Feedback: Letters to LJ, December 15, 2010 

Few jobs in archives
Both Stephanie Maatta (“Stagnant Salaries, Rising Unemployment,” LJ 10/15/10, p. 22–29) and Francine Fialkoff (“Sold on a Graying Profession,” Editorial, LJ 11/1/10, p. 8) mention “potentially ‘hot’ specializations including archives.” I can’t see how aiming for a job market with fewer than 10,000 total professionals in the United States will improve the marketability of a recent LIS grad. How many professional librarian jobs are out there, comparatively? By the way, the same thing is happening in archives too: many recent grads from archives-specific programs are not getting permanent employment in the field. Potential retirees aren’t retiring, and even when they do, it doesn’t mean the jobs are being filled. —Arlene Schmuland, Head, ­Special Collections, Univ. of Alaska, Anchorage

A fool’s proposition
Working your way up the paraprofessional ladder, then looking for a full-time librarian job after working a few years in the real world, is the way to go (Francine Fialkoff, “Sold on a Graying Profession,” Editorial, LJ 11/1/10, p. 8). While juggling paraprofessional work and MLIS coursework isn’t easy, it certainly guarantees that one will have the experience to claim when one goes out to seek jobs in the field. Hiring a librarian straight out of library school without library experience seems like a fool’s proposition, especially because what is taught in MLIS programs and the realities of public institutions do not reflect each other.—John Thill, Napa, CA

Cash for Christmas
John Berry’s “Half Way to ALA” (Blatant Berry, LJ 10/1/10, p. 10) hit a nerve, as I’m a recent graduate and past president of an American Library Association (ALA) student chapter, because high ALA conference costs also dissuade another group from attendance: students. When I was president, the Pratt-SILS student chapter of ALA funded three students each year to attend annual through a travel scholarship that covered registration, hotel, and travel expenses. In preparing the organization budget for this academic year, Pratt Student Activities informed its organizations that they will no longer reimburse for airfare—a major expense for both 2011 conferences. The contest was quite competitive last year, in part owing to annual’s location in Washington, DC. With a smaller pool of funds, that probably won’t be the case this year, as my colleagues watch their budgets very closely.

Such high costs shut out the next two or three generations of librarians who are going to rely more and more on networking for post-MLS employment.

I’ll be in San Diego and New Orleans this year, as I am an ALA Emerging Leader for 2011. While I have a sponsorship, I’m also planning ahead. I told my family that I only want cash for ­Christmas.—Kate Kosturski, Pratt-SILS 2010 graduate, East Windsor, NJ

Borrow 50 books!
I was happy to see the Cleveland Public Library (CPL) listed as No. 5 in your list of Star Libraries for 2010 (Ray Lyons & Keith Curry Lance, “America’s Star Libraries,” LJ 10/1/10, p. 22–31). As a former employee of CPL, I have a special place in my heart for it but also for one other reason.

When I was a page at my neighborhood branch during the 1990s, an elderly lady with a heavy Eastern European accent approached me one day. “Excuse me, sir. How many books can I take out on (my) card?” she asked.

“You can take up to 50 books,” I replied, stating our policy at the time. “I know my English is not that good. I ask how many books can I take out on card?” she continued.

“Ma’am, your English is fine. You can take up to 50 books.”

“Fifty?” she asked incredulously,

“Fifty!” I said, “Yes, 50.”

She blessed herself in the Catholic tradition, folded her hands as if praying, and walked away. I realized that I took for granted a very precious freedom that our public libraries provide....—James Sickora, Cleveland

M-rated video games
Another fantastic column by Liz Danforth (“The Great [M-Rated] Debate,” Games, Gamers, & Gaming, LJ 10/15/10, p. 56). I just wanted to clarify the quote from me. I had only a small amount of money to spend on video games, so I had no trouble finding nonmature-rated games of quality. However, I would have loved to add some mature-rated games! When we have Cormac McCarthy but not Fallout New Vegas, Tolkien but not Fable III, the latest Patterson, but not Heavy Rain, it’s a shame because those games are epic in scale, mesmerizing in their storytelling, and fantastic entertainment. The Supreme Court case of Schwarzenegger vs. ESA decision due by June 2011 should also provide information relating to free speech and video games. I hope that directors and boards read Danforth’s column and put some thought into it.—Sue Scott, Technology Libn., Marlboro Free Lib., NY