Calli, I've been looking into library school too, and I gotta say, my impression hasn't been that it's all that much more employable than English. That said, what do you want to do with it? I've known people who have gone to NCCU and had good experiences there; they (I mean the school, not the students I've known there, but I'm too lazy to fix my sentence to make it clear) seems to do best in public and school librarianship, whereas UNC is definitely the big dog in the area when it comes to academic/research libraries and information science.

I'm pretty sure flea has at least toyed with the idea of going to one or the other as well, and she probably knows more than I do (as she works in the real live library and not the IT shop that happens to be in the library).

I've never, ever felt this kind of helpless anger and disconnection before

Since about 9 p.m. the night of the 2004 election, I've felt like an alien in my own country. I literally cannot put myself in the place of people who voted this administration to power, so that I can try to understand their mindset. I can't. It would be like asking me to read Sanskrit. I cannot understand why anyone would want things to be this way.

This is the main thing that bugs me about the "will of the people" though - I see that "will" as coming from a position of ignorance. I talk to so many Republicans who are okay with everything their party does for the insanely wealthy because they believe that they themselves are or soon will be part of that group. Just as soon as they get their raise from $60,000 to $65,000, they'll be in the American elite. When Bush revoked the inheiritance tax, they were happy...I asked "Why? Do you actually have a million dollars to leave to your heirs?" They had no idea it only kicked in at $1 million.

Yes, this. I said this before the election. You get these completely uninformed middle-class Republicans who vote for the current administration because they really believe that it will mean more money in their middle-class pockets. Ignorant. And they fucked this country for the illusion of money that's never going to come their way.

UNC was ranked #1 (or was it tied for #1) in that area.

Hmmmm. There is that. NCSU is closer and probably cheaper, but I don't know how it's ranked. I'll have to look into that. Thanks Fred!

Calli, I've thought about going to NCCU and UNC. NCCU has the advantage of being cheap and close and flexible in terms of schedule, but UNC has a program that gets you an MLIS which might be more to your interests. Both programs are (IMO) more about jumping through hoops and learning a trade than actual intellectual challenges. NCCU has a reputation as a bureacratic nightmare; UNC has a reputation as taking themselves too seriously, but they do have a national reputation. I;m just not sure a national reputation is a big deal as long as your degree is from an ALA-accredited school.

As far as librarianship in general, I am obviously in favor of it. There are a lot of jobs available, is my impression, due to demographic changes and aging of the profession. On the other hand the salaries are not high, and depending on what you make doing what you do, starting librarian salaries might be a pay cut.

Oatmeal with organic peanutbutter.

That said, what do you want to do with it?

I was thinking that working in a med. school library or other science-related library might be a good use of my skills and job history. I've been in medically related publishing for nearly 10 years now, so it seems like it would be a natural transition.

I do find it highly unlikely that someone who was an ACTUAL idiot to rise to the level of the Supreme Court. Or President, for that matter. I still think I'd rather sit in a room and talk with Cheney than Bush, but I don't think Bush is ACTUALLY stupid.

While stupid is a strong term, I do think he's actually of average intelligence at best. I'd bet folding money that Martin Sheen is a lot smarter than him, and he's just a fake president.

While stupid is a strong term, I do think he's actually of average intelligence at best.

Sure. I think people who are of average intelligence but canny and lucky and etc. are generally the people in charge of anything. It's not like life is a series of exams, or you can get promoted based on IQ. I think all this talk about various people being stupid is unfair and actually dangerous.

In utterly unrelated news, I've been toying with the idea of going back to school for my MLS. Partially because I like the thought of being a librarian, and partly because I'm thinking it might make me a bit more employable. There's a school in town (NC Central University) where I could get my degree through a mix of evening and online classes. Do any current librarians have an opinion? Am I dreaming about the whole better employability thing (my current degrees are in English, so I'm thinking it's all kinda relative)?

It is a field with a lot of older people in - so there is always some flow in and out. that's the good news. If you are in a place where there is a good school - you maybe oversaturated where you are. When I moved to CA in 98 I could applied for librarian jobs without an MLS and get inteviews. Not now. If the economy is healtthy , it is a good field. When it isn't - well it just depends upon how flexible you are. Bayarea is really ultracompetative right now. However, if people were willing to move to Fresno , it is a completely different story.

Both programs are (IMO) more about jumping through hoops and learning a trade than actual intellectual challenges

the assistant directer of my library claims that an MLS is the most expensive Union Card you'll ever buy.

depending on what you make doing what you do, starting librarian salaries might be a pay cut.

At the moment I'm in environmental health publishing, and looking at teaching jobs as a step up, paywise.

I'm just not sure a national reputation is a big deal as long as your degree is from an ALA-accredited school.

Yeah, I'm not sure about this, either. But then, aside from spending a lot of time in libraries and being mistaken for a librarian roughly half the time I'm wandering around in the main Durham branch, my knowledge of the practical aspects of librarian careers is kind of low. Hence my dip into the well of much knowledge that is the Buffista hivemind.

As far as librarianship in general, I am obviously in favor of it. There are a lot of jobs available, is my impression, due to demographic changes and aging of the profession.

Yay--thanks for all the info, flea et al!

an MLS is the most expensive Union Card you'll ever buy.

Heh.