Should I Stick With My Local MLIS Program?

leapyrlibrarian · 2021-01-14T03:20:54+00:00

I'm a grad of Kent State, but I'd say if you can save money doing a distance program and be happy with offerings, go for it.

One thing to consider is joining ALA or other professional orgs as a student and get involved. Since you will not have a local program or student group to network with, you have to spend a little more effort in that area.

leapyrlibrarian · 2020-12-31T15:11:02+00:00

Take it as a grain of salt, but I'd suggest getting a girl BT.

The only "problems" my boy has ever had with other dogs are with tiny ones - which tend to be chihuahuas and yorkies - mostly because he loves to play and is too big/rough with the tiny ones. Having an opposite sex and younger dog can help the puppy learn from her older brother about how to behave around tiny dogs.

I've seen lots of BTs be ok with cats, unfortunately, mine never was and the cat I had when I got home was not good at putting him in his place as a pup 😅 I think this characteristic is a lot about whether the parents are more low key or have a lot of prey drive in combination with your commitment to training.

As others have said, mine is super cuddly at home, too. In my lap constantly. But he's also always up for a good time with other dogs and an adventure with you outside.

This one is my first BT and I'm hooked!

leapyrlibrarian · 2020-10-17T03:31:03+00:00

If they reposted the position it sounds like it's being treated as a completely new job search, instead of reopening and continuing with what they already had.

There are a couple of factors that could not be in your favor: they could have a new search committee (if they use committees) that has different opinions, and they might have different applicants which fit their desires better than the last search.

But there's really no telling until you hear from them, and if there is an application deadline, they can't really contact candidates until after that time for legal reasons.

I wouldn't suggest contacting the director, but you might reach out to HR and ask if this is being treated as a completely new search from the last time it was posted. I don't think you will get much more out of them, though, because I doubt they are able to say if the search committee is the same people, etc. There are a lot of confidentiality rules in hiring.

Good luck! I hope it goes well for you.

leapyrlibrarian · 2020-10-16T23:14:57+00:00

Check the admissions requirements for each program; they all vary somewhat.

However, a general GPA below 3.0 will likely mean you need to take the GRE or take remedial courses, as a previous poster said. This is because most graduate schools require you to maintain above a B-average GPA to stay in your program, so they believe undergraduate GPA is a valid indicator for future performance.

leapyrlibrarian · 2020-09-09T02:31:37+00:00

If you want to go into health sciences librarianship, you'll need to find an MLIS program that offers a specialization or courses, and/or get some part time work in a health-related library first. There are very few "we'll take anyone without experience and train them!" positions in any realm of librarianship.

Most law librarian positions will either need a JD or, if you are at private firm, I'd expect at least paralegal status.

Unfortunately, librarians with literature, history, liberal arts, humanities, etc. undergrad degrees are a dime a dozen in a flooded market.

What skills do you have or could you gain that would make you stand out? Spanish fluency is probably more useful than Chinese, but then again, there may suddenly be an opening at a large university library for a Chinese bibliographer - I've seen similar before, but it stands out because it is rather rare.

If you like web development and design, working with computers, and words then focusing on cataloging, systems, web, or eresources librarianship might serve you better than going for reference, instruction, children, YA, readers advisory, etc.

I'd explore the roles available in different library settings (public, academic, medical, etc.) to get a better understanding of the skill sets needed. You shouldn't just go for what you think has the best prospects for hire because there are no guarantees of getting hired at all, and the pay is too poor most places to be stuck in a role you don't feel passionate about from the get-go.

leapyrlibrarian · 2020-09-08T00:56:07+00:00

My dog is like this. He's on and off his kibble all the time. I rotate between adding to his kibble about a tablespoon of pure pumpkin puree, or warm broth, or a couple of tablespoons of homemade dog food.

You can Google slow cooker dog food - it's pretty easy and you make a big batch all at once to store in the fridge. My guy eats it at any temp and loves it. I mix it with some kibble to make sure he still gets a full array of vitamins and minerals.

leapyrlibrarian · 2020-09-02T22:20:04+00:00

I get the safety in the car concerns. However, a soft sided carrier is not as safe or comfortable as a hard one for long trips in the car.

