Michael McGrorty writes ”
As recently as a few months ago it appeared that there would be numerous vacancies in the field of librarianship, but the slump in the economy seems to have made openings scarce. Many of my fellow library students face a bleak future of low-wage employment combined with the burden of outstanding student loans and other obligations. The situation approaches crisis proportions and threatens the future of the profession.
One solution to this problem would be the elimination of current incumbents. Quite a few librarians are old, and not many would be capable of fighting off a determined attack by a younger person. A few taps to the head in some dark part of the stacks would create at least a temporary opening (in case of injury) or a permanent one (should the victim pass on) which could be filled by a new library school graduate.
Michael McGrorty writes ”
As recently as a few months ago it appeared that there would be numerous vacancies in the field of librarianship, but the slump in the economy seems to have made openings scarce. Many of my fellow library students face a bleak future of low-wage employment combined with the burden of outstanding student loans and other obligations. The situation approaches crisis proportions and threatens the future of the profession.
One solution to this problem would be the elimination of current incumbents. Quite a few librarians are old, and not many would be capable of fighting off a determined attack by a younger person. A few taps to the head in some dark part of the stacks would create at least a temporary opening (in case of injury) or a permanent one (should the victim pass on) which could be filled by a new library school graduate.
While it is true that many vacancies are not being filled, this only means that the losses must be concentrated on the upper ranks, where replacement is a certainty; this not only creates an open position, but makes for advancement for those on the rungs below.
A further advantage of this system is that quite a few senior librarians might decide to avoid violence and simply retire of their own accord. This of course would be the best situation for all concerned, preserving a bank of experienced professionals to mentor the next generation of library leadership.
I plan to submit a research paper on this topic at the next convention of the Public Library Association. Thanks in advance for your consideration.
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