Job advice / Senior Library Clerk

[Steven Patnode <Sun85@AOL.COM>]

Hello everyone -

I am a student, currently taking my fourth course toward an MLS.
I would greatly appreciate your thoughts on my current situation.

I work full-time and am taking courses one at a time, online
through the great program at Southern Connecticut State University.
My focus is on academic reference at this point, but I am keeping
an open mind for anything.

I have interviewed and received a job offer for a Senior Library
Clerk position at my local public library.  I am having trouble
deciding whether or not to accept this job.  I currently work
at a flexibly-scheduled job which allows me time for school.
The new job pays the same as my current job, and of course
since I would be new, benefits are lower, hours are more rigid,
etc.  What I'm conflicted about is whether this type of clerical
library job would be of a significant experiential and educational
benefit for me as an MLS student?  I am trying to keep myself
open to all library possibilities, but have been told that this job
would not have a significant educational benefit for me as I aim toward
academic (or any type of ) reference work.  (I do clerical work now
so already have 19 years of experience in day-to-day clerical
tasks/office management).  If it helps, I'm 46 and working toward a career
change. One other factor:  the library offering the job has a long history
of personnel conflicts, and there is some resentment by clerks, etc.
toward those who have library education.  Ah, small town life.

I'm stymied.  Any thoughts and information you have about Senior
Library Clerk jobs will be greatly appreciated!

Steve Patnode
MLS student

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=
All postings to LM_NET are protected under copyright law.
To quit LM_NET (or set-reset NOMAIL or DIGEST, etc.) send email to:
listserv@listserv.syr.edu   In the message write EITHER:
1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL or 3) SET LM_NET DIGEST
4) SET LM_NET MAIL  * Please allow for confirmation from Listserv.
For LM_NET Help see: http://ericir.syr.edu/lm_net/
Archives: http://askeric.org/Virtual/Listserv_Archives/LM_NET.shtml
 See also EL-Announce for announcements from library media vendors:
    http://www.mindspring.com/~el-announce/
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=