The New and Improved MLIS -- Now With Job

On January 8th, I walked across a stage and received my MLIS (Masters in Library and Information Science).


{new librarian, also with cute shoes}

I actually completed my classes right before Christmas. My last assignment was a poster presentation at our symposium, on a digital archiving project I did.


{scrapbooker meets librarian -- I was the only one who used ribbon, inking, and glitter swirls on my poster}

But in January I got the degree itself and the university considered me an alum instead of an enrolled student.

Last week I accepted a full time job in digital resources and academic libraries, here in Chicago. I got the written offer earlier this week via email and accepted that too. The hardcopy offer should arrive in the mail shortly. I start in early March.

So. That is five weeks from graduation to full time employment. FIVE WEEKS.

Internetz, this is the Library School equivalent of winning the Power Ball Lottery. I am still at school frequently since I am auditing two classes and I do the reading and research assignments at the university library (we'll see how long that lasts). When people see me, I am like Librarian Rock Star. Yesterday, two professors and a librarian I didn't even know actually applauded me.

Obviously, the professors feel gratified. They have PhDs and have devoted their careers to teaching people who want to be librarians. All I have heard, in every class, from every librarian, is about how hard the job search is. How the market is flooded. How I would have to move away from Chicago, be willing to work part time, looks for months just to find a part time job with no benefits, or accept some ridiculously low amount of money just to get some kind of employment. It was going to be a long, hard, depressing, difficult road. A road only for the most motivated, the most passionate, the most qualified.

I have friends who have graduated a year ago from my program and they still don't have library jobs, not even part time jobs doing storytime or something. In Chicago, I would not only competing with all the graduates in my class, but all the graduates from my graduate school for the last xx semesters, plus people who were attending online programs, people who attended the other library school in my state, people from the surrounding states who would be very willing to move to this fantastic town. Not to mention all the qualified librarians who are out there and looking for jobs.

So professors are very happy when someone who entered the program with NO library experience announces a job of any kind so soon after graduation. But full time! In Chicago! With benefits! Holy moly!!!!

It would be great to get any job in libraries with those aspects. But I have, in fact, gotten a fantastic job. A job that is exactly what I wanted to do, and where I wanted to go. In fact, I did not know such a job at such a place even existed. I could not have dreamed of it, since I had no idea it was possible. And that is because the job did not exist until they created it last fall.

I would have to be more specific with the details of my employment to explain exactly why this is such an incredible opportunity, and that I don't feel comfortable doing. But be assured, when I tell people where I am working, mouths drop open. Damn, even the dentist was impressed when I went on Monday.

Not only that, but the people are so incredibly.... nice. That's it. Just... nice. When I sent my thank you email, that's what I said first, and what I emphasized. How nice. How warm. How welcoming. Everything about my new employer shouts out that they believe in life-work balance, they believe in hiring the best and paying for the best, they value their people.

It is not a "perfect" job. My title does not include the word "librarian." I am not working in a "library." How then is it possible for me to be working in my field if those two things are not there? Well, it is possible. For example, OCLC is not a library but if I got a job there I would be working in my field, and I definitely would need an MLIS (I am not working at OCLC - they are in Ohio).

Even getting the interview required my Masters degree. I had to submit an academic writing sample with my resume. I had several levels of interviews. I had a test. I had to make a 10 minute presentation, with handout, on the topic of my choice, without technology (no PowerPoint, no internet). There was a search committee. At least one of my (five) references was contacted twice.

It is a great opportunity. I am going to learn so very much. I have an office, MY office, and it has a floor-to-ceiling window that looks right at the Sears, I mean Willis, Tower. I love everything they are doing there. Everything.

I am going to work in digital preservation, archives, electronic databases, academia, technology, scholarly publishing, libraries, and all in one of my main subject fields that I have studied and loved forever. I had to have bibliographic instruction and reference experience because I will be teaching. I am going to be doing technical writing -- and I also submitted a technical writing sample. And a CONTENTdm library I created. I am so excited.

I can't believe how lucky I am. I can't believe it.



Hello, Spring.