I know way too many library folks that have heard the talk about the greying of the library field and decided to go to library school, only to discover that no one was leaving their jobs as they got to retirement age. Or, alternately, that many libraries downsize and cut a position upon a librarian's retirement. There but for the grace of god go I.
Regardless, the following article, What We Really Want, pretty succienctly sums up a lot of feelings simmering out there for us youngin's in the field.
(As an aside, am I now too old to be a "young" librarian? I'm all of 30. I suspect I'm still considered a child - the average age of a librarian hovers around 45.)
What We Really Want
by Rachel Singer Gordon -- 10/15/2004
Alert readers of e-mail lists like nexgenlib-l and newlib-l might recall that this month's column was to be devoted to a Q&A with new American Library Association (ALA) membership manager John Chrastka. Unfortunately, it sounded too much like ALA's official line (available elsewhere). This is not intended as criticism of John, a genuinely nice guy who obviously loves his job. The correspondence did get me thinking.
There is a real simmering anger and sense of betrayal out there among NextGens who have been burned by generalizations, platitudes, and reassurances from official organizations—from ALA's unceasing focus on recruitment to library schools' insistence that jobs are plentiful and information skills are in demand. As members of these associations, organizations, and institutions, we deserve better. When we hear about upcoming waves of retirements, when we hear that ALA works tirelessly to advocate for libraries and librarians, when we hear that the profession is dedicated to grooming new leaders, we want to know when, we want to know where, and we want to know how this affects us personally.
