It is good to hear of grad-level recruitment programs. Let me chime in and
report briefly on what is happening in one undergrad institution.
At Oberlin, we have a grant-funded program aimed at "hooking" undergrads
into academic librarianship while they are sophomores, juniors, and
seniors. We are attempting to be a "model" for undergraduate recruitment of
diverse students into librarianship. Many students do not immediately think
about librarianship as a career option, so this introduces it to them at an
early stage. The program is one year long and consists of paid, part-time
training (equivalent to what they would earn on work study) including
lectures, readings, discussions, actual experience, and field trips. The
fellows are mentored by members of our library staff, according to their
specialized interests. We also have an interim in January, which allows the
fellows to earn "academic credit for off-campus Winter Term projects with
Oberlin alumni librarians."
We also have one full-time graduate alumni intern -- that's me! :-) My job
is basically to learn about librarianship while contributing to the library
here, and go to library school, which is what I am doing ....
Since our program focuses on academic librarianship, the fellows and myself
have been free to pursue our academic interests as they apply -- e.g. I
spend a lot of time in the art library, other fellows have done the same at
our Conservatory library, etc. (Somehow the science library never seems to
attract too much attention... )
Cheers,
Alita Pierson
Alita Pierson
Oberlin College Library
148 W. College St.
Oberlin, OH 44074
440-775-8285 x292
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