very important book on sexual abuse and Jeff Rud, and author who had written a book about a grade 11 basketball player who has a friend who is in the school play and the homophobia expressed by the rest of his team.

We also have 5 other authors and storytellers who are for younger children.

These authors will be in the province for Book Week Nov. 20-24. The readings are $125 a piece (there is some funding help if needed). GIVE YOUR KIDS ACCESS TO AN AUTHOR FOR AN HOUR!!!!!

Apply at www.bookweek.ca

Different authors are available in the rest of Canada

Current Mood: excited

okay so i posted earlier about my interest in rare books -- thanks for the comments!

now im looking through other things and im interested in getting a PhD in History of books/print culture. (any - either American, European .. ancient/medieval/early modern etc.) I looked through schools/professors -- and there has not been any in the area ... Any advice on that? I'm interested in the Northeast area (since I'm already working as a librarian-trainee, I'd like to stay where I am) ... particularly NY ... thanks!

Banned Books Week September 27 - October 4, 2008 (cross-posted)
Hi, all! I posted a couple of notes about what the American Library Association (ALA) is doing to celebrate Banned Books Week, including the Banned Books Week Read-Out taking place on September 27, 2008, in downtown Chicago, from Noon to 4:00 pm Central Time. We've also planned some activities for ALA Island in Second Life. See both entries (too long for just one!):

All About Banned Books Week September 27 - October 4, 2008! -- with video clips!

All About Banned Books Week in Second Life September 27 - October 4, 2008!

Also see:

Banned Books Week main page at the ALA web site -- http://www.ala.org/bbooks

Banned Books Week web site -- http://www.bannedbooksweek.org

What helped you decide where to apply?
I am currently working on my applications, and have decided to apply to no more than 4 MSLIS programs in various parts of the country, including Clarion and University of Pittsburgh (I have PA state residency), University of Washington, and another program (in a different geographical area) that I haven't yet decided upon. Is it always cheaper to stay in one's home state? Is four programs too many or too few to apply to? Did anyone move to an entirely different area for their studies? What was it like? What helped you determine, ultimately, where you attended?

Current Mood: curious

Techie Programs
I'm starting to research library school Masters programs, and I'd love some input. I've worked in reference for a large public library system for the past three years, and I want to make the most of my education. I might go insane if I have to hear about how to answer reference questions for two years in classes with people who can barely check their email (I've heard stories). I'm wondering which programs are seen as being the most technology-based and which programs draw students that are already pretty tech-savvy. I'm interested in getting into website and electronic resource design, probably in a public library setting (I'm still vague on exactly what I want to do, so I can't get more specific than that). Like I said, I've started my own research, but I'd like to hear what others know or have heard in case I'm overlooking a particular school that would be a great fit. Thanks everyone!

law librarians
hi all. i'm taking the gre soon and hoping to begin applying to for distance learning mlis courses by the end of this year. i've been mulling around the idea of becoming a law librarian -- i have a little bit of legal experience and plan on building on it during grad school, so law librarianship seems like a natural career path.

i was wondering if anyone here had any information regarding it, whether it's the career in general, getting there in terms of education requirements or if you're doing it and whether you like it or not! i'm not exactly keen on the idea of doing an mls/jd program, especially since it would nix my distance learning plans, and i've read that you don't particularly need a jd, but how much will it affect my potential? i'm just worried that one day, i'll look back and wish that i had put the extra time into it so i could get that extra promotion or that really awesome position somewhere.

anyway, all information about being a law librarian is welcome :) thank you!

GRE
I’m starting to prepare to take the GRE and I have a question regarding it – sort of. Of the four schools that I am considering, two require the test and two don’t if your GPA is about a 3.2. This is where I have a problem – my school (Evergreen) does not have grades so therefore, I do not have a GPA. Instead, I have a novel of a transcript. I’d like to avoid sending test scores to those two schools (Drexel, UW-Milwaukee) – I am a terrible test taker - but I don’t want to assume that I did amazingly well during my undergrad and have that decision backfire. What do I do in this situation?

I know this is a question better left for admissions, but I am hoping a few people here have had to deal with this situation before.

Thanks.

any other drexel kids starting today?

Current Mood: nervous

Zine: On the Five Laws of Library Science
Hello libraryschoolers,

Are you a zinester, as well as a librarian? Or are you a zine librarian? Or do you just like to write short pieces about library science?

I am collecting submissions for a team zine on Ranganathan's five laws:

1. Books are for use!*
2. Every reader his book!*
3. Every book its reader!*
4. Save the time of the user!
5. The library is a growing organism!

The goal is to explore the lasting or changing relevance each of these statements, as well as the effect of all five together. I'd love to have writings or arts from any of you. Please, email me your fine things: kellymceATgmailDOTcom.

*Same goes for zines, yeah?

(Pardon cross-postings.)

MFA? MILS? MA? PhD? BBQ? BMW?
Hi, librarians! I'm new to the community, recently graduated with a B.A. in Comparative Literature, and I'm trying to figure out what to do with my life. so far, I know I want it to involve books, but I was looking for some advice about narrowing it down a bit. I'm a total noob to the whole library scene, so I apologize if my questions are dumb.

