legroschat

When I was accepted to the UofT, I received notification that I had gotten a scholarship about two weeks after my acceptance letter.

I would only go into this profession (any profession at all) if you are extremely passionate about the social role of libraries/brarians and have a significant amount of work and volunteer experience in at least related environments with which to back up this passion. I applied to library school because it seemed like a natural progression of my MA in English, but in a field with at least better job prospects than becoming an academic. I am now seriously considering dropping out, because I didn't spend enough time thinking about why I wanted to be there; my focus instead was that I needed to be somewhere and this was as good an option as I seemed to have at the time. I do agree that the job market seems to suck for the more traditional, public library jobs, although I think it's better in Canada than it is in the U.S. If you are considering going to a library school to study the archival concentration, I wouldn't go to a library school. They've axed a lot of those courses for next year, and myself and a lot of my friends are now taking library-centric courses as filler so we can get the stupid degree. There are schools which specialize in archival science, so if you are truly that stringent about wanting to become an archivist, I would apply to those. I would also strongly reflect on how you good you are with and how interested in technology you are, as those courses comprise 50% of what's offered for my second year. I don't like computers beyond the basic MS Word, Access, power point functions. I didn't realize going in how much this would disadvantage me, and I've found a lot of the coursework hard to complete because of this. I had to take a Javascript class last semester, and probably spent about 50 hours crying my eyes out and wouldn't have passed if the final project hadn't been collaborative. I also think people in their 20s default onto going back to school when maybe sticking it out and waiting for the right job based on a skill-set you already have may be the better option. I've spent 25k on tuition and living expenses over the past year learning, essentially, I have no interest in being an information professional...and not much else. Just my two cents.

I don't know who you are (though we have probably already met), but I am also currently finishing up year one of the MLIS program at McGill. I agree with everything you've said here. I was hoping this semester would be better than last, since some of last semester's courses suffered from being recently re-structured, but it's been just as bad. Do you think you'll stay in the program?

I'm struggling with an issue right now, and I'd kind of like some input on it. I'm finishing my first year of MLIS. I have, essentially, hated it. All the courses were dull and full of tedious busy work done in a thoroughly exasperating group setting, I don't feel like I've really learned anything I couldn't have researched myself on the internet, and this is, of course, costing me thousands of dollars each semester in living expenses and tuition since I wasn't offered any funding or scholarships. I got a part time job at a library working the reference desk, and I'm volunteering at an archive organizing a series of records in addition to having worked for a provincial archive last summer. I have, for the most part, found these positions boring too. There has been a voice at the back of my mind all year telling me that I'm just not really that invested in a career in this profession. FRBR, MARC, record group vs. fonds--we discuss these topics all week, and the first thought at the forefront of my mind is usually "I care to the extent that I have to complete this assignment, but I don't really care". I also dislike computers and technology, and almost failed an introductory Javascript class last semester. If it's the tech-savvy people who get the good jobs in this field, I'm fairly certain I don't rank in that category. I have recently been offered a year round position at a museum in my home city. It doesn't pay fantastically well, but it is in an area I'm passionate about (the local history of my province), offers full time hours, and would enable me to be close to my aging parents. However, if I drop out of library school, my other most significant qualification is an MA in English, and we all know the employment prospects of those! I can't bear the thought of paying another 20k to be bored out of my mind for another year, but there is a part of me that thinks the fall-back qualification of an MLIS would be useful in the years to come. Would it be narrow-minded and naive to withdraw from the program just because I'm bored and increasingly believe I'm not a good match for the profession? What is the after graduation job market like? What positions have you had? Have they been interesting? Please offer some details. Anything would help! Thanks.

I've heard there's a substantially better chance of employment in archives than more traditional libraries (as most of the people who come out of MLIS programs did the library specialization), but maybe that's just my neck of the woods. I do agree with the posters who stated that experience is everything; I'm working as an assistant archivist this summer, and am learning invaluable info about my province's archival database and the digitization of records. As a sidenote, I worked at a library in small town Western Canada three summers ago. There were only three certified librarians, but they had all been hired within the past 18 months. I think maybe the MLIS is similar to a lot of other things in that if you're willing to move, and move to the periphery for at least a bit where competition for positions diminishes, your employment opportunities increase. I think a lot of (MLIS) grads want to stay in the big cities they studied in, and that's not always advantageous to finding a job.

I was also accepted to the UofT and decided against it because it's quite costly (Over $5000/year just for tuition). The cost of living is also high in Toronto as well; for what I'm paying for a one-bedroom apartment in Montreal, I'd be paying to live in a room in someone's house in Toronto.

Congratulations to everyone on their various acceptances! I was admitted to McGill, the UofT, and the UofManitoba. Now comes the decision time...which I technically should have made several weeks ago...

Hello, I am new here, and am really struggling with an issue I would like some unbiased, external input on. I've been accepted to the UofT MLIS program, and the University of Manitoba archival studies program. The UofT program is upwards of 25k a year, after all has been said and done...tuition and books paid for, living expenses, etc. The UofM is infinitely more affordable, in addition to the fact that Winnipeg is a more affordable city than Toronto. However, of course, the UofT is a much, much better school. I'll be able to scrounge together the money for my first year at the UofT, but after that it will be financial aid. Do you think the name recognition of the UofT is worth 25k in student debt? I'm wanting to work internationally after my program, as well, so I would like to go to a school employers will recognize. However, the UofM offers a work placement as part of their program, so I know that experience would also be worthwhile. Thoughts? I would appreciate anyone's two cents. Thanks in advance.