what did you say? quotes from retirement, retention, & recruitment: the future of librarianship...

What did you say?What did you say?

Quotes fromQuotes from Retirement, Retention, & Retirement, Retention, &

RecruitmentRecruitment::The Future of Librarianship in The Future of Librarianship in

ColoradoColorado


““I see a dismaying trend in public I see a dismaying trend in public libraries of minimizing the libraries of minimizing the significance of an MLS… If we don't significance of an MLS… If we don't value the degree from within our own value the degree from within our own ranks, why should anyone else? We ranks, why should anyone else? We can't demand higher salaries if we can't demand higher salaries if we don't preserve our professionalism.”don't preserve our professionalism.”

– – Public LibrarianPublic Librarian

Quotes from Quotes from Retirement, Retention, & Recruitment: Retirement, Retention, & Recruitment: The Future of Librarianship in ColoradoThe Future of Librarianship in Colorado


““If it weren't for the high quality of If it weren't for the high quality of leadership in the Colorado library leadership in the Colorado library community, I would be pessimistic community, I would be pessimistic about the future of librarianship in this about the future of librarianship in this state… I feel strongly that the future state… I feel strongly that the future outlook for librarians here will be outlook for librarians here will be bright. Perhaps we will emerge a more bright. Perhaps we will emerge a more powerful force than before.”powerful force than before.”

– – Librarian, Special LibraryLibrarian, Special LibraryQuotes from Quotes from Retirement, Retention, & Recruitment: Retirement, Retention, & Recruitment:

The Future of Librarianship in ColoradoThe Future of Librarianship in Colorado


““I am thrilled to be a Library Media I am thrilled to be a Library Media Specialist and I love every day Specialist and I love every day that I work. I encourage other that I work. I encourage other people [to] become librarians people [to] become librarians hoping that they too will love it hoping that they too will love it …”…”

– – School LibrarianSchool LibrarianQuotes from Quotes from Retirement, Retention, & Recruitment: Retirement, Retention, & Recruitment:



“…“…students are reluctant to pursue students are reluctant to pursue library degrees due to the length of library degrees due to the length of the educational process compared to the educational process compared to the salary [for] their first job. Our the salary [for] their first job. Our jobs are not as attractive as those in jobs are not as attractive as those in other fields of study which pay more other fields of study which pay more for an advanced degree.”for an advanced degree.”




““Not all school districts require Not all school districts require endorsed librarians or even certified endorsed librarians or even certified teachers in their libraries, especially teachers in their libraries, especially at the elementary level. With budget at the elementary level. With budget cuts, these jobs are not at all secure. cuts, these jobs are not at all secure. But the educational requirements are But the educational requirements are huge. How can we ask people to huge. How can we ask people to pursue the education and not pursue the education and not guarantee them positions?”guarantee them positions?”




““Professionals and Professionals and paraprofessionals need to work paraprofessionals need to work together, realizing that many of together, realizing that many of us without MLS degrees have a us without MLS degrees have a lot to offer.”lot to offer.”

––ParaprofessionalParaprofessionalAcademic LibraryAcademic Library



““I think being a librarian in the I think being a librarian in the state of Colorado is an exciting state of Colorado is an exciting position to be in. From an position to be in. From an academic standpoint the future academic standpoint the future is all about technology and is all about technology and online education.”online education.”

– – Academic LibrarianAcademic Librarian



““Our district does not currently Our district does not currently pay high enough salaries to pay high enough salaries to attract …people just coming out attract …people just coming out of library school... of library school...




““We need to continue to work on We need to continue to work on the public's perception of the the public's perception of the importance of libraries in their importance of libraries in their towns.”towns.”

– – ParaprofessionalParaprofessionalPublic LibraryPublic Library



““I have worked in the public library I have worked in the public library for 25 years and still enjoy my for 25 years and still enjoy my work and helping customers. I work and helping customers. I have many duties, which keep have many duties, which keep me abreast of new me abreast of new technologies...”technologies...”



What did you say?What did you say?““I am concerned with schools not I am concerned with schools not

replacing retiring media replacing retiring media specialists ... They should be looking specialists ... They should be looking for the same qualifications and for the same qualifications and knowledge/training instead of knowledge/training instead of accepting less. I fear that students accepting less. I fear that students and teachers are being short and teachers are being short changed.”changed.”




“…“…Our economy is shifting… from Our economy is shifting… from product-based industry towards product-based industry towards service-based and knowledge-based service-based and knowledge-based industries… Business success will industries… Business success will depend on gathering, synthesizing, depend on gathering, synthesizing, analyzing, and responding to analyzing, and responding to information... the future outlook for information... the future outlook for information professionals in the state information professionals in the state is very positive.”is very positive.”

– – LIS StudentLIS StudentQuotes from Quotes from Retirement, Retention, & Recruitment: Retirement, Retention, & Recruitment:



““In order to advance in our current In order to advance in our current library system, one would need library system, one would need an MLS degree. I don't know how an MLS degree. I don't know how to acquire one except by doing it to acquire one except by doing it on-line. This is not an option that on-line. This is not an option that I would pursue.”I would pursue.”

––ParaprofessionalParaprofessionalPublic LibraryPublic Library



““Decreasing pay and increasing Decreasing pay and increasing workloads will continue to make workloads will continue to make this profession undesirable to this profession undesirable to students looking for a promising students looking for a promising career.”career.”




