When I tell people I’m in graduate school studying to be a librarian, I receive the response, “You need a Master’s degree for that?” I find myself struggling to defend it. Librarians do more than what the average person realizes, but how much of that is really gained through the MLS? I usually wind up confessing it is like a stamp to gain entry a nightclub.
I had an existential crisis on the train today.
I made the mistake of checking me e-mail on my “new” iPhone 4 (I waited til it was free) and of course was bombarded with stress and negativity. I try to teach myself not to check my e-mail before bed and in the morning for this very reason. Whether it’s a rejection message from a job application or the litany of things I have to do for my job that week, it just tightens my chest and makes me want to hop off at the next stop and walk to the nearest deli for everything fried on a greasy croissant.
So today, breaking my own rule, I checked my e-mail and lo and behold I was greeted by the wonderfully endless archiving association e-mails. No matter which organization, for students, for professionals, what-have-you, it’s bad news. Always. It starts out with a simple question about your experience or about what the best piece of equipment is to by and ends with the womp womp of a non-existant trombone. Usually the depressing news is in the form of the dismal budgets institutions face but today a lovely archivist cut straight to the point ensuring that the hopes of all inspiring archivists fizzled into oblivion.
“And on a final, depressing note, the sad fact is that many of you aren’t getting jobs (and aren’t going to get jobs) because there are just too many applicants for the available job openings. “
For me, that was the last straw. It is enough to struggle getting internships, many of which demand full time work for free or a “stipend” that is less than minimum wage. I don’t know who can afford to go to school and work full time for free, but if that is the demand then I don’t know how anyone survives in the field. But as that lovely messenger of doom shared, people might not actually survive being an archiving student and have to scamper off with their tail between their legs to something more lucrative and most likely more soul crushing. But then again, what can be more soul crushing than going into a field where the professionals sit comfortably in their jobs and tell you that you came too late and there’s no room left for you.
I guess the bottom line is, I know the job market is grim out there, but do professionals really need to rub it in?
I don't have to tell you that Steubenville is all over the news.
I don't have to tell you that it's a fucking joke that Trent Mays and Ma'lik Richmond, the two teenagers convicted of raping a sixteen year old girl, were only sentenced to a combined three years in juvenile prison. Each will serve a year for the rape itself; Mays will serve an additional year for "illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented material."
(originally posted at GovLoop, knowledge network for government employees)
I bought a newspaper today. I can’t remember the last time I did since I acquire all of my news on the internet. If I had a smartphone, I’m sure I’d be even more up to date, being constantly attached to a plethora of information. But today I picked up a copy of the New York Times because, for the first time ever, there is a Latin American Pope.
Faith aside, millions of people all over the world waited to hear if white smoke was pouring out of the Vatican chimney. But people’s live are busy, so the majority of them didn’t wait by the television. Instead, many simple checkedIsThereWhiteSmoke.com, a site that cuts straight to the point, stating in big bold letters YES or NO. Once the virtual white smoke puffed out of the online chimney, many were directed to various LiveStreams of the exuberant crowds in Rome who awaited the announcement.
Despite my eagerness to hear the cardinal’s choice (this year there were some really interesting candidates), I had to pack up my laptop and get on a train and go to class. Frustrated with the lack of my ability to find out who the pope was instantly when he was announced (I don’t have a smartphone), I asked several people, both at work, at home and my current residence, to keep watch for me and text me as soon as the new pope was named.
Not even 10 minutes after I left, Pope Francis (previously Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio) of Argentina, the first Jesuit and the first Latin American pope was announced. But as I sat on the train I realized something; several people were discussing that there was word that they decided on the new pope, but nobody knew who. They checked their smartphones, but none of the major American news networkshad the announcement, meanwhile my friends and family were following the news via the Guardian, a UK news source and were getting live updates which we retweeted and put on Facebook.
