Entry level into what?
So, the numbers are in and we are undeniably, most assuredly, certainly, and incontrovertibly in the middle of a recession. I’ve heard predictions that unemployment could reach 9% by next year and that in Missouri (my home state) it could be as high as 10%. This is a problem for everyone, but it seems like something that is going to make life for M.L.S. grads miserable. I’m not expertly versed on the the profession’s job prospects, but if it turns out that librarians start waiting to retire even longer then life could be hard for the “young un’s.” The reason partially has to do with a rough entry level environment. This absolutely brutal article from LibraryJournal.com – despite it’s age – seems to hammer the nail into the coffin too.
Uhoh!
So to my point… The possibility for any youthful Renaissance in dealing with electronic resources seems nonexistent. Here’s why: If there is a massive amount of competition then it makes landing a job hard, and this can directly impact the collective “perspective” of the profession. Let’s face it, if it takes an M.L.S. and 5+ years of work experience to get a decent job then the average age of everyone will be high. Moreover, the age factor often hints at if or if not someone is tech savvy. The tough entry level arena for M.L.S. grads is killer too! For those qualified, given the choice between working where they want and doing what they can do I suspect that a young librarian would jump ship in a minute. Why wait around if you might be able to find a job doing some web development, building computers, or programing something somewhere? Especially when you have bills to pay.
Double uhoh.
