Confessions of a “Fake” Librarian

This month we’ve been talking about what we wished we had learned in library school. But… (and here’s that confession) I never went.

I started out as a library page at my town library while I was commuting to a local college. My mom worked there (and still does!) and I was helping out one day when the director asked if I wanted a job. Yes, please! Then a new director came on board and asked if I wanted to run storytimes. YES, please! That turned into Children’s Librarian/Assistant Director. Then my director went to a library 2 towns over and 8 months later I followed and became Head of Youth Services/Assistant Director. This time I even had my own office. WITH A DOOR! I figured I would go to library school at some point.

Then my director received a flyer in the mail about getting an MFA in Writing for Children through Simmons College and the Eric Carle Museum of Picturebook Art. It was roughly half the price of a Simmons library degree and I also just really, really wanted to do it. So I did. And it was awesome! I met amazing people and learned so much and have 2 unfinished manuscripts to show for it that will probably never be finished but that’s OK! Maybe someday.

Then I bought a house. Then I got married. Then I had my daughter. Fast forward 12 years and I am still paying for my master’s degree (mostly because I deferred so many times!) And while a really big part of me still wants to get a degree in library science so that I don’t have to feel like I am not a “real” librarian… an even bigger part of me is sort of over it. I have been a “fake” librarian for 16 years. I supervise a staff of 3. I have planned and implemented hundreds of programs, written grants, and dealt with SO MANY CRAZY (and wonderful) PEOPLE, that I feel like maybe I have learned some valuable things that an MLS degree couldn’t teach me. And I am naturally terrible at math, so I doubt even a class on library budgets would have helped!

I wish all of my experience could let me earn that pricey piece of paper. Because I really do envy those of you that have it. You worked hard for that degree. If I were younger and less busy and had more money and was slightly more motivated, I would go for it. But I feel like I have worked pretty hard to get where I am without it.