Any Librarians out there?

LaughingWater

LaughingWater

Cathlete
I know that looks like a weird thread title...very random. :D

I've been a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom for the last 8 years. I have 5 more years to go with my older daughter, and 9 more years with my younger one (unless one or both decides to attend traditional school, in which case those numbers will obviously drop...perhaps significantly). That sounds like a long time, but the last 8 kinda flew by, so I've started thinking about what I'd like to do with my life once my girls are grown.

I'm investigating the educational path to becoming a librarian. I plan on starting by volunteering a couple of hours a week at our local library, and I've discovered a Library Technician program offered at a community college about 45 minutes from our house.

I know for sure I can't go to school full time or work yet ~ homeschooling is just too demanding for that. (Not to mention the girls' extracurricular schedules...ack!) I would like to start taking baby steps though, and I think I could handle one class a week. I could wait if I had to, but it would be neat to start building my educational experience now, even if it's at a snail's pace.

Any thoughts, advice, and/or words of encouragement from someone who has taken this road?

I know we have some homeschoolers on this board. :eek: Has anyone gone to school and taught at home simultaneously? Am I nuts?

Thanks. :) Hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday!
 
Lori, I hope I'm not being to nosey, but why did you choose to home school your kids? And, would you let them go to public school if they wanted? I'm just curious.
 
I am a librarian and I've worked in public and academic libraries, and I am currently a director for a corporate library. This weekend when I have some quiet time I will send you a PM with information. There are online and distance learning programs but it really depends on what you are interested in and what you hope to get paid one day when you take a job. Some small public libraries pay a pittance....but you don't have to have your Master's degree to get the job. Other areas of librarianship would likely require that you need a second masters degree. Do let me know what you are interested in and I will send the right info :)
 
Beavs, thank you!

Right now, I'm obviously starting from the very bottom, so I have no clue where I'll end up. I don't even have a basic bachelor's degree, so it will be a long haul. (The girls like to tease me about attending college with them...like the three of us don't spend enough time together. :rolleyes: :D )

I'm not entirely sure how to start out ~ perhaps with the Library Technical Assistant certificate program...see how that goes? If I love it as much as I think I will, then I'd like to go for a college degree with the idea that someday I'd obtain a Master's. That seems so far away now and nearly impossible, but I know life changes, and I don't want to limit myself.

Jennie, I don't mind answering questions about homeschooling. It's still an unusual choice, and a lot of people are curious.

The reasons people choose to homeschool are quite varied and really as individual as the families themselves. I tried it because I thought it would be fun, which doesn't sound very profound, does it? :eek: I noticed how much more I enjoyed learning once I got out of traditional school and had a little more flexibility, and I wanted the girls to experience this.

It's no fun teaching someone who doesn't want to be taught (and "fun" was the whole point), so I'd let the girls attend traditional school full time if they wished. Both really like the flexibility and freedom that comes with homeschooling though, so neither is interested in public school full time. They take extracurricular classes (currently art and music), so they have the classic classroom experience. Once or twice a week is enough for them.
 
Lori, I think it's great that you give your girls that option. I also think it's great that they have extracurricular choices too.
 
LaughingWater said:
Beavs, thank you!

Both really like the flexibility and freedom that comes with homeschooling though, so neither is interested in public school full time. They take extracurricular classes (currently art and music), so they have the classic classroom experience. Once or twice a week is enough for them.
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My niece and nephew are home-schooled, with great success. Like your girls they love the flexibility and freedom, as does my sister, who does the schooling. They have tons of activities too, and beyond their normal lessons take art, piano, Latin, sports and this year even did a survival skills course! There are 80 families in their home-schooling community, so there's never a dull moment. :)

I'm a huge proponent of home-schooling. Good for you!!
 
I was home schooled and also went to public

Not at the same time lol! I did prefer the home schooling. I did well in public to a point, up until I was bullied for two years. I preferred college. I think that being a librarian sounds fabulous, and I always said that if I had to be in the witness protection program I would become a librarian. I knew a girl in school who earned her degree in that. I've always loved books and media.
 
Cool, Rapid! :) I meet a lot of homeschooling moms and homeschooled kids, but I don't often run into adults who were homeschooled.

I've loved the library for years. I can spend 3 hours getting lost in the aisles, with one book leading me to another. There's so much out there to learn.
 
I'm a librarian, too. I've never worked in a traditional library, but I do a lot of consulting and training with all types of libraries. I think your path sounds like a good one, start with volunteering, and if you like that, then go on to the Library Technical Assistant certificate program. There are so many different jobs in a library that the users don't see. And, it's like any other work place, how pleasant it is depends entirely on the people you work with. The volunteer work will give you an idea of the different jobs available and help you decide if it's the direction you want to take.

Best of luck with it!

anne
 
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