Hello,
This blog will continue to http://alexkberman.weebly.com/.
Please go there and check out all the amazingly intelligent ideas I put out for public consumption!
-Alex
Change is afoot
Posted by librarianmaybe on February 23, 2012
http://librarianmaybe.wordpress.com/2012/02/23/change-is-afoot/
Job Seeking Advice
It’s been a while since my last posting, but I think that this particular entry comes at an appropriate time.
Here’s my job advice for people seeking jobs in 2012:
1) Don’t give up.
Yes the market is tough. However it’s not insurmountable. The key is perseverance and understanding that it takes perseverance and that you’re unlikely to hear back from 90% of the jobs you apply for.
2) It’s a game of attrition.
Again, the market is tough. The solution is to overwhelm it. Instead of sending out 5 applications, send out 20. Make it a daily routine. Every morning you wake up, before you brush your teeth, send out 10 applications.
3) Utilize Linkedin, Google Reader, etc.
These feeds are your best friend. Quite often they have jobs posted multiple times. The main advantage though is that it exposes you to ’00s of different jobs. Some of them may be in categories you hadn’t even thought would be applicable to your skill set.
4) Abandon your pre-conceived notions.
You can’t principles or ideals. Ethics are good, you need ethics. However pre-conceived notions relating to your ideal workplace have got to go. If you don’t expand your reach than you will probably not find employment. Plus you never know if that corporate job is actually going to be your dream job (At least for the next couple years).
5) Be creative
This kind of goes along with the previous rule. Be creative. Apply for anything and everything you think you might be even remotely qualified for. Apply for a few hail marys. The key is to get your name out there and maybe you’ll find out that your dream job is in a place you never thought would exist as a viable option.
6) Economics
What do you need to survive? Not only survive, but thrive? It’s not as much as you think. Even $2000 extra per year can make a difference. This is especially true when you factor in student loan payments, rent, and groceries. Plus taxes. So while you might survive on $20K now, it’s probably not going to float your boat after you graduate. Of course, you could always take a second job to make ends meet. It’s tough, but totally do able.
Summary:
Yea it’s tough. But if you are creative, stubborn, and positive you’ll find something that will make you happy, or at least employed. These lessons are taken from my personal experience. When I graduated from Simmons GSLIS in May 2011 I sent out approx. 300 resumes. I received approx. 5 interviews and ended up with 1 job offer. I accepted the offer, and have worked at Kaplan Publishing for approx. 8 months now. There are bad days, good days.
It’ll all be worth it!
Posted by librarianmaybe on February 21, 2012
http://librarianmaybe.wordpress.com/2012/02/21/job-seeking-advice/
Student Groups, worth it?
I received an email from Simmons LISSA detailing to me the new leadership for 2012. Reading through the list, I thought to myself: “do student groups really matter?”
Without a doubt you make great friends, and gain valuable insight, but insofar as jobs are concerned do student groups actually help? While being president of said group might seem like a big deal, what does it actually signify? By all accounts, participation in these groups does not total more than 50% of students, with some cross over between the groups. Granted this guess is based purely upon inference and some of my visits to their meetings. But lets get back to the topic at hand.
Does participation in these groups mean anything? Even for a group like BPM, which are merit based, does membership matter? Sure academic achievements are worth something, but what exactly? In what way does someone with a 3.7GPA differ from an individual with a 3.0? And more importantly does this difference indicate that the expected quality of work will greatly differ between these two students? In all honesty, probably not. There would probably be a significant difference between a 1.0 student and a 3.7 student, but given that a minimum 3.0 is needed to continue with most programs that comparison isn’t valid.
Student groups are useful for networking. Not necessarily within themselves, but if they are linked with larger groups then participation can mean an easy in once graduation occurs. This is an important advantage and one that is quite frequently put forward as a compelling reason to join these groups. And yet what do these groups accomplish? This is the central question. In what way do student groups create and finish projects that have a meaningful impact, and is the ability to create and finish projects the sole property of these groups? Student groups are generally affiliated with the schools, and as such will have access to faculty and advisers that are not normally afforded to other students.
Still, I remain unconvinced that aside from bragging rights participation in student groups is an indicator of future success. Granted if they are focused on achieving results and do so, than I’m much more supportive, but as of now, I remain unconvinced. It isn’t the groups fault, after all, people naturally congregate around similar ideas. However I do challenge the view that participation in school groups is a clear separator between those who will succeed and those who might not.
Posted by librarianmaybe on February 12, 2012
http://librarianmaybe.wordpress.com/2012/02/12/student-groups-worth-it/
LIS Education Part IV
In this 4th entry, I will take my argument to it’s logical (I think) conclusion: implementation.
