Advice: Is Library Information Sciences for Me?

[Lolita]

Reading this forum, I've discovered that many who are going into the field seem to be interested primarily in research and organization.

I want to be a high school library media specialist, and I enjoy research and organization, but I am primarily interested in the service aspect. I like the idea of helping the students with their research and hopefully teaching them research techniques. I taught high school for a year, and my service period was in the lmc. I liked interacting with the students on a more one-on-one basis. I primarily want to help. Is this field a mistake for me? Thanks.

[elsie]

I don't think it sounds like a mistake at all. Most MLIS programs have different tracks for people with different interests/goals. I think the school library media track is very different from archives and some of the other concentrations. Maybe you can go to a couple of the program websites and check out the courses they have listed for school library media specialist. I think service is actually a pretty big part of most library jobs, regardless of what concentration you have. Best of luck

Edited August 22, 2011 by elsie

[mutualist007]

Thanks for starting this thread! I am currently in an Anthropology masters program, but I would like to have both degrees and focus on research. Even though I worked in instruction before, I know now that I in no way a political player or socializer, which (I know) I think is required to be successful in teaching and obtaining tenure.

[Weepsie]

My MLIS class is quite large (it's in UCD in Ireland) and what stands out is the many different interests of students. Personally, I don't really have the biggest interest in the Library side of things (other than digital libraries but that's so I can apply it elsewhere). I was met with derision when I said this, but it's a very dynamic qualification and there are former teachers, business people, science graduates and engineers in my class. It seems to teach research practices better than many other degrees (from what I can see too). I'm midway through it, have ideas for PhDs and am interested in working in numerous areas now so It's arguably for everyone so long as they enter it with an open mind and are prepared for a lot of work.