I'm mid 40s and really just looking to reinvent myself a little. Library work has always fascinated me and wondered if anybody in here works a library technician and what has your experience been. Is there much employment in this space? Happy to return to study for a couple of years. Thanks in advance.
Anybody Work as a Library Technician? I need a career change.
mreddie on 31/08/2021 - 13:53
Comments
boom, tish
Is there much employment in this space?
I can confidently say that there isn't.
Almost all the library people I know have struggled to find work when they have been looking for a job, even with experience and good qualifications.
I think it is very competitive, with a great many well qualified people working in other fields like retail but trying to get work in the library.With today's search capabilities, I would have thought that "Library Technician" = administrator. Low entry requirements make it very competitive and probably unfulfilling.
OP, your appear to be self employed, perhaps you could let us know what you currently do?
I think of many of the roles in a library work are run by volunteers, not sure if library work, is a "real" job if you have higher ambitions tbh…
EDIT: Love the people working at the library dearly, do it for the love, not $$. Depends what you are looking for OP…
I almost finished the diploma 20 years ago, and did 2 work experiences, one at a Tafe and one at a hospital library. I left to go on Carers Pension for someone. My advice would be, get experience on your resume. At the time they had a job board at TAFE and any of those would have helped. I even checked volunteers site, and there were some jobs there. Check if they run a job board at TAFE,
For an ex librarian you are very confrontational and vocal (based on your thread history Pam).
Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
I talk a lot and stick up for myself, as almost all of the comments are trying to put me down, so I tell them off.
Pam, to me, you are like a good book. I just can't put you down.
I think it is a very valuable role but it isn't very valued (more of a nice to have, but let's get a cheap administrator instead), as per the comments above.
If I was considering a career shift today I would probably look closely at data science, if that could be your cup of tea..
any courses you'd recommend?
Hey, I returned to study a few years back now and went for a more generalist information systems postgrad.. I did include a library focused unit or two, but if I never have to sit in a lecture about the Dewey decimal system again it will be too soon!
If I was located in Vic I would probably look at what Monash or RMIT had in this space.
Also - in my large org, like many, there are no librarians left.. :(
https://www.alia.org.au/Web/Careers/Employment/Web/Careers/J…
note that a technician would be doing the mundane work, sounds like you are wanting to aim higher if you were seeking to re-skill through study.
relevant degree: https://study.csu.edu.au/courses/library-information-studies
There is a Cert IV path to Library Technician.
I think the issue will be there are degree qualified librarians working the technician roles as a stepping stone, so maybe hard to find work with a Cert.
Believe in your shelf. At 40 you may be overdue a career change.
Each to their own, etc., etc. … but is this a growth industry? I would have thought that the demand for such people would be declining. Maybe I'm wrong or misunderstand the job, but surely the move to more and more electronic sources will see this slowly dwindle over time.
All good responses everyone and good food for thought on the actual prospects out there.
Good, that's half the job. Just make sure you're also happy to loan books as well