career change from IT to Librarian/ archivist

M

mir2001

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Hi

I'm interested in a career change and I was particularly interested in library/ archival work. I am trying to decide if it is worth the time and money (10K approx) to study a masters degree in library studies. I need to have some chance of getting work in the area afterward to justify the time and money outlay.
I have no direct experience of library work but I have worked in IT for over 10 years. I cannot afford to take a low paid job to get started as I have financial commitments to keep at this stage of my life. I'd be really grateful for some informed points of view, thanks

PS I realize there have been some library related postings before but they wouldn't reflect the current jobs market situation.
 
I have no personal experience, but I know one person who works in that area. Diploma, Degree and Masters and years of experience. They have found it hard to move up to better jobs/pay. From observation its seems (to me) that majority of jobs in that area are low paid, very few are well paid, and people wait for years to get them. I suspect you know this though.

The best to find out is to go apply for a few jobs and see what you are offered.
 
with more books going onto e-readers and other virtual platforms, and archives going into databases and as libraries are a non-essential public service which puts them at risk of budget cuts, I wouldn't have thought of libraries as a future growth industry.
 
From my time in the public library service (many years ago!), it was a requirement that anyone applying for the UCD Diploma in Library Studies (as it was then) had to have some library experience. The college held interviews to assess suitability for the course.

As dontaskme said, the public library service is unlikely to be recruiting at any level for some time, and have undergone a lot of cuts to service already.

An assistant librarian (the usual recruitment grade) in a local authority library is paid the equivalent of grade V admin in the local authorities, with a starting salary (2010 rates) of just over €40k, and a max salary after 10 years of €48,500.
 
dontaskme said:
with more books going onto e-readers and other virtual platforms, and archives going into databases and as libraries are a non-essential public service which puts them at risk of budget cuts, I wouldn't have thought of libraries as a future growth industry.
Click to expand...

This is not true. Many libraries are currently undergoing explosive growth in usage (40%-50% increases YOY) with less resources. In difficult economic times, the public library service becomes even more important, as it acts as a gateway to many other services, including education and information. Many libraries are well down the road on offering digital loans and eReaders.

Budget cuts are quite likely, along with all other public services, but the importance of this service is growing.

Having said that, I wouldn't disagree with the direction of your post - hard to see many opportunities in this area for an IT guy.
 
An assistant librarian is not the usual recruitment grade. Library Assistants are. There is a difference. Assistant librarians are the grade below the head librarian.

The starting grade pay varies depending on where you are working. When I was working it was €22,000 now the starting grade pay is €23,188 (in the library I worked).

There were people with degrees and masters in Library Studies/Archival Studies working on the lowest grade. There were too few opportunities for promotion in Ireland. That was back in 2004. Back then, there were more opportunities for promotion in the UK but the starting grade pay was much lower. I am not sure what the situation is now but I don't expect it to be much better.
 
library

I agree with above that libraries are experiencing huge growth in footfall. However, aren't librarians public sector positions through the local councils and subject to the employment embargo?? id check that out before you spent alot of money and time for nothing. Will the embargo be lifted by the time you qualify?

Killter
 
In reply to dirtypeasant's post, and just to clarify my earlier post, the recruitment grade for librarians is Grade V. The lowest recruitment level into the library service is Library Assistant. It is not a requirement to have a degree or diploma to be recruited at Library Assistant level - though as mentioned, many staff at that grade or the one immediately above it (Senior Library Assistant) may have the diploma because there are no vacancies at professional level.

Library Assistant is equivalent to Grade 3 admin - Clerical Officer.
 
If you would consider moving to the UK, they often have many openings that may suit you (though nothing listed at the moment). They are located at Kew in South London (which is an expensive area to rent/buy into) but a really lovely part of London.

If you keep an eye on their website and perhaps pursue a course in the meantime you could find exactly what you're looking for.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
 
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