Thursday, October 25, 2007

My New Bibliography Career

For those of you who remember that I said a few months ago, that I wanted to be a Bibliographer. I have slowly been investigating how to do this. I have enrolled at my local college to do an Archives and Records Management Certificate, part time, starting in January. I know it's not a Library degree, but at my age, I just don't have the time to spend 6 years doing an undergraduate degree and then an MLS. So I have settled for an Archives and Records Management Certificate instead. Hopefully I can do all the coursework for this certificate in one year. I have also finally joined the ExLibris mailing list.

Actually I am getting quite excited now, and am also wondering WHY I didn't think of doing this back in New Zealand. That's easy. Because I didn't ask the right questions. I just knew I didn't want to be a public librarian, dealing with students and the public all day long. I had no idea there were any other areas away from the customer service that I could do. Archives, Records Management, Reference, Bibliography, Cataloging, Indexing (which is another area I am interested in. I'm thinking I might like to do the USAD Indexing course - but that can wait).

Now I hear you asking. What brought this on, and why am I reading all this today? Because yesterday in the mail, I finally received my copy of Old Books in the Old World, by Rostenberg and Stern. I dropped everything else and have spent the last 24 hours reading this book. I'll post again when I review it.

I did apply to work in the Toronto Public Library some years ago, but when they called me and asked if I was interested in working as a page, and I was told that a page shelves the book, I was silly enough to say NO. I was more interested in working in the administrative area, and surely I didnt need to shelve books to do that? It turns out that I did NOT do my research very well, and have since discovered that ALL jobs in the Library system, start as a page at the entry level and that is more or less the only way (except for those with an MLS probably) to get into the system. At my local library, NOONE has an MLS. They ALL started as pages, and have worked their way up.

6 comments:

Stefanie said...

Good luck with the school work. Aren't career changes exciting and scary all at the same time?

Anonymous said...

That's fabulous news!! Good for you. Keep us posted on your progress.

And yes, sadly, that is pretty much how you get your 'foot in the door' with TPL, if you aren't a librarian or a library technician.

You also might consider the Mississauga library system, once you graduate, though perhaps by then you'll have set your sights on something other than public libraries.

Sam said...

Congratulations on the big decision. I'm sure that with your enthusiasm you'll do very well.

Carla Nikol said...

I always check in on your blog as I too am obsessed with books and all things related to books. I work in a bookstore and several co-workers are considering a library degree so I've also considered it. What struck me about your blog though was the book you mentioned. I also just got a book in the mail through amazon titled Old Books, Rare Friends by Rostenberg & Stern. I am loving every minute of it as well. Their love of learning, books, history etc. It makes me want to go back to school...

Francesca Thomas said...

Dear Carla,

I've mentioned a lot of books on this blog, but I assume you are referring to the Rostenberg & Stern book I specifically mentioned today. The one you mentioned, Old Books, Rare Friends, I reviewed that book the same day I wrote the Bibliography post I linked to.

Rostenberg & Stern are the direct cause for my decision to be a bibliographer.

sally906 said...

Congratulations on making your brave decision - I returned to school when I was 37 to do my library degree part time. I got the degree but never got to work in a library. But the satisfaction of achieving something was just stupendous :)

Good Luck