As different as can be

I looked over three job postings yesterday. The institutions involved are as different from each other as different can be.

One is a large state library with a strong archival and historical focus. I think they may be looking for someone with more knowledge of genealogical research, but perhaps my involvement with the state historical society and railroad-history groups will appeal to them.

The second is a bare-bones "business college" which focuses on providing vocational training for entry-level clerical and health-related jobs. It's a part-time position which would allow me to keep working at Suburban Public Library and in doing so reduce my work week from 60 hours down to 50 or so.

The third is at a tiny private college deep in the forested hills of Vermont, which originated in 1863 as a Unitarian seminary and has since made itself a testbed for experimental educational ideas. (I didn't even know Unitarians had seminaries.) Its turbulent history has included financial troubles, high administrative turnover, and most recently, suspension of their residential undergraduate program in favor of graduate programs, adult education, and nonresident programs. Its library catalog is largely non-automated, but somehow it seems that working there would be an interesting challenge. How many Institutes Of Higher Education, after all, have the sense of humor to include statements like this in their official histories?

During those years, several applications were made to the regional accrediting association --- and were rejected, in part because the financial resources of the college were fragile, in part because its program and procedures were so radically different from those of most colleges. In early December of 1959, however --- and to the genuine surprise of most people at (G.) --- the most recent application for accreditation was accepted....

They seem to still have a certain innovative spirit, judging from their current calendar of events, which includes a "Celebration of Homeschooling":

(G.) invites homeschooling families with teens to attend a weekend retreat on our beautiful Vermont campus at the height of autumn foliage season. We are designing a new undergraduate (B.A.) program specifically for young people who are ready to begin college studies (full- or part-time) and want to continue learning in the independent, community-based style they’ve enjoyed as homeschoolers. We want to work in partnership with homeschooling families to plan the details of the program, and during this retreat we will hold several open-ended planning discussions.

Homeschoolers are definitely a niche market that is underserved by traditional colleges. But how, exactly, does one provide good library service to a user population this scattered? Especially with limited electronic resources? A library position at such an institution might end up more like being a research consultant or long-distance information broker than like a traditional librarian. What an interesting thought experiment.

Meanwhile, Huron State has issued forth a decree from those on high that all library periodical holdings -- all 5000+ of them -- must be assigned to particular academic departments within two weeks. Why this must be done, no one knows. Why it must be done in two weeks, no one knows. All anyone knows is that the tenure-track librarians can't be bothered to do it, so the lecturers have to.