Feedback | Letters to LJ, February 15, 2011 

An abandoned librarian
I completed my MLIS from an American Library Association (ALA)–accredited program in 2005. My MLIS cost me $30,000-plus. Since then I have not obtained temporary or permanent employment as a professional librarian. I have earned zero income as a librarian although these should be my peak earning years. I also have an undergraduate degree in library science education, and I’m a certified school library media ­specialist.

In addition to my two library science degrees, I have practical work experience in...school, public, special, and academic [libraries]. I have served as a high school library media specialist and parent volunteer in elementary and middle school libraries. I have been a summer reading librarian in a public library and director of a small public library. I served a seven-year term as a library trustee. I have volunteered in a medical library and my church library. I [worked] for several years as a technical assistant in a large university library.

Despite my education, training, dedication, and work experience, I feel completely abandoned by the library profession. I have attended job fairs, employment seminars, résumé-writing workshops, and local, state, and national conferences to search for library work. I have had two interviews in seven years. I requested assistance from the placement officer of my ­GSLIS and my regional library system and received no help from either. The placement officer said she would do everything she could to help me find a job; I never heard from her again.

I came to the library profession honestly with a love of books and the desire to serve others in any type of library. I earned degrees from accredited programs and “paid my dues” in technical, clerical, and volunteer positions while working toward my MLIS. I was completely dedicated to libraries and librarianship.... I was recognized for my effectiveness in staff positions and my leadership abilities.

The saddest thing in life is wasted talent.... My professional library training and experience are being wasted. No one cares, and I am not alone.—Name withheld upon request

LIS learning labs
I agree strongly with Michael Stephens about using the institution’s library as a learning laboratory for future academic librarians in LIS programs (“Can We Handle the Truth?” Office Hours, LJ 1/11, p. 44). This cooperative strategy would work well for these students, but what about the rest? I had this “argument” with library administrators when I was director of the Wayne State University library school in the 1990s. They thought that all the students and faculty would welcome working on projects in the research library. I pointed out that the future public librarian or media specialist who wanted to work with elementary school students won’t have a whole lot of interest in the academic commons. I teach practical skills along with theory and agree that the divide between library schools and libraries is often too wide. I think, however, that some students might not be happy if those with academic interests were treated so differently.—Robert P. Holley, Prof., SLIS, Wayne State Univ., Detroit

Vegetarian proteins
Thank you for including the review of Neal Barnard’s The 21-Day Weight Loss Kickstart (LJ 1/11, p. 120). Unfortunately, the reviewer based her one criticism that the book does not adequately explain how to get “complete proteins” in vegetarian diets on her opinion that it is “tricky” to obtain them. This statement is probably based on an outdated theory that different types of plant proteins must be combined at meals to create “complete proteins.” This theory is no longer supported by research, as the American Dietetic Association’s 2009 Position Paper on Vegetarian Diets states: “Research indicates that an assortment of plant foods eaten over the course of a day can provide all essential amino acids and ensure adequate nitrogen retention and use in healthy adults, thus complementary proteins do not need to be consumed at the same meal.” Since obtaining complete proteins involves nothing more “tricky” than eating a variety of foods, it seems no more elaborate explanation was necessary. Reviewers would do better to leave the science to the experts, rather than stating opinions based on inaccurate knowledge....—Leslie Patterson, Chicago P.L.

Bogus health book
I am disappointed and disillusioned with LJ’s inclusion of Julie Buckley’s Healing Our Autistic Children in its “Best of 2010: Consumer Health” list (LJ 2/1/11, p. 26-27). The brief review makes no mention of the foreword by Jenny McCarthy, whose ignorant passion for the subject is known. McCarthy’s belief in bogus research linking vaccinations with autism taints the entire book, which includes broad statements about autistic people that are not proven true. The book makes claims for treatments that are questionable and unproven. I purchased this for my library based on LJ’s list, trusting the source. Never again! It will not go on the shelves of my library, and I now know better than to trust LJ reviews.—Sue Shelly, Glendale, AZ