Boomers Go Home

While I was exploring blog sites online for Libraries I happened upon one http://annoyedlibrarian.blogspot.com/ . There is a lot of anger there, but what caught my attention was the plight of the new MLS grads that are angry at us boomers for still working, while they are unable to find jobs in the field. It was sad but funny at the same time. This is one of the comments that was posted on the section called "Those Darn Boomers":


Minks said...
First, I want to state that what I am about to talk about is what I have seen. You can tell me what I have seen all you want, but that will not alter what I have seen. Keep that in mind when you all start flaming away. =PThere are a lot of problems with a significant number of old librarians that everybody is afraid to touch on. They fact they they will not retire is just a simple solution, not really the problem. I will explain it all in far more detail in my next blog,, but in summary...1) They tend to not have relevant skillsets needed to function properly in todays libraries. 70% of our librarians over 50 are pathetically under skilled in technology. Including, but not limited to, computer use (burning CD's for example), internet searching, powerpoint, excel, database usage, online commerce, and online content technology/delivery. In comparison, about 90% of our under 50 crowd have it down just fine (very few support calls from them). Am I bitter? Yes. Why? The same percentage of my "I need help calls" are generated from these two groups. Learn it or Retire is becoming my mantra.2) They do not want to learn the new skills. Like you said AL, they never get fired (or rarely do). They know full well they can coast for a freaking decade. And do. Boy-howdy they do. Would not happen in the real world. They would get fired or forced to retire. But in the wondrous fantasy world of libraries they just keep on hanging on.... making their support calls.... to me.3) They can not learn the new skills. They just cant. We had one here, bless her heart, just could not grasp the stuff no matter how much training. She was quite willing to try and train. Just.... well... could not manage. Other staff swore senility was kicking in.4) They set up a bad example in the marketplace for librarianship. People come into the libraries and see these geriatric technophobes and make little mental notes. The notes have to do with the desirably of librarians. The stereotype if you will. This type of stereotype is not helping the demand for librarians.Now, we have one librarian here that is almost 70 and actually pretty darn good. I am not saying ALL librarians over 50 are negligent in their skillsets. I am saying 70% are. 3 out of 10 are just fine. No need for you guys over 50 to lecture me on how good you are. Odds are, if you are reading and posting on a blog and you are over 50, you are one of the 3. =)

SAY WHAT! LOL Well I know we are a little slower then we were when we were 30 but please don't tell me that we are senile geriatric technophobes lol. Sometimes my humor is too much to contain, I just have to keep that phrase to use someday again "senile geriatric technophobes". Try to say that ten times, fast, lol. I feel the inspiration for a poem lol.