- You are bored with being a librarian
- You have some serious insecurities to overcome
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Ph.D, Getting your
There are only two reasons a librarian should get a Ph.D:
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27 comments:
Or you really wanted to be a college professor after all, instead of being a librarian. There's no other reason to get a PhD.
Or you like writing essays. I like writing essays...
Or, you like reading essays...
I got the Ph.D. then came to my senses and became a librarian. It was back in the olden days, when "Ms." still raised eyebrows, and I thought "Dr." was a better alternative than "Mrs." or "Miss." But it was all in vain, since it's now perfectly acceptable to use first names only. If only I'd known that was going to happen!
Or you like getting paid more money...
Or your father has a PhD and you want to address him as Dr. ____ and then he will say Dr. _____ and IT WILL BE THE SAME NAME. And you will both be DOCTORS.
Or your dean will not accept the MLS (MLIS,MSIS, etc.) as the terminal degree for an academic librarian.
3. or you want to get a job as a library director and get paid a shit load more money.
Rusty, you know, I assume, that Ph.D. stands for "piled higher and deeper".
--- Disgruntled State Employee Librarian
So what's up with all the anti-intellectualism?
Or. You just plain love da books.
Or thought of defending your own ideas about librarianship to a group of people who despise you is appealing.
In which case, you are thinking way way too much about this job and should immediately get a hobby.
Ph.D in what? Failure to specify makes the entire argument meaningless.
But if in library or information science, then the two points or arguments become trollish. There actually seems a lot of trollish behavior when it comes to librarians and Ph.D's in library science. Some of us who are interested in a Ph.D are trying to find ways to enrich this discipline and contribute to this community in ways merely different than being a librarian offer.
So enough with the anti-Ph.D rhetoric. It's becoming rather boorish and more reflective of insecurities than the desire of getting a Ph.D may or may not signify.
Or, you want to invest the time and money, the "blood, sweat, and tears," and all that and just don't care that your employing library will not or cannot recognize it with a boost in salary, rank, prestige, or any of the other things that people in real libraries count on.
---Another disgruntled government librarian
Hmm, getting your PhD just so that everyone you work with, including your director, needs to address you as Dr.? Surely worth the price of admission.
Or you might have too much information on your hand ... that you have so much free time.
Perhaps you want to teach others how to be great librarians. I have considered it myself.
Absolutely no one demands that you address them as "Dr._____" in a professional or casual situation unless you are a huge a**hole. The PhD is for those seeking to address larger questions in a field and contribute materials and ideas. Not for those seeking kudos all around.
Damn. There goes my motivation.
Shut up assholes.
There is nothing worse than being a librarian.
or you want the sort of information-related job that will still be around in 5 years. or want your time in school to be spent with people who have a clue about where the field is headed.
what does make no sense is getting a MLS, especially if you have to pay for it.
@ Anonymous at 5:14 pm ... "nothing worse than being a librarian"?
How about being an unemployed librarian?
Or a recently furloughed librarian?
Watching my wife write her dissertation for her PhD in history (something she's been doing for about three years now)has made me relatively happy I stopped school after I got my MLS. If I'm going to write something at this point, I'd much rather it be fiction.
Please come back, librarians!!
We need updated posts! Don't let this blog die - it's too hilarious!!
Yes, PLEASE come back!!!!!!
We need you! After a day like today, I need to laugh and LOL cats just don't cut it.
Oh my God! These days I was thinking about taking a PhD, I was anxious and insecure, and your post opened my eyes! It was like a splash of fresh water in my face :-)
It's all true :-D
The fact is that I work in Italy, and here there is no link between education and job. I think I need to push forth my career, maybe leaving my country, and some advanced degree could be useful...
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