Ai Ling wants to know how I decided to be a librarian, what library school is like, and whether I think the job prospects are good. Since these questions are fairly general, and things that I like to talk about, I thought I'd answer them here rather than by email, which is how they were asked. I know that Ai Ling will read them here anyway.
I came to librarianship because my father had been at me to think about a one-year masters in information management (or something like that), since he thought those skills would be very valuable in today's world. I thought he was probably right, but I wasn't terribly thrilled by the idea, even though I didn't have any better ones. Eventually he talked to one of the librarians at his university (UT-D), who told him about librarianship and recommended a school that I should look into (I think the University of Pittsburgh or something). I looked at librarianship and had a sudden epiphany that this was what I wanted to do with my life. I mentioned it to Caro, she told me that she was at that very moment a library-school student, and I started applying.
I only know what library school at the iSchool is like, so I can't speak to anything else. I think it's great, because it's what I'm interested in, and because both the professors and the students are great. But other than that, I think I'm going to have to ask for more specific questions, because I don't know what else to say.
As for job prospects, it really depends on where you want to be and what you want to do. If you want to be a traditional librarian in an area that has an information program (like Seattle), it can be tough. If you'll do anything and go anywhere, I don't think finding a job will be a problem. (But then, be wary. I might not even take my own advice on that point.)
My advice is this: Do it if you know it fascinates you. Do you love research? Is your favorite part of a research paper the information-seeking phase? Are you the one your friends always turn to for information they don't know how to find anyone else? If you recognize yourself in these questions or in similar ones. If they don't match your personality, you won't be happy in the information professions. And if this is really what you want to do for the rest of your life, or at least for the next ten years, then do it, and don't be scared about finding a job. If you go for another job you don't like so much, just because it pays better or hires more, you'll just end up coming back to what you love, a few years more discontented.
Ai Ling says:
After starting my Mellon internship, I am seriously thinking about librarianship. But what kind? Special libraries appeal to me at this point, but I always miss obscure references, and I _hate_ research papers. *sigh*
But can't you be a librarian anyway, even if you don't like research papers? *conflicted*
Laurabelle says:
There are lots of different types of librarian, and no, you don't necessarily have to like research papers.
I don't think I can give you any more advice. Only you can decide whether this is what you want to do or not. It would be nice if you had a like I did, but it isn't always that clear.