In thinking about other fields, I feel extra lucky that that first receptionist job I got was in a tiny nonprofit, which I think made it easier to move over into a non-admin department. But that's just the first example of my job-related luck, which has been very good to me. Not that all of the jobs have been great, and not that I'm not a good employee, but I have been VERY lucky wrt getting jobs over the years.
Anyway, I come with a question for the hivemind: I have GOT to do laundry, forgot I am out of detergent, and can't bear to go to the store. A little google suggests these options that I have on hand: dish soap, shampoo, baking soda. What do you all vote for?
Shampoo is gentle and good for breaking down any greasy spots
Dish soap.
Sophia, you don't have to have a subject Master's degree to be an academic librarian, though in some cases it helps. I will warn you, though, that it is not a guaranteed job - despite some trend stories, there is actually an overpopulation of librarians right now. Also, you can do decently well (pay- and responsibility-wise) working as a paraprofessional in some libraries (and by decent pay, I mean academic-level decent). I would NOT go into serious debt for a library degree without some pre-existing experience in the field. Contacts get you jobs. Go talk to librarians where you work, and start the networking process there.
I haven't worked in many jobs, because I spent 6 years in grad school, but I have been fantastically lucky in my bosses & work cultures. Never anyone insane or evil, and some serious mentoring and support at my last workplace.
Ha! Poor Jesse got three different responses. We wouldn't be Buffistas otherwise.
Heh. Dish soap seems the most like laundry soap, is why I picked it.
Sophia, do you have experience with Blackboard? Could you do the staff job on this page, for example? [link]
Is it pretty much necessary to have a masters in a subject area before being hired as a librarian at a college?
ETA: Ignore what I say here--I missed your reference to "a subject area." Sorry!
If you want to be paid anywhere above minimum wage, yes. Back in 1992, I was working full-time at the local (very small) branch library, and I was doing just about everything there short of branch director-level duties, and I was getting minimum wage, which at the time was $6.50/hr, but I did have benefits as well, so that was a big plus. Thank God I was living at Mom's then, because I would not have been able to live off of what I made between that job and my part-time gig at Michael's.
I was talking with one of my classmates in my reference class last night, and she told me that she's making less than $18K/year as a part-timer at one of the smaller libraries at Loyola University here in Chicago. I asked her if they would give her a full-time job that would let her continue to attend classes in her off hours, and she said that full-time gigs were non-existent without the MLS.
Or, what flea said.
despite some trend stories, there is actually an overpopulation of librarians right now
I know! I'm not looking forward to job-hunting in three years.
Yeah, um, thanks a lot, you guys. I think I might do a little shampoo and some baking soda. Can't hurt!
Thanks for the wishes.
Swam 2 miles without stopping. Yay!