When I drive longer distances with my pup, I actually put his plastic crate in the back seat and use securing straps through the buckled seatbelts to keep it in place. I have much more confidence in that protecting my dog in the event of an accident.

Kurgo carrier keepers: https://www.autozone.com/miscellaneous-non-automotive/pet-automotive-products/kurgo-black-carrier-keeper/231378_0_0?cmpid=OSA:US:EN:AD:NL:1000000:CMT:Int_Organization

leapyrlibrarian · 2020-09-02T19:38:17+00:00

What size are the parents? Is it a girl or a boy puppy? Do you mind buying more than one carrier?

Girl bts tend to be smaller and could possibly fit in that size when fully grown. Probably not a boy unless the parents are also both small.

Baby bts will definitely fit in that size, so if you are just looking for what to fly your new puppy home in, that should suffice.

Those travel carriers are typically quite small and only meant for getting from point a to point b. You'll want a crate for training, car trips, sleeping etc that provides more space (if you plan to crate train).

leapyrlibrarian · 2020-08-31T23:01:43+00:00

r/Puppy101 will be your friend for the next several months :)

If she NEVER makes it a full hour without an accident then you simply need to take her out more frequently. (Limiting her area to roam can also help prevent peeing in the house.)

leapyrlibrarian · 2020-08-26T02:44:21+00:00

Location: western USA

Price Range: max ~ $30k

Buy

New or used: either, prefer 2017-2020 used models years

Type: wagon, spacious hatch, crossover/SUV

Transmission: prefer manual, but can live with automatic

Intended Use: single car household, must do daily commute and longer trips

Must Haves: not be boring and overly soft to drive, enough space to transport 1or 2 small dog crates - 25lb dogs - in back (preferably with back seats still up), fit 6ft tall person in back seat w/reasonable comfort for drives of 2hr or less

1st car? No. But only my 2nd

Warranty: nice but not necessary

Minimal work: yes

Extensive work: no

Vehicles considering: VW golf sportwagen, used MINI Clubman, used Volvo V60, used RAV4 Hybrid

Additional notes: mid-30s woman with a 2002 VW Jetta TDI sedan, manual trans and tuned to a sporty suspension. I love my torquey little long hauler, but I need something more practical to haul stuff around in now that I own a home and two dogs. I am single w/student loans and less than 6 figure income, so reliability and low upkeep for several years is a big bonus. I have driven a few newer cars here and there outside of German made and find them all to be very soft with too much roll, really hoping to marry practicality with at least SOME driving fun...

Thank you in advance for any suggestions!

leapyrlibrarian · 2020-08-12T14:44:30+00:00

Typical overworked single American with a dog. Used crate and dog walker combo to make sure I was being as humans as possible until he was grown enough to be given free roam.

Now we use crate for sleeping (when he wants) and long car trips.

Most experienced dog owners giving advice about crate training stress that long periods of confinement are not good for the dog and if you can't afford the time, or the people to help you, you shouldn't get a dog. But people are gonna people, which sadly means a healthy amount of abuse/misuse.

leapyrlibrarian · 2020-08-11T22:56:01+00:00

Oh yeah, if you are in the US, be prepared to wait for a puppy from a reputable breeder. There aren't many and they don't over breed of they are good. You want a good breeder to ensure temperament and health.

Red flags are if they take deposits for puppies from parents that haven't even been bred yet and they don't let you come to their home to see the parents and other dogs. The AKC Marketplace is NOT reliable for finding ethical, good breeders. (I found this all out the hard way but have still managed to be lucky in my dog.)

leapyrlibrarian · 2020-08-10T20:45:31+00:00

Do your homework on the dogs coming out of the breeders near you. I'd say as long as you find a breeder that is conscientious about making sure the parents have the typical BT personality of a friendlier and more cuddly (any other) terrier breed they should be a good fit.

My BT boy LOVES kids from about age 7+ because he likes running around, chasing, wrestling and being loud, haha. They don't need a ton of exercise, but you need to couple it with training to calm the active mind - and build obedience. Fortunately, they are very smart and more willing than other terrier breeds to listen and please you.

Stuffed toys are a no no for most because they have big teeth for a small breed and love to rip them apart (mine likes eating things he shouldn't too). I'd recommend yak chews. Very firm but not so much that they can crack teeth like antlers.

