Library Science: A Degree for Queer Book Lovers in University
If you are a queer college student who loves books but don't know what to study in school, I introduce you to the field of library science.
Are you a queer reader or writer in university unsure of what to study? Do you feel passionate about diversifying literature and advocating for more representation on the shelves? Do you want to work in a relatively quiet space surrounded by tomes? Are you someone who would rather hurl yourself off a cliff than do math? Do you despise corporate and refuse to enslave yourself to meaningless work that benefits nobody but your boss?
If any of those questions resonate with you, then let me introduce you to the wonderful field of library science.
My Personal Journey Toward Library Science
When I was in high school, I felt certain that I would become a full-time author living in a penthouse suite overlooking the glittering skyline of some bustling city. I poured every moment of my free time into writing, learning about writing, dreaming about writing, talking about writing. You get the idea. My youthful idealism fueled this fever dream that I will pen my multiverse of stories and change the world with the help of a publisher.
After I graduated high school, I attended a community college prior to transferring to a four-year university. Since I was still riding the high of my traditional publishing dream, I treated college as a back-up, something to get through and not care too much about. I picked random classes ranging from geography to philosophy to sociology to biology that fulfilled the requirements for my Associates in Arts.
When it was time to apply to four-year universities, I applied to the journalism and professional writing programs in the three institutions near me. At the time, I had no idea what these professions truly entailed, I’d just wanted a degree that had something to do with writing.
I got into the journalism school at my current university, but my strict parents forbade me from remaining in this program. They said, "I don't see you being a news person." So at my grandma's behest, I switched my major to Economics. In retrospect, these people were super abusive and had zero right in determining my life, so it was definitely a power move on my part to cut them off later.
I enrolled into the Introduction To Economics class and instantly hated it. I simply did not care about supply and demand or whatever it was that we were trying to learn. I cried every day during recitation and wanted to throw myself into the river. At the same time, I realized more and more how traditional publishing was not a viable path for someone like me, a person who values the stories above all else, a person who does not want to sell out or cater to the market, a person who refuses to participate in a predatory system designed to keep underrepresented authors out. I have always just wanted to write my multiverse for the sake of it, and never to commercialize it or to water it down for an audience.
So quarter life crisis.
What am I going to do now in terms of career if not a full-time author?
Soon after, I discovered a program called Information Science at my school, but because I had taken a random assortment of classes during my community college years, I was missing quite a few of the prerequisites for the Information Science program.
My solution was to switch from Economics to Communications Studies and work toward the latter degree while completing my prerequisites for Information Science. Then I added Information Science as a second major. I was poised to graduate with both degrees until a Communications class got cancelled, so I ultimately graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Information Science.
I applied to grad school in Winter 2022, simply because I was panicking and didn't want to work corporate. I had wanted to either study Mass Communication, User Experience, or Library Science, but ultimately settled on Library Science because I love books. Soon after, I realized that this degree is meant for me, and that everything has been leading up to this moment made possible by Divine Timing.
Funny how everything does work out in the end.
So What Is It Like Studying Library Science?
It depends on your concentration. All librarians have universal duties such as reference and readers' advisory, but the context of such depend on the type of library you hope to work in, the demographic you are serving, and the type of librarian you want to be.
Four Major Types of Libraries
Academic Libraries serve colleges and universities.
Public Libraries serve the public in cities and towns.
School Libraries serve students in K-12 schools.
Special Libraries serve special institutions such as hospitals, corporations, governments, military, law firms, museums, arts organizations, among others.
Different Types of Librarians
Collections Development Librarian works on selecting material to be acquired into the library's collection.
Library Manager oversees all operations of the library on a day-to-day basis.
User Experience Librarian analyzes existing processes for improvements that would facilitate the patron's experience at the library.
Reference Librarian helps to connect patrons with the information they seek whether the patron is seeking a physical book or a digital article.
Instructional and Research Librarian teaches workshops such as information literacy and aid scholars in locating sources for their research.
Outreach Librarian plans, implements, and evaluates events for a library as well as handle outreach efforts to the community.
Youth Services Librarian serves children mostly in public libraries.
School Media Specialists works in School Libraries to assist with technological implementations in the classroom and conduct events for kids.
Digital Librarian deals with metadata, catalogues, digital curation, online repositories, LibGuides, and more.
