from a recent ivory tower grad!(long - was Horror Stories)

[Adrienne Ehlert <ehlea@RUBY.ILS.UNC.EDU>]

I have enjoyed reading this thread (LMC horror stories) very much -- both
the horror stories and the accompanying commentary, but have to disagree
with the recent poster(s) who feel that the professors in library schools
focus on theory (instead of practical matters), create an idealized
picture (instead of the gritty reality) and who live in an ivory tower and
never come into the trenches.  I am a recent graduate of an Information
and Library Science Program which, while attempting to give us a firm
theoretical base from which to work, also gave us many opportunities,
requirements, and resources to work from to find out the reality of the
contemporary library media center.  We had to do a practicum, we took many
field trips to various local schools, and we were always steered towards
projects that examined real issues and tested real problems.

Now that I have claimed that my grad school was terrific in terms of
providing us with a dose of reality, I can also think of many reasons why
a little idealism is in order when training for this profession.  Ideals
give us a goal for the future and enable us to set our hopes high --
higher than they would be if reality was the only thing we were ever
exposed to.  Ideals and examples of ways other places are doing it better
help us plan for the future.  If you get a new job at a media center
that's not automated then you know you should start planning for
automation, for example.  Watching a videotape in which the teachers and
media specialists plan, present, help with, and jointly evaluate a unit
together shows students what is possible but it also shows that that kind
of collaboration takes a lot of effort and skill.  I think you are
underestimating graduate students if you think that they can't distinguish
the ideal from the real.

Last, working in a school can be a shock for many people who thought that
that was what they wanted to do with their lives.  That's what happened to
me my first go-round with teaching.  I had good preparation -- did two
stints at student teaching and volunteered in many classrooms but as we
all know it was completely different once I started really doing it!  I
don't think anything could have prepared me for some of the things that
happened
and I can't blame my professors for not anticipating it.  I totally agree
with the person who commented that if you can think of things the
library schools
don't teach and which you think students should know, write an article
about it.  I think LMS professors would embrace/assign articles like this!
Or, better yet, become a Professor yourself!  4 years and you can not only
set those professors straight but help to educate a whole new generation.

From my soapbox,
Adrienne Ehlert
ehlea@ils.unc.edu

"Ain't nobody can hold a candle to you baby.
You got de keys to de kingdom."
Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston.