As far as the google digitization goes, it’s all fine and good (and will be contingent upon the actual searchability). But nobody pays attention to the fact that this is only effective for material that is out of copyright protection. And by nobody, I mean the media (because this is just another ain’t tech grand story, so why would they care?). People might like to think they can read the new Harry Potter online, but it just ain’t so. And as Sonny Bono and the Big Mouse have shown us, given enough money, Congress will gladly eliminate the notion of public domain.
SSSSHHHHHHHH! [sub]Whisper![/sub]
Actually I’m one of several librarians I know who’s been shooshed BY the patrons.
I was in a production of Music Man this summer and, twixt increasingly raunchy jokes and manic outbursts backstage and in rehearsal, must have been asked about 300 times “Are you sure you’re a librarian?” Apparently the retiring prudish bun haired lady is still the norm (even in Attack of the Clones ).
We seem to be leaning heavily toward academic librarians (with a couple of science types thrown in) so I’ll take up the banner for corporate librarians.
I’m a librarian for a consulting company (my official title is Senior Knowledge Specialist - how’s that for pretentious?). As one of the consultants says, my job is to make them look smart.
In my previous working life I was a historian and worked in museums, and although it was much more fulfilling work, it didn’t pay the bills. After getting my MLIS I now have a job that pays the bills and isn’t so stressful that I can’t spend a little time goofing off on the Dope.
I would second CapnPitt on “geographic mobility” being key to getting a job after the MLIS, most cities with library degree programs have a glut of librarians.
My first published article as a librarian, incidentally, came from a now defunct message board similar to this one. I posted a musical defense of the profession from a dumbass UCLA student and through a series of chain reactions it attracted the attention of Library Journal who published it (which was also my first [small] paycheck as a writer).