I'm very interested in literature, obviously, but also in books as aesthetic objects. ideally I would love to end up working with rare books and manuscripts in an academic or public library, though I know those jobs are hard to come by. (by the way, is rare books the same as archives?) do you all think it's best to go straight for the MLIS? in my senior thesis I drew a lot on Roger Chartier, who teaches the history of books in the UPenn history department, which made me wonder whether I should first get an MA in history or literature. and of course, I could also work at a library for awhile. what do you think? is there one sequence for all these degrees that makes the most sense?

and does anyone have any experience with MFAs in Book Arts? it looks like tons of fun (I was looking at the University of Alabama program in particular), but I have no idea what I would/could do with that degree once I got out. are there any MLIS programs out there that have great Book Arts classes or programs?

sorry for the deluge of questions. any and all help would be absolutely wonderful!

nervous questions
Alrighty, so I'm about to start my final 2 quarters at Univ. of CA, Santa Cruz. I'm a feminist studies major, literature minor...and I'm looking to be a librarian. I'm applying to UT Austin and Indiana Univ Bloomington. I just took my GRE yesterday and received Q: 680 V: 540 (essay portion will find out in 2-3 weeks). 3.7 GPA plus at UCSC our profs. are required to complete a 1 paragraph eval after each class for each student...so my transcripts have a paragraph evaluation of performance in each class I've taken

I'm beginning to work on some early drafts of my personal statement and I'm using the book, Graduate Admission Essays, as a guide. Many of the letters mention professors at each given school that they find intriguing. Forgive me if this sounds silly, but do many people actually do this? ie should I research professors I like and then do this?

Also for my letters of recommendation I am planning on using my boss, a Collection Maintenance Coordinator (I've worked as a student assistant in the sci library on campus for about 2 years now), the professor of my freshman writing course that I've know my entire time in college and currently am a teaching assistant for (who does not have a PHD...and is considered a "lecturer"), and my senior thesis adviser who I've not yet met (quarter starts 9/25) and is an un-tenured professor. I simply do not have the connections with tenured PHD professors, at my campus there are not many who actually read student work (write a suitable letter) and I'm worried that this will affect my chance of admission. I believe I will still have persuasive letters of recommendation but is anyone else in the same boat? Should I be concerned?
Thanks for all and any help!

Transfering?
Has anyone here transfered from one MLIS/MLS program to another?

My program is only two years, and I do believe that I will receive a strong education. However, I feel miserable in the city my program is located in. The more I explore it, the more unhappy I feel. I have some friends here, and like where I am employed. Whenever I go out, take a walk, or even just camp out somewhere studying, though, I keep feeling like I don't belong here. (This feeling is exacerbated by my having absolutely adored the city I was in the year prior to my move for school.)

I realize that I probably just need to suck it up and stay put, but I feel like I might get more out of a program in a place I would feel more comfortable.

Hello! I graduated from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, AZ with a Bachelor's in Music and right now I'm applying to the University of Arizona's MLS program, the online portion. I'm still waiting to hear back. Unfortunately, everything got there but my letters of recommendation, thanks to the US postal service. Here's to waiting. Good luck with applications!

experience?
I've been doing some research on online MLS programs to apply to and I was just wondering if anybody has any expereinces they can share with me from the online programs at Kent State in Ohio and Drexel in PA. Anything about either program would be very helpful. THanks!

Questions about Lib Sci Grad School
Hey everyone,

I'm new, but I would like to thank everyone for all the postings here -- they have been extremely helpful! I still have a few questions though..

I'm a History major at the University of Missouri and my GPA is 3.1. I would like to attend the Mizzou Lib Science program because I could get in-state tuition and the program is ALA accredited. My problem is that they state that a 1000 combined GRE score is needed for admission and I haven't cracked 820 on all the practice tests I've taken. Are GRE requirements totally non-negotiable when applying? Also their program is an M.A. and not an M.S. Is that going to have implications for employment?

What do you think my chances would be at some of the other top schools such as UIUC? My letters of recommendation are going to be killer and I'm confident that my essay will be solid.

How many schools do you think it is safe to apply to? 3? 10?

Thanks!

Current Mood: anxious

Newbie with a question
Hello all!

I have a BA and English and, while I was getting the degree, I fully expected to get an MA in the same subject. Then I got rejected from all of my programs and thought long and hard about what I actually wanted to do wtih my life (meaning, I realized I didn't want to teach). Archives has always appealed to me and the more I read about LS, the more I want in.

So I'm applying for Fall of 2009. My problem is this: I fear I'm not a very good candidate. All my work is in English or journalism (my minor). I've never worked in a library and I can't talk about the issues related to Library Science with as much confidence as English. I know this is what I want, but I don't feel I'm strong enough--especially considering I felt I was a very strong English candidate and got burned.

At the moment, University of Pittsburgh is my top choice. I was wondering if anyone who had been there/is there knows the number of people who get in with weak LS backgrounds but strong undergrad (my grades were good, I have good recommendations, etc.). What can I do to beef up my background and make myself look better, or am I worrying too much? And (this is a more informal question) what's the vibe there?

Thanks (great comm, btw).

Advertisement

Advertisement