Debunking 10 Librarian Misconceptions

by Aimee Graham, former Head Editor, INALJ New York State
previously published 3/24/14

Debunking 10 Librarian Misconceptions

15093_133739483442688_1289912329_nWhether I have physically been in a library, running errands, talking to family and friends, or during social events I have been presented with a similar series of questions when I inform others that I am a librarian. It’s unfortunate that such a stereotype (you know what I’m talking about) still exists in today’s age, so I am debunking the myths that come with our profession.

 

1.) You need your Masters to be a librarian? Yes. In most positions (I have seen a few requiring a Bachelors and experience) an ALA-accredited Masters degree is required. In some positions, two advanced degrees are required, all depending on the institution and subject of the position.

2.) Why are so many librarians not from the area? We are pretty nomadic people. If you want to move up, that sometimes includes moving out. Jobs can be difficult to come by in the areas surrounding ALA-accredited schools, popular cities or rural areas, so be willing to relocate if you want to advance.

3.) I’m sure you read a lot. Not all of us are book nerds. There’s the art, history, culture, techy and music nerds, too. Most of us have a speciality while others are generalists. Like everyone else, we have our hobbies.

4.) How do you know this person in another state? It’s a small field. You’re always going to run into someone who knows someone who knows someone. So don’t burn your bridges. Bad conduct will follow you throughout your career.

 

5.) I didn’t know librarians have events. We have a lot, in fact. From major conferences such as ALA annual to regional, networking and coming together is a huge part of our profession.

 

6.) I thought librarians were boring. Just because we’re structured at work does not mean we’re dull in our personal lives. From participating in roller derbies, bands, or extreme sports, we librarians are just like everyone else.

 

7.) Aren’t librarians supposed to be old, grouchy, wearing a cardigan, glasses and hair in a bun? Sure there are some still in existence, but the Hollywood stereotype is almost dead. A great deal of librarians today are younger, many with tattoos, piercings, and even multi colored hair and extremely outgoing personalities. But it depends on the environment in which we work, so it varies.

 

8.) Librarians still exist? Yes, we still exist. Google will not give you all the answers or show you how to get them.

 

9.) Librarians really do not want to help. On the contrary, we really do. That is why most of us entered the profession. We want to help get you to the resources to help you accomplish what you need to. So don’t be afraid to ask us for help!

 

10.) Don’t librarians just stamp books? Those duties are usually saved for student assistants or circulation staff, and very rarely will a physical stamp be used (a lot has gone electronic). We do a wealth of duties ranging from reference and instruction, web design, webinars, professional development, etc. We are far more than advancing than just stamping books (although there is nothing wrong with that duty in itself.

 

 

 

 

 

Naomi House

Naomi House, MLIS, is the founder and publisher of the popular webzine and jobs list INALJ.com (formerly I Need a Library Job) and former CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) of T160K.org, a crowdfunding platform focused on African patrimony, heritage and cultural projects. INALJ was founded in October 2010 with the assistance of her fellow Rutgers classmate, Elizabeth Leonard. Its social media presence has grown to include Facebook (retired in 2016), Twitter and a LinkedIn group, in addition to the interviews, articles and jobs found on INALJ. INALJ has had over 21 Million page hits and helped many, many thousands of librarians find employment! Through grassroots marketing, word of mouth and a real focus on exploring unconventional resources for job leads, INALJ grew from a subscription base of 20 friends to a website with over 500,000 visits in one month. Naomi believes that well-sourced quantity is quality in this narrow job market and INALJ reflects this with many new jobs published daily. She has also written for the 2011, 2012 and 2013 LexisNexis Government Info Pro and many other publications in the past decade. She presents whenever she can, including serving on three panels at the American Library Association's Annual Conference in Las Vegas; as breakout presenter at OCLC EMEA in Cape Town, South Africa; as a keynote speaker at the Virginia Library Association annual meeting; at the National Press Club in Washington DC; McGill University in Montreal, Canada; the University of the Emirates, Dubai, MLIS program and the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Naomi was a Reference, Marketing and Acquisitions Librarian for a contractor at a federal library outside Washington, DC, and has been living and working in Budapest, Hungary and Western New York State. She spent years running her husband’s moving labor website, fixed and sold old houses and assisted her husband cooking delicious Pakistani food. She is preparing to re-enter the workforce and is job hunting. Her husband is now the co-editor of INALJ, a true support!  She has heard of spare time but hasn’t encountered it lately. She pronounces INALJ as eye-na-elle-jay. 

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