Questions about becoming a librarian (Part 1)

One reason for this blog is to give non-librarians an insight into what a public librarian might do. Of course I am NOT the only public service librarian around; what I do is NOT the definitive Public Librarian job scope; I do NOT blog everything about what I do as a public service librarian. Truth be told, I'm more in a management position (but hey, management and librarianship are not mutually exclusive).

OK, let me share something that I believe most librarians would have experienced. Whenever someone ask us what we do (usually out of politeness), and we start to answer, we're likely to have the following responses:

1. The other person's eyes glazing over;
2. They give the perfunctory "Oh, that's nice" response, but they really don't have a clue what the heck is it that you do, except that you work at "The Library".

So I thought blogging a little of what I do (i.e. show-and-tell blog-style) might be a more effective way, especially when people tend to Google nowadays. There was a chance of people doing a google search, picking up a (Singapore) librarian's blog, and learning more about the things ONE particular librarian does.

What I did not expect was people contacting me to ask about careers in librarianship.

It's a bonus of sorts. I think one would have to first understand a bit about what a librarian does, before one got interested in being a librarian. So I'd hazard a guess that I've met one of my initial objective in a small sort of way.

Of course I don't get tons of enquiries about being a librarian. To date, I think I've got 3 or 4 emails asking me what a librarian does (and at least 2 of them were interested in applying to NLB to be one). And recently, these comments posted here. Maybe I should start getting an exact count.

I've heard librarians say that Librarianship is not respected as a profession. I don't profess to have answers to resolve that image problem.

But I know first-hand that blogging about what we do is one way to connect with our customers and potential colleagues to the profession.

And I most certainly agree with this quote from Cluetrain:

There’s a new conversation between and among your market and your workers. It’s making them smarter and it’s enabling them to discover their human voices. You have two choices. You can continue to lock yourself behind facile corporate words and happytalk brochures. Or you can join the conversation. (p. ixi - Foreword)

(Next, Part 2)

Tag: librarianship, blog advocacy