Rolling 2007 librarian/library assistant thread

Are you using SIRSI's Unicorn? It used to be the dull grey, and then got upgraded to look like Microsoft Outlook.

I also bitched out a student yapping on her cellphone RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE `QUIET FLOOR - SWITCH CELLPHONES OFF" SIGN. "I'll call you back, Lessie; some rude guy just bitched me out," she said into the phone. "I'M RUDE?!" I yell. She does a raspeberry and boards the elevator.

I feel really idiotic, but even though I use it every day, it's all sort of a blur. I remember "Unicorn," but I think we got an update. Ours freezes up a lot, but apparently we got the budget version.

I have a meeting to go to in a little bit, for a project team that's trying to keep itself from becoming utterly useless. I am going through my notes from the last meeting to see what I need to do (meeting is in 10 minutes -- glad to see my grad school procrastination skills are still in full effect), and all I have written down is: "Office of Dead Initiatives." Way to go, Molly.

http://www.coffeecode.net/archives/108-Musing-about-SirsiDynixs-new-investment-partner.html

I really don't wanna do another literature search on wound care or obesity, but I know that's what I'll be doing within a couple of days of being back.

Might go through some of the old stock and get some materials for making collages with.

jel! I'm jealous! We get the bare minimum of time off here. It's teh sux.

That would be awesome! I don't have high hopes, though.

"This is the Langson Library. If you want Internet access without having to logon to anything, come here..."

Library school. Ugh. People who tell me they want to get their PhDs in library science scare me sometimes.

My school is more of a vocational/technical college per se than a university so I don't have to deal with a lot of the academic related issues. Which is fine with me.

I was contemplating starting a 2nd master's here, but even with the 70% discount, a grad class is no small chunk of change. I think I'll wait to next year. My brain cannot handle GREs right now.

It does, actually, but I think more on the undergrad level. But now that you mention it I'm sure there could be some sort of deal for grad work, depending on the field.

Can I ask a really dumb question regarding unified systems: what is the big deal with prediction records for serials? Are unclaimed serials that big a deal? It seems like making prediction records is more trouble than it is worth. Especially for irregular publications. Maybe it's just the system we have. Let me know if I'm being unclear.

Or just the regular online catalog?

I don't think we make prediction records here. We have a serials librarian (cataloger) who goes in an takes care of that shit. When I'm cataloging book sets, we only catalog what we have, because we may never get that issue of that irregular publication. Does that make sense?

Yeah. It's a serials thing, not a book thing. It just seems ridiculously complicated, a big hassle.

It just seems ridiculously complicated, a big hassle.

Welcome to my life as a cataloger!

Oh Jesus, that is awful. God help you. Ha, you're a cataloger! You know what they say about catalogers. . .

You know what they say about catalogers. . .

We're drunks? Socially awkward? Because that's pretty much spot on.

i, on the other hand, cannot wait to go to grad school because i feel pretty useless otherwise

they've finally ot the A/C working down here and now i am freezing :D

ggggggggggot

The list of types of library jobs on the ALA site is pretty unhelpful. It's basically like "public, academic ... uh, school, and ... uh, let's say 'other.'"

When I started, I thought I wanted to be a public librarian. Then, with my background, I thought academic librarianship was for me! Buffalo stupidly wanted to close all its public libraries, which set my pinko heart ablaze, causing me to want to be a public librarian again (but not stay in Buffalo, obv.). I then took an indexing course and decided, "this is for me!".

I'm now a Spanish/Portuguese/French cataloger for an academic library.

Sometimes I wanna say "fuck it" and become a children's librarian instead. But, I console myself with the thought that I'm the non-socially retarded cataloger ambassador for the library world.

Also, I had a friend who was on track for medical librarianship. She's now a school librarian (gasp! i mean, library media specialist) at a private school in SF.

In short, I don't think it matters, really.

Yeah, and people move around a lot. At my last library, former law librarians were children's librarians, and at my internship former school librarians were academic librarians. You won't really know what you want to do until you try out a few things.

this thread is making me more excited at the prospect of being a librarian.

not much has changed in my plans -- still planning on starting an MLS in fall 09. not totally sure where, however.

There's an insane amount of irrelevancy that goes on in academic libraries, I find.

Yesterday, someone had a freak out moment about something so trivial, I almost started laughing in her face. I maintained my calm and tried to diffuse the situation. Then, at the Halloween party later (OH GOD LIBRARIAN PARTIES ARE SO AWKWARD), I talked to one of the other parties involved, and she was all, "No problem! Thanks."

But Mark, don't let my general griping bum you out.

Working in a library can be really great and satisfying, oh, and low-stress.

This is true. Especially if you don't have to worry about catalog development or indexing. :-D

Hah! Yeah, but in the grand scheme of things, IT'S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD. Thousands of people are not going to die. It'll get sorted, dudes! Maybe I've been watching the Big Lebowski to much, but I just want everyone to "relax, man."

There are people who freak out about stupid stuff at pretty much every job, I've found.

This freaking out is far more intense and detached from reality, from what I've seen at other jobs.