Up to this point, I’ve illuminated several areas where I feel as if LIS schools are not providing their students with an appropriate education. The second blog entry detailed how context is arguably the most important differentiation between having tech classes and a digital curriculum. Without providing this context there is very little to glue these classes together. And if these classes are not bound together than there are few compelling reasons for students to remember individual concepts within classes. After all, if there is no overarching meaning, than so what? My third entry addresses the question as to whether or not LIS schools represent the most appropriate venues for this kind of education. In this case, I find the argument that LIS schools are not job training centers true to a point, but also misleading. LIS programs are NOT job training/placement centers in that they are not obligated to help their students find employment. However LIS programs are responsible with providing their students with the proper tools students need to QUALIFY for future employment opportunities. In this day and age, an increasingly common requirement is that students must possess some familiarity with XML, HTML, Javascript, etc. While current course offerings may suffice, LIS schools should be preparing their students or at least offering their students the option to obtain a comprehensive digital education. I’ve repeatedly stated that a digital centric workplace requires a digital centric mindset. Many of the tools taught in traditional LIS courses still hold true, but their digital implementations can differ substantially from analog.
It bears noting that there are outliers. However these people are not the target of this blog series. This proposed program is for the average LIS student and not those people who were/are planning on enter the tech field anyway.
So what would a digital curriculum look like?
Level 1-
All introductory Archival/Library classes
- - It’s incredibly important that the basic principles are learned.
Introductory XML/Javascript class
- - Students should be introduced to basic XML, and javascript
Internship
- Digital track students should start an internship in their first semester.
- -This internship should continue for at least 1 year, and hopefully for the entire time a student spends in the program. There are several reasons for requiring a long term internship. The first reason is that it would allow a student to not only gain knowledge in their particular job, but also allow them to see how knowledge, personal goals, and business goals intersect, conflict and ultimately, lead to a finalized product. This is a relationship that cannot be properly understood in 60 or even 120 hours.
Level 2
Applying basic library/archival principles to digital
- How do principles such as original order, provenance, open access, and content management work in the digital field. How are they different, how do they stay the same? The idea is to create a link between the analog world and digital, while also emphasizing the need for an extremely flexible mindset.
Applying XML/Javascript/etc.
- Now it’s time for students to apply the skills they’ve learned to the real world. This should be done in accordance with their internship. The goal is to integrate the classroom and business worlds. Additionally, students will be tasked with attempting to understand the underlying structures with some of the internet’s most important applications/programs
Introduction to DTDs/Schemas/Domains/etc
- Students should be exposed to the building blocks of XML schemas, dtds, domains and their intellectual meaning.
Level 3
Capstone semester
- The goal is to take all of the concepts learned, and applied over the preceding semesters and marry them. It is incredibly important that students observe, learn, and actively practice what is taught. They need to understand WHY they took that boring information management class, or the seemingly useless XML class. At this point they should have to start actively, and creatively applying these skills. The goal is to graduate a student that is not only well versed in the basic problems confronting the digital environment, but also how to potentially solve them. Or more importantly, they should leave the program with an appropriate mindset: nothing is holy, everything is malleable, but there are always caveats.
Thoughts? Comments?
Posted by librarianmaybe on February 7, 2012
http://librarianmaybe.wordpress.com/2012/02/07/lis-education-part-iv/
A day in the life, #libday8, Day 3
Good morning!
8:40-9:30AM: Walk to work
9:30-12PM: Work on sample content markup
12-1PM: Lunch hour! I’ve got to run a few errands, but also plan on getting some codeyear done as well!
1-6PM: more sample content markup with some instruction content analysis thrown in there.
After work, I’m very much looking forward to a nice gym workout and then a wonderful night at home with the puppy and fiance.
Posted by librarianmaybe on February 6, 2012
http://librarianmaybe.wordpress.com/2012/02/06/a-day-in-the-life-libday8-day-3/
Are LIS Programs Responsible?
This is the 3rd entry in my series on digitally oriented LIS education programs.
It can certainly be argued that an LIS school is not the appropriate venue for job training. After all, schools traditionally provide students with theoretical knowledge that they can then go and apply in whatever capacity necessitates it.
However regarding a digitally oriented LIS education program, I do not think that this argument carries much weight. The reason behind this assertion is that knowing how to read an XML dtd/schema, javascript, being able to construct websites, or even pointing users in the appropriate direction if they need more information is not merely a “job skill”. Instead I would argue that these “skills” are essential educational tools for individuals working in digitally oriented fields and that it’s key for individuals NOT working in those fields to at least be familiar with these concepts.
At this point, it’s impossible to argue that a digital centric or at least, inclusive LIS education is not necessary. As many individuals in the LIS field have noted: jobs are scarce. I would argue that this statement deserves a caveat: in traditional LIS fields.
