How To Become a 21st Century Librarian; Library Journal, 3/20/13

Meredith Schwartz, Library Journal; How To Become a 21st Century Librarian: "Before deciding librarianship is right for you, make sure you understand what today’s librarians do all day. If you want quiet and lots of time to read, think again. Today’s libraries are full of collegial, and sometimes even downright noisy, collaboration, creation, and community activities, and are as much about technology as print on paper. Modern librarians need to be comfortable and conversant with technology, be willing and able to speak in public, and possess people skills and a commitment to lifelong learning, as the profession and the expertise necessary for success are constantly changing. (For example, this article, one of LJ’s most perennially popular, has been revised three times and changed significantly in less than a decade.) A good place to start is at the source: talk to working librarians in different types of libraries to find out why they entered the profession, whether their initial perceptions match the reality of library work, and what they do—and enjoy doing—in their jobs. Our impulse to share information extends to sharing information on the profession itself. Another great resource is the book So You Want to Be A Librarian. Recently “unglued” by ebook startup unglue.it which uses crowdfunding to apply Creative Commons licenses to existing works, the ebook is available to download for free."