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.

It is a good Idea to go to school if you haven't been in the field. People who haven't been in the field - learn a lot at school. For the those of us that have been in the field the distance between reality and what is taught in school is fustrating

At the Looniversity, starting salaries for a 24 year old fresh out of school are around $35K. They do scale up some for job experience. Public libraries pay less; corporate and special libraries pay more.

UNC has an internship program with the EPA that might be a good fit for you if you're interested in that area.

The other thing about librarianship is it's very forgiving of career changers. It's a field in which having had a first career before becoming a librarian is considered an advantage by many, not a liability.

I so should have stayed in school and got a masters. Hell, I should have stayed with Library Science for my bachelors. I was attending an ALA-accredited school already.