Monday, August 11, 2014

Google can't compete with a skilled librarian steeped in information technology

by: Erinn Hutkin

In the six months Mikael Jacobsen has worked as learning experiences manager at the Skokie Public Library, his days have come to include everything from teaching classes to producing movies and offering information about Microsoft Office products. He oversees the library's digital media lab, coordinates its digital literacy offerings and introduces ideas in hands-on learning for non-traditional items, such as video cameras patrons can check out.

On top of that, Jacobsen oversees the library's computer areas and study rooms and helps patrons find materials and research any given topic.

"I think of my job as very much going to the root of librarianship, which is facilitating learning," said Jacobsen, 38, who earned a Masters of Library and Information Science from Dominican University in 2008. "We are facilitating learning and creating community. The main difference is that I (and my library) are moving well beyond just books, as are many other libraries."

In fact, said Diane Foote, assistant dean of Dominican University's Graduate School of Library and Information Science in River Forest - the only master's-level library and information science program in the Chicago-area accredited by the American Library Association - in the age of Google, it may seem like there's less need for librarians.

The truth is, access to a wealth of information on the Internet has placed even more importance on librarians. Foote notes that few other professionals are so specifically trained to access, analyze, share and manage all types of information.

And because there's so much information available, those with a master's degree in library and information science are qualified to work in a wide variety of settings, from school and public libraries to government agencies, hospitals and research labs, military bases and large corporations, many of which have their own libraries and archives. In addition to working in libraries, some Dominican grads have research-related jobs at BP, Kraft Foods, law firms, museums and law libraries.

"Libraries are about more than checking out books anymore," Foote said.

Foote jokes that some alums have even ended up working at McDonald's, in the corporation's digital asset department, helping organize and catalog photos and videos for use in marketing.

Surveys completed by 2011 graduates of Dominican's master's program showed 90 percent were employed within a year of earning their degrees, Foote said.

Allison Schein, 37, foudn work at two non-traditional settings; she's a Creative Audio Archive Archivist at Experimental Sound Studio and Studs Terkel Radio Archive Manager at WFMT radio network, both in Chicago.

At the sound studio, Schein digitizes recordings for preservation, contacts artists to secure permission rights for the studio's recordings and assists in grant-writing and coordinating local archiving events. At the radio network, she manages teams of interns and contacts educational groups to make them aware of resources and tools the studio is building online that can be used in classrooms.

"The guiding principles are the same - access, preservation and cataloging, since that's the goal of every library or archive," Schein said. "The major difference is that my job is concerned almost exclusively with audio."

To become a librarian, a master's degree is usually required. Foote said few students in master's level programs carried a similar major as an undergrad. The most common undergraduate majors are education, English, history and fine arts.

And while the job requires working with information, librarians must also be good with people.

"In essence, it's a public service job," Foot said. "Public librarians are on the front lines. People ask for weird things. There's a joke among public library reference librarians that the most common question they field is, 'Where's the bathroom?"

But for Jacobsen, face-to-face interaction is one of the perks of the job.

"I love to see the light bulb moment every day for children, teens, adults and senior," he said. "I love to help create hundreds - if not more - light bulb moments a day."

Librarians now work in many specialized fields.

The scope of library science has evolved far beyond the check-out desk.

One of the main missions of a librarian today is to help patrons find information and do research, whether in a public or school library, or one of the many specialized libraries (law, medical, business, etc.). They may also teach patrons about the many resources available to them; organize library materials, plan programming for different audiences, research and choose new books, materials and videos; buy equipment and prepare budgets. Many also train and direct library technicians, assistants, support staff and volunteers.

A master's degree in library science (MLS.) is required for most jobs. A bachelor's degree is required to enter an MLS program, but any undergraduate major is acceptable. MLS programs often take one to two years to complete. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a degree from an American Library Association-accredited program can mean better job opportunities. In the Chicago area, Dominican University's MLS program holds that distinction.

Librarians working in law, medical, or corporate libraries often supplement their master's in library science with training in their specialized field. A law librarian, for instance, may also be required to have a law degree.

When it comes to compensation, the BLS reports the median annual wage for librarians was $55,370 in May 2012. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $33,380, while the top 10 percent earned over $85,000. The majority of librarians work full-time; in 2012, only about a quarter of librarians held part-time positions.

In 2012, according to the BLS, there were 148,400 people working as librarians.

Employment of librarians is expected to grow 7 percent by 2022, slower than average compared to other occupations. In the future, fewer librarians are expected to be needed as the public becomes more adept at using electronic resources, but at the same time, the rise in electronic information is expected to boost the demand for librarians who know how to do research.

from: Chicago Tribune

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