It made me wonder how news travels today. Later in the day I asked a few friends how they had found out. Few of them cited me as their source, and one other laughed about how her Latin American grandfather had texted EVERYONE in her family as soon as it had happened. What struck me most, though, was when my classmate and friend told me that she found out through Facebook, “you know, where you find out about any breaking news these days”.
It cannot be denied that social media is the biggest news source for many people. From natural disasters to celebrity gossip, people spread the word through Twitter, Facebook, and even photo-based sites like Instagram. Social media usually gets the news to individuals first for many reasons; people are constantly checking it, it’s fast, and often it mimics the in-person word of mouth distribution but at lightning speed. In comparison, television is too slow because newscasters and studios have to prepare, while internet news cites can provide quick information once a journalist has taken the time to write an article. Social media takes seconds to update, and often mistakes are forgiven in a misquoted status update or tweet, giving more freedom to news providers to give up to date information without fear of some inaccuracy.
And then there’s the newspaper. I only bought mine because, as an archiving student, I felt that the cover of the New York Times with Pope Francis’ photo should be kept for posterity. Newspapers these days produce news that is considered old, sometimes news that has already been discussed to death before any coherent article can be written. But they do have their place.
During Hurricane Sandy, my parents (residents of New York) were without power for over a week, which included election day. the day after the election, my dad woke up and realized something very strange: He didn’t know who was the President of the United States. Because he lacked access to internet and television, he was forced to go out to buy a newspaper to find out that Obama had been re-elected.
If anything, this papal decision has made me rethink how I acquire information, and how many other people acquire it as well. It has proven how much people rely on the internet for news, but it has also proven that even internet news sources can’t keep up with social media. However, as for Hurricane Sandy, it shows that sometimes an older technology is sometimes the most reliable.
How do you find out about breaking news?
I’m working with a lot of tech related trends in a new job of mine and BYOd (Bring your own device) is probably one of the biggest deals besides Cyber Security. It’s talking about bringing your own device to work, meaning you would use your personal iphone for work and play. Personally I’m not a huge fan of mixing the office with home, I’d rather leave it at home (as you can probably tell I’m not yet working in an archives…). But this new device seems really cool and might be the answer to making the portable workspace a reality without encroaching upon happy hour.
The once ubiquitous and now seemingly forgotten computer company, Dell, may finally be making a comeback by answering all of our BYOD related prayers.
Ophelia, Dell’s newest “Cloud Key” project may soon be used by every major company.
What Dell is working on is a small device that connects to the HDMI port of any sort of device.
It will use the power from that device and then will connect you to your company’s cloud and then to your work desktop. By using wifi and Bluetooth, it will also connect to a keyboard or a mouse so the device can be used like a normal computer. When they say any device, they mean over 250 million devices, such as TV’s on display at stores. In theory, you can finish up an emergency project at Best Buy while you pick up the latest season of Dr. Who.
Why is it Awesome?
What Does This Mean for Employees?
What Does this Mean for Employers?
Right now it sounds amazing, so hopefully it will be as great as it sounds. If anything, it seems that technology companies are moving in the right direction.
Side Note: And in case you’re wondering, “Ophelia” is just a project name and will be renamed when it officially goes on sale (supposedly during the first half of 2013). I’m anticipating the device will have a much better future than Shakespeare’s heroine did (maybe it will even be waterproof)
No matter how great a MLS/MLIS program is there just isn't enough time and courses to learn everything. HLS alum Annie Pho previously discussed the interpersonal skills we don't learn in school and identifying what you want to know, and Lauren Bradley contributed a guest post on continuing education after library school. It can be very frustrating to look at job postings and think, "
UPDATE December 6, 2012: Folks, I am deeply humbled by the attention this post has received. Here are recent stats:
Welcome!! Over 48,000 of you, most likely current or former graduate students, stopped by to say hi and laugh just yesterday alone. Most of you found this post via a link shared on Facebook or Twitter. I'm so glad you are here, and I hope the post made you laugh and cheered you up.
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