In grad school our instructors pushed for us to work in academic environments. This seemed logical. Many library and archival jobs were present in higher education. Despite this, they left me unprepared for how competitive those meager positions truly were. I kept applying for them to no avail.
Ultimately, it was good that I didn't obtain those jobs. Academia is completely out of touch with the needs of the public. Discourse on academic theory isn't directly helping the real world problems we face everyday. Since abandoning the profession I see how ineffective the academic LIS environment is. People there can't reach outside their bubble to connect with non-scholars.
When I volunteered I enjoyed working with other people. Sadly there's no way to switch to a reference environment without nepotism and years of unpaid experience. The myopic views on LIS and APRM jobs in grad school really messed me up. I know the environments I'd like to work in. I have no way of getting to work in those places without sacrificing my lifestyle. Going back to school feels like flushing money down a toilet. That said, knowing what I don't want to do feels as important as knowing what to do. It will take a while to detox, that's all.
- Andy out
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