There are other types of librarians, but these are the main ones. Depending on the size and type of your institution, you may be a generalist wearing many hats or a specialist with one focal point.
Now, Why Should A Queer Book Lover Choose Library Science?
You get to read YA books for class and discuss them with peers as if you are all in a book club!
This is more toward Youth Services Librarianship where classes dedicated to Young Adult literature has syllabi that contain the names of Leigh Bardugo, Angie Thomas, Aiden Thomas, and more. If you want to serve the youth, you have to read like they do.
You get to make a difference in the diversification of books!
As a Collections Development Librarian, you get to have a say in the type of material acquired for your library. You should definitely uplift works penned by underrepresented authors, especially Black and Indigenous and disabled authors. You can be the person who inspires a patron to do great things by giving them the right book recommendation (readers' advisory) at the right time.
You don't have to do too much math!
Even as a Digital Librarian, you are mostly working with online repositories and data instead of some difficult math like linear algebra or trigonometry.
You get to meet other queer people who also love books!
Trust me when I say this: the majority of students in my department are queer. There is even a collective for queer people in library science at my school.
You get to tailor the experience to best suit your interests!
If you are into digitalization, you can work with online archives. If you want to make kids happy, you can go into Youth Services. If you want to apply UX principles to improve user journey, then pursue User Experience Librarianship. If you want to be a liaison between the library and the community, then be an Outreach Librarian. Truly, library science is such a wide and versatile field that you can customize your career to best suit your goals and needs.
But Wait, Library Science Is A Masters Degree!
What If I Am An Undergraduate?
Some colleges do offer undergraduate studies in Library Science albeit this is very rare. Most library positions do require candidates to have a Masters Degree.
But do not worry. I got you covered with this list of common undergraduate degrees that will prepare you for a Masters of Science in Library Science.
English: This degree gets a bad rep, but it is extremely helpful for professions such as Law and Library Science. Plus, if you are not interested in analyzing 18th Century British Literature, you can specialize in professional writing such as grants and proposals. Those skills are highly sought after by libraries and many other institutions as well.
Communications Studies: Learning about the way humans communicate, the ramifications of popular media on our lives, public speaking techniques, and rhetorical studies can equip you with a keen sense of media literacy that is especially favorable for positions in public libraries that work with popular materials. Public speaking is a good skill to have as a librarian, and a solid understanding of rhetorics can help you propose ideas and procure funds.
Information Science: Information Science studies the intricate dance between humans, organizations, and technology. You can focus on project management, UX/UI, or computer programming if you want to be a Digital Librarian.
Education: This is more for those interested in Instructional Librarianship or School Media Specialist positions. If you want to teach, then completing a Bachelor of Arts in Education would be an excellent way to prepare you for a library job or even just a regular teaching position.
A Few Things To Consider
If you plan on working at a public library, you will be considered a government employee. If that does not appeal to you, consider one of the other three types of libraries (Academic, School, Special). Do note that one type of Special Library is government libraries, but other types include art library, music library, corporate library, law library, health library, prison library, museum library, and others.
Academic and Special Libraries generally pay more than School and Public Libraries. Certain Academic or Special Libraries may require additional certifications depending on the nature of the institution.
Being a Youth Services Librarian is great, but if you are living in the United States, you have to know that libraries and diverse books are under an unprecedented level of censorship attacks. There have been cases where Youth Services Librarians are threatened, harassed, stalked, and more. Of course, all librarians are at risk of such treatment, but it is especially perilous for Youth Services Librarians given that the book-ban advocates want to control the minds of children, and the way to do that is to control what children learn.
It might be beneficial to be bilingual or even trilingual for librarians. Of course, don't force yourself to study a foreign language that you do not want to. I merely mention this because being bilingual may be able to help diverse populations who frequent your library.
A Closing Note
I hope reading this post has sparked some interest in library science. If not, that is all right. I just want to let you know that your life is yours. Your life does not belong to your parents, your partner, or society. Whether you want to major in Classical Studies and become a museum curator, or major in Business Administration and become a financial advisor, or not attend college at all, your choice is valid. Your choice is yours.
Remember, life is a dynamic entity that breathes and changes. Life is never just one thing. Take my personal journey of reclaiming my writing for instance. I had thought that traditional publishing was what would give me happiness, but it was the stories all along. I am happy to say that I am still writing today, and will continue to do so no matter what.
So I encourage you to explore different pathways, experience fun things, and enjoy life.