I do not work in a traditional LIS field. I did attend, finish, and regularly utilize my MLIS degree. Despite this usage, I did not receive appropriate support in one area: digital. At Simmons GSLIS there are a number of tech oriented classes, but as I argued in my previous blog entry, without context these classes are not that useful as a unit.
It is not the responsibility of LIS programs to provide their students with jobs. However it is their responsibility to give students the tools they need for employment since you can’t eat off principles. In the 21st century it is no longer enough to assume that the traditional LIS degree program with a digital wrapping can suffice. Increasingly jobs are demanding that potential employees meet a certain threshold. Many times this threshold involves a requirement for familiarity wit XML, javascript, a CMS, etc. Most do not require fluency (despite what they might say) and instead are looking for individuals that are qualified on the basic level, but are able and willing to learn.
As someone who is working in a non traditional, digitally oriented job I can tell you that it’s also not enough to have the skills, you have to have the appropriate mindset. In LIS there are some sacred principles that everyone strives to maintain: original order and provenance are the two base layers. In digital LIS there are no holy grails. It’s a radically different universe. For instance, if you can think it, write a dtd, write it in XML and create an inheritance you can do it. That said the need to make it workable forces content creators to conform with certain standards, but overall there is a degree of flexibility that does not exist within the traditional LIS fields. That said, LIS students are in serious demand because we present a distinct viewpoint. Yet many LIS students will not get hired because, despite their education, they do not possess the tools necessary for implementing their education.
This can take a lot to get used too. A lot of topics and concepts get thrown on their tops and are difficult to reconcile with if you’re not adequately prepared. And this is where a good education can truly help. By creating a digitally centered track, and by better integrating digital methodologies into curriculums, LIS schools will give their students a much needed boost in gaining employment and a more effective and relevant skill set.
So back to the original question: Is an LIS school the appropriate place for this kind of an education? Absolutely. Schools are deluding themselves if they do not think that an LIS program represents the most appropriate platform for educating students in this manner. LIS schools are not job placement centers, but they tasked with ensuring that their students remain competitive in the job market.
Posted by librarianmaybe on February 5, 2012
http://librarianmaybe.wordpress.com/2012/02/05/are-lis-programs-responsible/
A Day in the Life, #libday8, Day 2
It’s Friday!
9:15AM: Arrive at work and boot up my computer
9:20AM: First things, first boot up spotify, imo.im and check my email.
9:30AM: Open up oXygen Author edition
9:30AM-12PM: PMBR XML analysis
12-1PM: Lunch hour
1-2PM: Content Sample Markup
2-3PM: Departmental Meeting
3-4PM: Content Sample Markup
4-5PM: Metadata stakeholders meeting
5-6ishPM: Content Sample Markup
It’s a pretty standard day. Really I’ve got two major projects on my plate: Content Sample Markup and XML analysis. Things are pretty loosy goosy around here so as long as I get my work done I’m generally free to go about it as I choose.
Posted by librarianmaybe on February 3, 2012
http://librarianmaybe.wordpress.com/2012/02/03/a-day-in-the-life-libday8-day-2/
A Call to Action
This is a continuation of the previous post on digital education and it’s role in LIS education.
After a significant amount of feedback I feel as if I should qualify my remarks and present some comments for future efforts.
I utilize my Simmons GSLIS degree every day in the following ways:
- Metadata construction. Currently, my boss and I are in the middle of constructing a metadata model for our content model. To create a successful metadata model we’re utilizing traditional LIS tools, but applying them into a born digital environment.
- Taxonomy. The difficulty in applying a taxonomy that’s hard and fast is that modular XML designs essentially render hard and fast structures obsolete. Rather the information relating to hierarchy must be captured within the individualized components. Taxonomy then is less defined by the structure that is implanted upon items than how the relationship between different items is captured.
- Controlled Vocabulary. A controlled vocabulary is key. Without it different users can interpret the same term in X ways. And while this is key in the analog world, it’s absolutely essential in the digital world.
- Mindset. Seems like a weird thing to list as an example, but it’s true. LIS courses instill students with a particular mindset. Namely it centers around the core principles of the profession: universal access to information, and information management. While different LIS professionals will utilize this mindset in different ways, it remains a constant feature of my day to day operations.
There are other examples of how I use my degree, but the point is that my comments regarding the Simmons GSLIS program and other LIS programs refer to the general lack of digital specific paths, and should not be construed as general criticism.
That said, it’s not enough to educate students in how to utilize programs such as Twitter, WordPress, Facebook, etc. An active user is still a user. LIS professionals should be administrators and that requires in depth knowledge of the back end processes. We should be educating our students in how to be effective creators and curators for content. There is a huge demand for LIS students, but little response from the community because most LIS programs lack the crucial link between individual classes and jobs: context. It’s not enough to offer a couple of classes in coding, digital practices. There needs to be context around these classes to give them meaning outside of their individualized topics.
