so, last week i sped through Incarceron. maybe it was because i'd heard great things, maybe it was because i wanted to get the jump on the sure-to-be-sixpack-ified summer blockbuster (seriously. taylor lautner, he of the wolfy Twi-abs, has signed on to be our protag.)*, but i was anxious to get to the end. and i'm glad i did so quickly.
*disclaimer: this is to say, i wanted to read the book before the theatrical release and save myself from imagining his underage torso in every scene. but, now that i've described this motive, i can't help but picture it. blech.
set in the future within the confines of a living prison, Incarceron is dark, violent, and all the other things that parent groups are afraid we'll expose children to. and i have to say, i'm really digging this dystopic trend that's taken over YA. part of me thinks this low morale in YA is because prospects in the adult world look pretty bleak right now.
of course, i am a part of that adult world and probably not the most objective person on the matter. my perspective is such that, while reading this story about a queen who's tied her court to the conventions and punishments of a past Era, i could only think of the impenetrable librarian code.
now, let it be said that i am proud member of several librarian groups. i attend conferences, make local meet-and-greets, keep an active virtual presence, and volunteer within/create my community. i'm not saying that to toot my own horn, but to illustrate the fact that i'm not just sitting on my ass or cowering in the corner - i'm getting out there! nevertheless, i can't escape this feeling of... being rebuffed by my elders. case in point:
1) the polite inquiry
last spring i asked a professor for his recommendations on getting some pre-professional experience. its no secret that, with the shortage of paid positions, new librarians have to hustle their skills for free. that's fine by me so, when the prof threw out the name of a contact at a choice institution, i ran home and sent out an email. i kept it short and sweet cause i hate 'cold calls' too.
weeks went by and nothing.
then i spotted mr. colleague at a conference. i approached to give the elevator speech but got the brush off instead. ok, fine. he was busy.
a week after that, i got an announcement for an internship (what i had inquired about months before) in mr. colleague's institution, with all cv's sent to his attention.
truth: look, i'm not naive enough to think that upper-ups will drop what they're doing every time i have a question. but, fact is, professional courtesy doesn't just extend to mid-career professionals. in this case, a simple acknowledgment would have sufficed. and maybe my frustration with the whole library world is because of this slight. but that's because i've found this "do as i say, not as i do" attitude a bit too often.
2) the quizzical case of recruitment
when this young brown woman hears of "diversity recruitment" sessions, you can be sure she'll show up. even when the talks are aimed at established librarians, hr, and admissions, i take the time to go because knowing exactly what future employers want gives me a great advantage.
that said, the last time i sat in on one of these i walked away insulted, not informed. i love powerpoint presentations just as much as the next guy but i wanted to know where they were going with this hoopla. during q&a i asked what were specific goals of minority recruiting efforts these days and what could a recent grad do to smartly position themselves to be recruited when things pick up. i was hoping for more news about the future, and less rumination on the past. one panelists first answer? "well we're not hiring..." followed by some garble about the importance of diversity. no answer to any of my questions.
truth: i know no one can tell me how long this job crisis is going to go on for, but if you don't know what your goals are (ie. 15% increase in students of color by 20xx, more collections with minority focus, 2 more minority interest groups represented at the next meeting...) how can i, as a candidate, meet them? also, recent grads (ahem) are acutely aware of the ins and outs of this job market, no need for disparaging and patronizing remarks.
3) mentor-tormentor
of course, the worst professional failure to date: outreach programs with no follow through!
last august, i joined (read: spent a good chunk of change on memberships to) organizations with mentor programs. i signed up for those programs! i need all the advice i can get.
its february. i have yet to be assigned a contact. (the "thanks for joining" automated email does NOT count as contact)
truth: if it's important to professionals that i stay involved, then the participants/managers of these groups ought to meet me half way! there's so much talk about bringing us youngins under your wing, cultivating the next generation of librarians, but these orgs are starting to seem more like exclusive clubs, than inclusive groups. organizations can't be blamed for the tone certain individuals set (believe me, i have seen enough job protectiveness in the last year to last a lifetime), but if no one takes responsibility for how these groups function it will only be a matter of time before they don't.
silver lining
look, virtual meetings at ala! finally, evidence of the web connectivity we're always going on about.
needs work
this is list of groups through ala connect. how do i navigate that?
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