I don’t think this will impact on any entry-level librarians – they could not yet have the experience needed to do more administrative or non-librarian work. As it seems clear that library schools are only able to produce graduates with basic skills (no slam to schools or grads – these are important!), it could be enormously helpful to libraries to have someone experienced who would volunteer to help write a grant to bring in more money, or to set up a liaison program with the city, or to spend lots of time on a project that may not show much initial value but will turn out to be good for a library. Libraries could really have the possibility of using these experienced volunteers to help develop programs and ideas that staff are not able to spend dozens of hours developing, but could then take over and continue to run.

Having worked at a couple of smaller public libraries, I would have fallen all over myself with happiness if I had a volunteer who could have help us develop some neat programs for our community, or could have helped us design a webpage, or helped plan a budget, or provided some insights into developing tax-levy strategies, or any of a million other things. Having someone else do this kind of work means librarians can continue to do the important work they do: staff desks, build collections, work with the patrons, etc.

[18/4/06 update: For some reason, the ALA changed the title and URL for Retirement Recruitment (2004): A Deeper Look on its website. I have put in the up-to-date information below. The change basically involves changing the year from 2004 to

The truth is that librarianship is a fascinating profession which is not for everyone. If we don’t have the tenacity and drive to make the market work for us as new librarians, we won’t have a place. As a library school student, it is important to reaffirm your commitment to your career choice in light of the facts, not ALA’s ubiquitous recruitment drive. Work hard as a student, get as much practical experience and theoretical grounding as you can, and, again, work hard.

I just wanted to put a note of positivity in here. Cheers, Jessamyn, for as always getting a vigorous conversation going!

The report “Retirement and Recruitment: A Deeper Look”, by Mary Jo Lynch, no date given on document (Geesh, people, you call yourself librarians? Who’s running this website? Put a publication date on that document, please.), as cited in the Feb 15 issue of Library Journal according to JSleeper (I seem to recall seeing it there too)

can currently (until they change their URLs again) be found at:
http://www.ala.org/ala/ors/reports/recruitretire-adeeperlook.pdf

The 1990-based analysis predicted a significant wave of retirement that would peak in the 2010 to 2014 period. Updating the forecast with 2000 Census data, as shown in Figures 1 and 2 predicts a similar retirement surge in the near future. The main difference is that retirements now appear to peak slightly later—between 2015 and 2019. In total, the ten-year period beginning in 2010 will see 45 percent of today’s librarians reach age 65.

This is like a joke. First of all, the original forecast was a shortage at 2010 at the earliest. Wasn’t even THIS a bit far off to be actively recruiting librarians in 1995 (if not earlier?). What were those librarians supposed to do for the 12 years after graduating before 2010 (or 2015!). Are they even still going to be employable as librarians after 10 years of not working as librarians? But now, based on new information, the ‘shortage’ date is pushed back to 2015 at the earliest. (That’s assuming the number of jobs doesn’t shrink, mind you. That’s assuming lots of things. Take a look at their methodology; I wouldn’t bet the farm on the prediction).

And this information is there in this report, if Morgan gives you the title so you can Google it. If, on the other hand, you just search around for things on the ala site about librairan job prospects, or job shortages, or job market—you get lots of stuff saying now is a great time to be a librarian, everyone should go to library school, becuase there’s a looming job shortage.

So, like, what the heck is going on? Sure, okay, what’s going on is ALA is acting in the interest of libraries. But do libraries even need more MLIS grads? I mean, it’s ridiculous. Maybe if they want to do marketting/outreach to underpresented populations in the profession, sure that’s still neccesary looking around at the composition of my library school class. Maybe if they want to do marketting/outreach saying there’s plenty of rural public libraries in the great plains having trouble filling positions (assuming this is true), okay.

But the easiest first step the ALA could do to do something about graduate-to-job imbalance would be simply an act of omission-stop publicizing the mythical looming librarian shortage completely unsupported by even your own research.

I like what I do. I’m finally getting experience I need to advance in the field. But if we’re this crowded with librarians at all levels, I’ll have to cling to the job I have for a few years.

An even bigger issue than the current job shortage, in my opinion, is the long-term viability of libraries and library professionals. If you want to put retirees to good use, you should do so with that goal in mind. Mentoring new librarians helps maintain continuity within the profession and strengthens, rather than weakens, the future library profession. The current proposal does the reverse. Who does ALA think will be paying their exorbitant dues in 20 and 30 years if they undercut newcomers to the profession?

Yvonne