Coding internships, QA internships, etc. are integral to this experience. Companies are not necessarily looking to hire experts, but they are looking to hire people that have a grasp of digital schemas, and more importantly, are not afraid to plunge into the coding world. However, by and large, students from LIS programs are not prepared for these opportunities.
The main point is that while in many places the appropriate classes do exist there is no context around these classes. Without an internship to apply these skills or a progression of classes for students to follow there is little reason for sustained digital class work.
This is my call to action. Do not abolish existing programs, but recognize that digital LIS studies requires an independent track. Digital content management is much different than analog/hybrid content management. The concepts remain fairly consistent, but their application is much different. With this kind of education LIS students would not only be aware of different non-traditional career opportunities, but also have the requisite skills to be qualified for these positions. Tech positions tend to be well paying, relatively stable, and with opportunities for aggressive growth, promotion, etc. More to the point, this industry is rapidly growing whereas the traditional LIS job opportunities are experiencing little-no growth.
Unfortunately these positions are not made available to most current LIS students and that is a shame. LIS schools should be enabling their students future endeavors.
Posted by librarianmaybe on February 3, 2012
http://librarianmaybe.wordpress.com/2012/02/03/a-call-to-action/
A day in the life, #libday8, day 1
9:30am: grab a second breakfast of fruit and coffee.
9:40am: sit down at my desk and boot it up.
9:45am: all three screens up. I boot up gmail and gmail.kaplan.com and start my day.
10-11am: all emails read. Now it’s time to start the day. I’ve got a number of things on my plate: DTD analysis, sample code markup, metadata analysis. Along with these tasks I also boot up imo.im and start chatting with a couple friends.
11-1pm: metadata call with consultant. Go over metadata and then discuss my bosses presentation tomorrow as well as future expectations.
1-2pm: lunch hour. I gotta use this time to catch up on news and other personal stuff.
2-6pm: DTD analysis. Confirm with my boss that because there is only one
output for the particular schema the style sheet and domains are all present on the sheet. Which is extremely confusing from an analyst point of view. During this time I upload a series of files, start some email queries with coworkers, and start sample coding.
6pm: head out as I’ve got an appointment uptown. Strict no work at home policy is pretty easy to do.
Posted by librarianmaybe on February 2, 2012
http://librarianmaybe.wordpress.com/2012/02/02/a-day-in-the-life-libday8-day-1/
Places I’ve moved
I saw this really interesting entry on “Living the Dream” blog by Nicole Fonsh and thought: “where have I moved?” I’ll start w/ college and work from there:
1) Moved from Vermont into (2005)
2) Freshman Dorm at Boston University: Sleeper Hall, 4th Floor (2005-6)
3) Boston to Vermont for the summer (2006)
4) 1019 Commonwealth Ave., 5th Floor (2006-7)
5) Boston to Vermont for the summer (2007)
6) Vermont to 19 Brighton Ave. #4 (Fall 2007-Summer 2011 (4 years!))
7) 19 Brighton Ave to 458 West 52nd. Street New York, NY (Summer 2011-)
So what milestones have I hit along the way?
2005
- Started undergraduate degree at Boston University
- Met Maggie, Jaime, Marino, and Zack
- Lost 6 inches off my waistline
2006
- Finished College of General Studies
- Started in the College of Arts and Sciences
- Started running
2007
- Moved into 19 Brighton Ave. w/ Maggie
- Started training for 2008 Boston Marathon
- Started waiting tables
2008
- Ran Boston Marathon
- Princess died
- Sold my ski equipment
2009
- Graduated from Boston University, B.A US History
- Started school at Simmons College GSLIS/GCAS, MS Archives Management/MA History
- Ran/Finished 2009 Boston Marathon
2010
- Ran New Bedford Half Marathon
- Ran Philadelphia Marathon
- Finished waiting tables @ Legal Seafoods
2011
- Ran Burlington City Marathon
- Ran New Bedford Half Marathon
- Ran New York City Marathon
- Worked at Accufile, Credo Reference, Instrumart, and finally, Kaplan
- Finished my MS Archives Management
- After 6 years got engaged
- Brought Moxie Waffles (French Bulldog) into our home
- Moved to NYC
2012 (Goals)
- Run New Bedford Half Marathon
- Run Burlington City Marathon
- Run Chicago/New York City Marathon
- Finish my thesis and receive my M.A History
- Stay engaged
- Survive the engagement
- Continue to learn and thrive
- Be a better person
Posted by librarianmaybe on February 1, 2012
http://librarianmaybe.wordpress.com/2012/02/01/places-ive-moved/