“…“…after all is said and done, I still love after all is said and done, I still love my job and feel extremely fortunate my job and feel extremely fortunate to have chosen such a fascinating to have chosen such a fascinating field. That does not mean that there field. That does not mean that there is not room for improvement, but I is not room for improvement, but I know that most people when I tell know that most people when I tell them what I do get a glint in their them what I do get a glint in their eye and say “really!”eye and say “really!”

– – LIS Student and LIS Student and Paraprofessional, School LibraryParaprofessional, School Library



““A forward-thinking library system A forward-thinking library system might consider hiring career-might consider hiring career-minded MLIS students who can minded MLIS students who can become part of their system and become part of their system and work their way up…”work their way up…”

– – LIS StudentLIS Student



““Librarians and library workers Librarians and library workers need [to] allow for change and need [to] allow for change and innovation to bring the younger innovation to bring the younger generations into the library.”generations into the library.”

––LIS StudentLIS StudentParaprofessional, Public LibraryParaprofessional, Public Library



““The opportunity for any kind of The opportunity for any kind of professional development professional development whether it be workshops or whether it be workshops or college level classes is very college level classes is very limited on the Western Slope of limited on the Western Slope of Colorado...”Colorado...”

– – School LibrarianSchool Librarian



““My experience has been that it is My experience has been that it is very difficult to advance in very difficult to advance in libraries without being willing to libraries without being willing to relocate… I have long felt relocate… I have long felt frustrated not being able to grow frustrated not being able to grow into a professional cataloging into a professional cataloging position locally.”position locally.”

– – Librarian, Special LibraryLibrarian, Special LibraryQuotes from Quotes from Retirement, Retention, & Recruitment: Retirement, Retention, & Recruitment:



““I think it will be harder to recruit I think it will be harder to recruit librarians from out of state given librarians from out of state given the long term effects of Tabor the long term effects of Tabor and Gallagher. Librarians looking and Gallagher. Librarians looking for advancement will look for advancement will look outside the state for outside the state for opportunities.”opportunities.”




““I believe librarianship is alive and I believe librarianship is alive and well, despite the economy and well, despite the economy and the hit libraries have taken… but the hit libraries have taken… but all things are cyclical. We've all things are cyclical. We've survived other bad times; we'll survived other bad times; we'll survive these...”survive these...”




“…“…our profession is always going to our profession is always going to have a place in a world where folks have a place in a world where folks are drowning in information and are drowning in information and need a life preserver.”need a life preserver.”

– – Librarian, Special LibraryLibrarian, Special Library



““With the understanding that the With the understanding that the funds for libraries are being cut, I funds for libraries are being cut, I am pursuing other careers.”am pursuing other careers.”




““Since I am at the top of my range Since I am at the top of my range in salary, it would not benefit me in salary, it would not benefit me to get an MLS, as I would spend a to get an MLS, as I would spend a lot of time and money and not be lot of time and money and not be compensated…”compensated…”

- Paraprofessional- ParaprofessionalPublic LibraryPublic Library


What did you say?What did you say?““I do think there is a future for I do think there is a future for

librarianship in Colorado and I'm librarianship in Colorado and I'm encouraging everyone capable in our encouraging everyone capable in our libraries to pursue a library science libraries to pursue a library science degree… Increasing online degree… Increasing online educational opportunities have finally educational opportunities have finally made library science degrees more made library science degrees more attainable for Colorado's rural attainable for Colorado's rural communities…communities…

– – Paraprofessional, Public LibraryParaprofessional, Public Library



““I believe many more people I believe many more people would get an MLS if it were more would get an MLS if it were more convenient. Also, people don't convenient. Also, people don't believe that distance education believe that distance education is a good idea and it is generally is a good idea and it is generally quite expensive.”quite expensive.”




““We need more education We need more education opportunities for Western Slope opportunities for Western Slope residents interested in obtaining residents interested in obtaining an MLS degree.”an MLS degree.”




““My biggest obstacle in pursuing a My biggest obstacle in pursuing a master's degree in library master's degree in library science is the lack of an science is the lack of an adequate pay scale to adequate pay scale to compensate for the time and compensate for the time and cost…“cost…“




““I love libraries and enjoy my I love libraries and enjoy my opportunities to work with the opportunities to work with the public in information, circulation, public in information, circulation, and children's programming.”and children's programming.”

––ParaprofessionalParaprofessional

Public LibraryPublic Library



““I'm optimistic! I see a continued role for I'm optimistic! I see a continued role for libraries in some form or other. The libraries in some form or other. The profession is keeping me because it's ever-profession is keeping me because it's ever-changing and challenging. People still love changing and challenging. People still love their libraries! Even though most folks get their libraries! Even though most folks get into the profession because of love of books into the profession because of love of books or other misguided preconceptions (we do or other misguided preconceptions (we do NOT ‘get to read books all day’), we all end NOT ‘get to read books all day’), we all end up staying because it's just good work to up staying because it's just good work to get to do.”get to do.”

– – Public LibrarianPublic LibrarianQuotes from Quotes from Retirement, Retention, & Recruitment: Retirement, Retention, & Recruitment:


Retirement, Retention, & Retirement, Retention, & Recruitment:Recruitment:

The Future of Librarianship in The Future of Librarianship in ColoradoColorado

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