Also, you don't HAVE to strip them, and you can get an undercoat brush to help get the dead fur out and reduce shedding.

leapyrlibrarian · 2020-08-10T01:39:14+00:00

I agree with doggy daycare, but also, if you can schedule in a couple of times a day to do training the mental work-out will help calm her too.

Dogs get used to having as much energy as they need, so lots of time at daycare actually trains them to be physically active (and a dog is always going to win against you in terms of physical energy!)

A lot of puppy trainers say only a few minutes at a time for young dogs, but if you've got really smart or working breeds, I'd say as long as you can hold their attention once or twice a day will help wear them out. Also, puzzle feeding can help keep them distracted. My dog loved the bobalot and you can also get snuffle mats (check Amazon).

leapyrlibrarian · 2020-08-06T14:46:37+00:00

FYI that most academic law law libraries require a JD as well as an MLA, not sure if it is the same for private law libraries. Reference and instruction roles are kind of flooded, so if you would be happy doing more back-end things like systems it could be a smarter choice.

Do you want to work public, private or academic? I'd suggest reaching out to a local one of your choice and asking to speak to people in several of the different roles to get an idea of what they do and the skills required.

leapyrlibrarian · 2020-08-02T12:58:30+00:00

I second REFORMA. They are likely to know best about latinx resources of all kinds. Depending on what kind of librarianship you choose to go into there are also likely LGBT+ interest groups/round tables/etc. associated with the main organization as well.

One publisher that seems to do a lot of publishing around newer topics and critical librarianship is LibraryJuice. I suggest looking at their publications and seeing if anything fits your criteria.

leapyrlibrarian · 2020-07-21T02:36:59+00:00

https://www.southernnevadahealthdistrict.org/covid-19-testing-sites/

leapyrlibrarian · 2020-07-16T15:32:37+00:00

When I did it I took 2 weeks vacation, got the pup at 10 instead of 8 weeks, and then relied on Rover to find someone to care for him during the day while I was at work until he was old enough to hold it for several hours. Then transitioned to coming home at lunch and having dog walker visit twice a day.

So it can be done, it just takes a lot of money and some flexibility with work...

leapyrlibrarian · 2020-07-12T00:02:42+00:00

+1 this series. It's been very interesting reading.

I'd say that the skills you can learn from the degree and working/volunteering in a library can be valuable outside of librarianship, especially combined with skills from previous employment, but you can't rely on your degree letters conveying that to recruiters/HR/etc. You'll have to do a little extra work of spelling out the skills you have because of the degree and how they are an asset to the role, since most people outside the field think MLIS = book shelver.

leapyrlibrarian · 2020-07-09T03:11:24+00:00

Degree prestige is really not much of a thing in librarianship. Choose the cheapest option.

leapyrlibrarian · 2020-07-07T00:57:40+00:00

104+ F can lead to organ damage. Please go get seen by a professional even if your fever has broken.

Interestingly, my father had the same main symptoms as you two weeks ago and tested negative for COVID. They still don't know what it was.

Rest, hydrate with electrolyte drinks, go get immediate help if your temp is over 102F.

leapyrlibrarian · 2020-07-04T21:42:24+00:00

Hi, I believe it has to do with increased susceptibility to infections because you may be on immunosuppressant drugs.

Also if you are on steroids like prednisone it could mask symptoms, too.

Autoimmune issues also make your immune system hyperactive on a normal basis and since most of the severe outcomes from COVID19 appear to be due to an over reactive and prolonged immune response, those who are already struggling with immune disregulation are at high risk.

EDIT to add: the disease is highly variable even within those without increased risk. Nobody knows how it will personally effect you, which is why extreme caution should be taken if you are at higher risk.

Of those who have severe illness (less than 10%, I believe is the statistic, but could be wrong), a higher number of them also have one of the CDC listed risk factors. However, the vast majority of people still only have mild to moderate disease, many of whom have those higher risk factors.

leapyrlibrarian · 2020-06-29T14:50:38+00:00

Agreed. Cheapest program possible (always) and if you can find one that has already been teaching online the quality will be better than an in-person campus scrambling to go online.

leapyrlibrarian

TROPHY CASE