Librarian Rant

Librarian

It sounds like such a simple name for someone like me. I can say that I'm a librarian because I have the degree to prove it. I have a Master's degree in Library Science (MLS). 

Just because I'm not currently employed doesn't mean I'm not still a librarian. I'm one regardless. 

However, I'm finding out that a Librarian isn't as simple sounding as I thought. At least when it comes to the general public. 

First off, not many people realize that to be an actual librarian, you have to go college and get a Master's degree. To be a true librarian, you have to have the degree. However, just because someone may not have a degree specifically for a librarian, doesn't mean they aren't librarians. 

After all, the children's librarian at my hometown public library doesn't have an MLS. She was previously a teacher at one of the local middle schools. It just depends on the library and the requirements. Most times though, an MLS degree is required. 

Also, just because someone works in a library doesn't automatically make them a librarian. I don't know how many times I got people thinking I was a librarian when I was really just a library page. Like any other job, a library has many different staff members and not everyone is a librarian. 

This assumption irritated me then and still does now. I realize that to the general public it doesn't really matter. To someone like me though, it does. 

This assumption also makes itself known in other ways too and it's extremely annoying. 

The name "Librarian" brings to mind a variety of assumptions and stereotypes. People think about librarians as being strict ladies with tight buns and glasses that go around shushing people all the time. This is far from the truth though. 

People also seem to have this idea in mind that having a degree in Library Science means you can work in any type of library. This is also not entirely true. 

Like many other fields of study, there are specific concentrations one can take or you can take just a general program. It all depends on the university and what their Library Science program is like. 

For me, my concentration is in Youth Librarianship. This program focused on training me for  "professional positions in different settings including metropolitan, suburban, and rural public libraries, community colleges and academic libraries where they can provide library services to people who teach and work with youth and youth-related information services"  

My desired placement is within a public library. That's where I'd ultimately like to be.

However, when I tell people about wanting to be a "Children's Librarian" and wanting to work with children, they automatically think of a "school librarian". When I try to explain that I can't be a school librarian, they don't understand. 

No, I don't want to be a school librarian and in most cases, I can't even if I wanted to (which I don't). Most places (although not all), require a special certification as a school librarian. For my particular university, in order to even get into the School Library Media Certification program, you had to teach in a school for at least 2 years before applying for the program. 

Yes, I do have my Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education. Yes, for a while, I considered being a school librarian. But that all changed. I realized I didn't want to be a school librarian and instead wanted to be more of a children's librarian in a public library. 

I still don't want to be a school librarian. At least not right now. One reason is that when I took a school library course as an elective in my degree program, it wasn't what I expected. I felt so lost in that course and just felt so out of place with everyone else. Not only that, but the professor just wasn't that great. She made me feel like I was stupid.  It just wasn't a good experience for me. 

I realize that I shouldn't let that one class get to me and make me pass up potential job opportunities. However, it does. I just want to stay away from school libraries for the time being.  Maybe later on down the road, I'll consider it but for now, I want to stay away. 

But other people don't understand this and keep pushing me to apply for school library jobs. That's all I hear. now. "Oh this place is opening a new school. You should apply to be a librarian". "Have you tried applying for this school? They have a library position available".

I'M SO TIRED OF IT!! Just because I'm a librarian and specifically a youth services librarian, doesn't automatically qualify me to be a school librarian. People don't understand the difference though. They don't understand that I just can't apply for school library positions. 

I don't qualify for most of them because many require that certification as a School Library Media which I don't have.  It's frustrating to try and explain this over and over to people.  Especially people who keep pressuring me to apply for the schools.  They don't understand and I'm frankly tired of explaining. 

I don't want to work in a school library if I had the choice to work in a public library. Similarly, I'd much rather work in a public library over an academic library if I had the choice. A public library is where I feel the most comfortable. It's where I feel like I can provide the best services. That's my focus when it comes to jobs. 

I realize it might be limiting me but that's what I want. At this point, I'm not even specifically focusing on youth services jobs in a public library. I'm just trying to get into a public library. I have even tried a couple school libraries and academic libraries without much luck. 

But I'm just tired of people pressuring me to keep applying for school libraries when it's not what I ultimately want.  

Just because I'm a librarian doesn't mean I'm qualified to work in all libraries or in all areas of a library. There's much more to being a librarian and it's much more complex than people realize.