Don't even get me started on how people spazz about conference authority records. Every bibliographer I've talked to (oh, and I ask, believe you me) says they NEVER search by authorized conference heading. I don't think 98% of the population even know what they are, but it's an integral part of my job.

and by people spazzing, i mean the catalogers i work with.

Catalogers are the WORST. Control freaks, all.

Dude, I'm totally not! That's the weird thing.

Oh, sorry. I didn't mean you, you're clearly level-headed.

"OH GOD LIBRARIAN PARTIES ARE SO AWKWARD"

Of course I read that as "LIBERTARIAN PARTIES," and I was inclined to agree.

Authoritarian parties, however, are so great.

No worries. I have stories, though. Oh god. One including someone I work with who has no TV, and is EXTREMELY PROUD of this, and talks about incessantly. And then she forwards everyone clips from the Keith Olbermann show, or the Daily Show, about how it's SO GREAT, and I'm like, "Dude, I saw this last night. Also, stop cackling at your cubicle. It annoys me."

Ok, maybe that's not so much a cataloging thing, but just weird librarian-ish shit.

Ned, THE WORST.

I don't watch TV or clips, I'm better than you both! *hides*

It's not that I have anything against the TV-less! I didn't have a TV for a while! Mainly, I just can't stand loud talkers.

WHAT YOU SAY

Here's an awkward Libertarian party, previewed in this week's Nashville Scene:

ROCK FOR RON PAUL Presidential races are often exclusive events. While Giuliani swirls a glass of fine brandy and convinces Republicans to swallow his stances on abortion and gay marriage, Clinton downplays her support for war with Iran between nibbles of frog legs on toast. Only this time, somebody shat in the foie gras. That somebody is Libertarian Congressman Ron Paul. Paul’s advocates want to return to constitutional principles, stop runaway inflation by reforming our monetary system and dismantle the military-industrial complex. They also want to rock. Enter Rock for Ron Paul, a festival-style benefit independently organized by the base of Paul’s Nashville constituency. Three stages will host 22 different acts whose styles run the gamut from idiosyncratic indie-rockers Knapsack Heroes to the meat-and-potatoes pop of Harrison Hudson. Arrive early to catch the metal screeching of Kreaper, which, like Ron Paul’s monetary policy, is difficult to understand. 6 p.m. at Rcktwn —MARSHALL WEBER

KREAPER?

I mean come ON. I expect that to be the secret rivals of Dethklok, not a real band.

HA HA HA. Rcktwn is a Christian Emo nightclub or something.

Also, it's called "Rcktwn". ARE LIBERTARIANS AGAINST VOWELS?

Tomorrow's my first pre-school visit. Wish me luck. I'm leading off with: "Punk Farm."

Good luck! I know you'll WOW the kids.

Why do otherwise intelligent, moderately computer literate people turn into complete fucking morons when they are faced with an online catalog? I know it's not the most user-friendly, and the AquaBrowser bullshit only serves to confuse, but goddam.

No I'm sorry I can't tell you where all books by author x are, without going into each record individually, but I can assure you that we are not hiding them behind the reference desk as you suspect. Try clicking on things that look like links in the catalog records. Maybe they will take you to more information!

Today I helped a guy who looked like Alec Baldwin. My branch keeps on giving.

We've done been found out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6_dcjR2npU

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/librarians/

Oh me!

When I had a terrible office job, and watched th UK version of "The Office" the whole thing just made me sad, and even more depressed about my idiot coworkers. I have a feeling this might be the same. ;_;

thanks for withholding my paycheck from me for about two weeks on account of a "budgeting error," b0bst. cuz it's not like i got groceries to buy or bills to pay or anything like that!!! A+++++ GO TEAM

dude, that sucks. have you gotten it yet?

Best Onion editorial cartoon ever (at least if you're a librarian)!

http://www.theonion.com/content/cartoon/nov-19-2007

http://www.theonion.com/content/files/images/Librarians.jpg

The Patriot Act can bite me, says Amazon

Sometimes there's progress.

So here's a good post, if you ask me.

ALA midwinter, anyone?

Actually, time for a new thread, with that subject line!

Hey! If you're bored or something or want to tell me how smart you are and how dumb I am ... Can some of you librarian types read this
http://thestuffihave.com/blog/?cat=1
.. from the bottom up - sorry, it was posted chronologically, so the first post is at the bottom ...

I'm teaching a class on Monday about social networking tools in libraries - I'd love to run it by some librarians first ....

(I know it's very cursory ... I only have an hour ... And Molly will have something to say about user tagging, wont she? ;-))

Thanks!

(ok -forget the comment about reading from the bottom up - I changed the dates & now it reads from the top ...)

Looks great! I can just tell you that Queens Library has slightly tweaked the "26 Things" Web 2.0 workshop from the Charlotte, NC library. Staff had the opportunity to participate online. Sadly, the extent of my involvement with "social networking" involves mostly kicking kids of Myspace. (We do have an on-line chat forum at Queens, though, that is a great resource. The children's librarians are fairly active on it.

come next fall, i will be a full-time student either here or here :D

I love you all but the year in this thread is old. ;-)

Rolling 2008 librarian/library assistant thread